Elephant Grounds

Elephant grounds has been opened in Central for a while but I never really liked that location because it was so tiny. I heard that they have a new location in Star Street and it is now one of my favorite places to hang out. The location is super airy and bright and I love working/grabbing a coffee there. It does get quite busy during lunch times (especially during the weekend!) but it is a perfect location to hang out during off peak hours.

The food is also yummy and there are a lot of wholesome options such as donburi bowls and poke bowls. Their menu changes at 2:45 pm so make sure you time yourself accordingly!

Tuna Poke - Sweet Chili Soy, Green Onion, Tenkasu, Furikake, Radish & Onsen Egg
My friends loooove this poke bowl and I think it is very well made but quite expensive (~145?) given the price of other poke places popping up all over the city!  

Miso Black Cod - White Miso Marinade, Torched Miso Mayo, Shimeji Mushroom, Snap Pea, Nori Potato & Carrot 
This dish is both delicious and beautiful! The serving of fish is a little small and I don't like how it is broken into random little pieces but the taste is very good. It is a TINY bit too salty but overall I enjoyed it. I think since it is quite strong in flavor, it would go very well with rice. 

Yeah we had a lot of poke lovers that day haha 

Ebi Mayo - Tempura Shrimp, Cabbage & Housemade Mayo Sauce This dish is part of their "sharing plates" and is quite a large portion! This dish is tasty but can be a little heavy and isn't my favorite out of the menu. 

Matcha Latte 
I loveeee their matcha latte! It is incredibly smooth and strong in milk and matcha flavor. 

Aburi Short Rib Donburi - 36-Hour Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs, Onsen Egg, Fried Garlic Chips, Pickled Ginger, Corn, Green Onion & Furikake 
I did not try this but my friend said it was really good! I think the addition of the pickled ginger is really smart to off set the richness of the short rib. 

Torched Salmon Donburi - Cured Salmon, Sake Soy, Pickled Cucumber, Onsen Egg, Mixed Leaves & Onsen Egg 
This dish was perfect for lunch! I felt like I was getting the perfect serving of veggies, protein, and rice. Everything complemented each other well both in terms of flavors and textures. 

It can get really packed here but I think it's a super comfortable location for some yummy eats!

Elephant Grounds

8 Wing Fung Street

Wan Chai

Hong KOng

Delicassen

Delicassen serves international comfort foods and is definitely a spot to check out if you are craving some stick to your ribs food. The food is also well prepared and super hearty but be ready for a 4 hour nap after your meal!

Spinach Artichoke Dip 
Mmmmm doesn't it look beautiful? This dip was creamy and decadent.. everything you want a spinach artichoke dip to be. I also really liked the chips, they were fresh and held up really well to the dip. 

Lobster Roll
Meh the bun was nicely toasted and while I know that lobster rolls are usually small this was truly so miniature. It wasn't bad but I think you can skip this and order other yummy things from their menu. My top choice for lobster rolls in the city will also be Luke's Lobster! 

Delicassen is not a must visit but I think it's a great choice if you are looking for a nice variety of comfort food, they have dishes ranging from fried chicken to Thai mussels... along with a

Delicassen 

54 Prince Street

New York

NY 10012

Sons of Thunder

The poke wave has hit New York hard and Sons of Thunder is considered by many to be one of the best in the city. Like most poke places, you purchase your meal at the counter with add ons and then find a spot to sit down. The sit down area is really cute and sunny and this is a great spot for a quick lunch.

Salmon Bowl with Spicy Marinade and addition of Garlic Chips
The fish was very fresh but I thought that there was way too much sauce and the garlic chips were also overwhelming. I tried my friends shoyu bowl and liked it much better. I think that I will definitely chose the shoyu version next time and also ditch the garlic chips! 

My first experience at Sons of Thunder was not as positive as other people's but everyone I've spoken to loved their meal so I will definitely give it another chance! The fish and salad was very fresh so I think this is definitely a top choice for poke in the city! 

