5 oz Grilled Cheese and Custard ice cream

Not very happy with my grilled Queso Quesadilla. Will try it again NEXT time.  Maybe...

BROILED BRANZINO

Branzino or branzini - this is a Mediterranean fish that has good flavor, nice fish texture like a trout, and great for grilling or broiling.

Best to cut the back of the fish from the top of the head all the way down to the tail sliding your fish along the skeleton of the fish.  Open the fish like a book.  You can now remove the fish entrails and cut off the gills.

 Next, you slide the knife flat omg the main skeleton removing it from the flesh from the head to the tail on the other side of the fish bone to remove the entire fish skeleton.  Cut it off from the head and the tail to discard the fish skeleton.

COGNAC EAST

My friends and I went to eat at Cognac East, the new restaurant addition from Cognac on west 55th street and Broadway.

Cognac is pretty little French Brasserie located on Lexington and 70th street.  We sat right at the table you see by the window in this photo.

The special that night was a seafood-chicken combination Paella which we ordered as a shared appetizer and another order of it as one of our friend's main dish.  If they still have it in the menu, please try it.  It's not French, it's the special for the day; but he does it well.

I ordered their Cognac chicken above.

The steak above was excellent said one of our friends.

I wish I had ordered the seared foie gras above. Our friend loved it. She had it as her main course.  I think when I go back (which I certainly will do, I would also make this as my main course).

Above is the pork chop

Don't miss the soufflé with pistachio creme anglais that you pour in the center.  First you open it up in the center with your spoon, and then you pour the sauce in.  I learned to eat it this way from Julia Child!

And we had a treat that evening, there were two men that came with a trombone and guitar to sing to us.  Their music style and voice was so 20s and 30s.  We all had a good time! Good food! Good atmosphere and great friends! A unique evening in NYC! It was a surprise. I hope they continue to have some live entertainment.

Cognac East

963 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

1-212-249-5100

COGNAC CHEF AT DEGUSTIBUS COOKING CLASS

As a Foodie, I can't resist not to attend this particular class where I can learn the techniques from the Executive Chefs themselves and actually eat the dishes prepared during the class and paired with wines!

Degustibus is held at Macy's 8th floor kitchen area where they hold kitchen demonstrations.

Today, we had Florian V. Hugo, great great grandchild of Victor Hugo. He was also  chef at Alain Ducasse's restaurant in Monte Carlo and Paris.

Now, Chef Florian V. Hugo is partners and Chef at his  own restaurants Cognac on Broadway and West 55th St and at his new restaurant in the Upper  Eastside of New York City's Manhattan called Brasserie Cognac East.

He shares the techniques and recipes of the following dishes we at tonight's class at Degustibus.

Below is the amuse bouche - gougere fromage served with lobster soup in a small glass.

Above was the salmon we torched, served with puréed sauce with dill.

We learned the right technique to sear scallops served with chestnuts, mushrooms with port reduction sauce

This simple fillet mignon has a complex preparation and secret techniques that opened my eyes and learned new tips!

The Floating Island dessert was a new way of making making it. We learned new methods of preparation!

And you know what? I just been discovered where to go for good French food in the city!   His Brasserie is located on Lexington and 70th St in the Upper Eastside of New York City. 

Cognac East

963 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

1-212-249-5100

Taverna in Athens

Located at the corner of Okeanidomi and Mokreondos Streets is a neat looking taverna where we ate on our first night. For the first time, I had Greek-style braised leg of lamb pictured below.

The fried potatoes served with it was very good as well.  In fact even the salad was flavorful - must be the homemade dressing.

We ordered cheese zakanacki.  That too was delicious.

A good Bahnmi (Vietnamese sandwich)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Asian sausage (preferably Vietnamese or Philippine longganisa available at Asian stores)

1 light crispy baguette (available at a Vietnamese bakery or some grocery stores)

2 TB liver pork pate 

1-2 slices of Nieman's ham (sodium nitrite free)

*1 slice Vietnamese cold cut (optional)

3 sprigs of cilantro

1/2 c of pickled carrots and daikon (available at Asian markets) or you can use butter pickles

2 thinly sliced lengthwise of cucumber

2 TB Mayonnaise

Siractcha sauce

*Jalapeño pepper slices (optional)

Lice your baguette in half. Hallow the bread to accommodate the fling.

Out mayonnaise on top half and the liver pate in the bottom half.

Layer it with the ham. The Vietnamese cold cut, the cooked sausage removed from the casing, pickled radish and carrots, jalapeño peppers (optional) and cilantro.

Squeeze some siractcha on top:

 

DOMINIQUE ANSEL French Pastry Shop

This afternoon I discovered a new delight from Dominique Ansel who first introduced us to #Cronuts.

Before that my favorite was Kouignman.

