Sazon

Tags

Restaurant Review, restaurant reviews

Before I get into the meat of this post, I sincerely apologize for the quality of the photos below. The days of carrying my camera are long over since my new camera no longer fits discreetly in my handbag. My “new” camera is a bulky but oh-so-lovely DSLR. It takes great photos but I haven’t mustered up the courage to lug it around or whip it out at a restaurant. My cell phone CAN take nice photos but when it wants to be, it can be a real Bitch to work with. So, again, I am so sorry!

I make lots of mention of BR. In the past, I have had boyfriends and significant others- all nice guys but not the right guys. For the first time in a long time, I am completely and utterly happy. The days of saying it and not meaning it are long gone and in the first time ever, I have no complaints. For those that know me, that says a lot. Part of being so happy is getting to that comfortable stage in a relationship where we stop going out of our way to go out or do something romantic. I don’t see it as a bad thing, I see that I found someone I can be completely comfortable doing nothing with.

HOWEVER. Just because you are comfortable, it doesn’t mean you stop all together. So, on one particular day, BR and I decided to have dinner in Tribeca. We both work in Lower Manhattan and there are quite a bit of great places to dine! Even some happy hour deals. I was in the mood for some really good sangria and what came to mind was Sazon. With our similar backgrounds (me, Hispanic. Him, Carribean) dishes like rice and beans, fried plantains and baked chicken are familiar and comforting. Sazon fit the bill. Puerto Rican cuisine that offers great dishes and a nice romantic atmosphere.

The staff are friendly here. The space is big. They encourage you to make reservations for dinner, but I am of the elderly variety that likes my dinner quiet and early. We settled into our seats. The music wasn’t too loud which allowed us to chat. The menu was pretty standard for Puerto Rican cuisine.

To start our meal, the server recommended the fried calamari. We received a piping hot platter of fried calamari with a delightful dipping sauce. The calamari was decent but nothing to write home about.

The last time I was at Sazon was during a holiday luncheon with my coworkers and I ordered a pot of soup. The occasion called for something more substantial, so I ordered the pernil.

Pernil is a slow roasted pork shoulder that is seasoned primarily with garlic, salt, cumin, and thyme. It’s not the healthiest dish, but when done right, its supple and savory. The pernil came with yellow rice and sweet plantains; I had them swap the sweet stuff for the green plantains.  The pernil is MASSIVE. I mean HUGE. When the server presented me with the pernil, he initially gave it to BR because what woman in her right mind eats half of a pork shoulder? (not me, I took ¾ of it home!) The pernil was TENDER. And flavorful. BR stared in awe of the beast that lay on my plate. It’s a dish that can be shared with 2-3 people. He looked down at his dish and frowned. Maybe next time he takes my advice on what to order? We’ll see.

BR ordered chuletas; or fried pork chops. The chefs at Sazon definitely know how to fry a chuleta. A nice brown “crust” from a fry in a super hot pan. A delicate and very faint pink indicated its juiciness once he sliced into it. And after a bite, he wasn’t coming back up for air. The juicy pork chops that came with rice and beans were inhaled at record speed. He was more than happy to assist in the demolition of the leftovers over the course of several days (yes, its THAT much pork!)

We imbibed on sweet sangria and declined on dessert. But the restaurant makes a great tres leches or flan.

If you are in the Tribeca area, Sazon is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and brunch on the weekends. For a taste of Puerto Rican cuisine that’s been gussied up a bit- its sure to please. They have a nice variety of fish, chicken and pork dishes, and few vegetarian dishes. Its great for a fancy girls night, a special date, or just a random Wednesday night. Bit of a warning though, if it’s a weekend, odds are the Salsa version of “Happy Birthday” will drive you insane. That, and the music is often very loud.

Excellent Pork Chop House

Tags

cheap lunch, chinatown, chinese, NYC, pork chop, Restaurant Review, restaurant reviews

Happy New Year!

While I am anxious to share with you the incredibly exciting and memorable evening I had with my love over the new year, I decided to change things up a little bit by posting a review. If you have been reading the blog for a while, you would know that I used to have a happy balance between restaurant reviews and recipes. And when I moved to Brooklyn, just 7 short months ago, I began cooking more at home. I do still enjoy an evening out or even some take out on the couch but the things I have been most passionate about are the things that I create myself.

I also acknowledge that quite a few of my closest friends consider themselves “kitchen challenged” and while they love the food porn, they really want to know where they can get a great meal in the city.

Today, I grant them that wish.

