All posts filed under: New York

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PETER LUGER STEAKHOUSE- BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

     Voted #1 Steakhouse in New York for 28 years straight, Peter Luger’s has been on the top of my food bucket list since forever ago lol. Anyone that has ever been to Peter Luger’s has said it’s the best steak they’ve ever had hands down, and no other steakhouse in the country compares. Peter Luger Steakhouse was established in 1887 in Brooklyn NY, so it’s definitely a New York landmark in my opinion. It has been said that Peter Luger’s gets their first pick of the beef that is imported into New York over any other steakhouse, so their cuts are the best. Everything there is simple steakhouse food, and all of it is unbelievable. This was definitely one of the best meals of my lifetime. It was such an amazing foodie experience for me… BREAD TO START WITH THEIR FAMOUS PETER LUGER SAUCE Assortment of fresh bread with butter, dipped in their signature Peter Luger sauce, so good! JUMBO SHRIMP COCKTAIL SLICED TOMATOES & ONIONS WITH LUGER’S OWN SAUCE This is my new favorite …

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GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA- BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

         I’ve heard around that Grimaldi’s is the best pizza in New York. I’ve seen it on TV and have heard about the place through word of mouth, so I ventured out to the one under the Brooklyn Bridge (which is the most famous one), to try for myself. Grimaldi’s is one of the few pizzerias that still make their pizzas with a coal-fired oven which gives pizza a unique flavor (most pizzerias use wood or gas ovens). Grimaldi’s is on the Brooklyn side of the bridge, and my friend and I ran the bridge from the Manhattan side (which I highly recommend doing by the way, it’s so beautiful!). So I exercised only to stuff my fat face with pizza. Typical me… story of my life lol.   RUNNING THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE    A PIC I TOOK FROM STATEN ISLAND FERRY THAT DAY! MAKING PIZZAS AT GRIMALDI’S! LARGE PIZZA WITH GARLIC, BASIL, PEPPERONI & BLACK OLIVES   The pizza was good. It reminded me of the pizza at the famous Lombardi’s pizzeria in …

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THE SPOTTED PIG, NEW YORK CITY

The Spotted Pig, co-owned by Jay Z, Bono & Mario Batali, is a restaurant hotspot in the heart of Meatpacking district in New York City. With waits that can be long as two to three hours for a table and a very unique menu,  I assumed my experience there was going to be very positive. And if Jay- Z co-owns it, then DUH!, it has to be amazing right?! lol. The place is definitely super eclectic with “quirky” decor, and has a very cozy feeling, but the food was not out of this world by any means.  The Spotted Pig is famous for their burger which I’ve heard so much about, but I actually did not like it. Read my reviews on what we ordered below: THE SPOTTED PIG DECOR DEVILED EGGS Not a huge deviled eggs fan myself, but these were the best I’ve ever had. Great flavor, and the filling was fluffy and light. I recommend this. CHICKEN LIVER TOAST I liked this too! Very rich flavor, and the liver was super creamy …

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CAFETERIA, NEW YORK CITY

     Casual but trendy, this 24-hour, open 7 days a week restaurant is the perfect choice for a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner. Hearty and great food for a reasonable price, as well as being open 24/7, this place is a safe and easy choice for any time of the day. I went for dinner with friends on a Friday night, and it was packed- you couldn’t find a place to stand to wait for a table. Luckily four pretty girls didn’t have to wait long, and we got seated in less than 5 minutes lol. Warm, cheese biscuits to brought to the table with our waters. Yum! CAFETERIA MAC & CHEESE- MAC ATTACK TASTINGS ~Cheddar & Fontina~Truffle Oil~Smoked Gouda & Bacon~ Delicious Mac N’ Cheese. Each sampler was so flavorful- perfectly cheesy and creamy. I loved the different flavors of each one. They were all amazing. I loved the truffle one and the gouda and bacon. They were all made perfectly. Highly recommended! TOMATO BASIL SOUP– w/ Mini Fontina Grilled Cheese It kind of …

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BUDDAKAN- CHELSEA, NEW YORK CITY

