Shake Shack

E. 23rd St. / Madison Ave. [Madison Square Park]  New York, NY

www.shakeshack.com

Favorite dish: …….Shackburger (duh)

I recently realized that after having been in the city for two summers, I still hadn't been to Shake Shack. I had heard so many great things about this place, and was dying to try it.  My friends Rachel and Remi told me they were planning on going for dinner, so I obviously tagged along in order to fulfill my long-lasting burger craving.  

After we arrived at Shake Shack, the line was long and wrapped around in a circle in Madison Square Park.  It was drizzling, and we weren't thrilled about waiting in a long line, but it ended up moving relatively quickly.

Here's what we got:

Shackburger, topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and shack sauce, and a side of french fries

Shackburger, french fries, and the Concrete Jungle: frozen custard ice cream blended with fudge sauce, bananas, and peanut butter sauce

[shackburger] 

[Rachel digs in]

[concrete jungle]

I absolutely fell in LOVE with Shake Shack just after eating there once.  The burger was outstanding--super juicy and flavorful.  The Shacksauce was a great addition to the burger--it tasted almost like a mixture of ketchup, mustard, mayo, and some spices.  The entire thing was super delicious and I can see why people wait in such long lines in order to get one. Rachel's Concrete was sooooo good too!  Their custard was creamy and rich, and blended with the chocolate and peanut butter made for a perfect combination of sweet and tasty flavors.

So glad I intruded on Rachel and Remi's dinner plans in order to get myself a Shake Shack burger!

XOXO,

Danielle

The CRONUT

189 Spring St.  New York, NY
www.dominiqueansel.com

Price: $$ ($5 per cronut)

   Cronuts seem to have become the latest trend in food, and I constantly heard about and seen the donut-croissant hybrid creation all over the internet.  The cronut was created by renowned pastry chef Dominique Ansel, of the Dominique Ansel Bakery, which I visited and blogged about last summer, long before the cronut was announced and became such a hit.  The cronut has caught the attention of many New Yorkers and beyond, and being the foodie that I am, I absolutely made it my mission to try out the delicacy before the end of my summer in NYC.
I arrived at the bakery at around 6:30 a.m. on a Friday morning.  I was expecting there to be a line formed, but I was not expecting a line that spanned down the block and around the corner! It was good I arrived when I did, as the line got much longer in the hour following my arrival.  The bakery opened its doors at 8 a.m., and I was let inside the bakery at about 9:30.  I was out by 10, making this at least a 3 hour process.  Despite the long line, the cronut was COMPLETELY worth it.

[the line in front of me around the corner at 6:30 a.m.]  

[the line behind me at around 7:15 a.m.]

Apparently, I am not the only crazy one who would wake up at the crack of dawn for a fried sugary pastry.  The bakery lets in around 10 customers at a time to purchase their cronuts.  Once I got inside, the smell of the bakery was incredibly mouthwatering.  I ordered two cronuts (you don't wait that whole time and only order one…), and they looked and smelled just as good as they sounded.

The flavor of the month for July is blackberry.  When I first found out the flavor, I wasn't completely thrilled about it, but after the first bite, I just could't get enough.

The cronuts looked and tasted exactly how it sounds like it would.  It had rich and flaky thin layers of dough they well resembled a croissant, but also had the delectable fried and sugary taste that resembled a very fresh donut.  Between the layers of the cronut was an unexpected cream filling.  The cream was light and not too sweet, but a perfect addition to the flavors of the cronut.  It was also filled with a blackberry jam, which was a surprisingly nice addition to all of the flavors.  It was topped with a blackberry icing, which I ended up removing, as I personally thought it was sweet enough, and tasted just good enough on its own.  When cutting into the cronut, the layers could easily be pulled apart, just like you could do with a croissant.  It was unbelievably delicate and delicious.

After trying the delicacy firsthand, I can honestly say that the cronut is not all hype.  It truly was worth every calorie and every lost minute of sleep waiting in line.  The cronuts continue to get more and more popular, and the lines have been getting longer in the mornings as time passes.  I am extremely happy I got the opportunity to try the cronut, and I would definitely wake up and do it again in a heartbeat.  Basically.. everyone should make time to go and get your own cronut!!


