RBC NYC

Coffee is something I will never give up. It makes for an expensive habit...cortado in the morning, espresso in the afternoon...and before you know it, you've spent the equivalent of a Chanel bag on coffee! Heehee.
My office is located right between two very good coffee spots in Tribeca: La Colombe and the recently opened RBC NYC. All my weekday business (weekends are for Abraco, Everyman, and Joe's) are allocated to one of these two spots, though I've been favouring RBC a bit more lately. The only edge La Colombe has is that killer olive oil loaf. killer. killer.
But the people at RBC are so much nicer (and their coffee is a few notches superior). And in the end, it's about the people, isn't it?
I attended a pr event at RBC a few weeks ago (no worries, I was already a fan of the place before this event!). Their take on Vietnamese Coffee is my favourite drink here, though I decided on a mocha that afternoon. Gorgeous, no? The result when you couple RBC's Slayer machine and a Brazilian barista champion :)

RBC NYC
71 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-1111

Duck Noodles

Sorry my posts haven't been more interesting as of late. Work is much enjoyable, but exhausting. And personal life has been topsy-turvy. Excuse me a minute while I look for peace and quiet, time for "life-admin" and a bowl of duck and mushroom noodles from Boky.

With the thick egg noodles. Not half as good with any other type of noodles, for sure.

Am close to closing some big deals soon...maybe a trip for one to France is in order??

Bo Ky
82 Bayard Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 406-2292

Sugar Rush'ed...

...for the week at Serious Eats New York. ^_^
Lunch for One: Moomah
Sugar Rush: Northern Spy's Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Sugar Rush: Cafe Zaiya's Marble Cake
Lunch for One: Hasaki in the East Village
Sugar Rush: Hot Chocolate at Tarallucci E Vino
Good Morning: 'wichcraft's Cinnamon Roll
Sugar Rush: Early Bird Granola

Monday Afternoon: Monte Enebro, Gabietou

Monte Enebro

Left work early this afternoon to visit Murray's Cheese. A gchat conversation with Nikki eventually led to murmurs of cheese and macarons, and I just had to abandon my office desk for a baguette and a quarter pound each of Gabietou and Monte Enebro. Heaven! The Gabietou was quietly polished off inside of nearby gelateria, Grom, with a Tom Cat baguette. You wouldn't believe the effort it took to refrain from opening a bottle of olive oil inside the gelateria - that would have surely completed the meal.
But now? Very happy! I am at home, with the Monte Enebro, a remarkably pungent Spanish goat's milk cheese, coated in ash. Baguette crumbs scattered across my desk. Some cleaning up to do. Could not ask for a better start to the week :)

Murray's Cheese
254 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-3289

Sugar Rushed...

...for the week at Serious Eats New York. ^_^
The Dessert Files: A Second Look at the Village Tart
Sugar Rush: A Quartet of Mini Cakes at DT Works

Dorie Greenspan's Cookie Bar
Sugar Rush: The Tea and Honey Store
Lunch for One: Souen Restaurant
Sugar Rush: Hojicha Ice Cream at Kyo Ya
Sugar Rush: Lychee Thai Tea
First Look: Tully's Gluten-Free Bakery

The New French

After reading Amateur Gourmet's post declaring, "The Best Tuna Sandwich in New York is at The New French" I emailed Zubair, "let's go!" And so we met up, one very rainy Sunday. The New French was fairly quiet during peak brunch hours...calm and pleasant :)
The sandwich is a deal at $10, and comes with a crazy mountain of crisp fries, they practically bury the sandwich! "Fresh Tuna Salad on Pizza Bianca with Shallots and Lemon." Tuna poached in oil, lemon aioli...so beautiful...here's a close-up shot of the sandwich.
We also shared the Goat Cheese, Peppers, Mushrooms Crepe, which came with a salad. And then it was back off to work! Showed many awesome apartments in the West Village that afternoon...this area still remains my favourite part of the city, real-estate-wise :)

The New French
522 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 807-7357

Sometimes it is ok...

...to have a Sicilian slice at Two Boots for an early afternoon snack...
...and a margarita slice at Artichoke for late afternoon snack. Even if you drank Diet Cokes on both occasions. And even if you had (some pretty glorious) cookies by Dorie Greenspan in the morning, and brioche in the afternoon, and lots of chocolate and cheese the hour before ;) Happy Monday!