I think I have blogged before that I finally found my favorite Breton pastry Kouignman that only Dominique Ansel makes perfectly like the way I tasted it in Brittany.  And I tasted his Kouignman when he first opened his shop!

And of course you know that he invented the cronuts which are like the Kouignman with filling.

Now comes a very thin brioche with a chocolate cake inside and molten chocolate in the center.  Delightfully warm and not so sweet!

I just went Sept 24, 2014 - and his latest special is cookies and milk.

It's a cookie with vanilla milk inside.  Since I was there ordering my lunch, they announced around 2:15PM that we would get first dins in line for the 3PM serving of milk and cookie.

Unfortunately, I had to be somewhere by 3PM.

Chef Dominique Ansel himself, preparing more delicious creations for you and me!

1. Dominique Ansel Bakery

   189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
2. (212) 219-2773

http://dominiqueansel.com/

PEKING DUCK QUEST

Tonight, as suggested by my friend, I went to try the Peking Duck at Chef Ho's Peking Duck & Grill.  Because the purpose of my visit was to have the Peking Duck, I was dreaming of something even better than where I usually go to in Chinatown as she persuaded me.

I was disappointed because the duck came already all cut up and the skin was not crisp except for the dried parts of the leg.  It was very fatty too.

As you can see, the duck was served already carved and look how the drumsticks are very dry.  And when it was served, it was cold.  I don't know if it got cold from the cold cucumbers and onions, but I've never had it served that cold before.

The saving glory for the night was their friend rice and green beans:

The fried rice was excellent with plenty of large pieces of shrimp

The green beans were very good as well.
The Grand Marnier shrimp was a bit sweet for me.

The place was nice and the food overall wasn't bad, but it's not the place to go for Peking Duck!!

Homemade Truffled Popcorn

This time I just popped a bag of store bought butter flavor popcorn.

When popped, drizzle it with truffle oil liberally and grated Parmesan cheese. I grated my own.

Now, watch TV!

TREEHAUS - additional info

Remember when I first talked about this when they first opened?  For those who like authentic ramen, on the second floor is dedicated to home made noodles for the Ramen.

It's delicious!

I recommend their pork ramen.

Taverna in Athens, Greece

Located at the corner of Okeanidomi and Mokreondos Streets is a neat looking taverna where we ate on our first night. For the first time, I had Greek-style braised leg of lamb pictured below.

The fried potatoes served with it was very good as well.  In fact even the salad was flavorful - must be the homemade dressing.

We ordered cheese zakanacki.  That too was delicious.

#UMAMI BURGER NYC

Besides the irritating hostess who did not want me to sit in the front part of the restaurant but in the back where it was dark where I can't take good photos, my good experience at Umami was enjoyable because of the food.

My waitress was good and polite.  I admit it must be the best burger I've ever had in the city.

I'm so glad to have ordered the famous truffled burger with truffled cheese and truffled oil cooked perfectly crisp outside and juicy inside.  They serve the burgers with 4 kinds of small sauces:

The bun is soft and actually thin when you hold it.  Mostly air.  Sooo good!

You might as well try their crispy thin fries with truffled cheese above.

Clever paper placemat - looks like lips but I think it's hamburger! SMACK right in delectable!

'Just want to mention that when she sat me in the back, I called her attention to please let me sit in front so I can take good photos.  She first hesitated until I said, I had a food blog.  I couldn't understand why she couldn't sit me upfront for the same table for 2 in the back when there were many vacant chairs - at 3:45PM.

TASTE OF FRANCE

Yes, it's Taste of France in NYC once again.  It's Sunday and in its 2nd day and I finally made it.  It seems a bit more organized than last year.  This is a much better venue.

They have several booths that deal beyond food but I am here for the food.

The lines are decent.  Price for food vary between 9 Marianne's or $9.

Above my turbot over artichokes is being dished out:

And is served with lobster sauce - with actual pieces of lobsters.  Really light and not overdone.

 Above is the Steak Au Poivre.  That's the green peppercorn sauce the French usually have when they do their steak.  This meat is tender and juicy.  It's served with potatoes - first mashed then shaped and deep fried or oven roasted.

She demonstrated an apple tart that had a lightly crisped top of layers of thin dough sprinkled with sugar.  The layer of apples had a little Armagnac.

This was free from the baking demonstration.

With mini shows and cooking demonstrations, Taste of France won't be complete without the Theee Musketeers! 

Benoit New York

Benoit New York

This is one of my favorite French restaurants in NYC.  Authentic French bistro owned by Michelin star Alain Ducasse

CRAVE FISH BAR

For lunch I'm having their fish tacos.

Fried fish with sautéed cabbage, cilantro, scallions and Mexican cheese.  Served with their own hot sauce.

Definitely light and good value.  Served at lunch time.

This is located on Second Avenue between 50th and 51st street.

But the real deal is between 5-7PM, M-F where all oysters are $1.