When I think of hotel dining, images of dark and dingy bars filled with drunk businessmen come into mind. Of course this image doesn't pertain to NYC hotel eating. Thus I introduce you to Norma's at Le Parker Merdian hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The waits are long, the crowds are big and the prices are astronomical. Ever heard of $1,000 brunch entree? Yup they have it at Norma's. It's just your normal lobster frittata with 10 oz of caviar sprinkled on top. Don't worry I've never tried it and wouldn't dare ordering it but I do like to frequent Norma's whenever I have a family member fronting the bill.
Located just off the lobby of the hotel, the atmosphere is bright and welcoming. The tables aren't too close together and the service is pretty good considering the crowds. They always have a shot glass sized sample of the smoothie of the day to start you off and they offer free refills of their fresh squeezed orange juice. The coffee is strong (2 splendas for me in each cup) but they leave the pot on your table which is nice.
This past Saturday I don't even think I was hungry and I was probably still half asleep but still couldn't resist their Norma's egg Benedict. Instead of the usual english muffin, their poached eggs are served over buttermilk pancakes and grilled asparagus is added into the mix along side the Canadian bacon and hollandaise sauce. The dish is rich and so filling.
Not as rich as the crispy french toast and Belgium waffle covered with berries that we also got. We didn't go overboard and get the chocolate decadence french toast or the PB&C Waffle 'wich (peanut butter and toffee crunch) but it did cross our minds. The french toast wasn't very crispy but it was covered with a warm caramelized sauce that did the trick.
The options to go crazy are endless at Norma's and their dishes are super creative - a big thing that I find refreshing. Usually nothing stands out from one brunch place to the next but Norma's is the exception. They serve the same menu daily but they're only opened until 3 so get there in time. But if you happen miss the breakfast cut off or find yourself hungry when you leave (I doubt that will happen) hop in the Burger Joint line across the lobby floor.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
East River Views
More family was in town this past weekend so large amounts of eating ensued. Friday night's reservation was at restaurateur Tom Colicchio's new project, Riverpark. Situated on the bottom of a new modern and sleek office building on 29th and the river, the place was first and foremost hard to find. 29th street does not go east under any circumstances, until now. For future diners, please note that to find Riverpark, you need to enter 29th street at 1st avenue and a driveway headed east will appear. Walk/drive all the way down the driveway until you hit the restaurant and office building.
After a slightly confusing cab ride, we found our destination and arrived only slightly late for our reservation. Unfortunately, we weren't able to score the one table for large parties next to the windows to enjoy the east river views, but we did have a great round table in the middle of the floor. The restaurant is beautiful, with high ceilings and funky architecture. It will be even better when it gets warm again because they have a huge deck for outside seating.
The menu changes almost daily so there were no specials and I was extremely disappointed when I saw that the pumpkin tortellini had already been switched out for something new. It's not even Thanksgiving yet, how can you take something pumpkin off the menu? Instead I started with the lobster and artichoke salad and shared the hamachi crudo with Lindsey. The crudo was great with pomegranate seeds on top and fresh pieces of hamachi (yellowtail). The lobster salad was good but not the favorite of the night. Maybe if it was served with different lettuce I would have liked it better, but I'm not a fan of frisee I guess.
Next we did a three way share with the duck, scallops and sturgeon. It was our first time trying sturgeon and it's just a flaky white fish but thicker like a swordfish. It was served with sunchockes, fig and some raddichio. The combined taste was interesting and good. The scallops were delicious with hen of woods mushrooms, butternut squash cubes and a kale chutney. It was perfect for the windy evening on the river. The portion was usual for scallops, 4 large scallops and the kale chutney was something different but also good. The duck was my favorite, cooked medium rare served with mushrooms and more pomegranate seeds. Pomegranate seeds add a great flavor to any dish in my opinion. They're perfect for the fall, healthy and tasty.
Dessert was amazing, credit to their dessert chef. We got the beignets served with two dipping sauces. A cranberry compote and vanilla custard. They were lightly fried and airy but definitely don't compete with the beignet masters down in New Orleans. We also got the apple crumble that melted in your mouth.
Our waitress was great, and for being so new my only complaint was that our drinks took a little longer than expected.
