Cafe Henri - the best surprise a girl can get

On a Saturday afternoon, pretty much around brunch time, J took me to Cafe Henri as a surprise. All I knew about the place was, it had a blue door. It was a long walk from where we were but the weather was so beautiful that it didn't seem far at all. Ok, maybe a little far since I was feeling hungry.

Cafe Henri was a cute little French place. Limited seatings but it felt so quaint and familiar. J told me they're known for their big latte cups and really good food.

J ordered their Mocha ($4), we decided not to supersize anything since the large was literally a size of a soup bowl. The Mocha was pretty good, had a nice cocoa finish on top.

I had their Latte ($3.50), so creamy and delicious. I wished it stayed hotter throughout the time I was having it, it got lukewarm pretty quick.

We knew we had to get this when we saw it on the menu...

The Escargot ($11) was so aromatic and plump. They were definitely heavy on the spices here which we both love. The toast accompanying the dish was amazing also, soaked up all the delicious herbs and garlic butter...we were practically in heaven.

Then our entree rolled out and we were at our most happiest place.

J had gotten their Crepe Henri ($9.50) which gives you a choice of 3 different add-ins for your crepe. He chose goat cheese, mushrooms and spicy sausage - these combination was perfect. Never thought I'd say this but the goat cheese was bomb in the crepe, I absolutely loved it.

My dish wasn't bad either, actually I really really enjoyed mine. The Eggs Benedict ($10.50) which I got with bacon was insanely good. How can everything be so perfect?! I loved how the English muffin didn't get soggy from my eggs and the hollandaise sauce. The poached egg was literally the most perfect ones I've ever had, still had that egg white surrounding the egg yolk. I was left speechless.

And even that wasn't enough, we got another crepe for dessert.

We were definitely greedy at this point because we both know well that we were full but still wanted to try their sweets. Decided on the Crepe de Marron ($7), chestnut paste inside the crepe. It was a little strange but in a good way. It wasn't too sweet and it balances out with the fruits and the creme fraiche.

This meal was so satisfying. I was extremely happy. I can't wait to come back for dinner or just the latte.

Cafe Henri
27 Bedford St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-2846

Flex Mussels - Special Happy Hour

This past Monday, Flex Mussels sent out an e-mail stating that they would be having Happy Hour for the entire night. Which means, $20 for all-you-can-eat pots of mussels (with only 3 different flavors to choose from), $1 oysters and half off all their wine and beer selection. That's pretty dam awesome.

J and I had been to Flex before, specifically the one downtown (they have 2 locations) and loved their Happy Hour, we just never found the time to go again after last year.

It was a full house when we got there, you can only get the Happy Hour special at the bar or counter. The wait wasn't bad, especially when you have some booze in your hand. We got seated at the bar and fun began.

I had white wine the entire night, love how smooth and light they are compared to red wine. I switched between their Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ($5.50 - half off).

Mmm...Bread and Butter. I like places that serve their butter soft, not brick hard. I like to be able to spread them on the bread, I know you're thinking the same.

We wanted the $1 oysters but by the time we sat, they were all out. We ended up getting their special West ($3.50 each) and East ($3 each) Coast. They tasted divine. I would go for another round if it wasn't for the mussels.

Complimentary Flex House Cut Fries that comes with the Happy Hour special. They're pretty darn great. Also not a bad idea to soak up the sauce from the mussel pot either.

So, there were three choices you can alternate from for the all-you-can-eat special. Classic, Dijon and Fra Diavolo.

Fra Diavolo is just a very classic Italian sauce. It has chunks of tomato, basil and spices.

Dijon, which is J's favorite, was very buttery with a hint of mustard kick to it. I personally don't like because the mustard seems too strong for me.

My favorite of all, the Classic is just a simple herbs, garlic and white wine. It's not overpowering and you can definitely taste the freshness of the mussels here.

J and I keep saying how we should go back and try their other pot of mussels, like the one with bacon and lobster.

