Buon Appetito!

Its been a few weeks since I’ve written, I’ve been hibernating in this cold weather we’ve been experiencing recently in NYC. Makes me want to stay inside and make yummy meals. So last week my boyfriend and I went to Chelsea market to get ingredients to try and recreate one of my favorite pizzas from Keste.  

Chelsea market is awesome and has so many yummy treats. We started at the wine cellar to pick up Gragnano; the most delish pizza wine. It’s a red you serve cold, its bubbly and goes so well with pizza. I thought I could only find it at Keste but low and behold in NYC you really can find anything.

Next stop we headed to Buon Italia. This is the go to for fresh Italian ingredients. They have the greatest selection of oils, cheeses, pastas that are fresh, frozen or dried, charcuterie, spices etc.  The buffalo mozzarella is imported from Italy and it is the most divine thing I’ve ever tasted!  Always always upgrade to the buffalo, it is creamier and a tad saltier and can elevate your dish to the next level. 

We opted for a ball of the fresh buffalo mozz, a can of san marzano tomatoes (exactly what they use in Italy), prosciutto di parma aged 24 months, and fresh basil.

I also splurged on a small bottle of truffle oil to drizzle over the pizza and use for pastas. A pinch of this stuff will jazz up any dish. Also grabbed a huge chuck of the pecorino romano to use when making pasta.

Next we needed to get the fresh pizza dough. On our walk home we stopped in Pizza Roma on Bleecker street to pick it up. They graciously gave us their dough for free! Apparently the chef is so honored that you like his dough and want to create a pizza at home, they just give it to you. They told us how to carefully prepare it and off we were!

1)   First things first…we put the wine in the fridge to chill:)

2)   Up next, you leave the dough out for at least 2 hours prior to you wanting to use it to let it rise.  It already comes with the special flour which you use on the bottom and as you knead the dough to stretch it. This was my boyfriend’s job. The dough was very delicate and it feels like you might rip it but he did a great job. Once it is stretched you preheat your over to 500 degrees.

3)   Drizzle some EVOO onto your baking tray. Lay your dough onto the baking tray and drizzle some EVOO on top as well as your red sauce. Go delicately as you don’t want to weigh down the dough too much.

4)   Bake it for 10 minutes in the middle of the oven.

5)   Once its done, add more tomatoes, lay the buffalo mozz across the entire pie, add the fresh basil leaves and drizzle a sprinkle of the truffle oil. 

6)   Put back into the oven to melt the cheese. This time put it closer to the top to just get the ingredients toasty. Keep in mind buffalo mozz is much creamier and juicier then other cheeses so expect some juice.

7)   Once the cheese is melted to your taste, take out and lay the fresh prosciutto on top.

8)   Cut and serve.

Voila! Homemade pizza in 15 mins with little to no cleanup. It came out scrumptious and crispy and tasted just like Keste.  Can’t wait to do it again!

Let me know how yours turns out!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

Erin Hearts Court

Happy Thursday!

I Stumbled upon this amazing photography blog Erin Hearts Court thanks to a friend’s posting on facebook. erin hearts court is a husband and wife photography team consisting of James Erin de Jauregui and Courtney Keefe de Jauregui. Both are native Californians and grew up in the Bay Area and now work together capturing life’s precious moments for people. I glanced at the different pictures and it’s amazing what truly talented photographers can capture on camera. Here’s a few of my faves…check em out!

Great food pic at a Halloween wedding!

Loved how all the bridesmaids are wearing what they want!

They also shoot editorial stuff  like a cover shoot for Pasadena Magazine featuring Top Chef Michael Voltaggio

Eat it up!

Little Star

oxox

Food Network Magazine Favorites - Dining & Drinking in New York City

My friend Ash and her lovely co-worker Courtney passed along this amazing guide from the folks at Food Network Magazine highlighting the ad sales and marketing team’s fav NYC restaurants, bars and everything in between.  (How lucky are those guys with those jobs!)  

Maybe you live in New York, maybe you are planning a trip to visit soon, or maybe you just like to know what's hot and happening in Gotham City... whatever the case may be, I think you'll really enjoy this guide - an exhaustive list of categories, including the best of the best happy hours, cheap eats, brunches, pizza slices, hot dogs, outdoor dining and even the best food festivals and that’s not even close to all of them!  The guide has a super cute design, some helpful recommendations and for us New Yorkers maybe even a few surprise places you can add to your wish lists! Although it was released in August it is still a fabulous find.