I should also note that if you're in the mood for some delicious food by the water but don't want to break the bank, Riverpark also offers a cafe type menu featuring burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, lasagna and other less expensive menu items. You get to experience the same dining room, service and views but with a cheaper bill at the end!
After a slightly confusing cab ride, we found our destination and arrived only slightly late for our reservation. Unfortunately, we weren't able to score the one table for large parties next to the windows to enjoy the east river views, but we did have a great round table in the middle of the floor. The restaurant is beautiful, with high ceilings and funky architecture. It will be even better when it gets warm again because they have a huge deck for outside seating.
The menu changes almost daily so there were no specials and I was extremely disappointed when I saw that the pumpkin tortellini had already been switched out for something new. It's not even Thanksgiving yet, how can you take something pumpkin off the menu? Instead I started with the lobster and artichoke salad and shared the hamachi crudo with Lindsey. The crudo was great with pomegranate seeds on top and fresh pieces of hamachi (yellowtail). The lobster salad was good but not the favorite of the night. Maybe if it was served with different lettuce I would have liked it better, but I'm not a fan of frisee I guess.
Next we did a three way share with the duck, scallops and sturgeon. It was our first time trying sturgeon and it's just a flaky white fish but thicker like a swordfish. It was served with sunchockes, fig and some raddichio. The combined taste was interesting and good. The scallops were delicious with hen of woods mushrooms, butternut squash cubes and a kale chutney. It was perfect for the windy evening on the river. The portion was usual for scallops, 4 large scallops and the kale chutney was something different but also good. The duck was my favorite, cooked medium rare served with mushrooms and more pomegranate seeds. Pomegranate seeds add a great flavor to any dish in my opinion. They're perfect for the fall, healthy and tasty.
Dessert was amazing, credit to their dessert chef. We got the beignets served with two dipping sauces. A cranberry compote and vanilla custard. They were lightly fried and airy but definitely don't compete with the beignet masters down in New Orleans. We also got the apple crumble that melted in your mouth.
Our waitress was great, and for being so new my only complaint was that our drinks took a little longer than expected.
I should also note that if you're in the mood for some delicious food by the water but don't want to break the bank, Riverpark also offers a cafe type menu featuring burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, lasagna and other less expensive menu items. You get to experience the same dining room, service and views but with a cheaper bill at the end!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Bubbles, Birthdays and Babbo
Yes you read that title correctly. I finally made it to Babbo! Who cares that it was 10:30 on a Saturday night, I still had an amazing dining experience and even gained an hour of sleep on the same night!
After two hours of busy signals a month to the day prior, a reservation was made to celebrate Robin's birthday at Mario Batali's first NYC restaurant and still an impossible reservation and impeccable pasta menu.
After reading all the reviews and talking to friends who had been before, we decided against the alluring pasta tasting menu. For first timers, we needed to create our own tasting menu and get a feel for everything on the menu, not just my favorite - pasta.
We started with the grilled octopus - a first for almost everyone at the table, including myself. Although the looks are a bit intimidating, it wasn't chewy like I thought it was going to be and actually was quite tasty.
Next came the most exciting part -- 4 pastas for 4 people. It was an extremely difficult choice as we heard of so many good ones but we decided with the garganelli, beef cheek ravioli, gnocchi with braised oxtail and the mint love letters. The garganelli was outstanding with home made pasta rolled into their own version of a penne with mushrooms, light garlic and olive oil sauce and your choice of parmesean or goat cheese shaved on top. I think we all agreed that a couple bites of the garganelli was not enough to satisfy all of us.
Next up, the beef cheeck ravioli - was a bigger portion for sure and served with shaved parmesean as well. I really enjoyed this pasta and it just tasted like a slight rendition of a finely ground meat sauce.
I think my 2nd favorite next to the garganelli was the gnocchi. It was the only pasta served with a tomato sauce so it added a little more flavor and the oxtail was delicious. It reminded me of pieces of brisket, tender pieces of meat that wasn't gamy in the slightest.
We had to order the mint lovers as it's a staple on the Babbo menu but I wouldn't order it again. It was interesting to say the least. Picture a normal looking ravioli, but inside is all green and has a mix of mint and spice. I don't love a strong taste of mint unless it's mint ice cream, but it was worth a try. The mint taste was a little too overpowering for me that I didn't get a good taste of the spicy lamb sausage either.