The other day, during the lull in the office between the holidays, I ventured out to Chinatown for lunch with a colleague. With it being the holiday season, Chinatown was bursting with tourists. My craving for dim sum brought me to my favorite Chinatown landmark but the hordes of people waiting outside for tables led me to search for a new place to dine with 45 precious minutes remaining of my lunch hour.

A few steps over on this awkward and very small street in Chinatown I came across Excellent Pork Chop House. It had been bookmarked on my yelp account for almost a year and while I always had it in the back of my mind, now was good a time as any since it was right in front of me in a time of need.

This place is not fancy.

It’s kind of dingy actually. But to me, it has personality. It wasn’t totally empty. The people that were dining seemed happy. The place smelled great. Like pork chops. (for obvious reasons).  Me and my guest seated ourselves and were given photo albums by a smiley older woman.  I am pretty good at navigating menus but I loved the idea of this photo album. It took away the uneasiness, especially for my guest, of ordering from a new place. With the photo album depicting every item on their menu, I had a better idea of what I was in the mood for.

One thing that is blatantly clear when you are dining at Excellent Pork Chop House is their unabashed use of MSG. Those three infamous letters are everywhere on the menus, just in case you missed it. MSG gets a bad rap. Personally, I don’t mind it. Its purpose in food is to enhance the flavor.

So, after being notified of the addition of MSG, I continued to browse through the album and then I spotted it.

Pork Chop and lo mein.

The photo made it look so appetizing. And this lo mein was unlike any I have tried before. The noodles tasted hand pulled. They were fresh tasting and were tender and not too chewy. They were not greasy. They were savory with crumbled pork and fermented greens on top. The combination was hefty for a measly $5.25.

The pork chop was fried but was not dry. It was one of the best tasting pork chops I have had outside of moms house. I loved the combination of the greens and savory pork with the noodles. I probably shouldn’t have, but I ate the entire thing.

My guest ordered the house made wonton soup. A fresh and clean tasting broth with plump little dumplings floating around made for a delectable and light lunch for $4.

We made note to come back.

The service isn’t top notch. But the staff are not rude. If you need something, a simple wave of your hand or a nod in their direction ought to do it.

This place is cash only. But with lunch for two costing less than $10… you read that right…. this is a place you really need to try.

I have since been back several times. Even once for dinner. Sometimes you just need a bowl full of noodles.

Oh, and you have the option of ordering pork chops a la carte. $2.50 a pop.

LIC Market

Tags

brussel sprouts, dessert, dinner, happy hour, queens, restaurant reviews

Things have been crazy these last few days. I sat down to take a peak at the blog and realized its been a week since I last blogged.

Sad.

Change is inevitable in life and with change comes adjustment. While things haven’t been set in stone, the adjustment has begun and I am still finding my rhythm.

Vague. I know. But there will be answers soon enough.

Its been a while since I have mentioned “the Dude”. Life happens and we lost touch for a while but when we recently reconnected, we thought there was no other way to do so than over something delicious. In true Diva and Dude fashion, we chose some place new…correction, Dude chose some place new and I just went with it.

I trust his taste.

He chose LIC Market. A cozy  restaurant with a great décor and awesome staff! Their menu is seasonal. Their happy hour is awesome. We arrived about an hour before the half price beer and wine specials were over.

We gushed over the cutesy, yet simple, décor.

Our server, Gina, was super friendly without being annoying and refreshingly honest. With so many wonderful selections on the menu, we asked for her honest opinion on what we should and should not try.

That particular day was really warm and she recommended we start with the Razor Clams appetizer since the constant change of weather would eventually make these guys impossible to find.

The clams were delicious. The broth they were smothered in was rich with garlic and wine and refreshing bits of parsley. When the clams were gone, Dude and I were using our bread to sop up the delicious broth… next time we ask for a spoon!

When it came to the entrees, Gina was honest and said the portions were a little on the small side and recommended we get an extra side to split. We then asked her for her favorites. She did not disappoint. To share, we got the wild rice and butternut squash. This was definitely delicious, but it wasn’t as good as the other things we tried.

Still, a Plus.

I ordered the Burger. The burger was GINORMOUS. On the side was a delectable wild oyster mushroom and truffle hash. Lately, I am a little hesitant when it comes to truffles as restaurants tend to have a heavy hand with truffle oil that turns me off, big time. But I was very happy with the results of this oyster mushroom and truffle hash. It wasn’t overpowering and every bit as delicious as I wanted it to be.

My burger?

Perfection.

