Happy Hour + Macarons = Happy Me.

Our plans did not exactly go the way we expected this past Friday night. We wanted to try a cheap eatery within close approximation to the two birthday parties we needed to attend. After parking our car near what would be our last stop of the evening, we decided to “venture out” and walk around. That didn’t last too long due to hunger and we ended up going to the nearest place we could find to eat, and we were allured by the welcoming happy hour deal: buy one get one free. Well, not only was the deal fantastic, the food and drinks were both amazing! Agozar is a Cuban Bistro Bar and it’s a small joint that is vibrant with Latin flavor. We ordered several tapas, few of our favorites being escabeche de pescado (crispy mahi mahi strips with a sweet pepper ragu, green banana tostone) and jibarro en canoa (picadillo, weet plantains, picillo). The tapas are served in about 4-5 pieces per plate and because of the fantastic price, you don’t feel burdened to order lots of different dishes. We both had the sangria, which was decent, and the mojitos. I must say the food was far better than the drinks but hey, buy one get one free, you get what you pay for.

On a different note, please do not judge me when I say this, but I tried macarons for the first time this Saturday with my beloved long-time friend Jihee who happened to be visiting from Chicago. My justification for not trying macarons is this: 1. I hate dessert; 2. I hate sweets; 3. I hate dessert. But my best friend Angela is currently on a hunt for the best macarons in NYC so upon researching, I decided to try out Madeleine Patisserie. It is a small, cute café that welcomes you with an assortment of colorful macarons and fruit tarts. Filled in glass jars above the counter are madeleines, another delicacy I don’t pay particular attention to as well. We ordered two macarons each, mine being Passion Fruit and Lemon. We also ordered a fruit tart and cappuccinos. Macarons were definitely not what I expected to taste: it was soft at first bite, chewy on the second bite, and tart-like cream on the third bite. I loved it! But because of the rich taste, I could not get myself to eat more than two. The cappuccinos were generously filled with foam way above the brim and the foam complemented the richness of the macarons perfectly. The fruit tart was exactly what I was hoping for it to be: lightly glazed, filled with an assortment of berries, and filling being a perfect blend of tart and sweet.

I will now gladly join Angela on a macaron hunt. Stay tuned.

Blessing in Disguise

There are many blessings in life and I do believe that it’s all about perspective. Ever have a cup of cappuccino that made you smile after each and every sip? Well, I did. Thanks to my wonderful friend, Andy, who introduced me to this tiny but beautiful joint, I received a blessing in a cup. It was one of those delightful moments where you casually carry on a conversation with a friend, pay for the cup of cappuccino, put in your fixings (mine is splenda), as you’re still happily conversing, take a sip of your drink, and the world comes to a halt. That was exactly what La Colombe offered plus more. Because they also have another treat: olive oil loaf. Sounds gross? Tastes delicious. Also featured in today's Serious Eats NY!

I came back from Korea recently and this was one of my favorite New York moment since I’ve been back: Soho, coffee, beauty, and culture. Loves it.

La Colombe - 270 Lafayette Street, New York NY 10012

Ink for Your Mouth!

For my beloved cousin Jennifer’s birthday, us ladies ventured out to Bacaro, a complete hole-in-the-wall joint; so much that there isn’t even a sign outside to indicate that we arrived to the correct location. We were led to their downstairs portion of the place and to all of our surprises, it felt as if we were entering into a mystical cave as confirmed by their rock and wood interior. Since reservations are not accepted, we were lucky to be seated right away, however at a communal table. It wasn’t as intimate as we would have liked for it to be but seat and table nonetheless.

