NYC Restaurant Review - Kefi

Hi foodies! Yesterday I had a great dinner at Kefi. The food was really delicious.

Kefi                   505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

(Dinner - September 2011)

Kefi serves unique and flavorful food. To start off my meal at Kefi, I ordered the Selection of Spreads, which was Yogurt, "Caviar", Eggplant, and Chickpea. I loved all the spreads but my favorite was the Eggplant. For appetizers I liked the Grilled Octopus, Bean Salad. The octopus was tender and flavorful. The House-made Cypriot Sausage, Cucumber, Radish, Olives, Tzatziki. The sausage was very tasty especially dipped in the Tzatziki. The Crispy Cod, Garlic Potatoes, Tomato was very good. The fish itself was delicious and so were the potatoes. The White Bean Soup was good but I didn't love it. I liked the texture but I felt it needed something more to boost the flavor. For entrees I loved the Pork Medallions, Spicy Peppers, Capers, Lemon. The sauce accompanying the pork was incredible. The Shrimp, Orzo, Spinach, Tomato, Feta was delicious. The shrimp was tender and tasty. The Sheep Milk Ravioli, Brown Butter and Sage were very good. It was simple but delicious.  The Hanger Steak, Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Manouri, Sun-Dried Tomatoes was very good. The steak was cooked well and the sausage was unique and good. For dessert the Walnut Cake, Walnut Ice Cream was the best. It had a very interesting texture and a great taste. The Galaktobouriko, Orange Spoon Fruit was very unique. It had a great orange essence to it.  The Yogurt, Nuts, Fruit was very good. It had candied fruits on top and some of the syrup from the fruit oozed down the two scoops of yogurt. The sweet fruit and the tangy yogurt made a great dessert. The Chocolate Mousse & Halva, Sesame Ice Cream was good. The halva was house-made and very good. The Rice Pudding, Candied Apple Marmalade, Nuts was a nice treat. I enjoyed the texture of the rice pudding. Kefi is good, casual restaurant.

• Grilled Octopus, Bean Salad is really good.
• Pork Medallions, Spicy Peppers, Capers, Lemon is a must get. 
• Walnut Cake, Walnut Ice Cream is really unique and delicious.
• Galaktobouriko, Orange Spoon Fruit is very good.
• Service was decent and friendly.

 (Above)Yogurt, Nuts, Fruit

 (Above) Chocolate Mousse & Halva, Sesame Ice Cream

 (Above) Galaktobouriko, Orange Spoon Fruit

 (Above) Walnut Cake, Walnut Ice Cream

 (Above) Rice Pudding, Candied Apple Marmalade, Nuts

Check back soon for more restaurant reviews and food events.

-Mike

Update #3 for August - December 2011 Event Calendar

Welcome foodies! Today I have a few more additions to the events calendar. All of these events have been added to the calendar page.

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Joe Bastianich

Cooking Demo - Aperitivo with the Winemaker: Wine Tasting with Joe Bastianich

Date & Time:

9/ 15/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $200

Contact: 212-539-0204 - Ext. 304

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1001291

New York, NY – Flatiron           (92Y – Lexington Avenue at 92nd St)

Paula Deen

Book Signing

Date & Time:

10/ 11/ 2011
Starts at 8:00 P.M

To buy tickets, click below:

http://www.92y.org/tickets/production.aspx?pid=74984

New York, NY   Tribeca         (Barnes & Nobles - 97 Warren Street)

Andrew Carmellini 

Book Signing

Date & Time:

10/ 18/ 2011
Starts at –6:00 P.M

Contact:

212-587-5389

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/73511

New York, NY   Staten Island     (Barnes & Nobles – 2245 Richmond Avenue)

Buddy Valastro 

Book Signing

Date & Time:

11/ 02/ 2011
Starts at – 12:30 P.M

Contact:

718-982-6983

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/73906

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Dave Pasternack

Cooking Demo - Chef's Kitchen: The Young Man & the Sea with Dave Pasternack

Date & Time:

11/ 02/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $175

Contact: 212-539-0204 - Ext. 304

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1004393

New York, NY   Carle Place   (Barnes & Nobles - 91 Old Country Road)

Lidia Bastianich 

Book Signing

Date & Time:

11/ 03/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M

Contact:

516-741-9850

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/74033

New York, NY   Staten Island     (Barnes & Nobles - 2245 Richmond Avenue)

Lidia Bastianich 

Book Signing

Date & Time:

11/ 07/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M
Contact: 
718-982-6983

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/74034

New York, NY   Union Square     (Barnes & Nobles – 33 East 17^th St.)

Christina Tosi 

Book Signing

Date & Time:

11/ 11/ 2011
Starts at – 7:00 P.M

Contact:

212- 253-0810

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/73824

Long Island, NY       Manhasset        (Sur La Table - 1468 Northern Boulevard)

Nick Malgieri  

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

11/ 19/ 2011
Starts at –12:00 P.M

Price: $75.00

Contact:

800-243-0852

For more information visit:

http://www.surlatable.com/sku/863381/Bake-with-Nick-Malgieri;jsessionid=814103DDB85F5A115BCD06739E791239



Check back soon for more restaurant reviews and food related events. 

-Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - Gramercy Tavern - Tavern

Hello foodies! Yesterday I dined at Gramercy Tavern for dinner in the more casual Tavern. The meal was great. Delicious food and great service. I was also very fortunate to meet Nancy Olson who is the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern. (Nancy Olson is also doing a cooking class at De Gustibus for the fall season. The De Gustibus calendar has been released so I will be posting a little bit about the calendar of events soon.).

Gramercy Tavern - Tavern                        42 East 20th Street,  New York, NY 10003

(Dinner -  August 2011) 

Gramercy Tavern is amazing and perfect. To start, the service was incredible. My server, Rob, described food in an exciting and fun way and knew a lot about the food that he serves. For the food, my entire meal was delicious. For appetizers, I tremendously loved the Mussels. This dish was more Spanish inspired with chorizo and a cilantro broth. It was very tasty and the vibrant flavor from the broth brought the dish together. The Sweetbreads was another great dish. It was in a very yummy broth which included hen of the woods mushrooms, bok choy and almonds. The sweetbreads itself was delicious. The Fish Croquette and Spinach Salad was another tasty and delicious dish. It came with a smoked oyster sauce that had a subtle smokiness to it and it wasn't overpowering. Also as an in between course we ordered cheddar and bacon biscuits and they were scrumptious. For entrees my favorite dish was the Smoked Pork Shoulder. It came with cornbread, salsify, and bacon broth. The pork itself was great and the smokiness from the bacon and the rich butter flavor from the cornbread made a delicious and complete dish. Another great dish was this special I ordered which was a Pork Tenderloin with apricots and heirloom tomatoes. The dish was very good and I liked the sweetness from the apricots. Moving on to dessert. The Strawberry Pie was so great. The strawberry filling was very sweet and the ginger ice cream took away just enough sweetness to make the dish incredible. The Salted Pecan Crumb Topped Peach Pie was spot on delicious. The crust was perfect as well as the sweet gooey inside. Together it made a masterpiece. The Blueberry Corn Sundae was scrumptious. It was corn ice cream with a blueberry jam and then topped with toffee popcorn. It was texturally great as well as great taste. It was so fresh and seasonal. The corn taste really came out (Nancy Olson told us this dish is only on the menu during this very short season. It is a must try so get to Gramercy Tavern fast before it is off the menu). My meal was great and I really can't wait to return to Gramercy Tavern.