The dude ordered the squab. The squab was also cooked to perfection with a gorgeous jewel-toned center that was tender and mouth-watering. Beneath the squab lay the most amazing brussel sprouts and bacon I have ever had. When I dine with the Dude, we split everything but I insisted he eat most of the squab and leave me as much of the brussel sprouts as he could part with… because they were THAT good!

By the time our meal was through, we were quite full. The restaurant was getting more crowded with locals and I was nursing my 2nd beer (which Gina let me order before the 7pm deadline but kept cold for me until I was ready for it! winnning!) when I spotted the table beside us enjoying something sweet and very inviting.

“Gina, what is that over there!?!”

And then she listed the desserts. And how could we choose just one? Above are the apple fritters they made fresh with a side of crème fraiche. Warm. Cinnamon. Sugary. goodness.

And a berry crumble with crème anglaise.

It was quite a feast! But I wouldn’t have it any other way when reconnecting with one of my favorite peoples in the world.

Here’s to more adventures, Dude.

 

<a href=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1547678/restaurant/New-York/LIC-Market-Long-Island-City”><img alt=”LIC Market on Urbanspoon” src=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1547678/biglink.gif” style=”border:none;width:200px;height:146px” /></a>

Risotteria

Tags

dessert, Gluten free, restaurant reviews, risotto

So, things with the boyfriend have been progressing nicely and we have been devouring this city one restaurant at a time. One of his colleagues told him about a place that he had to try. Knowing how I never turn down a new dining experience, he picked me up and we ventured to the West Village.

Risotteria is a very small restaurant. It must be said that if you have issues sitting next to strangers at close range, this place is not for you.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a small crowd for the Sunday dinner service, as well as a very bubbly and energetic staff.

The menu is quite extensive for a place serving risotto. There are sooo many different kinds of risotto that while we were there, we used our wait time to start deciding on what we wanted to eat.

Luckily, that went by really quickly and we were seated.

On the table was an empty wine table that served as the wine list. BF loved that and was very eager to place our wine order. He chose a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that went perfectly with our entrée.

Because we were referred by a friend of his, they surprised us with a complimentary appetizer. The eggplant parmigiana was incredibly delicious! Considering that we didn’t come in wanting eggplant, it was definitely a delicious surprise.

BF ordered the proscuitto di Parma which was supple and flavorful.

I ordered the meatballs that were reminiscent of my grandmother’s homemade meatballs!

The main event was the risotto! BF Ordered the lamb and gorgonzola which was smooth and extremly creamy with tender chucks of lamb.

I opted for a more assertive flavor….

Sausage with spinach. The sausage was the best part! But after so many other courses, I found this to be too rich to consume in its entirety. I packed up the rest to go…

And BF ordered us dessert…

Risotteria is a restaurant that does Gluten Free and Vegan! Personally, I don’t have a gluten intolerance, but I don’t mind indulging every now and then.

The Red velvet cupcake wasn’t my favorite.

BF ordered the tres leches. I found it to be on the dry side as I like my tres leches to be dripping with deliciousness.

Aside from the disappointing desserts, Risotteria was a fantastic meal! The food is great and the icing on the cake is the service. All smiles and high energy!

Can’t wait to go back!

Don Pedro’s

Tags

restaurant reviews, sangria, Yelp

So last week, my friend Phil thought it would be a fantastic Idea to reserve the balcony of a swanky latin restaurant on the upper East Side of Manhattan for a boozy brunch with 19 of his closest friends… who all happen to be Yelp members.

For $30 each, we got bottomless sangria and 3 courses of delectable spanish cuisine.

Don Pedro’s is easily missible as it sits on the corner of East 96th street and 2nd ave with its gorgeous exterior being blocked by the 2nd avenue subway construction fiasco. Phil is all about supporting the local fare and wanted us to venture out to see what all the fuss was about…

because, there was a big delicious fuss.

When i think of Don Pedro’s, I think of Dominican comfort food gussied up a bit. I ordered a cappuccino because how can you have brunch without a bit of caffeine to prepare your body for the gallon of sangria?? And a few ladies ordered tea that came in fancy brewers! wish i loved tea- that shit was cool.

We also got tasty coconut snacks to dunk in our hot bevvys. My cappuccino was perfect… you know what else was perfect?

[insert hallelujah chorus] For having 20 people on the balcony of this restaurant, our server was a badass. He was running up and down the stairs refilling our glasses every time we took a sip. I was alternating between sangria and water… but never once had to ask for more. I even recall waving my napkin after 3 hrs of non stop refills…

For my starter, i got the chicken empanadas. They were small but packed with spicy chicken! They plated with a delicious peper aioli and some achiote oil. Heavenly.

