Vic’s

Posted on December 15, 2014 by cutiepatroller

Holiday Dinner at Vic’s

“little purse”, borsa, Ricotta, Hazelnut, Lemon 12 ♥♥♥

Ps-You should try their pizza! My girls were on the diet so I couldn’t try it at this visit but I would looooooove to try some of pizza next time 🙂

Vic’s 31 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012

OVERALL	FOOD	ATMOSPHERE	PRICE
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥	♥♥♥1/2	$$$1/2

Patrolling Vic’s with Yumi Kim & Nam Vo 🙂

Roasted Oxtail, brisket, Chili Agrodolce, Mint 28 ♥♥♥1/2

Littleneck clams, Pistachios, cannellini beans, lovage 13 ♥♥♥

crispy Sweet onions, Dried Tomato, Parmigiano 11 ♥♥♥1/2

Sunchoke ♥♥♥

Kitchen

♥♥♥

Bar area

Dining Room

Cafe Standard

Posted on July 29, 2014 by cutiepatroller

Brunch at Café Standard’s Garden

Cafe Standard – 25 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003

The Standard Burger bacon, cheese, fries ♥♥♥1/2

OVERALL	FOOD	ATMOSPHERE	PRICE
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥	♥♥♥1/2	$$$1/2

Burrata & Prosciutto basil pesto ♥♥♥1/2

Eggs Benedict ♥♥♥

Organic Egg Whites avocado, spinach, feta cheese ♥♥♥

HAPPY SUNDAY Poached Eggs olive oil, spinach, grilled country bread ♥

Sunday afternoon

Churros and chocolate dipping ♥♥♥

Gato

Posted on June 13, 2014 by cutiepatroller

Chef Bobby Flay ”Gato”

Gato 324 Lafayette St, b/t Houston St & Bleeker St, NYC

chef Bobby Flay *\(^_^)/*

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥♥	♥♥♥♥	♥♥♥♥	$$$$

Bobby Flay’s newest restaurant, Gato, opened a few months ago on Lafayette Street in NoHo. I’m sure you’ve probably been to one of Chef Flay’s restaurants before such as Mesa Grill (closed) or Bar Americain. Honestly, I wasn’t much of a fan of his restaurants, but I changed my mind after visiting Gato! I even went twice within one month which is unusual for me. Chef Flay has created a very impressive, new style of Mediterranean cuisine. On your first visit you must try the tapas listed at the top of their menu. You can choose three tapas for $17. I tried 6 dishes between the two times I visited. I forgot a camera my second time there, so I don’t have food photos of everything I ate. My favorite tapas was the Beef Crudo, Lamb Tenderloin, and Piquillo Filled With Raw Tuna. You can see my photos below.

I enjoyed the rabbit with couscous so much that I ordered it again on my second visit. This time the dish came with vegetables instead of fava beans. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m a huge fan of fava beans! So, I wish it came like that all the time. It was still yummy, though. 😉

RABBIT FREGULA SARDA, CHANTERELLES, PEAS, CARROT HOT SAUCE $30 ♥♥♥♥

I love that you can see the kitchen through a glass window because you can watch Chef Flay hard at work. It was wonderful to meet him on my first visit, too! 😉 I recommend Gato for any night of the week. I also suggest you go soon while Chef Flay is still cooking everything himself. I believe the first few months after an opening a famous chef will work in the kitchen to make sure operations run well. Don’t miss your chance for his personal touch to your meal 🙂

BEEF CRUDO PICKLED FRESNO CHILES ♥♥♥♥

LAMB TENDERLOIN SALSA VERDE ♥♥♥

PIQUILLO FILLED WITH RAW TUNA SAFFRON SAUCE ♥♥♥

Bar Primi

Posted on June 8, 2014 by cutiepatroller

Specialty Pasta Bar on Bowery Street ”Bar Primi”

Bar Primi 325 Bowery (b/t Great Jones St & 3rd St) NYC

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥	♥♥♥	♥♥♥1/2	$$$

Bar Primi opened last month on the corner of Bowery and Bond Streets. The location is the former space of Peels. The chefs are Andrew Carmellini from Lafayette and Locanda Verde and Sal Lamboglia working on their team is Luke Ostrom and Josh Pickard. My girl, Ryo a.k.a boss lady at Pinkyotto, and I patrolled here on a Saturday night around 9:30pm. We both live across the street from here, so we decided to just do a walk-in. (Not that we had much of a choice. They don’t take reservations for parties under six.) However, we were lucky to get a table upstairs.