Flex Mussels
154 W 13th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 229-0222

EN Japanese Brasserie

I've been wanting to try this restaurant out for the longest time but never really got the chance. Finally, J and I made reservation to try this out. Why? Because I got another voucher to redeem. I'm on a roll with these vouchers this month!

The restaurant was nice and dim, perfect atmosphere for a couple. The staffs were trained well which provided a superb experience. J and I had the Aozora which is a 7-course tasting meal.

We ordered a drink for ourselves but I totally forgot what the names of each are but they were just on the OK-side.

Freshly-made Scooped Tofu

Their in-house made tofu which is made each 1.5 hours on the hour. It sure was silky and full of soy bean flavor. I really like the sweet and salty sauce that was given to pair with the tofu. Extremely different from the Chinese version where we eat it cold with sweetened syrup.

Appetizer Trio

Seared Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

My favorite of the night. I think J is right, I like anything with ponzu sauce and the tuna was seared perfectly. Mix with all the other herbs and greens with the tuna and it was just amazing.

Brussel Sprouts in broth jelly

So, after this dish I know that I don't like brussel sprouts. It just has a crunchy and weird bitter taste to it. I'll pass.

Oyster

So excited to see I get an oyster! J and I have been going on an oyster frenzy and we just love eating it. Even though it was just one, it was enough to satisfy us.

Sashimi

Very fresh. I love the white soy sauce that was given with it. Extremely light and worked quite well with the sashimi.

Lobster in miso sauce

Disappointments started rolling in now. I thought I was getting half a lobster not just lobster meat. I like to dig and work for my seafood. Plus, the sauce was too overwhelming in this dish. It just doesn't work.

Black Truffle Egg Custard

I like egg custard because they're so soft and light just like tofu but you can taste the creaminess of the egg. But this dish, too much truffle oil. Too much truffle taste, I couldn't even eat half of it.

 Foie Gras and Filet Mignon

Another "no beuno" dish. Why is everything getting so salty? I love how they're cooked. The filet mignon is soft and tender and even the foie gras is lightly seared with a crisp (even though I really don't like foie gras). They drizzle, well more like poured, too much sauce. The sauce was already salty to begin with, it would've been a wiser idea to just lightly season it rather than doused the dish with the sauce.

Spherical Sushi

I thought these balls of sushi are just so darn cute. I like the idea of it being round than the usual presentation of the sushi.

Chestnut Panna Cotta & Sesame Cookie

The dessert was alright. I like the panna cotta but not the chestnut that was squeezed on top. I also enjoyed the cookie also. Oh, and the tea that came after the meal. Definitely refreshing and a great way to end the meal. People say that what happens in the beginning and end is the most memorable but apparently to me that's not the case. I remember everything from the meal, from the enjoyable to the not-so-great dishes.

I would like to come back to order off their A La Carte menu. Going to be looking forward to that.

En Japanese Brasserie
435 Hudson St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 647-9196

Fatty Cue

A post long overdue but worth the mention.

I wanted to take J to Fatty 'Cue just because they had fried rabbit. How often in life will we ever come across fried rabbit in NYC? That's why once I read about Fatty 'Cue and their Buttermilk Fried Rabbit, I knew I had to make the trip and try it out.

Whereas all the other items on the menu weren't as appealing at the rabbit, we were willing to try new dishes and even dishes that we are quite familiar with.

We got seated by the door, which I didn't very much like but everywhere else was taken. Plus, it was my fault for not reserving a table the previous day (I totally forgot to call them and J forgot to remind me also).

You get a sense of fusion through the way things are being presented. And the only Asian thing would be the chopstick and plates, nothing else.

Drewish Princess

Caviar and Corn

Not a bad combination at all. The corn was sweet and the caviar was a bit salty which definitely compliments each other quite well.

Oysters

Not as fresh as I hope it would be, but what should I expect - this place is no seafood place. J and I just crave for some so we gave it a shot. I like my cocktail sauce better and they didn't have.

Clams and Bacon

The clams were quite big, winner already. The broth was quite amazing. Very clean tasting with a hint of spice. I just wished the bread wasn't so hard and toasted, felt like weeks old bread. So hard to soak up the broth.

