Write Tastes

S'MAC

2010-04-14T13:19:00.013-04:00

When I heard that this place was for Mac and Cheese lovers I was very excited : ) S'MAC is short for Sarita's Macaroni + Cheese. They have a variety of "MACs" that can be served with either regular, multi-grain or gluten free elbow macaroni. Also with or without breadcrumbs. If there isn't anything that is of interest to you, you can build your own.

Sounds like a promising place but it was just okay for me. For one, I didn't think their seating situation was efficient. When all the seats are occupied of course the people that want to come in will have to wait but what happens when there are other people waiting as well? Maybe I'm just use to other places where they call you when a table is ready, but S'MAC wasn't like that. If you see a free table, go get it, even if there are people ahead of you. Don't get me wrong, my party got a table, but we did have to spy on tables to see if they were done eating and then make sure we zoom over there ASAP. I felt like a creeper. There are tall chairs/tall tables/counter by the window on one side and regular tables on the other side. The tall chairs were extremely uncomfortable (it felt like it was going to break at anytime) so when we spotted a table on the other side you bet I jetted over there before the table even left =X.

If you ever decide to come here and want to dine in, you need to get a table first, then wait in line and order what you want and they will give you a table number stand (the number "card" is in the shape of a skillet). After your MACs are ready they will bring it to you and there you go.

There are four sizes: nosh ($4.75-$7.25), major munch ($7.75-$10.75), mongo ($13.50-$19), and partay($33-$47, which isn't on the wall but it's a catering platter pan thing)! There's also the Sampler that allows you to try eight types of MACs and I really wanted to try it but didn't get to (this one is on the wall).

On the left is the Buffalo Chicken MAC and on the right is the Cheeseburger MAC. I tried the Buffalo Chicken MAC and it was too salty for me. I ordered the Cheeseburger MAC with breadcrumbs and thought it was okay. The top layer was crunchyish which was interesting and then everything underneath was soft. It was too cheesy... too rich for me. I wish the seasoned ground beef was bigger so that I could have actually tasted it.

On a brighter note, I really liked that it came in a skillet (which we had to return at the end of our meal) and I thought it was cute that they had containers, forks and bags for people who couldn't finish their meal. :)

Delmonico's

2010-04-05T01:37:00.013-04:00

Delmonico's opened in 1837 and it was America's first fine dining restaurant. I was reading on their website, that Delmonico's is the birthplace of the Delmonico Steak, Delmonico Potatoes, Eggs Benedict, Lobster Newburg, and Baked Alaska. It was also the first diner where guests sat at their own tables, the first printed menu, the first tablecloths (lol?) and on the website it said "hamburger." So... I don't know, does that mean they came up with the hamburger? *shrugs*

The picture on the left is how it looks after you step inside and the picture on the right is what it looks like from the back. They have private dining rooms and lounges but we sat in the main dining room which I thought looked really nice.

The appetizer TORCHIO PASTA with roasted wild mushrooms, pancetta and black pepper. Let me just say... I WISH THIS WAS THE ENTREE. It's SO good. De-freaking-licious. If I had known I would of ordered this for the appetizer, the entree, and the dessert. This one is a MUST TRY. I'm glad I came here for lunch because if it was dinner I would of ordered the Scallops and Bacon and then I would not have been able to taste this deliciousness.

For the entree, I ordered the Classic Chicken A la Keene served over buttered noodles which was a big downgrade from the wonderful appetizer. : ( The buttered noodles were extremely bland... I've never had buttered noodles so maybe they are suppose to be that way? The chicken had some flavor but I guess it was just not my cup of tea. It was an okay dish but I would not recommend it.

For the dessert I had the Delmonico's Chocolate Mousse which was eh. My friend came here for dinner during restaurant week and said the dessert was better then so maybe... it was just this slice. It didn't taste fresh to me so I only had a few bites.

Also for dessert, their signature Baked Alaska dish! The French chef at Delmonico's created this new cake to celebrate the United States purchase of Alaska from the Russians. Anyway, it's made of banana ice cream placed in a pie dish lined with almond cake and topped with meringue. I was really full and only tried a tiny bite and remember it being okay (I'm not a banana fan =\), definitely an interesting dish though.