Two Boots
201 W 11th Street
New York NY 10014
(212) 633-9096

Artichoke Basille's Pizza and Brewery
328 E 14th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-2004
Artichoke

Marea

Shots from last Friday's dinner with John.

We did the chef's tasting...food was lovely, company was great, but service was quite awful. Disorganized, forgetful, and at times, downright rude.

Upon finishing our last savoury course, we were handed a dessert menu. I returned it to the waiter, "we're having the tasting."
"Yes, but you pick the dessert."
"Oh."
So we perused the menu, selecting a dessert.
Another waiter came by minutes later, and removed our menus.
"Oh actually, you don't pick the dessert."
"But...we don't?"
"Your dessert is coming soon..." and just as he said "coming," it landed on our table with no further explanation.

If that isn't confusing, I don't know what is...better service would be expected when you charge $150 per person for the tasting :/

I can't help but wonder if they put the second rate service staff in the crudo lounge, where we had our meal. There were no reservations for the time we wanted in the main dining room, so I made reservations for the crudo lounge. The reservationist assured, "same menu, and same great service," as in the main dining room. Either she lied or it was a fluke night :/

Shots below. Luckily, great dining company can redeem unpleasant service to a certain degree.
Ricci: Uni, Lardo, Sea Salt
Oysters: Pemaquid (Maine), Wellfleet (Massachusetts), Totten Inlet (Washington)
Pacific Jack Mackerel, Prosciutto
Bigeye Toro Tartate, Ligurian Olivada, Fried Capers
Lancia: Blue Marlin, Sturgeon Caviar, Mussel Vinaigrette
Astice: Nova Scotia Lobster, Burrata, Eggplant al Funghetto, Basil Seeds
Ferratini: Manila Clams, Calamari, Hot Chilies
Cavatelli: Red Shrimp, Controne Puree, Rosemary
John Dory, Marinated Salsify, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Fresh Pancetta, Saba
Cocoa Nib Crema, Hazelnut Chocolate, Fior de Latte Gelato
Truffles: Mint, Caramel, and Peanut Butter

Marea
240 Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-5100

Sugar Rushed...

...for the week at Serious Eats New York. ^_^
Sugar Rush: A New Trio of Sweets at Locanda Verde
Lunch for One: Maximo Pino
Sugar Rush: Chocolate and Vanilla Eclairs at ChikaLicious
The Dessert Files: DT Works
Sugar Rush: Mouhallabie and Balade Jallab
Sugar Rush: China Cola at Souen
Sugar Rush: Minamoto Kitchoan's Kazekaoru

Oahu Starbucks: Oatcakes

In 2006 I made a post about Oatcakes found Oahu Starbucks. They are wonderful.

A few things about these oatcakes (and why pastries at the Oahu Starbucks are much better than those on the mainland):
- The pastries are baked locally, by the Honolulu Baking Co.
- Locals are so addicted to these oatcakes that Betty Shimabukuro over at the Star Bulletin did an article on how to recreate them...
- ...actually, make that two articles!
- Oatcakes: ugly as hell but so tasty.
- about 500 calories apiece

Recently, I received an email from a reader, Ken. He had fallen for the oatcake (I don't know any one who has been able to resist the charms of this particular oatcake) and emailed Honolulu Baking Co. for the recipe. And they gave it out, just like that! Ken was thoughtful enough to email over the recipe, and I thought we'd share it with you :)

The recipe make plenty so plan accordingly...

Dry Ingredients
7# oats
4# whole wheat flour
1 oz. baking powder
4 tsp salt
3 cup/1#4oz. brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon
6 cup pecan
4 cup cranberries
3 cup dates

Wet Ingredients
2 1/2 # butter (melted)
2 1/2 # water
2 cup honey

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. Combine all dry ingredients.
3. Add liquid, mix just until everything is incorporated.
4. Scale into 5 oz. balls, and press into 3" cake rings.
5. Bake at @350F for 25 minutes.

Say Congrats...

...to my close friend/apartment-mate, Darien who participated in the annual Empire State Building Run-Up yesterday! She ran up all 102 floors! 102!! You can see her on the NBC New York video here. (She's the pretty blond :)

Sent From Hawai'i: Turtle Bay

Mom spent the last few days over at Turtle Bay on the North Shore of Oahu. I think she scored a pretty swell hotel room...and couldn't help but email me some photos. I am envious - it was snowing all last night here in NYC!
During the day...
...and into the night...
...ok, well I'm off to buy winter gloves...seems I have lost the left side of my favourite pair!