8th Street Wine Cellar - Relaxing in a dim room until the night gets dark

Wine is great, especially during happy hour.

J told me that 8th Street Wine Cellar had a happy hour where a selection of their wine bottles are only $18, from 4-7pm. When we got there around 6pm, the place was already packed. We got seated half an hour later but at a great spot. Snuggled up in a corner of the bar, perfect.

I like how we're nestled in the corner where we won't get bothered much but can still get the attention of the bartender if needed.

We started off with a bottle immediately since time was tight.

Our food came pretty quickly. I love me some white wine, I decided on the Riesling. It was light and crisp, delicious.

Charcuterie ($16) board. Now we're talking.
From left to right -- mystery meat (no idea what it is, not that great anyways), kielbasa, gerkins, soppresata, pepperoni, and mortadella.

Baked MacDougal n' Cheese ($9) was pretty impressive, very cheesy and the secret ingredient was mozzarella cheese.

We ordered some extra Bruschette ($12) since we had some more wine. From top to bottom -- ricotta and jam, mushroom and white truffle oil, squash with goat cheese and chutney, and hummus with cucumber and tsastiki.

I would love to come back because of the great happy hour deal. But to secure a seat would mean to come early. This spot will definitely be on my list when summer comes since there's summer Fridays!

8th Street Wine Cellar
28 W 8th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 260-9463

Ramen Takumi

J and I walked past this place on the same day we had Rai Rai Ken, but because it was packed we ended up going to RRK instead - which ended in a big disappointment.

This time around, I wanted to come here because it was late, cold and I was hungry (and you know how fast ramen can be served up). I felt a blast of warm air hit me as I opened the door and as I sit longer, it started to get really hot. The waiter asked us if we like to take the seats by the bar and of course we said yes. J and I have no problem sitting anywhere, as long as the waiters don't forget us and we get to be served.

I ordered the Syo-yu Ramen, J got the Curry Ramen and we both shared a plate of Gyoza since it's been a long time.

The Gyoza ($5) was mediocre, there wasn't enough meat in the filling. Although the sauce that accompanied it was really good, not too salty which means I can take the whole piece of dumpling and drown it in there. I learned that don't eat your gyoza right away when they serve it, wait for 5-10 minutes for a guarantee crunch, if it don't crunch then you found yourself a bad gyoza place.

I really liked J's Curry Ramen ($11.50). The bowl was so aromatic with curry flavor. Extremely flavorful without the crazy spicy taste to it. Straight noodles was being used in the bowl of heaven.

I stuck to a simple Syo-yu Ramen ($10.95) because I really needed to wash away that icky memory of RRK's horrible experience of a ramen. Thankfully, even though it wasn't 100% great, it was still a lot better than RRK.

They used the wavy noodles which I find to be a bit odd but other than that, the noodles were delicious. Perfectly cooked with that al-dente bite to it. The pork meat was good also, nice seasoning with the right amount of fat circling it.

I still prefer their Curry Ramen over anything because it's that dam good, probably one of the best curry ramen I've ever had. Now if only they put the wavy noodles in the curry bowl...*drools*

Ramen Takumi
90 University Pl
New York, NY 10003
(212) 229-2752

Knickerbocker Bar & Grill

Never would I thought of coming here. I past by it so many times when walking in the area but it wasn't one of those spots I would choose to eat at. There was nothing wrong with it, it's just I didn't see myself going inside and plus nothing appealed to me about it.

It just so happened that after a couple of drinks and the need for steak, J and I gave Knickerbocker a chance. It was weird knowing that I ate here on my birthday. A place I never would have went and yet I dined here on a day that is special to me.

Upon entering the restaurant, the maitre'd by the door was just lounging and leaning sluggishly against the table. He walked us to a table and it took about 10-15 minutes for a waitress to give us a menu. Any longer and I would've just left but I was hungry and I really wanted steak.

The waitress told us the specials of the night and which she also mentioned that they have the last order of skate and if we wanted it, we should order it ASAP. I had steak (of course!) and J decided on the skate...



It was a tad bit awkward 'cause the waitress asked us if we wanted bread and butter. Usually it would be just brought to us without question, I then started questioning myself if we're getting charged for bread... (which we didn't *phew*)

The butter was extremely good along with the cornbread. Whipped butter, yes please! The cornbread was really warm and one of the best I've had. Knickbocker probably isn't so bad afterall.

We ordered an appetizer to share because we were afraid the entrees would be of a large portion. The Grilled Octopus with Fingerling Potatoes was another amazing dish. I'm getting wow-ed by the moment. The octopus was nicely grilled and seasoned well. Although the potatoes were more on the salty side, I did wish there were other vegetables other than potatoes.

Our entree took a while to come out, starting to get unpatient. This is what happens when you're intoxicated with liquor and you go to a place which you didn't have positive feelings of.

My Bone in NY Shell Steak was satisfying. Obviously not the best steak I've had but it worked for me. I liked the steak sauce that was glazed on top of the steak, better for me because I was way too lazy to ask for any sauce and then having to dip it. It also came with mash potato gratin infused with truffle. More potatoes?! I wish it was mac and cheese instead...