Smoked Brandt Beef Brisket

Don't let the appearance fool you. This dish was quite the bomb. How can you not like brisket? I also love how they sauteed some onions and place them on a bed of lettuce, so good. And that chunk of yellow thing on the lower right hand side, cheddar cheese. I didn't know what it was so being me, I took a piece into the mouth. Big mistake, I do not like cheese that way.

Buttermilk Fried Rabbit

The star of the night - rabbit. It's surprising how much half a rabbit is. One thing I found from eating buttermilk fried anything, it taste great when it's fresh but as you chow down on your current pieces and neglect the others the consistency and texture changes. By the time I got to my last piece, the fried exterior shell of the rabbit started getting soggy and the crunchy-ness disappeared.

Would I come back to Fatty 'Cue? The chances are slim unless J wants to or if any of my friends bring it up. I already tried what I wanted and it wasn't bad, but it's not worth a revisit unless they plan on changing their menu. I mean, afterall, their rabbit was worth the trip.

Fatty 'Cue
50 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 929-5050

Hakata Ton Ton

Japanese hotpot in the summer? Let's go!

When it comes to food it doesn't matter what kind of weather is it. I might be eating boiling pots in the summer and ice cold desserts in the winter. As long as my stomach get some sort of satisfaction then my brain is happy.

I made reservations for HTT knowing they won't have seats if I just walk-in. With restaurants like this, that a lot of people know about and with fantastic food that is being serve, it's better to come prepared.

HTT is known for their hotpot dishes and also their tonsoku which is basically pig's feet. They have a ton of delicious appetizers also, hot or cold.  J and I got carried away with ordering, as you will see in the photos below.

Hakata Mojito

I wasn't going to order anything to drink, hoping to stick with just water than take on some empty calories but J was so persistent about it I ordered the mojito. Totally glad I did, one of the best ever just because it was sweet. If you like minty sweetness, you would love this.

Seared Veal Liver Sashimi

Half seared half raw, it was a different balance of texture. The cooked side was soft while the raw side was crunchy, quite interesting. The sauce was great also.

Atlantic Salmon Carpaccio

This dish was definitely one of the few dishes that made the taste buds go "fresh." I also love the pairing of all the colors. I don't know what the small orange balls are but they're crunchy and yummy! You might not be able to see it but they also have salmon caviar on top.

Sauteed Pork Tongue

Utterly disappointed with this dish. It wasn't sauteed and it was bland and dry. There was a sauce that came with it but it was just a sesame based sauce, didn't do much for my taste buds.

Foie Gras Inari Sushi

Sadly to say this was one of my favorite dishes. I don't like foie gras like that, maybe it's the texture or taste but I just don't like it. The only reason I like this dish is the inari sushi, the sauce that is smothering the sushi is delicious. J loves foie gras so I'm glad I can just throw the piece of foie gras to him and just enjoy my sushi.

Grilled Pork Tonsoku

What we basically came here for. I can't believe how soft they are, and gelatinous too. Never thought I would eat pigs feet outside of home but this was indeed good. If you think this is gross, well then try it and then tell me that again.

The before and after photo of our hotpot. We chose the Motsu Hotpot which is beef intestines hotpot. We had intestines before and totally forgot it would be chewy, oh wells, it was still good!
Warning though, you should try and devour this pot quick before it goes into the salty level. As the pot cooks while you eat, all the vegetables and meat get salty. If you eat slow, make sure you like sodium chloride or have a huge glass of water next to you.

Soba Creme Brulee

Dessert to end the meal with. I was surprised when the waitress gave us tea, it's 'cause I did not expect it at all. I have to say, the tea helped the saltiness a lot. The dessert came out and we were so happy the ice cream was in a bowl. You know how hard it is to eat ice cream on a plate? They just never learn, but HTT did! The black sesame ice cream tastes truly authentic because there was so little sweetness to it, love!

Lovely meal. I want to come back and try the Tonsoku Hotpot, maybe it would be less salty. This place would be great for winter but during the summer they have a/c inside so you'll be in good hands.

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