• Mussels are a must get!
• Sweetbreads are delicious and unique.
• Smoked Pork Shoulder is so rich and irresistible.
• Strawberry Pie is sweet and scrumptious. 
• Salted Pecan Crumb Topped Peach Pie is perfectly balanced and full of flavor.
• Blueberry Corn Sundae is seasonally sensational (and will be off the menu soon since the season for it is very short)
• Service was the best. My waitor, Rob was really great and made my meal even better

Gramercy Tavern was delicious and I can't wait to return. Keep checking back to Foodie Finders NYC for more restaurant reviews as well as for more events in New York City and Long Island.

-Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - Union Square Cafe

Hey foodies! I recently ate at Danny Meyer's, Union Square Cafe. I had a great meal with the best service.  Here is my review.

Union Square Cafe    21 East 16^th Street, New York, NY 10003

(Lunch - August 2011)

Dining at Union Square Cafe is an amazing experience rather than just a great meal. The service was excellent especially the Dining Room Manager, Talia Berman. For appetizers, the Peaches and Cream Soup with Crispy Guanciale was very unique. It was more on the sweeter side and refreshing, but what really made the dish outstanding was the crispy guanciale. For the pasta dishes, the Frascatelli alla Romana with Pancetta, Corn, and Black Pepper Cream was spectacular. Frascatelli is similar to spaetzle. The flavors were addictive and rich in flavor. The Saffron Pappardelle with Zucchini, Fresh Tomato, and Basil was delicious and interesting. The Pappardelle had saffron in it. The zucchini and tomatoes were great with the Pappardelle. Moving on to main dishes, the Wild Salmon with Fresh Corn Polenta, Husk Tomatoes, and Chanterelles was incredible. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the polenta was outstanding. The husk tomatoes were very unique. They are tomatoes encased with a husk. But these husk tomatoes taste nothing like a typical tomato. They are very sweet and have a nutty taste to it in my opinion. Others say it is more along the lines of a pineapple-like taste (They are available at the Union Square Greenmarket around this time of year. The husk tomatoes are great for just snacking on or making into a jam.). The Grilled Smoked Shell Steak, Roasted Spring Onions, Bone Marrow-Mashed Potatoes was another scrumptious dish. The steak is cold smoked and then cooked. It was different and delicious as was the mashed potatoes. The USC Burger with Melted Cheddar and Crisped Bacon– Grilled and Served on a Homemade Poppy Seed Bun with French Fries. It was very tasty and the french fries were yummy. I also tried the Yellowfin Tuna Burger with Ginger-Mustard Glaze, Grilled Red Onion, and Creamy Cabbage Slaw. The glaze was a bit salty for my taste. For dessert, My favorite dish was the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Tart with Candied Peanuts and Vanilla Ice Milk. It was decadent and delicious. I also loved the Blueberry Pie with Sweet Corn Ice Cream. The crust was amazing and the Sweet Corn Ice Cream went great with the pie. The Peach Cobbler with Sour Cream Ice Cream was very good. The slight tang from the Sour Cream Ice Cream was delicious with the sweetness from the peaches. The Robiola Panna Cotta with Greenmarket Strawberries and Aged Balsamic Syrup was spectacular. The panna cotta had a little tangy taste to it from the cheese. The strawberries were so fresh and sweet and the balsamic syrup tied it all together. Union Square was an unforgettable meal with immpecable food and service.

• Service was warm, inviting, helpful which creates a restaurant that is above all the rest. 
• Must get the Frascatelli alla Romana. It is so good.
• Must get the Wild Salmon with Fresh Corn Polenta, Husk Tomatoes, and Chanterelle. The salmon was cooked perfectly and may have been the best salmon I have ever ate.
• Must get Chocolate-Peanut Butter Tart with Candied Peanuts and Vanilla Ice Milk. It is great.

I had a great meal at Union Square Cafe. Check back for more restaurant reviews and events going on in New York City and Long Island. 

-Mike 

   

   

NYC Restaurant Review - The Hurricane Club

Hello foodies! A few days ago I ate at The Hurricane Club. The meal was spectacular. Check out my review.