Mel, our resident vegetarian inspects her veggie salad.

Lara got the ropa vieja and let me have a taste. It was by far the most succulent ropa vieja I have ever tasted. The meat was soft and flavorful and i totally regretted not ordering it myself. My ecperience with Ropa Vieja is DRY shredded beef… this will change your life!

Phil got the fried pork with sweet plantains… there goes that achiote oil again!

I ended up, as well as several others, with the tres golpes. The Mac Daddy of comfort food in the form of fried white cheese, fried salami, pickled onions, a fried egg on top of a bed of hearty yet delicious mangu. So filling! That mangu was worth the trek alone as it was well seasoned and had great texture despite it being a dish of plantain mush.

For dessert, we all kind of split. There was flan and tres leches. The flan was good… but im really really really picky about my flan. It came with an amazing mango and berry sauce… i liked the sauce more.

My tres leches cake rocked my socks off! I also got the lovely drizzle of mango and berries. There might be a photo of me on the web somewhere, licking this dish clean…

As we feasted and drank, the owner asked us to fill out some comment cards.

And after a million sangrias, i do silly things!

Did i mention i was single?

D’Oh!

But if you’re in the mood for a great deal, the unlimited sangria deal is actually $20 when you are in a smaller party and I highly recommend it. Also, its nice to support our local entrepreneurs!

Piola

Tags

cheap eats, happy hour, pizza, restaurant reviews

Last night, i had the bright idea to venture over to Union Square for a Happy Hour. Little did I know, because i apparently live under a rock, the President was a few doors down having dinner at Gotham Grill. The trains were packed. The streets were blocked off.

Yeah. Only I would suggest a happy hour during this madness!

But The deal was too sweet to pass up and I was more than happy to be a little incovenienced for FREE APPETIZERS.

Yeah. I said that.

So this place, Piola, I have never heard of it until recently and they have some pretty sweet happy hours. Every Wednesday, ladies get a free bottle of wine when they come in to dine. And then there is my favorite, every weekday from 5-7 appetizers are free when you sit at the bar and order a drink

So i got there a little early…. about two hours early. Whoops. But it was okay since my coworkers wanted to celebrate my birthday with me.

I started with a drink. A Caipiroska. Much like a Caipirinha, this beverage is muddled lime and sugar with vodka instead of rum. Or like a mojito… but this was better. It was not too sweet. Was nice and fresh tasting with all the fresh limes and delivered quite a buzz.

The ladies sipped wine and bellinis.

We split a pizza to hold us over until happy hour commenced. Nice thin crust, warm gooey cheese and fresh tomatoes and basil.

we also split some bruschetta.

And for a healthy bite- a steak salad with gorgonzola and walnuts.

After what seemed like a few minutes, it was now 5 pm. So we picked up our things, paid our bill and parked at the bar where we proceeded to…um… stuff our pretty little faces.

At the bar, i ordered their signature drink. Lemon ice, ice cream and Vodka. Its amazing!

The moment we were seated, the apps started to fly out of the kitchen. You dont have a choice in what you get… but its pretty good. I just really wish i didnt have so much food before the free food.

Proscuitto and cheese on a crisp baguette.

with wine! (duh)

A veggie wrap with an aioli spread.

Fancy meat and cheese platter.

Freshly sliced mortadella.

Rigatoni a la vodka.

I had to tap out at 6:45 because there was even more stuff flying out of the kitchen. Pizza. flatbread. more pasta. Good lord.

And the best part?

I asked my sweet bartender, Mariano, for my portion of the check which was the lemon ice beverage. My total for the happy  hour with unlimited food? $6.50.

Six Dollars. and FIFTY Cents.

I just found my new “Im broke, need a drink and a good dinner” spot.

Hill Country BBQ

Tags

bbq, hill country bbq, mac and cheese, restaurant reviews

My mom treated me to a very early birthday present that was much needed: a massage. It has been 4 years since my last massage. Looking back, before i lived on my own, my rent money went to the spa. I had a massage every other month. A facial just as often. I was one relaxed chica. But with living on a budget, it amazes me how i cringe at a $100 price tag now vs 4 years ago when i lived with my parents. Oh, life.

My massage was lovely. I left feeling totally refreshed. My mom suggested we grab a nosh and since we were in the Chelsea area and i knew of my mothers fondness for bbq, we headed to Hill Country BBQ.

If you have never been to Hill Country before, when you walk in depending on how busy it is, they give you some sort of tab sheet. It contains all the items up for grabs. You find a seat and then you get on line.