I remembered former tenant Peels’ space well and I noticed they did not renovate much. The only major difference that I saw was the outside awning used to be all white and now it’s red. This means if you used to like Peels’ decor, don’t worry, Bar Primi is just as cute *\(^_^)/*

Cutie Room (me) *\(^_^)/* Pinkytto (Ryo)

Spaghetti – clams casino $19 ♥♥♥

Now let’s talk about food! This place specializes in pasta. Every day they have one special entree, but otherwise they only serve appetizers along with many choices of pastas. We ordered three pastas and two appetizers. The pasta portions were a little smaller than expected so two pasta dishes did not fill up two hungry girls. We ended up adding one more pasta later. All three pasta dishes were good, but nothing special. Don’t forget the price point is around $19 so you can not expect sea urchin or truffle pasta.

I had a great time chatting it up with Ryo and patrolling this new neighborhood place for sure. I just don’t think I’ll be coming back here anytime soon. It would be nice if they served a menu with more unique and special pastas. I don’t mind paying $28 for pasta as long as it’s amazing. I will go back if the menu changes sometime in the near future.

Orecchiette – sausage, broccoli rabe, chickpea $16 ♥♥♥

Seafood Antipasto $12 ♥♥♥ & Grilled Local Asparagus – boiled egg, gremolata $10 ♥♥♥

breakfast spaghetti kale, pancetta, poached egg $16

strozzapreti ragu alla bolognese, ricotta $18

Pappardelle – spring mushroom, marsala $19 ♥♥♥

Hecho En Dumbo

Posted on December 5, 2013 by cutiepatroller

Hecho En Dumbo 354 Bowery (between Cooper Sq & 4th St) NYC

My food blogger friend Lord of the folk invited me to join him for five-course Mexican tasting menu at Hecho En Dumbo another night. I came here few years ago for regular dinner but I didn’t know about their tasting menu at chef’s counter room. Overall great food and price isn’t bad. Best dish was Chile Relleno/Stuffed chile and Langostinos Petroleros with squid ink! Also we had a two complimentary dishes from the chef. Tuna Tartare and Veal Sweetbreads. I enjoyed Sweetbread very much. (^_^)

Five corse tasting $60

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	$$$1/2

Chile Relleno – Roasted chile guetro stuffed with seared scallop, Alaskan king crab, and Maine lobster, with roasted hen of the wood mushroom and baby leek in creamy chile ancho sauce ♥♥♥1/2

Tuna Tartare – chile dulla mayo, fried leeks, avocado, jalapeno oil ♥♥♥1/2

Langostinos Petroleros – Smoked langoustines sauteed with pickled chile guero, fennel, and red onion, finished in a creamy squid ink and parsnip sauce. ♥♥♥1/2

Neal Sweetbreads (hearts) with mayocoba beans puree, shallot, chile de arbol and champagne vinegar butter sauce ♥♥♥1/2

Langostinos Petroleros

Ensalada de Berros – A creamy Oaxacan-style cheese made in house and served with watercress, pomegranate, smoked marcona almond and a mint pumpkin seed oil ♥♥

Mole Chichilo – Grilled muscovy duck breast served with celery root piree, roasted chanterelle mushroom, and a spicy Oaxacan mole of chile chihuacle and hoja santa ♥♥♥1/2

Pastel Impossible Vanilla Flan with caramel glaze upon mexican-chocolate cake ♥♥♥1/2

Pastel de Almendra al Azafran – Fluffy almond saffron cake served alongside a star anise and salted caramel ice cream with an almond brittle ♥♥♥

Open kitchen view.

Lafayette

Posted on October 12, 2013 by cutiepatroller

New version of Balthazar in city “Lafayette”

Lafayette 380 Lafayette ( corner of Great John St ) NYC

This restaurant opened this year on Lafayette Street yet the place already has an old school classic New York restaurant feel. Lafayette is very much a similar idea to Balthazar in Soho. The menu is french bistro and they even have a bakery shop inside of the restaurant like at Balthazar. I came here for dinner three times now and I found more appetizers that I wanted to order than from the entree menu. Here are my top three appetizer picks. Grilled Mediterranean Octopus, Scallop Crudo, Beef Tartar. I had the lamb chop and duck breast from entree, and lamb with couscous was fantastic. Between the two pastas I had, Spaghetti Nicoise was so yummy. If you are group of three~four people then you should definitely share their salad. The salad’s portion is really big and it’s almost too big for two people to share. New York restaurant’s trend change every two years, but I say this place is going to stay for a long time. I recommend you to come here for any night of the week with friends and parents, small party of two to group birthday dinner.

