NYC Tastes

To close out the big birthday weekend for Mr. T we ended with dinner at Bohemian.  It had been over five years since we last ate at this secret spot, tucked away behind a Japanese butcher store.  It had been so long I was actually worried they changed their secret phone number but luckily the number I had still worked and we were able to snag a reservation for Sunday night. The menu was much larger than I remember it being in the past. American dishes like Macaroni and Cheese and Grilled Lamb Chops were listed right along with the Japanese classics.  We decided to forgo the tasting menu and instead order a variety of plates a la carte (which actually was a much pricier option). To begin the gorgeous Tuna Lau'ai a super smokey bluefin tuna sashimi topped with white ponzu sauce and microgreens. Washu Beef Short Rib Sashimi with soy marinated garlic.  I absolutely love eating beef sashimi. None of the fat gets cooked off so it's extra rich and silky...

The insanely popular Japanese noodle chain TsuruTonTan made its United States debut this past fall by dropping into the old Union Square Cafe space on 16th Street.  I'll admit I was biased from day one...anything that pushed out MY Union Square Cafe was terrible and should be shunned.   However after reading some great reviews and finally accepting the true fact that they did NOT push USC out, the landlord did, I jumped at the chance to check it out when Mr. T suggested we dine there.  First thing to note- this place always has a line.  Even at 5:45 PM we were quoted an hour and 30 minute  wait.  We were about to see what else was available when I noticed two spots at the tiny bar up front.  Udon is only served in the main dining room but the bar is a great place to sip some delicious cocktails while you wait . We were both starving that night so we may have slightly over ordered.   Here’s a rundown of our appetizers: ...

I love finding hidden little gems around New York City my most recent discovery is Hi-Collar in the East Village.  Located bustling East 10th Street this tiny 13 seat spot is what's known as a "kissaten" a Japanese style tea house that also serves coffee.  The menu boasts over 10 different types of beans that can be served pour over, siphon or aeropress in addition to a few specialty drinks like the creamy Royal Milk Tea and my favorite the luscious Vietnamese Iced Coffee. The small food includes Omelets with tomato sauce and rice, a limited Berkshire Pork Katsu sandwich (only 10 per day) and wonderful Japanese Hot Cakes served alongside maple syrup, strawberries and a tangy yuzu butter.  These are quite similar to Western style pancakes but much lighter and fluffier. I felt delightfully content after eating these instead of stomach overload from the usual cakes.   The menu also includes an array of desserts and at 6:00 PM the entire space turns into a bar with...

We celebrate Mr. T's birthday with an omakase every year.  It used to be our annual meal at Sushi Yasuda but since he went back to Japan we've been trying out new places and this year it was Cagen; the cozy sushi den located inside the old East Village Kajitsu space.  We sat at the eight person sushi bar right in front of Chef and owner Toshio Tomita and let him work his magic. Cagen offers both a Kappo Omakase and Sushi Omakase of which we went the latter.  To begin a cool summer Gazpacho with shrimp and cucumber. Red Snapper with plum paste and yuzu Fluke with chimichurri Tai (Sea Bream) Engawa (Halibut) Kasago (Red Perch) Japanese Mackrels Baby Snapper Fugu (Blowfish) with fresh wasabi A trio of Squid preparations Kumamoto Oyster with kelp sauce and salt Seared Shrimp Scallop with Japanese Red Sauce Wagyu Beef with chili flake Toro ...