After a much needed nap from my terrible red eye flight from Denver, i returned to my favorite Japanese noodle house Ippudo with my sister for lunch. This place is consistently packed with long lines out the door and today was no different. The noodles are definitely the star, housemade and al dente sitting in a flavorful pipping hot broth of your choice (traditional soy or soy and miso blends) with roasted pork and veggies. If you like eggs, make sure to add the soft boiled marinated egg for $2! I was so excited to eat it that I forgot to take a photo....
Ippudo Plate score: 9.5
Japanese is probably my sister's all time favorite so a fusion japanese compromise at Bond St was a good choice on Friday night before I headed to my hotel for the weekend conference. We shared a few rolls, beef sushi (seared wagyu over rice), sashimi and the two dishes below.
The seared john dory on the right was cooked perfectly surrounded by a light chili lime broth with roasted beets and microgreens. There was no hint of japanese influence there but nevertheless excellent. The braised short ribs which were oddly pressed into a square ring mold sat atop of columns of daikon radish. The asian pear puree on top of the short ribs contrasted nicely with the saltiness from the meat.
Another reason I chose this place was for the dessert below, the green tea mille crepe. As the name suggests, this a multi layer dessert is made with at least two dozen crepes filled with a green tea cream. I ordered a nine inch one for my sister last year for her birthday from Lady M. Needless to say she loves it.
Bond St Plate Score: 7.5
Beauty and Essex, according to my sister is NYC's hottest place these days. She even mentioned the fact that there was champagne in the women's bathroom on her last visit there. With a focus on contemporary tapas which is easily my favorite way to dine. It is so easy to mistake this for something else as you have to walk through a pawn shop to get to the actual restaurant. The secret entrance leads into a dimly lit restaurant with big velvet couches, ceiling to floor drapes and chandeliers that fill the interior and reminded me of something you would see in one of Chuck Bass' Party (Gossip Girl).
All dishes were good including the beef tartare, roasted bone marrow, lobster asparagus pizette and a chestnut and ricotta ravioli but won't necessarily bring me back for seconds on my next trip. The molten chocolate bread pudding dessert was soft and decadent and paired nicely with the mild hazelnut ice cream and was a great end to the the weekend before fighting and running my way through the busy airport at JFK.
Beef Tartare
Roasted Bone Marrow with red onion marmalade, microgreens and toasted ciabatta
Lobster and asparagus on a cracker thin pizette
Miso-sake glazed sugar snap peas, and chestnut ricotta ravioli with butternut squash sauce and crispy pancetta
Beauty and Essex Plate Score: 8
Fun Fact: Chris Santos is the executive chef of B&E and also a regular judge on Food Network's Chopped!
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