I came here for lunch during the Winter Restaurant Week and I will of course come back. TORCHIO PASTA. Hopefully next time I will get to try their steak : )

Bobby Van's Steakhouse

2010-03-27T00:20:00.008-04:00

Picture from Bobby Van's

I went during Restaurant Week for lunch and it was yum! Since there was construction outside the building I was not able to see how their store front looked like. For this Bobby Van's they have many rooms/sections, one of them is a vault! Although I was not able to eat in the vault room, my area was not too shabby.

Picture again from Bobby Van's

The complimentary basket of bread consisted of assorted breads and crackers. There was one that had raisins and nuts? I'm not sure what kind of bread it was but it was delicious. I would of ate more but our table ran out =(

For the appetizer I had the Caesar salad, I guess I'm a noob but I never had cheese sliced like that before and it was interesting to eat with the salad. Under all that were TWO croutons! I have to say I was disappointed at first because I didn't think there were any croutons, so it was pleasant surprise lol.

For my entree I ordered the Roast Pork Loin with banana polenta and port wine sauce. It was okay ... I'm not a banana fan and after this dish I guess I'm not a banana polenta fan. The roast pork loin was nicely cooked though, the meat was very juicy. As for the port wine sauce, it was a bit too strong for me (I'm not a sauce-y person).

I didn't order the filet mignon which had a $5 supplement charge although the menu online said that it was $10. It was a nice surprise and I wish I ordered it! I only tasted a bite but it was good. I'm not really a steak person or know much about it but I enjoyed it very much.

Now... I'm usually iffy with mousse but this chocolate mousse was just heavenly. It was so soft and so light. I LOVE crunchy stuff and on the side of the chocolate mousse, consisted of some crunch which complemented the mousse extremely well. I really enjoyed it but after a few bites I was extremely full so I decided to get it to go. Sadly it melted but I decided to eat it anyway because it was too good to waste! EVEN in it's melty state, it was delich!

Overall, I enjoyed Bobby Van's and for $33-$36 (with everything included) it was well worth it. The waitress was very aware of when we finished each course and just very attentive altogether. At the end of our meal, she even told us that they were extending restaurant week and how we should go again. I can't wait till the next one, I definitely want to go back!

Kyotofu

2010-01-24T19:39:00.003-05:00

I like Kyotofu; it was weird to me that they didn't have their store name but maybe they want to stand out that way or maybe they re-ordered one?

Once you walk in there is seating near the window and then the cash register and across from it is the kitchen. Then comes the back dining room (pictured above) and the bathroom.

Anyway, I enjoyed every bit of my [ Soymilk Soft Ice Cream Sundae ] I totally recommend it. I don't usually like mochi but this mochi was delicious. I'm not a big fan of berries so I didn't really touch that part of my dessert but this ice cream was so light and just a party in your mouth.

S ordered a [ Chocolate Soufflé Cupcake ] which came along with the berry mix and a cute tiny cup of the soymilk ice cream I ordered. I'm not totally sure what is on top of the cupcake but S didn't enjoy that part too much. I did try a little bit of the cupcake and it tasted so soft and just right. If only i could get my cupcakes like that.

K ordered a [ Warm Mochi Chocolate Cake ] which she liked very much. I tried a tiny bit and it seemed to be on the sweet side but then again I tend to enjoy things that aren't too sweet.

By the way each dessert ranged from $7 to $12. Overall, I really liked the dessert here and would definitely come back the next time I get a chance.

KUTA Satay House and Wine Bar

2009-12-30T20:49:00.013-05:00

Kuta is a small dimly lit pan-Asian restaurant that serves a variety of Southeast Asian dishes such as pad thai, beef rendang, curry, and satay skewers, although it also dabbles in American staples like steak, burgers, and crab cakes. Their menu is extensive and reasonably priced - a pre-fixe dinner is a mere $25, which includes a choice of satay skewers, one starter, one entree, and dessert. Despite many choices requiring supplemental costs, most choices do not, and the portions are enough to satisfy a small Chinese girl with a voracious appetite, like myself.