I initially read about this place on Serious Eats NY and was immediately intrigued by their cuttlefish ink pasta (see image below). My first experience with ink pasta was Soccarat’s Arroz Negro and it was fantastic. We ordered the stuffed artichoke, fried rice balls, spicy fried meatballs, creamed codfish over polenta, and the pasta with cuttlefish ink. The stuffed artichoke, fried rice balls, and the pasta were excellent! The spicy fried meatballs and the codfish were whatever: the meatballs were too small, hence the portion was practically nonexistent, and the codfish dish was confusing because it didn’t really have an identity as to what it is supposed to be. The stuffed artichoke is great if you like artichoke, like me, because I ended up practically eating the whole thing and using the bread to wipe the bowl also. The fried rice balls (see image below) was to perfection as it is filled with cheese that is oozing out with bits and pieces of vegetables and rice. The pasta is definitely not a dish you should order if you’re on a date because not only is the dish literally ink black but so will your teeth, your lips, and the napkin you use to wipe your black lips and teeth. What helps a bit is that the place itself is dark so that the blackness would be as visible in comparison to one eating at a brightly lit place. The taste itself is full of warmth. Prior to us going, my friend asked how cuttlefish ink tasted like and the only adjectives that I can use to describe it is that it’s warm, comforting, smooth, and hearty. If you can imagine anything to taste warm and comforting rather than the texture feeling warm or comfortable, this is it.

Would I go back? Definitely! The price point is excellent, averaging around $13-$15 entrée. Good luck finding the place!

Bacaro

136 Division St. NYC

212-941-5060

www.bacaronyc.com

*images courtesy of meetnowlive.com and Serious Eats NY.

Best Oyster Bar. Ever.

I think I have been fairly vocal about my love and sick obsession for oysters. I originally had planned to attend the Oyster Fest held annually in Oyster Bay, NY for the first time this year in place of NY Wine & Food Festival since I went last year but due to conflict of scheduling and the precedence of flag football, I didn't end up going. However, my wonderful coach and fellow foodie offered to take me and the guest I invited (Yena Joo!) out for oysters and we set the date to check out Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar. Best decision ever.

Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar is the latest venture of the owners of Jewel Bako. It is extremely small, similar to Jewel Bako, and came highly recommended by other oyster lovers. Based on my experience of eating oysters, the taste and the experience of truly enjoying oysters is definitely heightened when dining with a connoisseur, i.e. Reggie Kim. We started off with oysters from both East and West coasts, to discover again that we all unanimously loved West coast oysters far better than the East. It is smaller and more rich in flavor, distinguished by the unique patterned of the oyster shell.

We tried their six oysters in two ways combo, where the chef tops fresh oysters with different garnishes to enhance the flavor of the oysters. The two kinds we tried were oysters with grapefruit and cilantro and oysters with watermelon.

I can't possibly put into words how deliciously amazing the watermelon oysters were.

We ordered another dozen of the watermelon oysters (see above). While we were eating regular oysters, Reggie kept describing the taste of the oyster to be like a melon. When they are paired with watermelon, it brings out the melon-like taste of the oyster with a touch of sweetness, which is what made this just simply amazing. No other garnish needed; we loved you just the way you were.

Aside from the oysters, I think we tried almost all the small plates on the menu and they were great but nothing in comparison to the watermelon oysters. It's a must try!

Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar

101 Second Ave. NYC

Corn - Cafe Habana

Can we talk about how amazing the corn is at Café Habana?

I always ask for suggestions on where I should go to eat and I think 90% of the time, I don’t take upon it. It’s never because I don’t value the suggestor’s opinion but it’s really just because I’m a) not in the mood for the specific cuisine; b) it’s out of the price range I was aiming at; c) it’s not inspiring enough at that moment. I’m sure you can all agree on this.

