I was told about a great burger place in New York called Clinton Hall. So, the last time I was in the city I visited their newest location on 36th Street.
As soon as I walked through the door I knew this would be a fun place. They had games throughout like giant chess and connect four. They also had tons of board games you could borrow and play at the table.
If you like beer, then Clinton Hall is the right place for you. They have a full assortment of beers on tap.
I started off with the Waffle Fries. These crispy fries were covered in a melted cheese sauce. They sprinkled scallions and jalapenos on top. I ate a few jalapenos with the cheese, but they ended up being too spicy.
The cheese sauce was very creamy. The salty taste was
perfect on the waffle fries and there was no other salt needed.
I ordered the CH Classic. This was their traditional burger. The beef patty was extra juicy and tender. They cooked it to a perfect medium. I got American cheese on top. This added a nice creaminess. The lettuce and tomato added freshness.
The burger also came with their CH sauce on the bun. This
was almost like a thousand island dressing. It added a nice sweet taste to the
burger.
Clinton hall was a great place for a burger and for watching football. They had huge televisions throughout the restaurant.
I was so excited to make a second visit to Casa Nonna in New York City. I loved my meal the last time I went. I could not wait to try something new on the menu.
Similar to the last visit, I arrived at the restaurant earlier than everyone else in my group. So, I headed over to the bar for a cocktail. I ordered an Aperol Spritzer. This blended prosecco, aperol, and seltzer water. It was semi-sweet with lots of bubbles.
To munch on they gave me some of their homemade flatbread. I remembered these and they were delicious. These were crispy like crackers and topped with spices and parmesan cheese that was melted and crispy as well.
Once the rest of my group arrived we got seated at a cozy
booth. This was nicer than a table
because it allowed for easier dinner conversation.
We ordered several appetizers to share around the table. The fried calamari were a must. I remember I had this before and really liked it. The tender calamari were breaded and fried until crispy. They also included julienne vegetables, that consisted of red peppers and pepperoncini peppers. I liked the tangy flavor that the peppers added to the taste of the calamari.
Out next was the Mozzarella in Carrozza. This fresh made cheese came with fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes and a basil pesto. The cheese was extremely creamy and sweet. The basil pesto added an herby taste that really paired well with the tomatoes.
The last appetizer was the Bruschetta. Now they offer three different kinds. We went for the Sicilian Eggplant Caponata, which is a marinated mixture of eggplant, ricotta cheese blended with herbs, and chopped up squash. This entire mixture was then topped with a drizzle of balsamic and piled high onto some toasted baguette pieces. There was such a sweet taste to the eggplant mixture. The balsamic added a slight tartness but it was very mild. The baguette pieces added a nice crunch to each bite.
I was excited to try my dinner. This time I ordered the Pici Alla Toscana. It was a twisted pasta that was covered in a Tuscan beef-pork ragu. The rich, creamy aroma of the pasta smelled wonderful as soon as my waiter placed the bowl in front of me.
There was an overall creamy texture to the sauce. It had a
full savory flavor. The pasta was tender even though the noodles were slightly
thick. The portion was the right size because it was rich. If it was any larger
I would not have been able to finish it.
The last time I ate at Casa Nonna I was not able to try any of their desserts. I made sure I ordered a cannoli this visit. It came out in a beautiful presentation on the plate. There were fresh berries on the plate and the cannoli was gently placed on top. It was dusted with powered sugar.
Each end of the cannoli was covered in chopped up
pistachios. I really liked the salty and crunchy element it added. The cream
was very smooth and creamy. It filled the entire shell, which had a slight
cinnamon taste.
I once again enjoyed my entire meal at Casa Nonna. It is definitely a place I would keep going back to. Check them out at www.casanonna.com
So here I am, back in New York City. It’s lunch time and I have found another sushi restaurant to try. This time it is A.B. Sushi.
This was the perfect place for lunch in-between my meetings. Luckily for me I got there a few minutes before the lunch rush. While I was sitting there I watched the place fill up.
I ordered the MakiLunch, which was a great value,
especially for New York. It came with salad, soup, and two rolls.
The miso soup had a generous amount of seaweed leaves and a little tofu. The flavor of the broth was savory. I wish they had included more tofu in the soup.
For the salad, the ginger dressing was a little different from others I have had. It was creamier and slightly sweet. It was till full of ginger flavor.
My rolls came out beautifully on the plate. The first roll I got was the spicy tuna. This is always my go-to-roll. I never seem to be disappointed by this option. This roll had a crunchy rice on the inside that added a unique texture to the tuna.
