Dirty French: French/Moroccan/Asian Mashup

Dirty French
in , , , ,

After thumbing through pics of lamb carpaccio and foie gras in crispy bric dough scattered throughout my IG feed for the past month, I attempted to snag a table at Dirty French, the latest venture from Team Torrisi focused on French cuisine with Moroccan and Southeast influences.

Since they opened around Labor Day, tables earlier than 10pm were nonexistent and it took about two weeks until I received a call that a last minute table opened up around 8pm. So much for the Barry’s Bootcamp session I had planned to attend that evening.

Running a few minutes late, I walked past Katz’s when my eyes were naturally drawn to the bright pink neon signs silently screaming out DIRTY FRENCH.

Read More

The NoMad: Best Chicken I've Had

The NoMad
in , , ,

A year ago, I had the best chicken of my life at The NoMad. Was it because these chickens were delivered daily from a farm in Pennsylvania? Was it because there was foie gras stuffed under the skin? Or maybe it was the tantalizing aroma of black truffles found in both the stuffing and the accompanying potato puree. It was a combination of all these factors that made me fall in love with chicken again.

Julia and Davis made a reservation and I brought my friend Anne. The whole point of the dinner was to try the chicken that had every blog and food magazine raving. To start, the server brought us a warm rustic flatbread with grilled leeks and gruyere fresh from the oven, much better than the usual stale basket of bread served at most restaurants.

Read More

Betony - The Jewel of Midtown

Betony
in , , , ,

It was a misty September evening in Manhattan as I sat in the plush back seat of a town car, lulled by the sounds of the windshield wipers moving steadily like a metronome. I exited the car and ducked into Betony, narrowly escaping the rain.

I was the first one to arrive, nearly 20 minutes early. After checking in with the hostess, I sat at the bar and took a look at my surroundings. Ornate carvings adorned the walls, motifs stretched across the vast ceiling. Jack, the jovial bartender with an Australian accent, nudged me and asked if "gin and I got along".

I was intrigued. “Why?” I asked.

“Well there was a mix-up with another order and we have an extra Negroni...” he winked.

Read More

Empire Biscuit - It Ain't Cracker Barrel

Empire Biscuit
in , , , ,

Flaky. Buttery. Melt in your mouth biscuits. Moist, fresh and warm from the oven.

These are all words that describe what a great biscuit should be. Empire Biscuit has none of these qualities. I arrived, brimming with hope but after it was over, I left with a dry taste of disappointment.

Read More