There are meal packages or options by the pound. It was around lunch time, so thankfully, there were lunch specials. Normally, i dont think i would dine here… its a little pricey IMHO.

I ordered a 1/4 chicken and rib lunch special that came with a side dish and 4 slices of bread. I ordered the mac and cheese; which was really Penne and cheese… but it was very good. The cornbread with honey butter was pretty tasty too!

My mother ordered 1/2 lb of ribs that she was going to bring home to my father. She also bought a side of collard greens.

The ribs were very meaty and juicy but were so smoky and peppery; we really wished for more BBQ sauce. The sauce they had at the tables was just more smoke. I really wanted something slightly sweet to place on the ribs. The real winner for me was the rotisserie chicken. It was moist and juicy. Packed with flavor too. We considered getting an entire chicken to take home… but at nearly $30 for a roasted chicken, we opted out. We did go back for more penne and cheese and after we ordered a medium nearly fainted at the $15 price tag.

gadzukes!

Pretty good food here… would go back if a handsome guy offered to pay. Any takers?

Forcella: la pizza di napoli

Tags

pizza, restaurant reviews

Hey Hey Party People!

What. A. Day! Seriously!

You know when sometimes its just not your day? This morning was totally the morning from Hell. It started when i woke up late for work. Dont you hate when that happens? I actually managed to catch a train and get to the city at a decent time so i could get my coffee (cue hallelujah chorus) and bagel. The staffers at the bux were extra cheery this morning and even greeted me with a “Good Morning Mo!”, it made me smile to know we were on a nickname basis… which reminds me- i need to learn their names. I was walking on my way to work in my zone when suddenly this massive guy charges me, shoves the hell out of me. I almost tumbled backward in my 5 inch heels and my $6 cup of coffee went flying. I was stunned. The guy not only kept walking but left me with a few choice obscentities.

It might have been the first time in a long time that I wanted to cry.

I mean, sure, its just a cup of coffee and I am SO lucky the psycho didnt stab me or something unimaginable but i am sometimes surprised at how mean people can be. I walked my pouty face to my desk with the remains of my breakfast only to find that they gave me the wrong breakfast. I nearly lost it. An officer nearby suggested i go home, get back into bed and start over tomorrow. But, I am not a quitter. And today I have several awesome things going on that I cannot wait to share with you (not today though).

Happy to say that I walked back to starbucks and not only got my breakfast swap rectified, but my little poopsies replaced my fallen coffee.

… Thats how you show TODAY who is boss!

REWIND a few days ago. I found myself in Williamsburg, Brooklyn hungry and slightly broke. My groupon application proved super duper hand when I scrolled through and found this awesome place to eat. Woo HOO!

Forcella is located in what used to be nothing in my old Stomping grounds of Williamsburg Brooklyn ( Oh Brooklyn, how i miss you). Its bright light is like the North Star beckoning patrons from all four corners of the South Side. The inside is noisy and bustling. It seemed to be a great spot to eat. The owner is a 4 time national pizza making champion.

In other words: His pizza is a little more than OK.

Its pretty dark in here and the tables are really close together which I kind of hate. But once you get a whiff inside of the joint, you are pretty much willing to endure anything. I waited for about 20 minutes (and got eaten alive by mosquitos!) and then got seated in a nice little corner of the cozy restaurant.

My dining companion ordered the cheese croquette. I wasnt a fan. But I didnt get to eat the arugula. Winning.

I ordered the eggplant caponatina… or what their version of this was. I thought this was tasty but i was looking for the eggplant caponatina from OTTO with sundried tomatoes, grapes and tomatoes that always whets my appetite. This was not what I was expecting but it was quite nice.

My dining companions heart sank when he ordered sausage and they informed him they didnt carry sausage. He wanted a meaty topping for their coal oven pizza and upon the suggestion of the waiter, ordered the hot salami pizza. Everything here is imported so when you say you want pepperoni- you get hot salami. It looked different but the flavor was all there.

tasty too.

I ordered the deep fried pizza. It wasnt what I was expecting at all. I was thinking the crust was going to be uber crispy but not for it to look like a giant crispy calzone!  The dough was remniscent of a zepole but without the sweet stuff. Instead it was filled with something awesome:

Peep that kiddos! Chunks of Salumi and fresh smoked mozzrella cheese and tomato sauce. All together made for a sensaysh bite. I couldnt finish it all (miracles do happen) and I gave the remainder of it to my bottomless pit of a dinner companion.

I cant wait to come back! On Fridays and Saturdays, they have Burrata! Definitely worth the trek!