J's dish was small. We looked at each other and had the "are you kidding" look. That's what happens when it's the last portion of the night. So lame. It was good but the fact that we feel we got jipped didn't make it taste any better. The Grilled Skate with bok choy and shitake mushroom ended the night with me feeling the same as before I ate here.

I wanted to like this place because the food were pretty to start with. But it just didn't live up to the expectation of a birthday girl. At least it was tried.

Knickbocker Bar & Grill
33 University Pl
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-8490

Hakata Ton Ton - Revisit

A revisit worthwhile.

Hakata is a place that requires reservations, unless you're the uber lucky type. If you're interested in my first visit, take a look here.

So, jumping right into it. There were two items that I definitely wanted again and for the rest, it was fairly new.

Kitaya Ai No Hime

Kitaya Ai No Hime (Beni)

J was interested in trying the blue and pink sake. I was just amazed at how pretty it looks. I really wanted to like the pink one but the blue actually won me over because it was a lot smoother and sweeter with no weird after taste. The pink had a bit of a tart to it which I'm going to pass.


Hakata Mojito

One of my favorite drink from HTT was their mojito. Definitely different than the usual ones because this one tasted sweet, which I looove.


Atlantic Salmon Carpaccio

Another favorite of mine. Very refreshing but you can still taste the salmon, that under the water seafood scent and taste just lingers with each bite.


Japanese Veal Liver Sashimi

This was an interesting dish, similar to the seared one in my previous visit. This came with two sauce, a sesame oil based and a soy based. I prefer the soy based because I like salty sauces... the sesame one was way too oily for me. The liver sashimi is very close to cooked liver, but it has a much more bouncier texture, also a lot chewier. It still has that gamey and irony affect though.


Himi's Famous Homemade Gyoza

Moving on to something that's not raw. The gyoza was quite an eye-opener. The gyozas that I ever had had always been the wrap enclosing the filling. But for this, they left each end opened... pretty neat. The dish also came out piping hot and oil splattering everywhere, it hurts! But it was good. J was having trouble keeping the meat inside the dumpling wrap, it was too hilarious watching him eat.

Onto the main course.
We were too amazed by the massive pot placed in front of us that I totally forgot to take a photo of it before we ate it. The photo above (which was taken at my last visit) is very similar if not the same as what we had. We ordered the Hakata Ton Ton Hotpot for two, it consist of collagen broth, tofu, dumplings, vegetables, pork belly, and tonsoku (pig's feet). The broth is amazing, a lot better than last time. There was a lot more flavor and wasn't as salty. I can eat this all week long. One down side, we had to wait 20 minutes for the pot to boil so everything would be cooked, but it was so worth it!

We also ordered ramen to finish up the delicious broth, good thing this didn't take 20 minutes. It's just regular packaged ramen but it was the broth that made it oh-so-awesome.

I love the idea of hotpot and then putting in noodles afterwards to finish up the meal. I love noodles and this is like a happy ending gone totally right. Although, I do suggest going here in the winter since it does get a bit warm inside when you start boiling away.

Hakata Ton Ton
61 Grove St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 242-3699

Minetta Tavern

A night of celebration. I know J have been wanting to come here for the longest time and it was a perfect place to celebrate. We were hoping they have tables open since we didn't make reservations.

We got seated right away, how perfect is that?! Minetta is small, the walk-way is really narrow but when you step further into the restaurant, it quite big but it doesn't mean walking around is easy. You need to know how to weave through the chairs, tables, and people. Our waitress was so perky and fun to talk to, plus she makes everything on the menu sound good.

I knew J wanted the Dry Aged Côte de Boeuf and I wasn't against it at all.

Murray Sour

Escargot on Puff Pastry

The escargot was one of their specials of the night and once the waitress said escargot, J and I knew we would get that dish no matter what. We both love escargot and we can literally eat plate after plate of escargots. This dish was extremely creamy and also a bit on the salty side but the pastry was perfect. And the escargot were so plump, if they went a little light on the salt this dish would've been amazing.

Huîtres et Crépinettes

The oysters were on the small side but the sauce that was on top of it made it taste extraordinary, totally enhanced the flavor of the oysters. The pork sausage which looked like meatballs were a little bundle of surprise, unlike any sausage/meatball I've ever had, it was packed with flavor and was tender.

Dry Aged Côte de Boeuf

The star of the night was so mouthwatering. The smell was intoxicating when it was brought out to us, only to let us know that they were going to take it back in to slice it for us. Once it reappeared we started salivating again. The slices of the dry aged beef was so soft and melted in your mouth like butter would on a hot pan. We had it cooked medium-rare and that was just perfect. This dish also came with Roasted Bone Marrow which was insanely fatty and gelatinous, I wish they gave us some toast with it though. To finish it off, there was also a small side salad towards the end. Great palette cleanser.

Grand Marnier Souffle

To wrap everything up, we ordered the souffle. The waitress came by our table and asked if we wanted to have souffle for dessert since it would take 20 minutes to make. I didn't hesitate one bit and placed the order. When the souffle came out, it was huge! Definitely enough to feed two people.