I’ve taken a look-see and agreed with some of their picks and were surprised by many others.  Here's my fav's

Best New Restaurant: ABC Kitchen

Best Cheese Shop: Murray's Cheese

Best New Bar: The Standard Biergarten

Best Happy Hour: The Fying Pan and Bamboo 52

Best French Fries: The Coffee Shop

Your turn to take a look and see which of your favorites made the list and which were left out! Let me know your suggestions.

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

"Boyfriend Chicken"

In honor of the Oscars on Sunday and my girl Bethenny's return to bravo TV on Monday, I decided to make her version of "boyfriend chicken." She swears by this recipe as the perfect date night dinner to cook for your man, because it's impressive, simple and delicious...and the man she made it for is now her husband! Granted that night, I was making it for me, myself and I, but I figured I could make lovely leftovers with it for the week. Next time I'll make it for my boyfriend:) 

Here's the recipe below which I found on www.bethenny.com.  I varied the recipe with the ingredients I had in the cupboard and tweak it below.

Boyfriend Roast Chicken

Serves 4, or 2 plus leftover chicken for another meal

1 roast chicken, about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

½ carrot, cleaned and peeled

½ lemon

2 cloves smashed garlic (i used already minced garlic)

2 sprigs each fresh rosemary

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.  If the chicken has the giblets or neck inside, remove those and lightly season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Put half the onion, the carrot, celery, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs inside the chicken.  Tie the legs together with twine. (i left the legs open) Slice the remaining onion and put it in a roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Put the chicken on this bed of onions.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and melted butter.  Using a basting brush, brush every inch of the chicken with the oil-butter mixture.  Season the entire chicken with salt or garlic salt and pepper and bake on the middle rack for one hour and fifteen minutes. (I also add cayenne pepper for the extra zest and color for the crispy skin.) 

Halfway through I always baste the chicken with the juices from the bottom of the pan.

Turn up the oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook for another 20 minutes, or longer if your oven isn’t as hot or your chicken is a little bigger.  If the top still isn’t crispy, put the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes to completely brown it. You will know when the chicken is done when you pull at the leg and it feels ready to come off, and the juices run out clear and not pink when you pierce the skin with a knife.

Remove the chicken from the oven and cover it with foil.  Let it sit to set the juices for about 20 minutes. 

I roasted some asparagus with some olive oil and served yellow corn on the side. I thought the chicken turned out juicy and made for a great, easy dinner and lots of leftovers! All in all I'd give myself 3 1/2 Little Stars!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

Po-A Small Staple Powerhouse

Tucked away on the quaint and welcoming Cornelia street, behind the popular names of standout restaurants like Annisa, Pearl Oyster Bar and Cornelia Street Café lies a small staple trattoria, entitled  Po, that I have mistakenly overlooked each timed I’ve dined on this neighborhood street.  After reading such great reviews about this little gem, that has been around for over 15 years, I decided it was time to give it a whirl and took my girlfriend with me for a nice Saturday night out.

When we arrived we were promptly seated for our reservations and the house was packed! The restaurant itself is very small, but welcoming with candles and a few mirrors. It’s cozy, romantic and has enough noise that you can’t really tell what your fellow diners around you are talking about even though you're so close. Our server was great, attentive, knew all the dishes and didn’t rush us during the meal, which I appreciated for a busy Saturday night.

The wine list is huge and offers a true variety of wines. To be honest, I love wine but my knowledge of it really comes down to red or white and what can satisfy my taste buds and my budget! That being said, our waiter was helpful and helped us choose a nice red in our range.

He immediately brought over some crispy, warm bread with olive oil and a tasting of the white bean bruschetta which was actually delicious! I’m normally a tomato, basil based chetta kinda girl, but this white bean one was light, you could taste the freshness of the basil, beans, and zesty garlic served over  toasted crostini, which made a nice combo.

To start we decided to get two apps. The polpetta di carne (meatballs with tomato sauce & caciocavallo) and the roasted autumn squash with fontina fonduta & toasted pine nuts. 

The meatballs were great.  Juicy, soft, flavorful and were swimming in a pool of rich and hearty tomato sauce. A perfect way to start the meal!

Next came the roasted squash with fontina cheese, the squash was moist and the fontina melted in a way it layered the squash ever so gently. It was gooey, creamy and the pine nuts added that extra crunchy texture that really hit it out of the park for me. It was a little on the rich side, but it was perfect for sharing.

Onto our main dishes, I ordered the pappardelle with braised duck ragu and my girlfriend got the gnocchi della casa, homemade gnocchi with lamb ragu & mint ricotta ball. To our surprise, the portions were huge! For a “primi” course the plate is definitely worth the price. Both dishes were filled with beautifully homemade pasta amidst rich and hearty sauces.

