We love you BLUE

Amidst rolling hills once occupied by America's richest and most prestigious family, the Rockefellers... Stone Barns is now a modern eco-fantasy, full of frolicking animals, rows of lush vegetables, manicured lawns and set deep in Westchester county.

When we drove into the gates, we gasped for air at the sight of endless views of hilly terrain and antiquated wooden fences. A very relaxed voice greeted us as we entered the gate "Oh you're here for Blue Hill? Are you excited?".... Absolutely. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever expect an experience of this magnitude.


As we continued along the drive of the property, we could sense that they take great pride in their level of service. The valet jokingly asked if we wanted the car waxed with Armor All and then explained the property to us. The valet!!! A few steps later, by way of a cobble stone path we approached a barn adorned with stone bricks and ivy growing wildly on the building's facade. We could hear sheep in the background. We smelled fresh air. Wait a second, "Where were we again?"... Only 45 minutes from the city.







Entering the restaurant, we were amped for the Farmer's Feast, a multi-course tasting menu the chef creates around the day's harvest. The waiter asked us to take a look at the ingredients available to the chef, and to list those that we had aversions to and those that 'excited' us. We requested no chick peas, organ meats, lamb or goat cheese... We were game for anything else.

They were generous with the amuse bouches and brought them out one after the other. First up, a sugar snap pea 'burger' which had an incredible combination of flavors in between two tiny bite-sized buns.



After that we had a sampling of two house made charcuterie, thinly sliced bologna and speck wrapped around warm potato, followed by two shots of a cool fizzy lime drink- just what we needed on a 9o degree day.

For our appetizer we were served Maine crab sandwiched between thinly sliced white beets, garnished with diced strawberries, wildflowers, and an inexplicably delicious green sauce. Very refreshing! Next came a farm fresh poached egg served over warm fava beans and topped with bits of pancetta and crispy breadcrumbs.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, out came the main course: Pork tenderloin au jus, served along side a duo of roasted and pickled beets, and a bite-sized cube of crispy pork fat. After that, dessert didn't dare disappoint. We had raspberries & blackberries served atop a cream 'jam', sprinkled with homemade granola and garnished with pink rose petals and lemon zest. An unbelievable finish!

We will definitely visit the Stone Barns estate again (perhaps on a cooler day) and can't wait to spend more time exploring the farm. We never did find the pigs. And next time I think next time we'll try the cafe which is supposed to have amazing sandwiches and be a much easier on the pocket.

Hello Fada

Ron and I went to The Renegade Craft Fair on Sunday in Williamsburg. We met up with Jenny, Erik, & ellis and when our stomachs started growling we worked our way over to the charming French bistro, Fada, located on the north end of Driggs Avenue. I recalled having been there before many years ago when Jenny was still living on Bedford Avenue (circa 2002). It was nice to see that not much had changed.

Even though it was very hot out (with a chance of tornado), we opted to sit outside in the garden. We were happy that Jess and Matthew joined us there later after having missed each other at the fair.

The menu was simple, with standard french fare-- croque monsieur, moules, salade nicoise... We were too hot for anything warm so Ron and I split the caprese sandwich and grilled chicken salad. Tasty, but really the atmosphere surpassed the food: chipped enamel tables, worn flea market chairs, painted beams in a provencal cornflower blue... It was a mini-trip to Marseille just before the rain began to fall.

Shake Shack Attack

Shake Shack is our infamous neighbor who is always too busy to hang out. We've been yearning to chill there for a while now, but the line that's usually wrapped around the south end of Madison Square Park always keeps us walkin on by. On the prelude to Summer's Eve (Memorial Day dinner to be exact), we decided to go for it... and you know what, the line wasn't bad at all. In less than 15 minutes we were ordering our food. Luck was on our side.

We ordered the shake shack burger, New York dog, french fries and vanilla shake, all for $16, which anyone in New York would consider a real bargain for quality food.

The burger was well prepared and tender, with cheese melted to perfection. The fries were crinkle cut, which we normally hate because of the soggyness factor, but surprisingly, these fries were crispy even after an hour. The shake was like a slowly melting scoop of ice cream with a hint of salt. Needless to say, we passed out soon after eating. A perfect way to end Spring and bring in Summer...

Oxymoron Cafe

Cafe Regular du Nord is nestled on Berkeley Place off of 7th Avenue in Park Slope. The name of this cafe is its anti-thesis, as there is nothing 'Regular' about it. The decor oozes old world European charm and convinces you that it could have been here for at least a century. No details have been overlooked, from the dark wood paneling to the crystal chandelier hanging from a weathered tin ceiling... all done with utmost authenticity.