XOXO,
Danielle

Peels

325 Bowery.  New York, NY (btwn. 2nd St. & Bleecker)
www.peelsnyc.com

Price: $$
Favorite dish: Build-a-Biscuit

Prior to when I started blogging, I ate at Peels for brunch for my dad.  I enjoyed it so much that my family and I went back to Peels again for brunch so that I not only could enjoy it, but also share my experience with my readers.  My second time back was just as good as the first.  The restaurant has a spacious interior in addition to outdoor seating, which made for a perfect sunny Sunday morning brunch atmosphere.

Here's what we got:

Tropical Muesli with pineapple juice and yogurt soaked oats, mango, strawberries, toasted coconut, and seeds 

[muesli]

Spa Eggs: egg white omelet, sautéed spinach, and goat cheese with a side salad

Farmers Breakfast: fried eggs, smoked bacon, hash browns, and toast

Build-a-Biscuit: biscuit sandwich filled with scrambled eggs, avocado, and cheese with a side of gravy

[scrambled egg biscuit] 

Blueberry crumb cake

  This brunch was completely satisfying and a perfectly portioned meal.  Peels' muesli is famous and a very popular dish.  It definitely was an interesting muesli, as it tasted fresh with all of its fruity flavor.  It was different than what I am used to tasting, however it was still really tasty.  The spa eggs were simple and delicious with the goat cheese and spinach.  The Farmer's Breakfast included fried eggs with perfectly runny yolk.  The hash browns that were included were fantastic.  It was crispy, salty, and flavorful, and we were very close to ordering a second order of potatoes for all of us to share.  I ordered the build-a-buscuit, which I absolutely adored.  I think it was a perfect breakfast sandwich, and included great flavors with the avocado, eggs, and cheese. The biscuits were also wonderfully flaky and buttery.  I would definitely order this exact same sandwich again since I loved it so much.  We also decided to try a bakery selection, as Peels as a wide array of bakery items.  The blubbery crumb cake was moist on the inside, and the outside was crumby and sweet.  Every part of the meal was really excellent.

XOXO,
Danielle

Vynl

754 9th Ave.  New York, NY
www.vynl-nyc.com

Price: $$
Favorite dish: Kung Pao Shrimp Tacos

   This past weekend, my parents, sister, and cousin, Justin, were in the city for Justin's delayed Bar Mitzvah gift, which made for a great weekend to spend time with my family.  Of course, every time they are here for a visit, we make sure to try new and unique restaurants so we get a little taste of everything.  My parents found the restaurant Vynl, located in Hells Kitchen, which houses a music-themed decor, from the walls covered with music posters to each bathroom being a different musical theme (Elvis, Dolly Parton, Nelly, and Cher).  The ambiance was really fun and and funky, and was definitely different from any other restaurant I have been to before.
The menu options were Asian Fusion, which came as a bit of a surprise, however the food options were certainly eclectic, as you can order anything from meatball and tuna sliders to all-day breakfast.

Here's what we ordered:

Kung Pao Shrimp Tacos with cabbage-bell pepper slaw, honey peanuts, and spicy lime creme

Wok Sauteed Calamari with kalamansi, cherry peppers, thai basil, and garlic

Thai Deviled Eggs topped with crispy shallots and basil

Seared Tuna Sliders with with thai spiced aioli and cabbage slaw 

Tofu Pad Thai with bean sprouts, carrots, peanuts, and cilantro

Mac n Cheese with cheddar, jack, and goat cheese, panko cheddar crust, and a side salad

[mac n cheese]

Grilled Cheese with white cheddar, gruyere, bacon, and sun dried tomato jam on on country sourdough bread

[grilled cheese]

Tofu and Eggplant Stir fry with squash, red pepper, sun dried tomato, string beans, jalapeño, and soy garlic sauce

