Spice Market

This was my third trip to Spice Market.

First trip was a winner. Second trip was a loser. This trip was really good.

We ordered the tasting menu because sometimes I like to let the chef feed me (plus I liked what was on the tasting menu). Overall, the heart of the food isn't fantastic (the chicken, the snapper, the beef skewers, the somosas) but the sauces and flavors that adorn them are. The ginger fried rice, shaved tuna tapioca, and chicken with kumquats were my favorites.

I also had a ginger margarita which was interesting.

403 W 13th St
(between 9th Ave & Washington St)
New York, NY 10014

Shaved Tuna, Chili Tapioca, Asian Pear and Lime

Avocado and Radish Salad, Chinese Mustard, Tempura Onions

Spiced Chicken Somosa

Charred Chili Rubbed Beef Skewer

Steamed Red Snapper, Shiitake Mushrooms, ginger, Scallion, Tarragon

Char Grilled Chicken, Kumquat Lemongrass Dressing

Ginger Fried Rice

Ovaltine Kulfi, Carmalized Banana, Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce

Sundaes and Cones

Any place that makes it's own ice cream is usually pretty darn good. This place is definitely good.

They have some interesting flavors. I went with peppermint because I love Christmas.

95 E 10th St
New York, NY 10003

peppermint, in a cup (I was being lame and it was pre-dinner)

Jean Georges

Thank you Red Sox.

My co-worker is a Yankees fan so when the Red Sox played the Yankees we bet lunch on who would win the series. After the Yankees were swept, the two teams played again two weeks later so we went double or nothing. The Yankees were swept again. I decided that double mean lunch at Jean Georges.

We suited up and hopped in a cab to Columbus circle where we entered through the doors of one the nine million buildings owned by Donald Trump (nine million might be an exaggeration). This building, however, is special because its ground floor hosts a killer restaurant called Jean Georges.

I don't think i've ever felt so out of place. Guys wore suits that could wipe out a bank account. Women were adorned with jewelry that were worth more than a house. People were having power lunches. We talked about ad networks. What silly peasants we.

The food was fantastic.

We both ordered three dishes. Tuna ribbons, goat cheese gnocchi, foie gras brulee, asparagus salad, roasted veal, and the beef tenderloin.

The tuna ribbons were delicious long strands of tuna, almost like noodles. The foie gras brulee consisted of a piece of brioche, covered with foie gras, covered with a creme brulee-esque caramalized topping. The veal was pretty good too.

Awesome.

1 Central Park W
New York, NY 10023

The Amuse

Tuna Ribbons, Avocado, Spicy Radish, Ginger Marinade

Pineapple-Meyer Lemon Jam (accompanies the foie gras)

Foie Gras Brulee

inside the foie gras

Roasted Veal

Toasted Sesame Cake, Green Apple Sorbet, Yuzu
Fall Fruit Fricasse, Creme Fraiche, Caramelized Phyllo

Phyllo up close

other part up close

marshmallows, chocolates, and macaroons

(my co-workers reflection is in this picture)

Cafe Fiorello

Chef Fiorello is crazy. I ordered his lasagna (aptly named Chef Fiorello's Lasagna) and was given a dish larger than my torso. The lasagna is served open face with a meat ragu, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano & meatballs. It's ridiculously huge. I ate part of it and then wrapped the rest around myself and wore it as a coat.

1900 Broadway
New York, NY 10023

yikes

Brick Lane Curry House

Brick Lane Curry House was featured on man vs. food. They have a curry dish called Phaal, which they describe as follows: An excruciatingly hot curry, more pain and sweat than flavor, for our customers who do this on a dare, we will require you to state a verbal disclaimer not holding us liable for any physical or emotional damage after eating this curry. If you do manage to finish your serving of curry, a bottle of beer is on us.

Who the heck makes something that doesn't taste good on purpose?

Obviously Brick Lane Curry House.

Unfortunately, I'm a sucker and can't pass something like this up. So we each ordered our own dish and an order of phaal to share (it seemed like a waste to order phaal as your main dish as it doesn't even taste good).

I ordered lamb saag because I like lamb and I like spinach and I have slightly large forearms so it satisfies my need to make sure i'm not Popeye. I'm not. Every time.

The phaal is terrible. It tastes like spicy. Or to quote Ralph Wiggum; "It tastes like burning." Ralph had a lit candle in his mouth but I don't think this tasted much worse. You basically took a bite of the phaal and then your mouth burned for ten minutes. We took turns taking larger and larger bites. Then we left to get ice cream from Sundaes and Cones.

306-308 E 6th St
New York, NY 10003

phaal

Donut Plant

Donut Plant has delicious donuts. Really, really delicious. Dunkin donuts sucks royally compared to Donut Plant.

Their claim to fame is their creme de leche donut. It's quite good and has a subtle leche filling, not at all like a creme donut.

They also have anywhere from 4 to 8 different flavors depending on when you arrive. I've had the aforementioned creme de leche, the strawberry, cashew, and creme brulee. The creme brulee donut is like a creme donut but so much better.

Now I have to buy some more.

These pictures are really bad because I forgot my camera and the one on my phone is pretty darn crappy.

379 Grand St
New York, NY 10002

creme brulee donut

cashew donut (strawberry donut to the left)