Rebecca Simzak « NY Blondes

March 7, 2009

Upper East Side Italian

Filed under: Rebecca Simzak — nyb @ 11:31 am

Rebecca with a salad from Mediterraneo.

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By Rebecca Simzak

I met my friend Jackie after work last week and we decided to go out for a quick bite. Jackie, a connoisseur of Upper East Side eateries, recommended Mediterraneo. The restauraunt is relatively unassuming, located on the corner of 66th and 2nd Ave. The interior is dimly lit and super cozy. We arrived around 7:00 p.m., and got seated at a great table instantly. However, reservations are recommended on weekends.

The menu consists of classic Italian and Mediterranean, such as various Carpaccio appetizers and a fully loaded and delicious (so I’m told…) pasta menu. My friend Jackie and I weren’t terribly hungry so we decided to split two entrees. I ordered the Insalata Mediterraneo (shrimp, plum tomatoes, capers, arugola and balsamic house dressing- $13.50) and she ordered the Filetto Di Salmone Alla Grilia (fillet of grilled salmon served with sauted spinach- $21.50). We shared the two entrees - and several glasses of wine ;).

The food was delicious and the ambience was perfect for catching up with a close friend … I would definitely recommend it for a casual date or intimate dinner with a small group of friends.

Mediterraneo

1260 2nd Av (at 66th ST)

212-734-7407

www.mediterraneonyc.com

beccajackiemediteranio

Becca with her friend Jackie.

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February 22, 2009

Recessionista Cuisine: Yummy Vietnamese

Filed under: Rebecca Simzak — nyb @ 11:13 pm

Rebecca at Bao Restaurant

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By Rebecca Simzak

If you are anything like most of my Manhattan friends and you’ve been trying to put yourself on a budget for ‘09, then you should definitely check out Bao on 23rd and 2nd Ave.

The food is awesome and very reasonably priced, and the ambience is pretty great too. My friend Lisa and I went this week for dinner. As it was pretty busy (prime time seems to be between 8 and 10 pm) we decided to sit at the bar.

They offer a lot of specialty cocktails (saketinis etc), and their main bartender, Ash, is one of the best in Manhattan. If nothing on the menu catches your eye, he’ll create something for you on the spot. He makes a killer Lychee martini, $9.00, which Lisa and I both ordered.

For appetizers, we split the Taro Fries ($5.95) which come with a side of spicy sauce and Asian mayonnaise. I usually avoid fries at any cost but because they’re made of Taro root and cooked in a wok as opposed to being fried, they are actually not too bad for you. After that we moved on to the Sweet and Sour Chicken Soup (made with tomatoes, shrimp, pinapple, ochra, bean sprouts and herbs in a spicy seafood broth - $5.95), and shared the Jicama Spring Rolls (made with steamed jicama, lettuce, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp basil and hoisin sauce.) Nearly full at this point, we actually decided to forego a main course in place of dessert … very naughty! We had the banana pudding (bananas, chocolate pudding, whipped cream and strawberries- $6.95) it was SO delicious.

I would absolutely suggest Bao for a casual dinner with friends. The food is awesome and inexpensive and the service is great. My only recommendation would be to make sure to head in before the rush dinner crowd if you want a guaranteed table. However the service at the bar was incredible and if I went back I’d definitely want to try some more of the Mr. Ash’s custom cocktails.

Bao Noodles

391 2nd Ave btw 22nd and 23rd

www.baonoodles.com

Rebecca tastes the banana pudding.

Tasty spring rolls from Bao.

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February 16, 2009

Chez Josephine

Filed under: Katrina Bowden, Rebecca Simzak — nyb @ 12:16 am

Rebecca enjoys a glass of Cabernet at Chez Josephine.

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By Rebecca Simzak

For my Godmother’s birthday last weekend, I took her to Chez Josephine. Located in the heart of the theatre district (42nd Street between 9th and 10th Ave), it is the perfect combination of Old New York, delicious food and reasonable prices. Despite the neighborhood, Josephine’s has far less tourists than other nearby staples like Sardis, and the tables have plenty of space between patrons. The interior is done in old Parisian decor complete with a grand piano on the lower level and Josephine Baker themed artwork throughout.

The staff is extremely inviting and attentive, often times you will be greeted by the owner himself, Jean Claude Baker, Josephine Baker’s adopted son. Jean Claude is extremely enthusiastic about his restaraunt which he opened in 1986 in tribute to his mother. A very lively and outgoing host, He has even come and sat at my table in the past to check on the meal.

To start we all had a glass of Cabernet-Sauvignon in celebration of my God-mother’s birthday ($8.00 per glass or $38.00 per bottle). For an entree I had the grilled atlantic salmon with julienne vegetables ($26.00), which was delicious and perfectly cooked at medium-rare. My Godmother had the Spaghetti Bolgonese ($19.00), listed on the menu as “Josephine’s Favourite” which she loved. My mother had the Duck L’Orange with spicy wild greens and wild rice ($27.00) and my girlfriend had the Braised Short Ribs with onion rings and creamy polenta ($29.00). Everyone agreed the food was delicious and upon my request, the waiter surprised my Godmother with a chocolate mouse dessert with candles while dimming the lights in the upstairs dining area.