My favorite thing about the pasta course was the different cheese pairings they choose to shave on top. You can't thoroughly enjoy pasta without cheese and they do it up right.
Next time we score a reservation, I'm hoping to try the pappardelle bolagnese, the pappardelle with wild boar ragu, the pumpkin lune and the goat cheese tortelloni. Or of course, the $120.00 pappardelle with white truffles shaved on top.
We didn't stop at the pastas and decided on the lamb chops and side of brussels sprouts for our third course. One order came with 5 chops, plenty for us girls filled up on pasta goodness. The lamb was grilled medium rare with sunchokes, onions and a delicious yogurt sauce. Brussels sprouts are a must if they show up on a menu. I'm even tempted to try to cook them myself, but they won't be as good as these were. Crunchy to the center served with pancetta, it was the perfect compliment to our main course.
We finished it off with a glass of dessert wine and a chocolate hazelnut cake which was better than expected. It was slightly gooey on the inside with crunchies of hazelnut throughout.
I have to give a big thank you to the Engel family and Gina and Jenna for their alcoholic contributions to our dinner - it wouldn't have been the same without it! I also wish I remembered our amazing waiter's name because without him, I don't think our dining experience would have been the same. I thought the service couldn't have been better (before our waiter left us at 12:30 before dessert). The courses were timed perfectly and I honestly didn't feel overly stuffed. We closed the place down at 1:30 in the morning, fought the cold to a cab, rolled into bed and dreamt about our exciting adventure at Babbo.
After two hours of busy signals a month to the day prior, a reservation was made to celebrate Robin's birthday at Mario Batali's first NYC restaurant and still an impossible reservation and impeccable pasta menu.
After reading all the reviews and talking to friends who had been before, we decided against the alluring pasta tasting menu. For first timers, we needed to create our own tasting menu and get a feel for everything on the menu, not just my favorite - pasta.
We started with the grilled octopus - a first for almost everyone at the table, including myself. Although the looks are a bit intimidating, it wasn't chewy like I thought it was going to be and actually was quite tasty.
Next came the most exciting part -- 4 pastas for 4 people. It was an extremely difficult choice as we heard of so many good ones but we decided with the garganelli, beef cheek ravioli, gnocchi with braised oxtail and the mint love letters. The garganelli was outstanding with home made pasta rolled into their own version of a penne with mushrooms, light garlic and olive oil sauce and your choice of parmesean or goat cheese shaved on top. I think we all agreed that a couple bites of the garganelli was not enough to satisfy all of us.
Next up, the beef cheeck ravioli - was a bigger portion for sure and served with shaved parmesean as well. I really enjoyed this pasta and it just tasted like a slight rendition of a finely ground meat sauce.
I think my 2nd favorite next to the garganelli was the gnocchi. It was the only pasta served with a tomato sauce so it added a little more flavor and the oxtail was delicious. It reminded me of pieces of brisket, tender pieces of meat that wasn't gamy in the slightest.
We had to order the mint lovers as it's a staple on the Babbo menu but I wouldn't order it again. It was interesting to say the least. Picture a normal looking ravioli, but inside is all green and has a mix of mint and spice. I don't love a strong taste of mint unless it's mint ice cream, but it was worth a try. The mint taste was a little too overpowering for me that I didn't get a good taste of the spicy lamb sausage either.
My favorite thing about the pasta course was the different cheese pairings they choose to shave on top. You can't thoroughly enjoy pasta without cheese and they do it up right.
Next time we score a reservation, I'm hoping to try the pappardelle bolagnese, the pappardelle with wild boar ragu, the pumpkin lune and the goat cheese tortelloni. Or of course, the $120.00 pappardelle with white truffles shaved on top.
We didn't stop at the pastas and decided on the lamb chops and side of brussels sprouts for our third course. One order came with 5 chops, plenty for us girls filled up on pasta goodness. The lamb was grilled medium rare with sunchokes, onions and a delicious yogurt sauce. Brussels sprouts are a must if they show up on a menu. I'm even tempted to try to cook them myself, but they won't be as good as these were. Crunchy to the center served with pancetta, it was the perfect compliment to our main course.
We finished it off with a glass of dessert wine and a chocolate hazelnut cake which was better than expected. It was slightly gooey on the inside with crunchies of hazelnut throughout.