The duck ragu was moist and savory and tasted great against the tender noodles. A splendid dish.

The gnocchi was also a hit. The zest of the fresh mint mixed with ricotta cheese, chunks of tender lamb and fluffy gnocchi melded beautifully together. The only issue with both of these is that it was too big to finish!

For desert we opted for the special of warm apple tart with vanilla gelato which was yummy. It didnt  blow my socks off but, a nice flaky crust, warm cinnamon apples and a dollop of vanilla gelato on a cold winter night, surely pleased my sweet tooth.

All in all Little Star gives Po 3 ½ stars.  For being such a little place on such a little street in such a big city, Po delivers the service and fare any great New York restaurant should.

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's not too late to score some last minute reservations for V-day tonight. As you know the way into a mans (or woman's) heart is through their stomach so grab your guy or your group of single ladies and head out for some delish grub in this amazing city we call home. Wheter you want a full romantic sit down dinner, a laid back bite or a rowdy party there are still plenty of options available on opentable but HURRY!

Check out my fave mexican eatery Ofrenda for a special aphrodisiac 4 course prix fixe menu in addition to their regular options. They also have a Cello player tonight to help woo your love! The prix fixe includes their delish guac and homemade chips, then Prince Edward island oysters prepared two ways–raw with jalapeno tequila mignonette or baked Baja-style. Next up, a delicious HUGE 3 pound lobster poached hot with dripping butter and served with a yucca fondue and mango-cascabel sauce. If you have any room left after that, you can feed your love handmade chocolate covered strawberries.

Another great low key, romantic spot is Cucina Di Pesce serving delicious Italian fare for a very reasonable price. My fave dish is the monk fish; juicy medallions of monkfish (also known as the poor mans lobster) served with tomatoes and onions in a creamy lobster sauce and vegetables or pasta on the side.

No matter where you choose to dine remember to enjoy the awesome food and last but not least the amazing company you're sharing it with!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

xoxo

Bondst-Restaurant Week Review

Last week my girlfriend and I decided to give Bondst a try for the ever fabulous NYC restaurant week.  I usually tend to pick restaurants that give you the most bang for your buck with the prix fixe and that are on the higher end that maybe I wouldn’t usually pick if they weren’t participating. I also love to check out the eateries menus online that way you know what you have to choose from when you come. After perusing Bondst's menu and seeing it’s  $$$$ marking on yelp...I decided it sounded like a fabulous way to spend a Thursday girls night out.

We arrived promptly at 8 PM and were seated right off the bat which I loved. The hostess was super friendly which I wasn’t expecting from a more “upscale trendy” sushi establishment. The decor was really cool and modern, we were seated on the top floor which was a little crowded and loud but not too overbearing. The server was attentive, friendly and didn’t once rush us even though it was a crowded Thursday night during restaurant week. 

I started with the lychee martini which was really just straight up chilled orange vodka in a pretty glass accompanied by two plump lycees on the side but at $14 a pop I wasn’t complaining. My girlfriend ordered the shisito pepper margarita with shisito pepper agave, alma tequila, lime, yuzu lemon foam and a pickled shisito pepper which was also on the strong side but tasty (minus the pepper…don’t bite the pepper)! Better left as decoration.

We both began our meals with the ginger salad that at first appeared boring and undressed, but was in fact delish! Crispy tempura on top a bed of green leafy lettuce in a ginger dressing really got the evening off to a good start.

The prix fixe menu came with a choice of 3 pc sushi rolls (spicy tuna and salmon avocado) or sashimi (tuna, yellowtail, salmon) and either the broiled sea bass marinated in saikyo miso or the NY strip steak with 12 year balsamic as your main dish. We decided to both get the sushi rolls and then one sea bass and one steak and share. Also on the plate you received a "bento box", a tasting of 3 appetizers including about four of the Spicy Crispy Shrimp with chipotle aioli, a steamed yuba dumpling which is a chicken dumpling with sesame tofu and a piece of Age Dashi Tofu which is crispy tofu in a vegetable soy broth. The crispy shrimp were AMAZING! So crisp and coated with the chipotle aioli sauce made it ten times better! The chicken dumpling was fresh tasting but couldn’t really stand up to the shrimp. I have to say I was not impressed at all with the dashi tofu…it tasted very bland and had an extremely weird texture I really wasn’t a fan of.

The spicy tuna roll was good…I usually don’t like the black seeds that cover your rolls on occasion but I thought it added some nice texture this time. The salmon roll also tasted very fresh which is a feat as I’ve had my far share of fishy salmon in NYC and that was not the case here.