The small narrow L-shaped interior is manned by a single waiter who did his best to accommodate and receive orders of our party of 26. Gracious and polite, he embodies the perfect waiter that many restaurants can't seem to boast of. The steak I ordered was cooked rare instead of medium rare and when I asked to have it reheated, he cheerfully brought it back to the kitchen without giving me an attitude. Unfortunately, the steak was seared for too long and both sides were blackened, even before I asked it to be cooked a little longer. The dipping sauce was too salty and although it specified on the menu that it was a cilantro-lime spicy dipping sauce, it merely tasted like au jus. The size of the steak was incredible, at least two inches thick and at least 12 oz., the menu never stated. I prefer a strip steak, so this is not on my list of the best of steaks.

On a better note, the Korean Kalbi satay skewer I ordered was scrumptious, although a friend of mine said her's was too fatty. Mine was tender, juicy, and not burned like the shrimp skewers other members of my group ordered. Nevertheless, upon trying a Jimbaran Spicy Tiger Shrimp skewer, I was happily surprised to find that there was at least some heat to its name, unlike many other Thai/Malay/Indonesian restaurants that label dishes as spicy and do not put out.

A must-try at Kuta is their Jimbaran Crab Cake, which comes with a spicy aioli that complements the dish well. The heat adds dimension to the crab cake without overpowering the flavor of the crab cake. And the crab cake is generously packed with lots of crab meat. Although this is my first time ever trying crab cake, I must say that I was thoroughly satisfied with the dish.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Food: 3.5/5
Decor: 2.5/5
Service: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Pricing: $$ ($10-20 per entree)

Ramen Setagaya

2009-12-04T03:03:00.019-05:00

They have tables along the walls and window and then a long table in the center.

The professional ramen makers and that's a tray of utensils but also seasoning! They have a variety of tiny bottles with interesting tastes that you can add to your soup base and or ramen. I highly recommend this orange/red one but sadly they all look kinda similar =X

Dumplings (I didn't try them but they smelled good)

Curry-don (pretty good, if you can totally try it)

Buta-don

R1 (I think) If you are not a fan of scallion I don't recommend this, well I mean I'm not a fan of scallion either but I guess you should pick the other ones if you can, also if you are a meat lover this is not the dish for you. As you can see, there is only one piece of meat which they call Cha-Syu. Their cha-syu is pretty good too, not too dry and enough flavoring. Aside from the meat and the scallions, this dish has seaweed, bamboo and an egg.

R3 - I like this dish, if only there were more pieces of meat =( I don't remember the soup base but it was good and the texture of the ramen... there was something about them but it was good. This type of ramen is different from the R5 dish and in my opinion better. They should combine the two lol

R4 - I didn't try this but I think what you are suppose to do is to put the ramen into the soup bowl and then knock yourself out :)

R5 - Well you already know my thoughts in regards for the ramen (don't get me wrong, it's still good) and yay more meat :)

I may be a dollar or two off but for lunch I think each bowl is around $8 and after that around $10. If you want a bowl of ramen + an appetitzer (dumplings or curry/buta-don), there is an additional $2? If you are not full from one bowl save your soup! You can order an extra bowl of ramen for $2 which in my opinion tasted even better.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Food: 4/5
Decor: 2.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Pricing: $$ ($10-20)

The Park

2009-12-04T01:54:00.016-05:00

The PARK sign on the far right looks like an actual parking lot sign which I thought was cute and there an actual parking lot across the street so don't get confused.

The decor of the main dining room is very classy yet at the same time it has a diner/homey feel to it (my picture does not do it justice). The Garden is where we ate at and it really did make you feel like you were at the park; the green and pink tiled tables added to it. During the day it would feel like lunch at the park but at night the lighting would be very dim and the lit up trees just made it romantic and pretty.

Scallops Cerviche
Enter t Crisp Calamari with Chipotle Aioli and Spicy Marinara Sauce

For the appetizers I highly recommend the Scallops Ceviche and the fried calamari. At first I thought the chips + the cerviche would be a bit strange but the combination worked. As for the calamari, I do not recall the marinara sauce being spicy but it was good calamari none the less.