My other roll was the eel and avocado. The eel was fresh
and paired well with the creamy avocado. It to is always a good go-to-roll for
me. They drizzled a generous amount of the sweet eel sauce on top. This is my
favorite part of an eel roll.
This was a perfect quick spot to grab lunch. They had a few
more Japanese specialties on the menu that sounded good, but I highly recommend
the sushi.
I was invited out for a nice dinner in New York and was taken to STK – Midtown.
Even though we had a reservation, our table still was not ready when we got there. So, we headed to the bar to grab a cocktail.
I decided to order the Troublemaker. They used Ketel One Botanical vodka – peach ad orange blossom, which was mixed with rose wine cordial and club soda. This cocktail was extremely refreshing. It was almost like a sangria in taste, just without all the fruit. I will have to try replicating this drink when I am at home.
Once we sat down at our table, our wonderful waitress brought over some fresh made pop-over bread. They served it with a creamy blue cheese butter. The bread was amazing. It was so hot that the butter melted instantly when it hit the bread. The sweetness of the bread paired well with the tangy blue cheese.
A few appetizers started coming out. First was the Big Eye Tuna Tartare. The tuna was so fresh, it cut easily with my fork. They included avocado with the tuna because they are the perfect pairing. The slices were put on top of a soy honey emulsion, that added both a sweet and salty accent. They placed the tuna/avocado mixture in-between layers of taro chips and stacked them high. The chips added a great crunch.
The second appetizer was Nueske’s Smoked Bacon. I was expecting thin slices of crispy bacon to come out. It ended up being a large slice of pork belly. They covered it in a balsamic BBQ sauce. It tasted like they seared it on a grill to get it crispy. I really enjoyed the edges of the bacon because it was extra crispy. I liked the pork belly this way because it did not feel as fatty.
The last appetizer was the crispy calamari. This was a safe dish that was cooked up pretty traditionally. They also served blistered shisito peppers on the plate as well. These were a nice added element that added extra flavor but no heat.
I ordered a filet mignon for my dinner. It was a small ounce steak, but I got crabmeat on top. I thought I would try a little land and sea combination. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium. It was tender and juicy. The crabmeat was sweet and buttery. It complemented the salty taste from the beef.
The sides all came on the side to share. The lobster mac and cheese was a must try. The macaroni was so rich and creamy. There were large chunks of lobster meat mixed throughout. It was a good think I was sharing this side. It was so rich there was no way I could eat this by myself.
The tater tots were a fun side. They were the largest tater tots I have ever seen. The potato itself was tender and they fried it just enough to make the outside crispy.
The parmesan truffle fries had the best presentation. These were thick cut fries, even larger than the typical steak fry. They took these fries and stacked them on the plate. It was easy to grab them. There was no need for ketchup with these fries. There was only a slight hint of the truffle. The parmesan cheese is what stood out on these fries.
I had a wonderful dinner at STK. The flavors for everything I ate were great. It turns out they have a couple of locations across the country. Check on their website at www.STKHouse.com for a location near you.
I was invited out to a wonderful Italian dinner at Casa Nonna in New York City. I love Italian food and I was excited to try a place I had never been to before.
We started off at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. I ordered a BelliniClassico. This was a traditional peach Bellini. They used peach nectar and caposaldo Prosecco. It was tasty. The peach flavor was strong but not overpowering. I ended up have a few more that night.
When we were walking to the table I noticed the wood fire oven in the open kitchen.
I also was mesmerized by all the artwork they had on the wall. It was all perfectly in place.
While I looked over the menu, the waiter brought out some homemade crackers. They had melted Parmesan cheese on top. There was also a slight spicy taste to these crackers that I was not expecting. They were really addicting to eat.
We started off with some appetizers to share family style with the table. The MozzarellaCarrozza was some of the creamiest cheese I have ever had. The buffalo mozzarella was also super soft. Included on the plate were heirloom cherry tomatoes and a basil pesto. The tomatoes were very sweet and tasted almost like sweet peppers.
The CalamariFritti was classic fried calamari that was tossed with julienne vegetables that were also lightly breaded and fried. They used peppers and zucchini. The breading was the right amount so that it would add a little crunch. They served a lemon-chive aioli on the side. It had a nice tangy taste, but I preferred the calamari plain.
The last appetizer out was the Polpettine. These were beef and pork meatballs with ricotta cheese on the side and covered in a pomodoro sauce. The meatballs were light, tender, and moist. Exactly what I am looking for in meatballs. The ricotta cheese added an overall creaminess to the sauce.