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	$$$1/2

Grilled Mediterranean Octopus smoky eggplant, pipérade $17 ♥♥♥♥

Lamb Chops Marocaine $32 ♥♥♥♥

Beef Tartare Cressonnière poached marrow $19 ♥♥♥♥

Frisee Salad bacon maison, poached organic egg $16 ♥♥♥1/2

Spaghetti Nicoise with rare tuna $23 ♥♥♥♥

Raw scallop $? ♥♥♥♥

Duck au Poivre, organic grains, radish, smoked bacon $30 ♥♥♥

Housemade Garlic Sausage, lentil du puy, dried cherry $16 ♥♥♥

Black Fettuccine, cuttlefish, ruby shrimp, clams & chorizo $23 ♥♥♥

Escarole & Endive, duck ham, pomegranate, truffle vinaigrette $14 ♥♥♥1/2

♥♥1/2

…………………………………Brunch menu below……………………..

………………………………………………………..Night time atmosphere…………………………………………………………..

outdoor tables

Le Philosophe

Posted on March 7, 2013 by cutiepatroller

www.philosophe.com 55 Bond St, ( btwn Bowery & Lafayette St ) NYC

Le Philosophe just opened a few month ago on my favorite street “Bond St”. I have to say this place is my new favorite french restaurant in downtown NYC. The place is very casual, cute, cozy and interesting menu. Wine sellection are wide and OMG reasonable ( started under $30 for bottle ). You must order these two appetizer. Frog Legs and Pig trotter. They aren’t just interesting! They’re really tasteful. I am definitely not a fan of frog but it was the best frog dish I ever had. Pig trotter with lentils was great winter comfort dish. As for the dessert four of us share Profiterole and it was perfect way to end our meal.

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥♥	♥♥♥♥	♥♥♥1/2	$$$1/2

Frog Legs hen of the woods / sunchoke / watercress / garlic $12 ♥♥♥♥

Stuffed Pig Trotter lentils du puy / celery root / truffle jus $14 ♥♥♥♥

Roasted Hake cranberry beans / cabecero iberico / arugula $20 ♥♥♥♥

Duck A L’Orange turnip and greens / pommes mousseline $27 ♥♥♥♥

Profiteroles caramel ice cream / hazelnuts / chocolate sauce $8 ♥♥♥♥

open kitchen view

Please join my Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr!!!!! Don’t worry about Twitter cuz I don’t get them (>_<)”

L’Apicio

Posted on January 28, 2013 by cutiepatroller

Super Pink Lipstick Sunday at L’Apicio

I had great Sunday dinner at this modern Italian restaurant in the East Village. This large restaurant has sleek and minimalist deco. L’Apicio is run by same peoples who run Dell’ Anima and L’Artusi in West Village. L’Apicio is known for their pasta dishes as is Dell’Anima yet I didn’t order any pasta dishes this time ……I wasn’t in the mood for it. Guess what!!! When I blogged about Dell’ Anima in the past the polenta dish was the only dish that disappointed and I gave one heart rating but this time at L’Apicio I have to take it back!!! They serve four different kind of polenta Alla Spianatora and I had roasted mushroom and it was so yummy ~ Next time I will try their famous pasta dishes so stay tuned…… xoxo

www.lapicio.com 13 E 1st St ( btw 3 Ave & 2 Ave ) NYC

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥	♥♥♥♥	$$$1/2

Polenta Alla Spianatora

Roasted Mushroom chilies, ricotta salata $16 ♥♥♥1/2

Charred Octopus fregola, pepperoni, lemon $18 ♥♥♥♥

Roasted Chicken fennel, lemon, olives, potatoes $23 ♥♥♥♥

Continue reading →

Bohemian

Posted on December 28, 2012 by cutiepatroller

Uni Croquette & Farmer’s fresh vegetable fondue

Late night cocktail & snack time!!!! Sometime I’m in the mood for Bohemian’s Uni Croquette (^_^) This hidden mini Japanese restaurant remind me Tokyo a lot. It doesn’t mean customers are japanese. Place is nothing super special yet feel very special every time when I come here. Very small and cozy and dishes are small yet very good. My favorite cocktail is lavender & gin. You can really taste lavender’s flavor well.

57 Great Jones St, ( btw Bowery & Lafayette St ) New York City

Overall	Food	Atmosphere	Price
♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	♥♥♥1/2	$$$$

Wa-Gyu Mini Burger ♥♥♥1/2

Lavender Cocktail ♥♥♥1/2

Uni Croquette ♥♥♥1/2

Farmer’s fresh vegetable fondue ♥♥♥1/2

Gemma

Posted on July 11, 2012 by cutiepatroller

www.boweryhotel.com 335 Bowery ( corner of Great Jone St )

Gemma is located at Bowery Hotel and only a few blocks away from my house. Perfect outdoor seat in spring & summer time. I often come here for dinner also cocktail at next door lobby bar. Their rooftop room is SuPa cute and open for special event & party. Sometime I forget to blog about some of neighborhood places and my photos are from late night menu. I will update more food photos next my visit at Gemma. Ps – Please scroll down photos for my update \(^_^)/ xoxo