I have to give a big thank you to the Engel family and Gina and Jenna for their alcoholic contributions to our dinner - it wouldn't have been the same without it! I also wish I remembered our amazing waiter's name because without him, I don't think our dining experience would have been the same. I thought the service couldn't have been better (before our waiter left us at 12:30 before dessert). The courses were timed perfectly and I honestly didn't feel overly stuffed. We closed the place down at 1:30 in the morning, fought the cold to a cab, rolled into bed and dreamt about our exciting adventure at Babbo.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Wine on Tap
Hello long lost readers! After a delicious meal last night I have decided to bring the blog back! Pictures might be slim and far between because I think restaurants are starting to hate seeing flashes on their food every five seconds, but you'll hopefully be able to get the gist.
Michael White, chef of ultra expensive, chic and fancy restaurants such as Marea, Convivio and Alto recently opened a more casual eatery which he calls a true Osteria in SoHo. An osteria is foreign to most Americans but it's basically "a place that serves simple food and a place where there is wine."
Not only does Osteria Morini serve wine, but it's by the barrel - a new technique that is slowly gaining popularity throughout Manhattan. Two beautifully designed oak barrels with taps on the bottom sit behind the bar for easy access and refills. There are only two choices, red and white and it comes by the glass, carafe or bigger (one and a half bottles) for cheap! Only $36.00! The menu is more creative than basic Italian but has the same feel. We got a meat and cheese platter, meatballs and a seafood salad to start. The meatballs were some of the best I've had in a while, covered in Parmesan cheese and in a light tomato sauce. They weren't gigantic - probably 3 girl bites and 2 guy bites. Seafood salad was lightly dressed with shrimp, scallops, calamari and maybe some others that I didn't notice.
Then three home made pastas emerged - the garganelli, cappeletti (ravioli filled with truffle Parmesan cheese in a light butter sauce) and the pappardelle bolognese. All three were delicious but I agree with my sister that you can pretty much get pasta bolognese anywhere and this one didn't stand out as much as the other pastas did.
Finally we got the short ribs with mashed potatoes. I honestly could only take a bite because I was too busy munching on cheese and meat throughout the courses, but it was soft and seasoned well. To top it all off, we had to get a dessert and it had to have peanut butter and chocolate in it as well. Our menu choices covered almost every section there was, except for the grilled meats per person that we couldn't have fit in our tummies if we tried.
The scene at Osteria Morini is great, casual and rustic. The tables were a little close together but it wasn't too loud and a sighting of Michael White himself was definitely a plus.
Michael White, chef of ultra expensive, chic and fancy restaurants such as Marea, Convivio and Alto recently opened a more casual eatery which he calls a true Osteria in SoHo. An osteria is foreign to most Americans but it's basically "a place that serves simple food and a place where there is wine."
Not only does Osteria Morini serve wine, but it's by the barrel - a new technique that is slowly gaining popularity throughout Manhattan. Two beautifully designed oak barrels with taps on the bottom sit behind the bar for easy access and refills. There are only two choices, red and white and it comes by the glass, carafe or bigger (one and a half bottles) for cheap! Only $36.00! The menu is more creative than basic Italian but has the same feel. We got a meat and cheese platter, meatballs and a seafood salad to start. The meatballs were some of the best I've had in a while, covered in Parmesan cheese and in a light tomato sauce. They weren't gigantic - probably 3 girl bites and 2 guy bites. Seafood salad was lightly dressed with shrimp, scallops, calamari and maybe some others that I didn't notice.
Then three home made pastas emerged - the garganelli, cappeletti (ravioli filled with truffle Parmesan cheese in a light butter sauce) and the pappardelle bolognese. All three were delicious but I agree with my sister that you can pretty much get pasta bolognese anywhere and this one didn't stand out as much as the other pastas did.
Finally we got the short ribs with mashed potatoes. I honestly could only take a bite because I was too busy munching on cheese and meat throughout the courses, but it was soft and seasoned well. To top it all off, we had to get a dessert and it had to have peanut butter and chocolate in it as well. Our menu choices covered almost every section there was, except for the grilled meats per person that we couldn't have fit in our tummies if we tried.
The scene at Osteria Morini is great, casual and rustic. The tables were a little close together but it wasn't too loud and a sighting of Michael White himself was definitely a plus.
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