Buddakan in New York City is located next door to the charming Chelsea Market. This place is one of the most trendy and expensive restaurants in the city. The restaurant was even featured in the movie Sex & The City for Carrie’s engagement dinner to Mr. Big! lol. Serving unique contemporary Asian cuisine, not only is the food amazing but the decor of Buddakan is extravagant, grand and absolutely beautiful. My sister, friends and I had a great experience. The service was great, the food delicious and the atmosphere was fun and lively. EDAMAME DUMPLINGS- Shallot-Sauternes Broth Best thing of the night. I would have never in a million years ordered this off the menu, but our amazing server brought these from compliments of the kitchen, and I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. Inside was an edamame puree, in a delicate, thin noodle dumpling. The sauce tasted like truffle oil broth. It melted in your mouth and had amazing flavor. For not ordering this myself, it happened to be my favorite dish of the night. It makes me think of how many incredible dishes …

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SARABETH’S- NEW YORK CITY

My girls and I with our Peach Bellini’s! A Sarabeth’s favorite brunch cocktail.      Brunch at Sarabeth’s never looked so good lol. My ladies and I made the atmosphere even that much more cute 🙂 We went to Sarabeth’s across Central Park for brunch and it was the cutest brunch place. There were a couple baby & bridal showers going on (which is the perfect place for that). Sarabeth’s is very charming and the menu and decor reminded me of a bakery shop or a bridal shower invitation lol. It had that “pastel color charm”. Sarabeth’s is a very popular breakfast, brunch & lunch spot in New York City- the place was very busy on a Saturday afternoon. There are a couple of Sarabeth’s around the city, so look online to see a location near you. GUACAMOLE W/ HOUSE MADE CHIPS This was very good. The chips were made from scratch in the kitchen. They were crispy & salty. The perfect chips with fresh guacamole. ALMOND CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST W/ FRESH STRAWBERRIES I liked this french …

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SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, NEW YORK CITY

     Southern Hospitality, a Memphis BBQ joint in New York City, brings Southern Comfort food to the Big Apple. Creator of the restaurant, Justin Timberlake along with his friends Eytan Sugarman & Trace Ayala opened up this celebrity hotspot in two locations in NYC- one in Hell’s Kitchen and the other on the Upper East Side. Southern Hospitality serves real Southern dishes such as pulled pork sandwiches, baby back ribs, Southern fried catfish, catfish lollipops, chicken and waffles, fried pickles, grits, crawfish & cheddar hush puppes, mac n’ cheese, and so much more. Located in Hell’s Kitchen, I walked into Southern Hospitality on a Sunday night and it was poppin’. The place was packed. While waiting for the rest of our party to show up, General Manager Bryan Zabinski brought my sister and I to the bar to try Southern Hospitality’s house specialty cocktail. Made with Justin Timberlake’s tequila “901”, this drink was so delicious. Similar to a Mojito but made with tequila, it was also made with crushed/muddled berries. Sweet but still crisp and refreshing. Loved it! When the rest …

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SERAFINA, NEW YORK CITY

Serafina Restaurant Group was created by Vittorio Assaf & Fabio Granato in 1995 when the two opened up Serafina Fabulous Pizza. Following the success of the first location, they have opened up Serafina Fabulous Grill, Serafina Osteria, Serafina Broadway & Serafina at the Time Hotel, all in New York City. Serafina Restaurant Group also founded Geisha in New York, and Geisha House in Los Angeles, and other restaurants around the world. Serafina is a New York City hotspot. All locations are always buzzing with people wining and dining. A lot of celebrities dine at Serafina such as Lady Gaga, Cameron Diaz & A-Rod, Kim Kardashian & many more. It is also NBA player Sasha Vujacic’s favorite restaurant. I went to Serafina Fabulous Grill on 29 East 61st Street between Park & Madison. It is so charming and cozy- when you walk in right away it feels like you’ve been transported to Italy and you are far away from the hustle and bustle, tall concrete skyscrapers and crowded streets of New York. Serafina Fabulous Grill is a three room restaurant with …

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LOMBARDI’S PIZZA, NEW YORK CITY

I’ve done a couple posts about pizza in NYC already. I was on the search for the BEST pizza in the city, so had to try all the famous spots. Lombardi’s is special because it was the FIRST PIZZERIA ever to open in America in 1905. To this day, Lombardi’s is still known for being “one of the best Pizzerias in America”, and also according to many magazines & newspaper articles, the best pizza in New York City. I went to Lombardi’s and was so excited to try authentic New York Style Pizza. This place is legendary in New York City. I had the BEST pizza I ever had in my life in Brooklyn (at Di Fara’s, check out my blog post about it), so I was curious to see how Lombardi’s was going to match up. I went around lunchtime, and the place was packed. There was a line out the door, but thankfully service was fast and efficient so I didn’t have to wait long. Lombardi’s is located on Spring Street in SoHo, next to all …