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

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

Norma's

119 W. 56th St.  New York, NY
www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

Price: $$$--but literally worth every penny
Favorite dish (from this particular meal): Oatmeal brûlée

One of my all time favorite brunch restaurants in New York City has to be Norma's. Every time my family and I have traveled here in the past, it seems as though we always make time to eat at Norma's. It's actually that good. Norma's is a restaurant that is located within the Le Parker Meridien hotel in Midtown West. The restaurant is always full of people, and for good reason. The look is very upscale and trendy, and is definitely a brunch hotspot. (why else would Nate and Serena eat here on an episode of Gossip Girl?) The menu is overflowing with delectable brunch options, almost to the point where there are far too many to choose from. One of my favorite parts about eating at Norma's is that they serve you a free shot of their daily smoothie at the start of your meal, which is always super fruity and delicious.
My mom and I went to Norma's for brunch this past Friday. Being that it was still a workday, I figured we would not have a problem getting in. (We forgot to make a reservation. Whoops). Obviously I was wrong…and we ended up having to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. But seriously I didn't care the food we were about to get would be so worth it.

Here's what we got:

My smoothie shot!!!!! The smoothie of the day was kiwi strawberry banana mango. OOOMMMGGG. It was SO good. I don't know what they do to make their smoothies so good, but as far as I can remember, I have never been disappointed. I drank it down so fast that I forgot to take a picture. A perfect excuse to ask for another one!

My smoothie and my iced coffee go well together, dontcha think?

My mom ordered Normalita's Juevos Rancheros, highlighted as one of Norma's favorites on the menu.  The dish had cheese quesadillas slices, topped with a tortilla with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and a fried egg. Holy guacamole this was so good. The egg was cooked to perfection with a nice and runny yolk, and paired with the guac, some salsa, and a bite of quesadilla, you're in heaven.

I decided to try McCann's Irish Oatmeal Brûlée, topped with sautéed green apples and red pears. The oatmeal was AWESOME. I am a huge lover of oatmeal, and adding the sugary brûlée topping added such a nice delicate crunch that couldn't be beat. The oatmeal was creamy and thick and sweet and smooth and filling…etc. It was beyond. No other oatmeal from here on out can compare.

 The amount of selections at Norma's is reason enough to go. There is something there to satisfy everyone's palates. However, don't expect to come to Norma'a and eat light. Oh no…honestly I would suggest ordering one of the more unhealthy and decadent sounding meals because that's the way to go here. THIS is the place to splurge!!!



 XOXO,
Danielle

The Smith

956 2nd Ave.  New York, NY
www.thesmithnyc.com

Price: $$$
Favorite dish: Whole Wheat Penne (no decisions there!)

This past friday night, I got to hang out with a few of my besties from Michigan: Jamie, Mel, and Dani. We ended up going to dinner in Midtown extremely late (try 10:00 pm), so we wanted to go somewhere that we could get in quickly and be served promptly, but that would still be good. Mel suggested The Smith, and I had heard good things about this restaurant before. Being that we were within walking distance, it seemed like a perfect place to go for a satisfying meal waaaay past normal meal time.
The Smith is a casual, American restaurant, with a fun, inviting, "New York" atmosphere. To get seated right away, we were put at the end of a communal table, which was actually kind of fun (great people watching!) 

Our communal table!!!

We didn't really have a lot of diversity in what we ordered. We all ordered a different variation of the same meal… classic. We got the Whole Wheat Penne, with arugula, wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese. 

                   Mel and Jamie's whole wheat penne, plus chicken. (Obvi Mel got hers without cheese)

My whole wheat penne, with grilled shrimp to add protein. The shrimp was actually so good, and added a really good touch of flavor to the pasta. I really liked the oil&garlic sauce that was over the pasta…it was super flavorful and wasn't overwhelmingly garlicky. 

Jnuss takes her noodles to go for a late night snack!