Even better than the decor is the coffee itself. The iced coffee was probably one of the best I've had (it was actually an iced cafe latte, but same difference :). The frothy milk on top tamed the bold flavor of the Latin American beans just enough.

The outstanding coffee & aesthetic of this cozy cafe really sets it apart from the rest. If we lived in the North Slope there's no doubt we would become regulars.

Kyo ya.... ya ya ya!!

May 28, 2010: We visited Kyo ya, one of the most mysterious, hidden Japanese treasures in New York City. I first visited this place with my Japanese clients a few years back. Apparently, this restaurant came to fame through inner circles of Japanese New Yorkers, in a hush-hush-pass-it-along type of movement. Certainly "oishi" (japanese for yummy) all across the board.

We started with a pressed salmon sushi appetizer, followed by a corn potage soup (with brussel sprouts), which led us to a panko-breaded sea scallop sitting on top of nori seaweed paste (incredible!), a piece of delicious flaky miso black cod and ended with an entree of magret duck, thinly sliced sitting on top of mache greens. The flavors were classic Japanese - not much 'preparation', but just simple flavorful natural elements. For dessert we had a vanilla custard complemented with caramel syrup, which reminded Sara of french creme caramel. The unique menu choices and presentation, along with the authentic interior design added an element of warmth and comfort. We certainly add Kyo ya to our list of the best Japanese restaurants in New York.

Oshi!!!

Ever since I got my first Japanese client in 2005, I've slowly become a Japanese food connoisseur. Partly because the Japanese themselves think that New York Japanese cuisine ranks as highly as Tokyo, and partly due to all my trips to Japan.

The Japanese food voyage I've been on over the past 5 years has been bi-polar: both wonderful and eerie, both comforting and adventurous. It was always my desire to share these experiences with Sara. And one by one, we've been doing just that.

One of our first visits was to Japonais, a French-Japanese fusion restaurant in my neighborhood. Excellent, overpriced Japanese fare, accentuated by great sushi cuts. The star of their menu is their Kieseke options of delicately cooked small plates. The vibe of the restaurant is red, glowing and trendy. Not a particular fit for our tastes, but a fun visit.

Next up, was 15 EAST, a small restaurant off of Union Square which is very good with sushi & sashimi. With Sara, it was my third visit and unfortunately I've observed declining quality each time. What was really unique was the live sea urchin, sitting in its prickly black hollowed shell, which was served on a bed of ice and eaten with with a spoon. While Sara enjoyed the unique experience, she didn't love the texture. Overall, a very good sushi experience but not quite worth the price-tag.

An exclusive staple of the west village, EN Japanese Brasserie, is an excellent choice for a full rounded Japanese experience. One of my clients had pointed out that EN is a semi fast-food option in Japan, but in the West Village, this restaurant is all dressed up and ready to impress. The restaurant features an extensive selection of vegetarian options (almost unheard of within Japanese restaurants), and excellent full rounded choices. The sushi was soft and delicate, and the black cod and other small dishes completed the meal.

Esca- One Year!

For 12 months, our footsteps have moved closely in sync with flavorful bites as our lives dance together. Always together, and always hungry..... of course.

It was fitting that exactly a year after we met at a food tasting, after a year of amazing food adventures (and other adventures too), after a year of romantic, sense-seizing moments... we celebrated the anniversary of our first meeting at my favorite restaurant in NYC... Esca.

I've been filling Sara's ears with tales of this place for a year... the restaurant's quaint airy feeling brings you deep into Southern Italy. Not only does it have the best wine selection in the city, this place has some of the best seafood & pasta dishes imaginable.

The meal started with an outstanding crudo tasting. Two flights of three tastes each. The crudo is basically sashimi, Italian style. Wonderful cuts of fish, marinated in lemon juice, a touch of olive oil... seasoned with sea salt... in other words, absolute perfection. The pasta dish we shared was linguine with clams and pancetta, and it may have been the best pasta dish either of has ever tried. The waiter warned us that it may be "too briny" or salty due to the ocean elements involved in the dish, which made us even more excited. The mixture of dried chili with al dente linguine left us feeling like we were overlooking the Mediterranean ocean. We complimented the meal with a beautiful bottle of Elena Walsh and finished it off with run raisin fritters filled with orange zabaglione, cappuccinos and a strong vintage grappa.

While Sara was in the restroom before leaving, I quickly snagged the chef's cookbook and had him sign it for her - a little impromptu surprise waiting for her to top off our evening. Our three hour trip to Southern Italy during this special evening filled our eyes with wonder, our hearts with delight, our stomachs with satisfaction and our dreams of many many more exciting food adventures to follow in the future.