Fried Chicken and Waffles with maple tobasco

Overall, our meal at Vynl was really delicious.  For a starter, we had the deviled eggs, which I thought were really good, but I didn't think they were anything particularly special. The Kung Pao shrimp tacos, however, were great and super addicting.  The tacos were super flavorful, and the peanuts added a really nice salty touch. This was definitely my favorite dish of the meal! The calamari were also amazing-- I'm a huge fan of calamari so it did not disappoint.  The seared tuna sliders were really delicious, which says a lot being that I am not the biggest fan of raw tuna.  I really liked the thai spiced aioli that the tuna was paired with, which made the slider really tasty.  For dinner, I ate the tofu pad thai, which tasted like a pretty standard version of typical pad thai.  It was a tad bit over-salted, however I still enjoyed it. The mac and cheese was great--it was served in a cast iron skillet and had a perfect mix of cheeses.  Justin enjoyed the grilled cheese with bacon, and said it was one of the best things he has eaten.  The tofu and eggplant stir fry had a great mix of vegetables and the soy garlic sauce added a really nice sweetness.  My dad decided to try out the fried chicken and waffles.  I tried the chicken and it was so warm and moist.  As expected, the waffle was also a great addition to the meal.

Vynl was such a fun place to eat and enjoy dinner with my family.  I really loved the decor and the theme of the restaurant, which really made it a fun place to spend time.  I can certainly see myself going back to Vynl in the future, and I recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a chill and fun crowd for a night out.

XOXO,
Danielle

The Wren

344 Bowery.  New York, NY

www.thewrennyc.com

Price: $$

Favorite dish: Potato Rosti with smoked trout and poached eggs

This past weekend, Sara, Molly, Frankie, Margot and I decided to kick off our Sunday brunch tradition for this summer. After searching for reasonably priced, yet highly rated, brunch spots, Molly stumbled upon The Wren, which had a small, cute, and cozy vibe located in the East Village.  Having never heard of it before, I was definitely down to try something new.  Despite the rather small size of the brunch menu, almost everything on it looked very unique and tasty, something that definitely got us all excited to eat.

Here's what we ordered:

Potato Rosti topped with smoked trout and two poached eggs, served with hollandaise sauce and frisee

[Potato Rosti]

Smashed Avocado on Toast with soft boiled eggs

Bulgar Wheat Pancakes topped with Ricotta, peaches, bananas, and maple syrup

Just writing up this post and reminiscing about this meal is making me hungry.  Everything that we ordered was absolutely incredible.  Margot, Sara, and I all ordered the Potato Rosti with eggs, and let me tell you it was just as mouthwatering as it sounds.  The Rosti resembled a large tater tot, so it was full of flavor, and was a great complement to the poached eggs.  The smoked trout added an amazing salty bite to the dish, and every part of it worked so well together.  Molly said she loved her avocado toast; anything mixed with avocado really couldn't be that bad. Frankie's pancakes were also extremely tasty (I couldn't leave without trying it…) I loved how they put ricotta cheese on top, which was something I would have never thought to do.  The hearty pancake, cheese, and sweet fruit made for a perfect combination.

I would for sure come back to The Wren in the future. The ambiance was friendly and inviting, and I think it could also be a great spot to visit for dinner.  I highly recommend visiting this restaurant if you are looking for a reasonably priced and delicious meal!

XOXO,

Danielle

Beauty & Essex

146 Essex St.  New York, NY
www.beautyandessex.com

Price: $$$
Favorite dish: Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos; Molten Chocolate Bread Pudding

After having eaten at and absolutely loved Chris Santos's The Stanton Social, I had been wanting to try his other Lower East Side restaurant Beauty & Essex.  My parents and I booked an early reservation prior to seeing a show on Broadway, so we were there pretty early on in the evening before the crowd really started arriving.  After walking in, the decor was certainly unexpected.  We walked into a small pawn shop storefront, and then walk through another door leading to a large, trendy and sophisticated restaurant atmosphere.  The food on the menu is all unique and distinct, and being that the restaurant is tapas-like and meant for sharing, we ordered several things off the menu.