I definitely recommend Chez Josephine for a pre-theatre dinner or a special date or birthday celebration!

http://www.chezjosephine.com

414 W. 42nd Street (between 9th and 10th Ave)

212-594-1925 (reservations are recommended but not required)

Rebecca slices a piece of salmon.

Rebecca with her godmother.

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February 7, 2009

Ono - Oh Yes!

Filed under: Rebecca Simzak — nyb @ 12:10 pm

Rebecca at Ono inside the Gansevoort Hotel

By Rebecca Simzak

Acclaimed Sushi restaurant Ono is still going strong with superb sushi in the meatpacking district! Inside the Gansevoort Hotel, Ono has the feel of a West Hollywood Sushi lounge. The oversized raw bar displays huge pieces of fish from which their sushi creations are carved. Gorgeous oversized murals of Japanese style tattoo art extend over the back semi private booths.My girlfriend and I were seated at a table for two on the lower level. (I prefer the upper level seating area as it is more private and overlooks the front bar) But we had a delicious meal nonetheless.

We began with the spicy crab sushi pizza (crab, avocado, radish sprouts & red miso: $16.00 pictured), and the ginger cream spinach ($6.00). Next we had the shrimp and chicken robata. This is a small plate that comes with two skewers and five dipping sauces (shiso pesto, spicy plum miso, sesame mustard, scallion ponzo and kimchee $12.00), not as delicious as the sushi pizza but the dipping sauces did add interesting flavor combinations.

As a huge carb-ophobe, I feel that one of Ono’s best features is the selection of riceless rolls. We shared the tuna yaba roll (yuba seaweed, chopped tuna, seared tuna and tempura flakes $16.00) and the eel avocado roll (crabmeat & cucumber wrapped in nori and soft crepe $14.00). Feeling rather full from all the small plates and rolls, we passed on dessert but they did have an extensive menu, including a citrus tart, miso cream and plum sake sorbet that sounded very tempting…

Though the prices are a bit high (rolls are around the $16.00 range) the ambiance and creative plates (ie the spicy crab pizza) make this sushi worth the splurge. Ono is great for a weekend date, especially due to the proximity to the Gansevoort’s infamous rooftop bar. If your dinner ends before midnight, you can access the hotel elevators via the restaurant’s side door and avoid the outside lines.

ONO

Hotel Gansevoort

18 9th Avenue (at Gansevoort st)

Website

ono2

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January 29, 2009

Double Crown

Filed under: Rebecca Simzak — Tags: restaurants — nyb @ 1:10 am

doublecrownsnapper

Rebecca enjoys the snapper at Double Crown restaurant.

By Rebecca Simzak

This past Saturday I went to Double Crown restaurant with my girlfriend for dinner. Double Crown offers English/American fusion cuisine with Asian–influenced sauces and seasonings. The restaurant is dimly lit with an interior that has the personality of a “high class pub.” A long communial table and oversized bar seem somehow glamorized by Double Crown’s Asian and Art nouveau accents. I could totally picture Madonna here in her Guy Ritchie days …

The restaurant lends nicely to either a romantic evening out or a group get together, due to double or communal seating. However it’s the food at Double Crown that is absolutely their best-selling feature. To begin, the wait staff brings a platter of thin bread crisps with three dipping sauces: one tsaziki based, one with sweet red pepper and another made with cilantro lime. A full bar is also offered, with tons of unique drink specials. I had the Gooseberry, Red Chili and Elderflower Smash which is made with level vodka, gooseberries, lemon and Elderflower foam ($12.00). It was very light and refreshing without being overly sweet.

My girlfriend and I shared a bunch of small plates as we had a hard time deciding what to order from the menu. We started with the Crispy Drunken Quail (with cinnamon tamarind sauce, carrot and cilantro: $13.00), and the Pigs in a A Wet Blanket (pork with lychee and coconut sauce: $6.00). For Dinner we Shared the Steamed Snapper (with prawn dumplings, sesame broth and bok choy: $27.00) and the Brussels Sprouts (with cinnamon and fenugreek glaze: $5.00). These were AMAZING!!!

Now, I usually have the willpower to restrain myself from the dessert menu, but the small plates and entrée were so amazing that we just had to try out at least one dessert. We decided on the Pumpkin Bread pudding with a pumpkin-vanilla crème sauce ($9.00). It was incredible and a reasonably small portion which helped alleviate any guilt.

I HIGHLY recommend checking out the food at Double Crown ASAP… but be sure to make a reservation. I called a week in advance for our Saturday night dinner and was still given a relatively later (10.00pm) dinner time. Luckily the staff is super friendly and made a note that I would prefer an earlier reservation. They called me back the day before with a 9:15 opening.

Double Crown Restauraunt

316 Bowery (at Bleeker St)

212-254-0350

www.doublecrown-nyc.com

Rebecca with her girlfriend Leah.

Rebecca shows off her plate of brussels sprouts.

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