Republic

Republic has been around for ages and is always a safe bet for a yummy and inexpensive meal. It is also conveniently located right at Union Square.

Chicken Skewers 
The chicken was very flavorful and juicy. I loved the scallions and peanuts on top. 

Crispy Wontons 
The filling was yummy and the skin was fluffy and crunchy. I felt that these were a bit too deep fried for my liking but I liked the sweet and sour sauce that came with it. 

This was L's and I did not try it but she said it was good! 

Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
I loved this dish! The soup was very fragrant and flavorful. I loved how it was creamy with the sweetness of the coconut but also had a nice tangy touch. The chicken and noodles were cooked well and made for a hearty and delicious bowl of noodle soup. 

Grilled Pork with Cold Noodles and Picked Veggies
A Vietnamese classic. The pork was very well marinaded and I loved the tanginess of the picked veggies. 

Republic isn't a must visit for tourists but a great spot for a easy and delicious meal in a prime location!

Republic

37 Union Square

New York

NY 10003

Absolute Bagels

Sometimes you just need a bagel. 

Absolute Bagels 

2788 Broadway

New York

NY 10025

Vic's

We were looking for a spot for brunch and dranks after SoulCycle and decided to go to Vic's since it was right by the Noho location. I've been meaning to come here after hearing highly positive things from many friends but was disappointed to learn that they only served the Cacio e Pepe at dinner time. The meal overall was enjoyable and I would want to come back to try that pasta another time.

They had a lot of interesting selections for drinks and I felt like they were quite well priced also. 

Soppressata Pizza - Calabrian Chilies, Mozzarella, Thyme 
I felt like this pizza was a bit too salty and needed a bit more cheese. It felt a bit dry but the crust was nice. 

Heirloom Carrots - Dill, Capers, Shallots 
This dish was on the house which was really nice of them. These carrots were delicious! I loved the flavor combination and the carrots were also very sweet and fresh. 

Orecchiette - Dandelion, Garlic, Anchovy, Lemon, Pecorino
The pasta was perfectly al dente and I loved the freshness of the lemon. The flavors were simple but packed a punch. The sprinkling of bread crumbs also took it to another level. 

Porchetta & Eggs - Salsa Verde, Bitter Greens
The meat of the porchetta was very flavorful but in general it was just wayyyyy too greasy. I understand that porchetta is on the fatty side but this was slightly nauseating. I think it also lacked a carb element as it needed something to soak up the oils and the runniness of the egg. 

The restaurant was surprisingly not full for brunch and I really enjoyed the drinks here. I really enjoyed my pasta here and was not as crazy about the other dishes so I would be happy to come back to try other pasta dishes in the future.

Vic's 

31 Great Jones Street

New York

NY 10012

Taim

I am always looking for delicious and easy meals after SoulCycle and Taim fits the bill perfectly!

Falafel Platter - Choice of Falafel, Hummus, Tabouli, and Israeli Salad 
The hummus was incredibly creamy and delicious. The tabouli and salad was also seasoned well and everything was very fresh. Everything complemented each other perfectly and this could definitely last for two meals! 

Harissa - Mild Spicy Falafel 
I was a little unsure about the traditional falafel since I am not a fan of parsley but I tried R's and it was perfectly delicious. The harissa was also scrumptious... possibly some of the best falafel I've ever had (not that I've had a ton though). It was light and fluffy on the inside with a great crunch on the outside. Each little falafel ball was bursting with flavor. 

Taim is a perfect spot to grab a hearty and inexpensive meal. They also have a mobile truck option.

Taim 

45 Spring St.

New York

NY 10012

Vezzo

I was at M's house chilling and he suggested we ordered pizza. I haven't really been blown away by pizza in a while but Vezzo's was AMAZING. The crust was so thin and crunchy and the sauce was super hearty and delicious. My favorite was the sausage, onions, and basil pizza. The saltiness of the sausage was perfect with the sweetness of the onions.

Vezzo

178 Lexington Avenue 

New York

NY 10016

Take31

Take31 is the innovative sister restaurant of Her Name is Han. You can read my review on Her Name is Han here. The restaurant serves Korean dishes with a twist and I absolutely LOVE it here. Her Name is Han is great too, but you can truly find some one of a kind dishes here. They also change up their menu each month so you will never be short of awesome surprises! The people are also super friendly and sweet.

Crispy Havana-Style Corn Pancake
While I've never had a bad dish here... this is one of the BEST. I've had corn pancakes at other Korean places but they are usually drowned in cheese and just overwhelming. This had the perfect amount of cheese and the corn is sweet and perfectly cooked. The batter is also light so it maintains a nice soft middle but lightly crunchy on the outside. This is like a Mexican street corn but pancake style. An absolute must order! 