What we ordered:

Shrimp Cocktail with charred jalapeño cocktail sauce 

Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos with micro cilantro, radish, and wasabi kewpie 

New York Pretzel topped with shaved NY strip, mustard aioli, and crispy shallots

Watermelon and Avocado Salad with feta, gem lettuce, mint, red onion, and charred lime vinaigrette 

Crispy Eggplant Pizzetta with charred san Marzano tomato sauce, whipped ricotta, and chile oil

 Dessert:

Molten Chocolate Bread Pudding topped with hazelnut ice cream

Box of Doughnuts: vanilla beignets with chocolate hazelnut creme & raspberry jam

Unpictured: 

Roasted sweet corn with avocado, lime, and manchego; 

Broccolini with garlic, soy, and chile

   I can honestly say that there wasn't one thing that we ordered that I did not like.  The shrimp cocktail with jalapeño cocktail sauce was great; we were expecting it to be a bit spicier, but it did have a really nice kick that made it different than a typical cocktail sauce.  The Tuna Tacos were amazing--I usually am not the biggest fan of raw tuna, but something about these tacos made them incredibly addicting.  The wonton in itself had great flavor, and mixed with the tuna, radish, and wasabi made for a great marriage.  The New York Pretzel was also amazing; the pretzel tasted like a perfect NY pretzel.  However, I am not a huge fan of mustard, so I found myself scraping off the aioli so I was able to taste the meat and pretzel combination better.  I loved the watermelon and avocado salad.  It was super refreshing and the watermelon was perfectly sweet.  We also loved the crispy eggplant pizzetta.  The eggplant was unbelievable; maybe it was that it was flash fried, but the combination of the eggplant and ricotta was mouthwatering.  The two side dishes we ordered were both super tasty.  I adored the subtle spiciness of the broccolini and it had a great pungent flavor.  The sweet corn was also a very good version of one of my favorite things: roasted mexican corn.  The salty manchego and the sweetness of the corn went perfectly together.  

Both desserts we shared were actually incredible.  The chocolate bread pudding was actually perfect and incredibly irresistible.  The doughnuts were also amazing.  Half of them were filled with a nutella-like filling, and the others had raspberry jam. Both were very tasty.

It honestly was hard to pick one favorite dish from all of those we were able to try!

I highly recommend coming to Beauty & Essex for a really fun and elegant night out in the city.  The ambiance is very classy and fun, and it seems like it would be a great spot for groups of friends.  There are several things on the menu that I will definitely try next time.  

Some of the jewelry showcased in the front pawn shop restaurant entrance

XOXO,
Danielle

Jack's Wife Freda

224 Lafayette St.  New York, NY
www.jackswifefreda.com

Price: $$
Favorite dish: Matzo Ball Soup

After a long but unforgettable school year in Ann Arbor, I am finally back in the city and back to blogging! I have been compiling and even longer list of restaurants to visit this summer, and I cannot wait to try them all.  After the amazing places I visited last summer, there is only more amazing things to try.

Within the first week of being back in NYC,  I made sure to visit Jack's Wife Freda, a restaurant my dad has highly recommended to me several times.  We went together after my first day interning at Helmut Lang, and it was definitely the perfect atmosphere for a fun after-work meal.  The restaurant is small and neighborhood-y, with open sunny spaces and a simple and friendly ambiance.

What we ordered:

Matzo ball soup

Special: Sweet Potato Dip served with feta cheese and pita bread.

Jack's Burger with grilled tomato and fried onion, served with hand-cut fries

(Jack's Burger)

Peri-Peri Chicken served with a diced vegetable salad

   I really enjoyed our meal at Jack's Wife Freda and definitely feel like this would be a great place to  come to meet up with friends for a nice but not too pricey meal.
   The Matzo ball soup was perfect and, in my opinion, was certainly all that it is cracked up to be. The soup was super homey, and tasted just as fresh and amazing as any good matzo ball soup should.  The special for the evening was sweet potato dip, which was something I had never heard of before.  It resembled almost mashed potatoes, but was obviously a bit sweeter.  The texture was creamy, and tasted great paired with the feta-- my dad and I scraped the plate clean.  The burger was cooked perfectly and also tasted great. Although it was nothing super out of the ordinary, it was, however, tasty and satisfying.  My dad's Peri-Peri chicken was fabulous.  The meat was super tender and the flavor was deliciously addicting.
    The brunch menu at Jack's looks amazing, so I plan on coming back soon to try out the breakfast as well.  Jack's Wife Freda is also a hotspot for celebrity spottings, another reason to make my way back ASAP!

XOXO,
Danielle