Sons of Thunder 

204 E 38th St.
New York
NY 10016

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

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

Pokeworks

I was always wondering why there was a lack of poke places in New York since I felt that it would be something that New Yorkers would love. Then suddenly a TON of poke places opened up and food blogs are saying that poke bowls are the hottest food trend of 2016! I have yet to try a lot of the other places yet such as Sons of Thunder but will definitely get around to it! Pokeworks was absolutely delicious but I hear the lines are insanely long now because some website ran a special on their poke burrito -_-

Salmon Shisho - Salmon, Green and Sweet Onion, Edamame, Cucumber, Shiso Leaves, Crispy Onion and Garlic, Yuzu Ponzu
The salmon chunks were juicy and very fresh. I loved the tart and refreshing flavor of the yuzu ponzu and the distinct taste of the shiso leaf. Avocado was obviously lovely and creamy and the crispy onion and garlic gave it a great textural contrast and a kick of flavor. 

I loved my meal here and clearly a ton of other people do too! It is inexpensive and keeps you feeling full and healthy. Hopefully the lines will calm down after a while!

Pokeworks

63 W 37th Street

New York

NY 10018

Bravo Pizza

N lives really close to Bravo Pizza so this is our go to whenever we hang out at her house. The crust is always great and the pizza humongous. My two favorite flavors is the ricotta and spinach and ricotta with pepperoni.

Bravo Pizza

146 5th Avenue 

New York

NY 10011

Katsu-hama

Katsu-hama is a tonkatsu speciality restaurant and I've been meaning to pop by for a while since I love tonkatsu. I thought it was pretty tasty but nothing too special. I've had better katsu don's at regular Japanese restaurants. My ultimate favorite tonkatsu is still Tonkichi in HK but that is far far away right now :( I still need to try out Go Go Curry!

Prawn Katsu 
The prawns were well sized and the breading crispy but slightly too thick. 

Katsudon 
The sauce and onions were well cooked but the pork filet had large chunks of fat which were quite unappealing. I actually prefer the katsudon over at Raku, which also serves amazing udon! 

In general I would not go back but I think it's a decent place for a inexpensive lunch if you work in the area.

Katsu-hana

11 E 47th Street

New York

NY 10017

Earth Cafe

Earth Cafe is a super cute cafe in Manhattan Valley with delicious offerings such as avocado toast and frittatas in a bright and sunny interior. They also have some outdoor seating for when the weather permits. It is a perfect spot to catch up with a friend over coffee or to get some work done alone.

Goat Cheese, Walnut, and Honey Croissant
This was absolutely heavenly. The croissant was flakey and buttery and the filling was just perfection. The tartness of the goat cheese was paired nicely with the sweet and gooey honey and the crunch of the walnuts completed this dish. 

Earth Cafe 

2578 Broadway 

New York

NY 10025

Community Food & Juice

Community Food and Juice is one of the most popular restaurants around Columbia. The atmosphere is bright and airy and the food is delicious and wholesome. I haven't been back to Community in ages and decided to grab brunch with C one sunny day. There was a 20-30 minute wait on a weekend which is not bad at all and we were really happy with our meal.

Banana Walnut Pancakes with Warm Maple Butter 
Mmmm these were so good. While they were not as good at Clinton Street's, these were still fluffy and hearty. I loved the addition of the crunchy walnuts and the maple butter were also yummy. The one big complaint I had was that the server charged me for asking for extra syrup when I asked if I could get the rest of the pancakes to go. It was definitely a "seriously?" moment and just did not seem very nice. 

Vegetable Frittata - Asparagus, Melted Leeks, Roasted Tomato, Fontina, Lynnhaven Goat Cheese, Fresh Thyme
I had a bite of this and loved it! The veggies were all delicious and the goat cheese was heavenly. 

Heritage Hickory Bacon 
Decent and smokey bacon! Love bacon with pancakes! 

Sweet Potato Fries 
These tasted nice but were very soggy. I would give this a miss. 

Overall the meal was enjoyable but I would not say this is a must visit in New York. It is a cute spot if you are in/live in the area.