Tsukune Style Chicken Galbi with Potato Salad 
This was one of the specials of the month and it was very tasty. It did not have the soft bone like usual tsukune yakitoris but the meat was very nicely flavor. Yummy but not a must order. 

Braised Short Ribs and Kabocha Croquettes 
This dish was a bit too intense for me and J. It was incredibly rich and hearty but a bit much for two people. The meat was also a little too fatty but the croquettes were very delicious! 

Pork Belly and Scallion Salad 
The pork belly was cooked perfectly and not too greasy. The scallion salad was a perfect contrast to the pork belly and the presentation was also beautiful. 

Creamy Kimchi Stew with Crunchy Rice, Sausages, Bacon, Broccoli, Paprika, and Onions
I am really glad that J recommended we try this instead of my usual budae chigae. I really liked the crunchy rice with the creamy soup and the sausage was also particularly good. The skin was very crunchy and the sausage was very flavorful. I also liked the addition of veggies. 

I have tried other dishes here and unfortunately I did not take photos. Those two dishes are also MUST ORDERS and I still day dream about them from time to time (fried chicken in garlic flakes and fried chicken in wasabi cream). I think Take31 is a must visit! The food is super inventive and I have never had a bad meal here. It is a perfect place for great food and drinks with friends!

Take31

15 E 31st St. 

New York

NY10016

Oiji

Oiji is a refined Korean restaurant that has been getting a lot of buzz since it opened (particularly for its honey butter chips) so T and I decided to check it out. The food was all well done but the one dish that would really get me to return were the honey butter chips.

Beef Tartare with Ramp Aioli 
This is definitely the most beautiful steak tartare I've ever seen but I felt that the flavors were quite 1 dimensional. It was a bit too sweet in general and the mustard was much too tart as compared to the rest of the dish and was unable to balance the dish. I understand that Korean beef tartare is usually on the sweeter side with the pear but usually the sesame oil helps add another element to that it. This got a bit boring after a few bites. 

Fried Chicken with Spicy Soy Vinaigrette 
This is one of their most popular dishes. I really enjoyed how the chicken was very juicy and the coating was light and crunchy. The soy was also refreshing and balanced out the oilier aspect of the chicken. However, I personally prefer a creamier sauce such as Japanese chicken nanban as compared to this more tart sauce. 

Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Kimchi 
The sauce was very flavorful and sweet with a slight kick of spice from the kimchi. The pork belly was very tender but not overly fatty. I enjoyed this dish.

Special of the Day: Sausage Patties
I thought these were very sub-par. They weren't bad, but nothing special. 

Honey Butter Chips 
These were absolutely amazing. The chips were thin and crispy and was drenched with the most decadent mixture of honey and butter. It wasn't too sweet and it was so creamy and luscious. We did not know that we could add ice cream but that would have taken it to the next level! 

Overall everything was well prepared but I just wasn't blown away by the meal. The honey butter chips really do live up to the hype but apart from that I wouldn't say its a must visit. However, if you are looking for smaller plates of Korean dishes that aren't are heavy as traditional Korean BBQ, I would recommend Oiji.

Oiji

119 1st Avenue 

New York, NY 10003

Ample Hills Creamery

I've seen Ample Hills Creamery on Food Network before and have always wanted to try but was too lazy to trek to Brooklyn. Therefore I was so glad to find out that it had an outpost in Gotham West Market! I got the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake and the Salted Crack Caramel. I loved the Ooey Gooey flavor better but the caramel was still very delicious. The ice cream was incredibly creamy and decadent and I will definitely be back to try their other flavors. You can check them out here.

Ample Hills Creamery 

Gotham West Market

600 11th Ave. 

New York, NY 10036

Cocina Del Mar

Cocina Del Mar is the fine dining restaurant in our beautiful resort and it was the perfect location for our final meal in Cabo. We were already blown away by our lovely meal at Flora and L once again blew us out of the water with her planning. The view and the food really took our breath away and I highly recommend everyone to come here!

Absolutely dreamy 

 

Esperanza Seafood Tortilla Soup - Clams, Crab, Bay Scallop, Avocado, Cilantro & Pasilla Chili 
The seafood was fresh and sweet. The soup was very flavorful and bursting with flavor. I loved the tenderness of the seafood contrasted with the crunchy tortilla bites. 

Summer Salad - Organic Green Mix Lettuce, Avocado, Heirloom Tomatoes, Green Beans & Lemon Vinaigrette 

Asparagus - Broccolini, Lemon Grass Pomade, Zucchini, Avocado Oil, Fennel & Kalamata

Lobster Tamale 
The masa had such incredible flavor! I love corn and the corn flavor was extremely distinct. The lobster was tender and very fresh. 