Enter text here.Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Avocado Tomatillo Salsa, Asparagus and Corn on the Cob
Pasta with shrimp, roasted red peppers and baby spinach

Their salmon was cooked wonderfully and it wasn't dry at all. As for the pasta dish, overall it was good dish but the sauce was little bit too strong for my taste.

Their dessert menu had a variety of desserts and they all seemed delicious but I was only able to try a few (they were good.) However, the tiramisu I did not enjoy. You could smell the rum before even tasting it and the rum taste overpowered the dessert.

You must try their appetizers and desserts, but don't and i repeat DO NOT order their water. It is overpriced and they charge you for it. It would of been nice to be informed of that though. Our waitress was extremely nice and I suppose the head waitress? was very on top of her people making sure they were doing their job and that we were satisfied.

Overall rating: 4
Food: 3.5
Decor: 5
Service: 4
Value: 4
Pricing: $$$$ out of $$$$$

Sea Thai Bistro

2009-08-12T15:04:00.010-04:00

(front of restaurant)

If you like dining under dim lighting, loud techno music and close seating arrangements, then Sea’s atmosphere is the perfect place to enjoy your meal. The restaurant itself is very spacious, with two large tables behind the buddha statue in the middle of the space with half-sunken seats around the pool, if you will, several smaller tables on either side, and long tables along the wall for larger parties. On a Sunday night, it was crowded, with a 20 minute wait to be seated, and an assortment of diners, ranging from large families with children to groups of friends just going out to eat on a Sunday night. If you’re going out to see friends and catch up, Sea is not the restaurant for you. It is impossible to hear yourself or the person five feet away for you without shouting and raising your voice at least several decibels.

(Seafood bar and wine rack)

The food was at best mediocre. While some dishes were tasty, many others were subpar. As there were nine people in our party, we were able to sample an array of dishes from Sea’s menu, and a lot of the usuals ,such as Pad Thai, and Mammasan Curry were definitely not made as well as other Thai restaurants. For one, the Pad Thai was too peanuty and the chicken was overcooked, dry, and flavorless. The Mammasan Curry with beef was too sweet, had no heat whatsoever, and like the chicken, the beef was overcooked as well. The thing with Sea is that all the meat that comes with their dishes is precooked together, so not only is it not fresh, but it is also tasteless, and it ruins your meal.

(Pad Thai)

For appetizers, we ordered the Calamari Super Bowl (which was not super at all), mandarin duck pancakes, Tup Tim Fritters, Grilled Beef, Green Papaya Salad, and triangle curry puffs. I did not try the Grilled Beef, but the calamari was nothing short of terrible. They were over-floured, the portion was skimpy, and the tomato salsa dipping sauce was nothing extraordinary.

(Calamari Super Bowl)

The green papaya salad was decent, nicely portioned, but nothing entirely special about it. The Mandarin Duck Pancake might have been the best part of my night – the duck was juicy and flavorful, not like the rest of the meat that was served with our entrees, and the strawberry dipping sauce was innovative and tasty. It was basically duck meat, lettuce, and pickled veggies wrapped in a crepe. It reminds me greatly of Peking Duck, minus the cucumbers, scallions, crispiness, and mouthfuls of oil, which, I think, are things I can hardly miss.

(Mandarin Duck Pancake)

I would also recommend the Tup Tim Fritters, skewered dumplings with chicken and shrimp, drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce that complemented the dumpling harmoniously.

(Tup Tim Fritters)

The Triangle Curry Puffs were also very tasty. The pastry was not dry, it was stuffed generously with chicken and potatoes blended together in a compatible medley of flavors.

(Triangle Curry Puffs)

The food isn’t expensive – appetizers range from $4-$6, and most of them are reasonably portioned. Entrees are about $9 with chicken or beef, and $10 with shrimp. Chef specialties range from $11 – $16.