Community Juice & Food

2893 Broadway 

New York

NY 10025

Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company

We are blessed with many amazing bagel places in New York and Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company is one of my favorites! The bagel is so fluffy and the everything topping is very generous. The scallion cream cheese is also packed with flavor and fresh scallions. NOM!

Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company 

286 8th Avenue #1

New York

NY 10001

The New York Slice

Just a delicious slice of pizza from a random deli :D

Sausage egg and cheese

The carts in New York have some of the best sandwiches for a great bargain. It's kind of like eating fishballs and gai dan zai in Hong Kong . I LOVE biting into a piping hot croissant filled with gooey cheese, sausage/bacon, and eggs. Clearly, some carts are superior than others, and this one from one outside Columbia's Medical Center up in 168th street is amazingggg.

Wa Bar

Wa Bar is a popular spot in K town for casual food and drinks. I've actually never been before this time but had a pretty good time. We were looking for a bite to eat after a DJ event and roamed into Wa Bar pretty late at night. The food was yummy but I still think Turntable has the best Korean fried chicken. The ribs with the cheese was also a bit weird as the cheese got hard and did not really add to the dish. Overall I think this is a solid choice for food and a fun night with alcohol but not a place I would particularly crave usually.

Wa Bar

28 W 32rd Street

New York

NY 10001

Tom Yum Kung Restaurant

I have passed by Tom Yum Kung Restaurant a few times in my first week but did not make plans to eat there yet. My first dining experience here was actually quite unplanned and happened because J and I were looking for a specific type of noodle after our saturday excursion to Oudong Mountain. I found an article on Serious Eats and there was a specific type of noodle that we wanted to try in Cambodia. We kept asking our Tuktuk driver and he took us to a Chinese restaurant. Clearly this was not what we wanted so he then dropped us off here... at a Thai restaurant. We were unable to find the dish we wanted initially but I was glad that we stopped by here because the food was very good and cheap! The restaurant serves both Thai and Khmer cuisine.

Thai Sweet Basil, Chili, and Pork / Phat Kaprao
This dish was very tasty and I always enjoy an egg on top of anything. I do wish that the egg was a bit more runny though. The pork was flavored well and the sweet basil added a lovely flavor. I think there could have been more chili but that's because I love spicy things! I wouldn't say this is my favorite dish but it was enjoyable. 

Pad See Ew with Tofu 
Ahhhh this was so yummy! The noodles were very chewy and soft at the same time, I also loved how wide they were. The sauce was sweet and savory and a good amount of egg covered the noodles and the vegetables. I wish the tofu wasn't as hard though but I would definitely order this again. This was also only 2.5 USD! 

This restaurant is really close to my office for the summer so I would definitely be down to come back and try their other dishes. The pad see ew was super yummy and I will have to control myself to not order that every time! 

Tom Yum Kung Restaurant

#10 

Street 278

BKK1

Khan Chamkarmorn
Phnom Penh
Cambodia

Lobsta Truck

This day was such a fun and hectic day because we did not have a lot of days left to eat but there was so much to pig out in. Therefore we decided to go to two places for lunch. It was so hard to not overeat because the lobster rolls were gooood. The rolls at Lobsta Truck was definitely not as good at Luke's Lobsters in NYC but we were also quite hungry so it was tempting to just shove our face when we got here. The lobster was cut into large generous chunks and was juicy and sweet. I always prefer the warm version with butter but every sandwich was well seasoned. The crab was also yummy. Luke's Lobster is better because the bread is sweeter and more buttery and rich. The clam chowder was pretty damn good as well. Our next stop was my ultimate favorite: Ricky's Fish Tacos! Stay tuned.

Lobsta Truck

Various Locations (check site for most updated locations)

Il Tramezzino

M went to school in USC and therefore I knew that he would have a good list of yummy places to visit. I had a bunch of "must eats" that I was eager to try but the place that M chose was pretty satisfying. The croissant panini was particularly delicious and made for a instagram worthy shot :) I don't think I would make a point to come here if I was in LA as there are so many interesting places to go to but if I lived here I would love to come here for a very solid panini.

454 N Canon Drive

Beverly Hills

CA 90210

USA