The sea bass with the miso marinade melted in your mouth. So tasty with the miso marinade and perfectly cooked; my favorite part of the meal. 

The steak was also prepared very well, served medium and was juicy and flavorful. It had a bed of steamed kale underneath that really added a nice touch to the essence of the steak.

For desert I was sold on the lychee panna cotta with a strawberry rhubarb compote…anything strawberry rhubarb and I’m there with bells on! I thought it was simple and creamy yet delicious with the compote.

My girlfriend ordered the chocolate meltdown with expresso ice cream and fresh cream. As you can see from the pic it looked lovely! I thought the ice cream was creamy with hints of expresso throughout each bite but the meltdown let me down…tasting a little dry and like I could have got it out of an Entenmann's box.

Overall Little Star gives Bondst 2.5 stars, I thought the food was good with some hits and misses, the service was great and I would go back for a restaurant week experience. However, for the normally price menu I don't think its worth it as a sit down dinner...perhaps for some rolls and drinks at the bar with the girls.

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

NYC Winter Restaurant Week Extended until Feb 27th!

Good Morning my fellow New Yorkers…

Happy Monday! Feeling a little rough today after Super Bowl Sunday Funday yesterday? Yea me too..but luckily I just learned that NYC Winter Restaurant week is extended until February 27th and now I'm feeling a bit better!

So if you still haven't made it to some of my faves listed in my original post, you still have time! More than 200 of the same restaurants have agreed to extend the promotion another three weeks leaving plenty of time to recuperate and get to tasting some of NYC finest at half the price! The full list of participating spots is here. 

Stay tuned for my review on restaurant week participate BondSt!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

Osteria Morini

There are few other restaurants that open in NYC with such hysteria like those operated and own by Chef Michael White. His newest adventure is Osteria Morini in Soho which has now been open for a few months and is dedicated to the food and drink of Emilia-Romagna, in the north of Italy. 

I made a reservation for a special occasion while my girlfriend was visiting. The atmosphere is very laid back seems as if it’s trying to feel like an old Italian farm house but has an eclectic music selection including 80’s pop which is somewhat confusing. However, as soon as we walked in we were greeted by a friendly hostess and immediately seated.  The service was decent but nothing to rave about.  Now moving on to the good stuff!

Each table comes equip with a beautiful clay bottle of olive oil which was absolutely amazing! Fruity and perfect for dipping the warm bread. 

We started with three appetizers (I know I know..but we had too) including the trio of fried cheeses, the meatballs and the seafood salad. The salad is made with calamari and fresh scallops and tossed with capers, olives, and plenty of lemon juice. The cheeses were good, but didn’t knock my socks off. I really enjoyed the béchamel one but the other two didn’t measure up. That being said the meatballs were very good! Juicy and delish, you could taste the mixture of pork and veal which went splendidly with the rich cheesy sauce. After devouring the balls, the sauce made an excellent choice for dipping the hearty Italian bread in. I have to say we could have done without the seafood salad, it was bland and left us wanting more.

Luckily the entrees more than made up for the lackluster  appetizers. We shared the cappelletti which are pillowy little numbers stuffed with truffle-scented mascarpone and topped with garlands of wispy prosciutto served over a puddle of melted butter....how good do those sound?!  These were out of this world! So fresh and tasty, and a must have here.

We also split the tagliatelle dish which was wide ribbon pasta served with classically dense veal-and-pork ragù. This reminded me of the traditional delicious tasting ragus I’ve have the honor of tasting in Italy. It was a really solid dish but the cappelletti stole the show!

We capped off the evening with a chocolate hazelnut tartufo which was absolutely divine! Chocolaty, creamy with a crunchy layer of hazelnut on the bottom what more could you ask for?

All in all Little Star gives Osteria Morini a solid 3 stars…there were dishes that were mind blowing while others just didn’t measure up. So you may ask...is it worth a visit? Most definitely just be sure to order the pastas!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox

NYC Winter Restaurant Week is Back!

The ever-popular Restaurant Week is back and better than ever, now in its 19th year. Over 300 restaurants are participating, offering prix-fixe menus until February 6th. You can explore a new venue or visit an old favorite and pay $24.07 for lunch or $35 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). People that's a steal! Browse menus online and schedule a visit to some of the most renowned establishments NYC has to offer. After perusing the menus I've decided that Ai Fiori, BondSt, Lure Fishbar, Riverpark, SD26 and Tanuki Tavern are just some of the many eateries not to miss during this annual event. Reservations fill up quickly, so make sure and reserve your spot today! I'll see you there!

Happy Eating!

Little Star

oxox