For my dinner I ordered the TruffleRicottaGnocchi. I absolutely love gnocchi, so I could not wait to try theirs. I could smell the truffles as soon as the plate was placed in front of me. The gnocchi were in a white wine garlic parmesan sauce. It was savory and totally delicious. Tossed in with the sauce were wild mushrooms and fava beans. The beans added a creamy texture. These were some of the best gnocchi that I have had in a long time.
Since we filled up on so many appetizers as well as our
main dishes, there was no room for dessert. I will have to go back just to try
them. This was an amazing restaurant filled with classic Italian dishes. I
would recommend this place to everyone.
Over the last several years every time I visit New York City I try to stay at the same hotel. The main reason is because it is close to so many things. There are restaurants all around this hotel and I thought I had tried them all. Well it turns out I had missed one. Mew is located between two other restaurants in the building’s basement.
I was excited about this new find. I thought it might be able to be my new go to restaurant near the hotel. I had to wait till they opened at 5:00pm before I could head down the stairs.
It did not take long for the place to fill up. It was very cozy with the dim lighting and the music that they were playing.
I started off my experience with a cocktail. I ordered the MewBreeze. They used sugarcane shochu, vodka, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and a splash of tonic water. It was sweet and went down easy. I had to be careful not to drink it too quickly.
The first dish I ordered was the SushiM. This was like a deconstructed sushi roll. It was a really cool visual presentation. It started with a based of sushi rice. Then it was layered with spicy crab that was shredded, spicy tuna chunks, and avocado slices. On top of all that was Ikura, Tobiko, seaweed, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. It had all the elements of sushi. The only way to actually eat this was to break it down and combine all the ingredients together. The tuna and crab were fresh and the avocado slices were extremely creamy.
The other dish I got was the YakiUdon. These udon noodles were sautéed with beef, onions, and mushrooms. The beef was thinly sliced and tender. The sauce they used was sweet with a slight salty taste. Overall the dish was savory. The noodles were my favorite part. They soaked up the flavor from the sauce and they were soft and tender. The onions were there to add a crunch.
I am so glad I found Izakaya Mew near my hotel. This will definitely
be my new go to restaurant.
Shake Shack is a fast food chain that started in New York and is growing across the country. When I was in New York I made sure to stop by the original location in Madison Park. It was not far from the famous Flat Iron Building.
It was a beautiful day which is a good thing. The original location being in the park, all the seating was outside. The did have lots of tables and chairs, so there was plenty of room for everyone. I got there right before the line got to long for lunch.
I went up to the window to order the “Classic Shack Burger”. This is a single patty cheeseburger. Once I got my bag I could not wait to dig in.
The bun was soft and doughy. The burger meat was tender and juicy. The meat was so fresh it melted in my mouth. The American cheese added a wonderful creaminess. The lettuce added a crispiness and the juicy tomatoes added a freshness.
The cheeseburger was just enough for a quick lunch on the
go. I am glad I got to go to the original location. Shake Shack does make a
fantastic burger.
You can see all their locations at www.shakeshack.com
I never realized how many restaurants are around the theater district in New York. That is where I fond Bond 45, an Italian restaurant.
The place was packed full. It was a good thing that I made a reservation earlier in the day. As soon as I sat down I was brought freshly made bread. It had a buttery taste and there were a few pieces of green olives throughout. It was great to snack on as I looked over the menu.
They had a couple of unique cocktails on the menu. I went for the Bond Cup. This namesake cocktail used pineapple infused vodka, passion fruit, and lime juice. The presentation was beautiful with the accent of a pretty flower and a slice of dried pineapple.
The drink was sweet and had an overall tropical feel. It was good but probably not the best choice to pair with savory Italian dishes I ordered for dinner.
I ordered the vegetable Ribollita soup to start off with. This savory broth was loaded with vegetables like carrots, potatoes, spinach, and white beans. While the flavor was excellent, the carrots and potatoes were a little overcooked. They were pretty soft.
For my dinner I ordered the Chicken Piccata Milanese. The chicken was pounded out to be super thin. It had a thick layer of seasoned breadcrumbs that were extra crispy. They made a lemon-parsley butter sauce that was loaded with braised artichokes and capers.
The sauce was salty. It went well with the chicken, but I
think there was a bite too much of the sauce. The chicken was tender and still
managed to be moist even though it was really thin.
Bond 45 was a nice place to grab dinner before going to see show. I would go back so that I could try one of their pasta dishes. Their serving sizes are large so make sure to go with an appetite.
There are a ton of restaurants in the theater district of New York. Across the street from the lyric theatre (where the Harry Potter play is preforming) I found Haru Sushi.