The Hurricane Club       360 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10010

(Lunch -  Summer Restaurant Week 2011)

I had the most amazing meal at The Hurricane Club. I ordered off the Restaurant Week menu. For the appetizer course my favorite dish was the Coconut Shrimp Poppers. This dish was shrimp which was lightly breaded in coconut and came with a mayonnaise based coconut sauce. They were delicious. A very close second to the poppers, was the Croque Monsieur Spring Rolls. These spring rolls were filled with ham and cheese and came with homemade mustard. They were crunchy on the outside with a gooey cheesy interior. Another great dish was the Hamachi Sashimi. This dish came with tomatoes and avocado which made it very refreshing. For the entree course, my favorite dish was the Lobster Noodles Fra Diavolo. This dish was very flavorful and had a little spicy kick to it. Another delicious dish was the Crispy Calamari Salad. The dish was very good but the dressing was very sweet and made it hard to eat as I got toward the bottom. One more great dish was the Honey-Glazed Baby Back Ribs with Thai Basil, Mint and Lotus Root. These ribs were very tasty. One other delicious dish was the Tri Tip Steak Skewers. They came with a horseradish sauce and  a soy based dipping sauce. The meat was spectacular as well as the sauces that accompanied it. For dessert my favorite dish was the Thai Coffee Ice Cream. The ice cream was amazing and it came with sesame seed brittle which was unique and delicious. Another sweet treat was the Pina Colada Ice Cream. This ice cream came with shaved coconut all over it. The ice cream itself was refreshing and tropical. The meal was great.

• Service was very friendly and knowledgeable
• Decor was beautiful
• Coconut Shrimp Poppers are a must get
• Croque Monsieur Spring Rolls are delicious
• Lobster Noodles Fra Diavolo is amazing
• Thai Coffee Ice Cream is unique and spectacular

That concludes my review of the Hurricane Club. Check back soon for more restaurant reviews as well as foodie events and festivals in New York City. Bon Appetit!

-Mike

Update #2 for August - December 2011 Event Calendar

Welcome back foodies! Today I have some upcoming events to add to the calendar. Enjoy!

Long Island, NY   Huntington        (Book Revue - 313 New York Avenue)

Meet the winner of “Food Network Star”

Book Signing

Date & Time:

8/ 17/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M

Contact:

631-271-1442

For more information visit:

http://www.bookrevue.com/FoodNetworkStar.html

New York, NY   Tribeca         (Barnes & Nobles - 97 Warren Street)

Meet the star of “Heat Seekers” and “Chopped”, Aaron Sanchez

Book Signing

Date & Time:

10/ 5/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M

Contact:

212-587-5389

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/72528

  

New York, NY   Union Square    (Barnes & Nobles - 33 East 17th Street)

Meet the chef/owner of Babbo, Otto, and Del Posto, Mario Batali

Book Signing

Date & Time:

10/ 25/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M

Contact:

212-253-0810

For more information visit:

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/72616

New York, NY   Columbus Circle  (William Sonoma – 10 Columbus Circle)

Meet the star of “Heat Seekers” and “Chopped”, Aaron Sanchez

Book Signing

Date & Time:

10/ 28/ 2011
Starts at – 4:00 P.M

For more information visit:

http://authors.simonandschuster.ca/Aaron-Sanchez/76274818/author_appearances

New York, NY   Union Square    (Barnes & Nobles - 33 East 17th Street)

Meet the Food Network Star and owner/chef of Mesa Grill and Bar Americain, Bobby Flay

Book Signing

Date & Time:

12/1/ 2011
Starts at –7:00 P.M

Contact:

212-253-0810

For more information visit:

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/50258/bobby-flays-bar-americain-cookbook-by-bobby-flay-stephanie-banyas-and-sally-jackson#events

All of these events have been added to the calendar. Hope you all find this event information useful. Bon Appetit!