Café Habana has been one place that my foodie friend, Dekae, has suggested about five times in a row and I’ve just never gone. I also happened to read about it on my other foodie friend, Cat’s food blog so I had to give it a try. It’s one of those places I walk into, sit down, finally take a bite out of the ever-so-famous item on the menu, and think angrily to myself WHY THE HECK DID I NOT COME HERE ALREADY AND HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED OUT ON THIS FOR SO LONG?!?! So yes. That was my reaction to their infamous corn. Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing that’s worth the 30-45 minute wait from the menu. I’ve had similar Cuban-style corn at La Esquina (my first time trying the corn) and at Havana Central. Both places are excellent: La Esquina is more cheese-crusted and Havana Central more smothered with the cheesy sauce in a creamy way. What makes Café Habana’s corn even more excellent is the perfect combination of all the warmth, the light crust, the sauce, and the chili powder. It’s absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend for you to go give it a try. I’ve gone back again recently for the corn and it never fails. However, I did discover their to-go store adjacent to the restaurant where you don’t have to wait for 30+ minutes and just get the corn to go. It’s the best $3 you will ever spend, guaranteed!

Cafe Habana - 17 Prince St. NYC

Pizza

I love pizza. Do you? I don’t know many people who don't. While I especially love your everyday NY-style thinly crusted pizza with mozzarella oozing out with the magical first bite of the triangle, I do appreciate specialty and creative pizzas. I’ve been making it a point to explore my new office area and trying out different places every day. Yesterday, I discovered Waldy's Wood-Fired Pizza & Penne (800 Ave. of the Americas NYC) which happens to be just around the corner from my office. I’ve heard bits and pieces about this place from my coworkers and the moment I walked in, I noticed people eating their share of food that were all thin-crust pizza with various toppings. I asked about their most popular pizza (Margherita) and I was pleasantly surprised by the price ($8 for small) and size (a personal sized pizza portion; very filling; could not finish and I eat a lot).

The crust was definitely the key to their pizza: extremely crisp and thin, as if you’re eating pizza on crispy cracker. I loved that each order was freshly made and the wide array of available ingredients allows infinite amount of combinations. The Margherita was served with fresh basil and they also have on the side several herbs for you to garnish your pizza as well as different oil. I asked what it was for and they said it was for salads but I’d use it for bread to go with the pasta. Waldy’s is cheap, quick, and different. You also feel “healthier” eating the pizza because it’s not so greasy. The only comparison I can make are the pizzas from Whole Foods, which is decent but definitely too greasy for your own good. They also have pasta, which I am very excited about trying soon! From what I hear, they’re oven baked, similar to baked mac & cheese.

I am currently writing this as I’m waiting for my lunch delivery order from THAINY. Apparently, their pad thai is “to die for” by NYC Official City Guide and other excellent reviews from Time Out New York, NYT, Zagat, and alike. Quite frankly, I was sold by their $6.95 super lunch special deals, which comes with appetizer and entrée. To be continued.

Midtown Deli

New York City is well known for different types of food, specifically lunch places, throughout the city. The category of food that one eats for lunch is almost designated by the region that your office is located in, and in midtown, it is defined by delis. My old office was located on Union Square and our choice in lunch places ranged from Café Medina, Pita Joe, Toasties, Pret a Manger, and unfortunately Whole Foods. Going to and finding a midtown-esque deli was completely out of the norm, if not non-existent. My current office is located on 27^th and Broadway and aside from all the array of food places to venture out on 23^rd and on 7^th Avenue, I decided to make the best of a “midtown deli,” Café 28. Before I began my new job, I was excited to spend less than $10 on lunch because of these delis since everywhere on Union Square (with the exception of VERY few places), minimum $10 was somewhat of a norm so you can imagine how much money was thrown to lunch every day. Well, I am definitely a failure because I have not been able to spend less than $10 on lunch at Café 28 … when I walk in, I feel as if every part of the deli is calling my name: the salad bar, the hot food bar, the wrap station, the udon station and I just can’t say no to trying few things here and there … and I end up with a receipt for $13. How do you possibly manage to a. control how much food you put on your stupid weighted tray; b. make a decision when it’s beyond overwhelming to make a choice on what you want; c. not add a drink to your meal when every single flavor and brand of any drink seems to be so readily available?

So much for cheap lunches. Now I get stressed when it’s nearing lunchtime. And it doesn’t help that I’m totally the new kid in school.