There were actually a ton of good-looking things on the menu and I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to try more than one thing from the menu--all the more reason to go back! From what I did taste though, I do think that The Smith has some really good things to offer. Besides the food, I was just happy to be hanging out and spending time with my friends! (was that cheesy?)

XOXO,

Danielle

Amy's Bread

672 9th Avenue (between 46th & 47th)    New York, NY
www.amysbread.com

Price: $ --Inexpensive: easy to walk and in and walk out quickly with a quick bite to eat. Most of the pastries sell for no more than $3.75 each.
Favorite pastry: Cinnamon Challah Knots

     On our way to the theater last night, we decided to pick up something small and quick for dessert. Although we were originally looking for frozen yogurt, my dad spotted Amy's Bread across the street and immediately decided we were going there. After making our way past the crowd of people trying to exit and the people inside, there were so many different types of breads that my mouth was watering. I have a weakness for sweet pastries, and everything that was there seemed delicious.
     Jaynie decided she wanted to try the chocolate chip twists, which she claimed would be "better without the chocolate" (what is wrong with her)?  I tasted it and I thought it was so good, so I don't know what she was thinking.  My dad and I both got a cinnamon challah not, which was PERFECT. With the challah already being a tad sweet, the cinnamon sugar added a touch of sweetness and flavor that was just delectable. I could've kept eating more of these. Finally, my mom decided to go a different route and order a lemon bar, another one of my weaknesses. I tasted it and it was also so good. It was sweet and tangy and very lemony, It had a great crust on the bottom, and was gooey and absolutely scrumptious.


Here is a preview of what Amy's Bread has to offer:

I definitely need to head back over soon, since there are like 65 other things that I need to try. Amy's Bread also features house made muffins, with the selections changing regularly. There are also other breakfast pastries, scones, cakes, cupcakes, biscotti, bread, and even savories, such as pizza, sandwiches, and salads.

I'm looking forward to my next excuse to head back to Amy's Bread...
Keep checking in…much more to come!!!

XOXO,
Danielle

44 & X

622 10th Avenue  New York, NY

www.44andx.com

Price: $$$

Favorite Dish: Spicy Salmon Tartar

Last night, my mom, dad, Jaynie, and I were going to see the Broadway musical "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert," so beforehand, we planned to grab a quick bite to eat in Hell's Kitchen. After eagerly reading all of the online reviews, my mom found 44&X, which fortunately is located in Hell's Kitchen, and is also not too far a walk from Times Square. The restaurant was a nice little place, and it was a comfortable and enjoyable place to eat at. I enjoyed the majority of the meal at 44 & X--I thought the food was pretty good and there were some fun dishes offered on the menu. 

Here's what we ate:

Because of our absolute love for anything and everything with goat cheese, we decided to order the goat cheese and pistachio soufflé, served on a bed of thinly sliced asian pears, and a pomegranate jus. This dish was good, but tasted a bit more like ricotta cheese than goat cheese. In fact, I couldn't really tell that it had goat cheese in it at all. However, the pears were ridiculously sweet and juicy, and the cheese was yummy paired with the pistachios. Pretty good.

As another appetizer for the table, we ordered the spinach and wild mushroom raviolio, with Maryland crabmeat (my fav),  gruyere cheese, and a coconut poblano emulsion. I had really high hopes for this dish, considering I absolutely adore a good ravioli, but I didn't end up loving it. I thought the pasta was good, but I wasn't crazy about the sauce that it was served with. 

Jaynie's main course: roasted rack of lamb, with an artichoke and wild mushroom gratin, grilled asparagus, and pan juices.  It was also served with some kind of potato quiche…Jaynie and I aren't exactly sure what it was but we really enjoyed that. 

I was having a lot of trouble deciding what to order as my main course, so I decided to order two appetizers as my entree. My first dish was a Maine lobster taco, with a charred tomato salsa, avocado relish, cilantro, and an herb salad. I really liked this dish. The lobster was cooked perfectly and it very flavorful. It tasted even better inside the flour tortilla, with a little bit of the avocado relish (basically guacamole). The dish could've gone a little lighter on the tomato salsa, since there was a ton left-over at the end once I was finished eating; however, all-in-all it was really tasty.