I walked in and they were really busy but I was fortunate to get a table pretty quickly. I made sure I ordered my cocktail as soon as my waitress came to the table. I was excited to try the Berries and Bubbles. This was Prosecco, Svedka raspberry vodka, and strawberry puree. It was not as sweet as I thought it would be. The strawberry actually made it slightly tart.
Since I was at a Japanese restaurant I made sure to order the miso soup. I always make sure to try this classic comfort food. It was pretty standard, tofu, seaweed, and scallions in a salty broth. I always wish restaurants would put more tofu in the soup. It adds a ton of texture without affecting the taste.
I made sure to order some sushi while I was there too. I went with the simple Spicy Tuna Nigiri. The tuna was extremely fresh; it melted in my mouth as soon as I took a bite. It was not as spicy as I expected it to be. That was a little disappointing, but I simply added more wasabi to it myself.
The Eel Avocado Roll was made perfectly. The eel had great flavor and they put a generous amount of the eel sauce on top. That is my favorite part of an eel role. The avocado added a great creamy texture to the roll.
The Umami Fried Rice came out last and it was really hot. I needed to wait a little while for it to cool off. This fried rice had chopped up pieces of grilled chicken, scrambled egg, and fresh vegetables. All items were cooked in a garlic butter sauce. This rice was not that salty; it was actually a little sweet. The rice was not as full of flavor as I expected it to have. I was a little disappointed with that. However, the chicken was good in the rice.
They had a seasonal dessert on the menu that I made sure to order. It was the Yuzu Meringue Tart. They made homemade Yuzu custard. Yuzu us a Japanese citrus fruit. They put the custard in a homemade sugar cookie tart shell. Then a marshmallow meringue was placed on top and toasted till it had a little brown hue. Finally, they placed the tart on top of pomegranate ginger sauce.
The custard was sweet and creamy. The cookie crust was also
sweet. The pomegranate sauce toned down that sweetness by adding in a sour
element. It was a great dessert and a good way to end a meal that leaned more
salty.
Check out Haru Sushi if you are in the area. They got busy so you may want to make a reservation. Check them out at www.harusushi.com
I’m back in New York. When it comes to food, every time I
visit New York I pretend like I have never been there before. This allows me to
keep an open mind when it comes to restaurants. I want to always try something
new, especially in a city that is always changing.
Neighborhood restaurants are the best to visit. To me they put the most love into their food. That is why I wanted to visit Sangria 46. It is a local Spanish restaurant that I knew would be as authentic as if I was in Spain.
I was greeted as soon as I walked in. It was a really nice feeling. When I sat down they brought me chips and homemade salsa right away. It was great to be able to munch on something as I looked over the menu.
Since I was at a place called sangria naturally I needed to order a sangria. I was thrilled to see that there was a Cava sangria on the menu. This is a true Spanish sangria that was blended with Cava (Spanish version of Champagne) brandy, triple sec, and fresh strawberries and peaches.
I decided not to mess around and just ordered a small pitcher. It was the perfect amount of sweetness. I always enjoy the bubbles that the Cava has. I knew this would go with anything that I ordered to eat.
Rather than getting a full dinner, I settled on ordering a few tapas. I figured that would be enough to fill me up. I started off with the Croquetas de Yucca. Yucca is very similar to potato, very starchy. They mashed it up just like mashed potatoes and mixed in cheese. Then they breaded and deep fried them. They were crunchy on the outside and very creamy on the inside.
The Empanadas Argentina came out next. The flakey pastry was stuffed with meat and then baked up till crispy. I ordered one beef and one chicken. Both had a savory taste. They used a generous amount of filling in these savory turnovers.
The final tapa I ordered was the Vieiras con Tocino. These are broiled scallops wrapped in bacon. The bacon was perfectly crisp and added a crunch and salty taste. This paired wonderfully with the sweet, tender scallops. The scallops also came in a garlic sauce with chucks of fresh garlic and peas. The peas added additional sweetness. The garlic stepped up the flavor to be a little more intense.
I saved enough room for dessert. The Limoncello Cake sounded delicious to me and the perfect end to my wonderful meal. The cake was moist and had a fantastic lemon flavor. The icing on the cake was sweet and creamy, which also had a great lemon taste. The flavor of the cake made it so fresh. It helped cleanse my palate from al the savory dishes I enjoyed.
Sangria 46 was a fantastic dining experience. The staff was
extremely friendly and took great care of me. The food tasted great and the
sangria was perfect. I would recommend everyone check them out if they visit
New York City.