Daily Catch - Langoustines with Mushrooms and Risotto 
This was my dish and it was unforgettable. The langoutines were cooked perfectly... well everything was. It was so fresh and sweet and the mushrooms had a intense earthy flavor. The risotto was creamy but not heavy at all. Everything complemented each other perfectly. The presentation was also stunning. 

Sea Bass - Jabugo Ham, Parsnip Puree & Trumpet Mushrooms 

Fish with Peppers and Cactus 
Ahhh I forgot the name of this fish and it's not on the menu on the website! However, everyone who ordered this said it was absolutely delicious. 

Strawberry Cheesecake 
Our server highly recommended this but I thought it was a pretty normal strawberry cheesecake.

Banana Souffle 
Oh man THIS was the dessert I should have gotten. The banana flavor was very strong and the souffle was airy and light. Banana perfection! 

The ambience, service, and food was top notch. It did get a bit windy but we had ponchos to keep us warm. The meal was the perfect ending to a perfect trip.

Cocina Del Mar

Esperanza, An Auberge Resort 

Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 7 Mz 10 

Punta Ballena 

23410 Cabo San Lucas B.C.S. 

Mexico

Flora Farms http://www.flora-farms.com

I was having a blast in Cabo and have been enjoying all the delicious food. L is a master planner and every meal has been amazing but Flora Farms just took it to the next level (but then our last meal in Cabo was also breathtaking!). Flora Farms is a farm to table establishment and the entire venue was incredibly charming and beautiful. We witnessed a glorious sunset while driving up the mountain and there were also cute little boutiques on the path to the farm and restaurant. The decor is very napa-esque and the food was delicious! There were cute little lights hanging everywhere and the whole set up was just perfect.

Amazing cold soup to start our meal. I forgot what it was but it tasted like a fresh asparagus soup with some crunchy bits. Refreshing and delicious! 

Gorgeous table setting 

Coal Roasted Beets - Goat Cheese, Sour Oranges, and Honey-sherry Vinaigrette 
The beets were incredibly sweet and the medley of flavors was on point. The oranges gave a nice tartness and the goat cheese provided a tangy saltiness. The mint then finished off the entire dish with a refreshing freshness. 

Burrata - House-made with Heirloom Tomatoes & Parmesan Croutons 
The tomatoes were once again super fresh and delicious. The burrata was incredibly creamy and luscious. The only small complaint was that it was a tad too salty. 

Arugula Pizza 
The crust was chewy and the arugula was ice and peppery. A decent pizza but I was much more impressed by the ricotta pizza.

Ricotta Pizza
The flavor of the ricotta really shined through and the lemon zest was absolutely perfect. The ricotta was like little fluffy clouds against your tongue and paired amazingly with the chewy crust. 

Hibiscus Martini 
This cocktail was a great balance of tart and sweet... and oh so pretty! 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes 
The simple preparation of this dish really allowed the freshness of the produce to shine. This was so delectable and wholesome. 

Farm Fettucini - Homemade Pasta and Field Vegetables 
The ribboning of the vegetables was genius and went very well with the texture of the homemade pasta. Once again the simple flavoring really allowed the freshness of the vegetables and the texture of the pasta to be the star of the dish. Simple and delicious! 

Herb Tagliatelle - Pancetta Rollata, Sugar Snap Peas, and Grape Tomatoes 
I did not try this dish but K said it was great! 

Chicken Pot Pie 
I also did not try this dish but the chicken mixture seemed very creamy and the pasty was golden and flakey.

Sage Gnocchi - Baby Vegetables & Mini Pork Chicken Meatballs 
I had a bite of the meatball and it had a nice kick to it! 

Chocolate Cake 
Ooooooh this was so moist and rich in chocolate flavor. This is what a chocolate cake should be like.

Lavender Tart 
The tart was good but I would prefer a stronger lavender flavor. 

Flan
The was sweet eggy perfection! 

Strawberry Cake 
The cake was buttery and interlaced with juicy sweet bits of strawberry. 

Churros with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce 
What can go wrong? 

How adorable is this vegetable stand?! It reminds me of the one at my Sylvanian dollhouse

Flora Farm is a MUST visit in Cabo. We were all absolutely blown away by the food and the atmosphere. I would love to return if I go to Cabo again!

Flora Farm 
Carretera Transpeninsular San José del Cabo Km. 30, Col. Las Ánimas Bajas, 23407 
San José del Cabo, B.C.S.
Mexico