-Mike 

NYC Restaurant Review - Gramercy Tavern - Dining Room

Hi foodies! Yesterday I ate at Danny Meyer's restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, for lunch. I had a spectacular meal along with great service which I find a pattern with all  Danny Meyer restaurants. Check out my review below.

Gramercy Tavern - Dining Room                   42 East 20th Street,  New York, NY 10003

(Lunch -  July 2011)

Gramercy Tavern was AMAZING! The service was incredible. My waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable. I had asked her if Danny Meyer was at the restaurant but he wasn't. She had told the Assistant General Manager, Scott Reinhardt. Scott came over to my table and greeted me and the rest of my table. We spoke for a while and he then offered to give me a tour of the kitchen when the meal was over. Shortly after he left, the Executive Chef, Michael Anthony came over and spoke to us for a while. He told some stories and explained how so many chefs in other Danny Meyer restaurants originally had their start in Gramercy Tavern. At the end of the meal, Scott came over to give the tour. I visited the kitchen at the very end of lunch service so all the lunch service chefs were leaving and the dinner service chefs were finishing up prep. The kitchen was very big and very cool. After Scott showed us the kitchen, we got to see the private dining room which was really beautiful. Next, we went downstairs to all the offices and prep area. Scott told us that when Danny Meyer opened Union Square Cafe he didn't have a lot of office space. Because of the little office space, they made sure to have a lot of office space when they opened Gramercy Tavern. Overtime, Danny Meyer moved out of this office space to another location. Scott gave a great tour and made this meal an unforgettable one. Now moving on to the food! Gramercy Tavern is split into two restaurants. The tavern is more casual and the dining room is more upscale. I ate in the dining room. For the first course my favorite dish was a special. It was a fettuccine dish with duck confit and corn. It is one of the best things I ever ate. The duck was delicious and the whole dish was perfect. I also loved the Smoked Trout which came with a cipollini puree and pickled onions. It was irresistible. This dish was smokey and also went well with the acidity from the raspberry vinaigrette. Another appetizer that was delicious was the Open Ravioli of Duck and Carrots. It was sweet and very flavorful. I thought this dish was very good. For the second course, the best dish was the Pasture Raised Chicken. The chicken was sous vide (sous vide means to seal food in an airtight plastic bag and then cook it in a water bath) and then the skin was crisped. This chicken was so moist and it was sitting on sugar snap peas, pickled ramps and almonds. This nutty mixture went amazing with the chicken.  A unique and scrumptious dish, was the Pork Croquette. The croquette itself was delicious. Accompanying the croquette was red cabbage, aji dulce peppers and a spiced port sauce. On the lighter side, the Striped Bass was amazing. The striped bass was in a great beet broth also with turnips, radish, and bacon. For dessert my favorite dish was the Lemon Pudding Cake. It was refreshing and delicious. It came with fresh raspberries, raspberry ice cream, and toffee crumbs. It was fantastic. My second favorite was the Apricot Upside Down Cake. Beside it was sour cream ice cream which was so good with the apricot cake. One more dessert that was good was the Roasted Almond Panna Cotta. It didn't stand out to me but was still good. For a more decadent dessert, my favorite was the Peanut Butter Semifreddo. It came sandwiched in between two scrumptious chocolate macaroons. Another delicious, decadent dessert was the Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding with cocoa nib ice cream. The ice cream was amazing and very unique. My only complaint was the bread pudding was too soft for me. Gramercy Tavern was the complete experience. I definitely recommend that the next time you go out to eat make your reservations at Gramercy Tavern.

• Sevice was great. The Assitant General Manager, Scott Reinhardt, gave me an unforgettable tour of the restaurant.
• Food was fantastic.
• Incredible fettuccine appetizer special.
• Delicious Pasture Raised Chicken
• Unique Pork Croquette
• The best dessert ever: Lemon Pudding Cake

Gramercy Tavern was great. Check back soon for some more restaurant reviews as well as more foodie events in New York City and Long Island. Bon Appetit!

-Mike