Minetta is usually known for their Black Label Burger but they sure do have other dishes on the menu that is just as good. Considering coming back for sure.

Minetta Tavern
113 Macdougal St
New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-3850

Dessert Works: Victory Garden

After a satisfying meal, and it just so happen that J and I were in the area. We jumped upon the fact that Victory Garden served goat milk ice cream. Very unique concept which was exactly why we decided to try it out.

Mexican Vanilla with honeycomb candy, chocolate sprinkles, and honey syrup

I admit we went overboard and ordered too much toppings. We came to realize that the soft serve was absolutely perfect on its own. So, the next time we go to Victory Garden we're just sticking with the soft serve.

Goat milk ice cream is definitely interesting. It's not that different than the regular ice cream we usually eat that is made from cow's milk. If I were to pay meticulous attention to it, I would have the say that goat milk ice cream is a lot more smoother, and just a tad bit thicker. Besides the thought of it being made from goat milk, their flavors are pretty exotic also.

Victory Garden
31 Carmine St
Manhattan, NY 10014

(212) 206-7273

Pearl Oyster Bar

To celebrate my new job, J wanted to take me to a Japanese offal grill place we once went to back in December. But the place was packed and the next available spot was at 9:30pm. Sorry, I love the place but it wasn't that serious where I have to wait 3 hours. So, I suggested Pearl Oyster Bar. There was something about this place which prompted me to bookmark it on Yelp but I literally drew a blank that day.

The waitress was extremely nice and said there will be a table for us in a couple of minutes. The restaurant looked packed on a Friday night, it was dimly lit but just enough for you to be able to see who was across from you, next to you, and probably a good 5-6 feet ahead of you.

The menu was small but simple. I loved how everything on the menu was seafood related. No chicken, no beef. We got greedy, like we always are, and order 4 different dishes to try. Surprisingly, none were of the lobster roll which is quite well known there.

Combination Cocktail

A cute littler sampler dish. Instead of ordering just raw oysters, J suggested we order the combo since he knows I love my lobster. The combo includes 2 shrimps, 4 pieces of lobster meat, 2 raw clams, and 2 raw oysters. A perfect way to start a meal.

Prince Edward Island Mussels w/ Wine, Mustard, and Cream

The sauce was fab-tastic but the mussels could've been bigger. Is mussel season over already? J ate all the bread and butter, carb freak!

Pan Roasted Sea Scallops

My first time ever ordering sea scallops at a restaurant. I usually eat scallops that were prepared at Asian restaurants so this was a bit exciting for me. I knew that America or non-Asian restaurants don't give a lot of scallops, that was so surprise to me. What I wanted to know was how it was different and how it was cooked. Pearl Oyster can cook up some good scallops, it was just great! I liked how it was placed on a bed of corn and fava beans. The corn was insanely sweet and worked so well with the scallop. I need to get this again!

Pan Roasted Skate Filet

J and I both love Skate ever since we had it at Robataya. When the waitress told J that Skate was on the menu for that night's filet, his ears just perked up. Skate is an amazing tasting fish which not a lot of people know about, they also have a lot of bones so you're in luck when a place debone it and serves just the meat. If you like fish, Skate is nothing different from it at all.

After a satisfying seafood meal, we took a small stroll around the city since it was a beautiful night. Kudos to me for a new job and a great boyfriend.

Pearl Oyster Bar
18 Cornelia St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-8211

Greenwich Village Bistro

Walking around on a Saturday wasn't exactly the brightest idea. It was really windy in NYC but plenty of sunshine, but I still didn't like the wind. Walked well over an hour in search of a good brunch place but for some reason - none was showing up. The last time I remember walking through the West side, there was loads of small little restaurants that offers brunch but that time I already ate. This time around, with the intent of finding a place there was none to be seen. Total fail.

Made a huge weird figure eight and ended back in square one. At this time, I was hungry and felt annoyed. Luckily, a decent place was in the proximity of my annoyance and ended up chowing there.

Bellini

Sake Mary

Salmon, Spinach, Eggs

Steak and Eggs

So I was a bit disappointed at this place. It was all good until the bf and I placed our order. We both wanted brunch but apparently they couldn't serve us that and the waitress said she'll have the chefs in the back prepare us something similar to what we wanted. Then, I overheard her tell a group of 3 next to us that they were out of home fries. Oh, the luck that I have!

But the dishes weren't bad. The salmon could have been fresher and they could've gave more steak or maybe just present it better than that. The Bellini wasn't fresh, I think you can tell from the dull color in the photo. The Sake Mary was a surprise. Coming from the bf (a more of a drinker than I am and knows a lot more about cocktails), it was made correctly.  It had that kick of hot sauce, and I'm sure it was the Tabasco sauce.

The place was extremely laid back. The waitress was a bit too overly friendly and she looked quite like Leona Lewis - I say a bit scary? This place only accepts cash. I had to learn that the hard way.

Greenwich Village Bistro
13 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 206-9777