Service is very attentive. Waiters and waitresses are constantly refilling your water glass, and make sure that there’s enough lighting on your table – meaning they make sure your candle does not burn out. Food is served fairly quickly as well. We waited about 10 – 15 minutes for all our food to arrive, and our plates were cleaned up quickly as well, without feeling that we were being rushed out of the restaurant.

I've heard lots of good reviews about the place, but IMO, ehh. Over-hyped and not the best.

Overall rating – 3.5/5
Food – 2.5/5
Decor - 5/5
Service – 5.0/5
Value – 4.0
Pricing: $$ out of $$$$$

BBQ Chicken

2009-08-10T23:34:00.008-04:00

(Front of establishment)

The inconvenience of actually traveling to Kyo-Chon or Bon Chon in Flushing forced us to find alternative KFC places around the city. After trying the Bon Chon on Chambers St. and having an entirely unsatisfying experience, we despaired at the fact that the only good KFC places we were ever going to eat were to remain in the distant, almost mystical, land of Flushing, Queens.

In quick review, Bon Chon on Chambers St. had horrible chicken, and it might have been why we were the only patrons there. The chicken was completely dry, quite the contrary to the flavorful and crispy counterparts at the Flushing location. Not only were the spicy wings dry, but they lacked the heat and flavor they were supposed to have.

Anyway, Helen found a place on St. Marks Place between 2nd and 3rd Avenue called BBQ Chicken, and we decided to check it out, as she had heard good reviews from friends. BBQ Chicken stands for Best of the Best Quality Chicken, and in conclusion, I must say that while it was much tastier than Bon Chon on Chambers Street, it is still not up to par with Kyo Chon. The decor was mediocre, very simple, and a few tables in the back, with two or three outdoor tables in the front. The air conditioning was off for half the time we were there, but they turned it on later, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

BBQ definitely had a greater assortment of flavors to choose from: Olive Original, Sweet and Spice, Teri-Gold, BB Wings, and Wings of Fire. Of the five flavors we tried four of them – Olive Original, Sweet and Spice, Teri Gold, and Wings of Fire; they were not making BB Wings that day.

(Teri Gold and Olive Original, from left to right)

Olive Original, which is chicken fried in olive oil, which is basically what’s unique about them; Teri-Gold, which is similar to what is served at Kyo-Chon and Bon Chon, in that they fry the chicken in a rice batter rather than a flour batter. Olive Original does not have much flavor, but the olive oil does give it a distinct taste that differs from any other chicken you may have tried. Teri-Gold was certainly flavorful, and you can taste the cooked rice moreso than at Kyo-Chon; however, I still prefer Kyo-Chon’s – the gingery flavor definitely hits the spot moreso than the garlic at BBQ.

(Sweet and Spice and Wings of Fire, from back to front)

The Sweet and Spice were too sweet for my liking, although they were quite flavorful, and slightly spicy. Their spicyness meter is pretty accurate to my heat tolerance. Sweet and Spice was ranked 2 Chiles out of 3 – it was tolerable but not to the point that you couldn’t feel the heat. The Wings of Fire are definitely rightly named in that eating too many of them WILL cause you (unless you have super insanely high tolerance for spicy foods,) to gasp, pant, and cry for water…so you better have a bottle close at hand (though it won’t do you much good). While it wasn’t spicy to the point that I started tearing, but the heat was definitely satisfying – not TOO spicy, but not hot sauce for babies. The Wings of Fire were probably the most satisfying of the four flavors that we tried – a perfect combination of sweet and spicy, rich in sauce, and the chicken falls right off the bone.

Pricing-wise, it’s not the cheapest, but it’s decently priced. We bought a combo of three flavors, with twenty wings each for $40, and 20 wings (of one flavor) costs $15. For 10 pieces, it is $7.95, and there are other choices to choose from, such as drumsticks, and their grilled series which are all priced differently.

If you live in or close to Flushing, or don’t mind the travel, definitely choose Kyo-Chon or Bon Chon – it’s much better, and you get side dishes of cubed radish and cole slaw along with your meal.

Overall rating: 3.5/5
Food: 3.5/5
Value: 3/5
Decor: 2.5/5
Service: N/A
Pricing: $$ out of $$$$$