For my other main course, I ordered the spicy salmon tartar, with daikon radish, seaweed salad, jalapeños, salmon roe, and a soy dressing. this tartar was delicious, but a little bit too much for one person. Raw (sushi) salmon is one of my favorite things to eat, and so this dish was perfect for me. I really liked the combination of the tartar and the salmon roe, and the seaweed salad on the inside pulled it all together. The kick of the jalapeños was a great flavorful touch.

My mom ordered the parmesan crusted tilapia, served with creamy polenta, baby spinach,  a wild mushroom salad, and a lobster reduction. 

My dad's main course was the braised short ribs, served with basil mashed potatoes,  and a black truffle port wine reduction. I tasted a bite and the meat was really delicious, but my favorite part of the meal was the basil mashed potatoes. They were really creamy and tasted great with the short ribs.

Although the dishes were pretty good all-in-all, I'm not sure if I would say the restaurant was one of my absolutely favorites. The service was very slow, even though we, along with other customers, had to get to the theater on time for the show at 8. However, the food was tasty, once it arrived, and there were many interesting dishes on the menu that we didn't try that also sounded like they could be good. 

Until next time…

XOXO,

Danielle

Fig & Olive

420 W. 13th Street.   New York, NY
**there are several locations**
www.figandolive.com

Price: $$$-- Although the items on the brunch menu weren't way too pricey, the dinner menu becomes a bit more expensive. However, not too unreasonable.
Best dish from this meal: Fig and Walnut Pancakes


After searching the web for a great place for brunch with my family and our good family friend, Sami, I stumbled upon Fig & Olive. I knew this name seemed familiar, and it turns out its one of my best friend's favorite restaurants (shoutout Arleigh). The menu seemed absolutely amazing and right up our alley, with all the great flavor combinations and interesting dishes that are offered. The brunch menu looked so good that I was reading through the lunch and dinner menus, already trying to figure out the next time I could come by and try it out without having even trying it yet. Turns it out was just as good as I was hoping!

Here's what we ordered:

My dad's (half eaten) housemade granola bowl with fresh fruit and mint, served with yogurt (or milk, if you prefer). Simple, but delicious.

My mom and I both ordered the "South of France" poached eggs with salmon. The eggs were served inside a toasted olive oil bread "bowl," with marinated salmon on the inside, and oranges. It also came with ricotta cheese, avocado, scallions, tomato, and potato wedges. AKA the perfect breakfast combo. The eggs were poached perfectly with a runny yolk, which was great with the bread, and a bit of everything on the plate. I really enjoyed this dish!  

My dad's truffle mushroom fontina scrambled eggs, with cremini and black trumpet mushrooms, mascarpone cheese, fontina, scallions, and white truffle oil. YUM. 

Sami's fig and walnut pancakes. I have to say, she definitely ordered the best dish out of all of us. These pancakes had to be some of the thickest, fluffiest looking pancakes I had ever seen before, and they tasted just as fluffy. They were filled with walnut and fig pieces, topped with a perfect coating of powdered sugar, and of course, more figs. Even the syrup was fig-infused (what else can you expect from a restaurant called Fig & Olive?) I couldn't help myself and I just had to try them, and they were so good...

Jaynie's goat cheese gnocchi with poached eggs. The gnocchi was mixed with chives,  gorgonzola fontina cheese, and covered with poached eggs. I was debating ordering this too, so I was so glad Jaynie ordered it. I loved the concept of having gnocchi served with an egg on top, so I definitely had to try it. I thought it was really good, however I think the gnocchi could have gone a little lighter on the gorgonzola and a little heavier on the goat cheese.

I cannot WAIT to head back to Fig and Olive in the future. There are so many dishes on their menu that sound unreal, so I am looking forward for my next excuse to eat here. I highly recommend this restaurant!

XOXO,
Danielle