Hamptons BBQ

Ahhh I have so many posts to do! I've been totally slacking but will be trying to update more in these upcoming weeks! I am going to the Hamptons again this weekend but these pictures are from when the weather was warmer :)

Race Lane

I have been dying to go the Hamptons for the summer and F was able to squeeze in an amazing weekend trip full of delicious dinners, brunch, and wine tasting at a beautiful vineyard. Our first meal was dinner at Race Lane and we sat outside in a super cute garden. The food was delicious and our server was also very friendly and ensured that we had a enjoyable evening.

Octopus - Tomato Confit, Kalamata Olives, Parsley, Pickled Red Chili
The octopus was very tender and I loved the addition of the olives and the tartness of the pickled red chili.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras - Rhubarb Chutney, Kumquats, Brioche, Vanilla
J and S had never tried foie gras before and I knew that we had to order this and make them the perfect bite. Foie is one of my favorite dishes and this rendition did not disappoint. The foie was very creamy and decadent and the kumquats were perfectly sweet and the rhubarb provided the needed tartness to offset all the richness. 

Beef Carpaccio - Wagyu, Arugula, Reggiano, Lemon Aioli, Capers
I only had a small bite of this but remembered it to be a very solid dish. Nothing special, just a very well executed classic beef carpaccio. 

Buffala Mozzerella - Prosciutto di Parma, Cantaloupe, Basil, Apple Balsamic, Lemon Olive Oil
The presentation of this dish was lovely and I loved how the cantaloupe was cut into little orbs. Once again this was solid execution of a classic combination of flavors and it did not disappoint.

Hamachi Crudo with Jalapeño and Citrus Dressing
The fish was fresh and the dressing was not overpowering but the jalapeño was WAY too spicy as they did not take away the seeds.

RL Burger - American Wagyu, Red Onion Jam, Spiced Bacon, Aged Cheddar
I had a small bite the burger and it was delicious. The patty had a great meaty flavor and was also very juicy. The bacon was very thick and the spice was a really nice touch. 

Sea Scallop - Parsnip Puree, Maitake Mushroom, Zucchini 
The scallops were perfectly seared and the parsnip puree was creamy and delicious. I did not like the maitake mushrooms as they were a bit bland. 

Striped Bass - Pan Seared, Swiss Chard, Fingerling, Heirloom, Tomato, Saffron 
I did not try this dish but the presentation was beautiful. 

Vegetable Risotto - Leek, Squash, Zucchini, Mushroom, White Wine, Reggiano 
The risotto was perfectly al dente and the sweetness of the fresh vegetables was the star of the dish. 

Organic Roasted Chicken - Yukon Gold Mash, Haricot Vert, Pancetta, Au Jus
The skin was crispy and the meat was very juicy. The flavors were also on point and the mashed potatoes were buttery and smooth.

Parmesan Truffle Fries 
This was probably the most disappointing dish of the night. The fries were soggy and no one likes soggy fries :( 

Lobster Mac & Cheese 
This was such a hit amongst our dinner party! The mac and cheese was delightfully cheesy and luxurious and there were also very generous chunks of lobster meat. The crunchy panko crust was also amazing. I also wanted another order of this! 

Overall I had a lovely time at Race Lane and would definitely come again! The atmosphere was lovely and the food was also very good. Thanks to everyone who helped with the lighting for the pictures :) 

Race Lane Restaurant 

31 Race Lane

East Hampton

NY 11937

Les Halles

Les Halles is a french restaurant that is famous for their steak frites and for having Anthony Bourdain as its former executive chef.

Escargots - Snails Roasted in Garlic Butter 
The snails were plumb and I loved soaking up the garlic butter with my bread. I also enjoyed how the snails were already out of the shell because sometimes I have difficulty extracting it and almost have a Pretty Woman moment. Having the snails out of the shell also allows the garlic butter to seep into the snails and result in a stronger flavor. 

Salade d’Auvergne arugula, endive, bleu d’Auvergne, roasted walnuts and apples with walnut vinaigrette
I loved this flavor combination and this salad was definitely needed as we had a lot of meat and fries.

Steak Tartare - Lean Top Round, Ground to Order
I really liked how this was ground to order and made table side, that was definitely a nice touch. The meat was a little too minced for my liking but the taste was on point. 

Foie Gras Poëlé aux Pommes - Foie Gras Sautéed with Apple, Walnuts, and Calvados Sauce
Guhhh this was delicious. The foie was smooth and fragrant and the apple's sweetness balanced that richness of the foie perfectly. 

Coq au Vin - Rooster Braised in Red Wine, Bacon, Button Mushrooms and Pearl Onion
This dish was incredibly well done and I was very impressed with the complexity and richness of the flavors. It tasted like how red velvet feels if that makes any sense. The pearl onions were very sweet and the chicken was juicy and tender. 

Noix de St. Jacques Poêléesaux Champagne - Pan Seared Scallops with Artichoke Barigoule and Champagne Cream Sauce
The scallops were seared perfectly and were plump and juicy. The artichokes were also able a great accompaniment to the scallops. 

Confit de Canard - Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Frisée Salad, and Truffled Potatoes
The skin was perfectly crispy and the meat was juicy. I still think Balthazar's duck confit is still #1 as it is just so incredibly flavorful and delicious but this is also well done. 

Overall I enjoyed the meal and think that this is a nice option when you want well executed French Brasserie fare. Balthazar is still my favorite but it is usually more difficult to get reservations so this would be a nice second choice. I also did not get the steak frites so I would definitely be happy to come back to try their iconic dish.

Les Halles 

411 Park Avenue South

New York

NY 10016

Levain Bakery

Levain Bakery has some of New York's most legendary cookies but I can't believe it took me so long to finally try them! But maybe its a blessing in disguise because if I knew how delicious they were earlier I would be the size of a small island by now. The cookies definitely lived up to its hype and I have been gushing about them to my friends since that first magical bite. These cookies really hit the spot because during thesis crunch time and M and I definitely needed this for brain fuel.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie
I've tried every flavor and my favorites are this one and the raison oatmeal! The peanut butter and double choco? is also very good but I think its just due toe personal preference. The cookies are so incredibly soft and fudgey it's truly every bit as delectable and scrumptious as the picture looks. 

Look at how big they were! (And ignore how big my eye bags were... it was finals season T_T) 

Levain Bakery 

167 W 74th Street

New York

NY 10023

Bar Kogi

I love korean fried chicken and Korean food in general so I was excited to try out Bar Kogi which is one of J's favorites places since he lives right across the street. We ordered a bunch of other stuff as well but I was only able to snap pictures of two of the dishes because I got lazy :p The wings were yummy but I still think Turntable Chicken has the best korean fried chicken in NYC.

Tekbokki with Extra Cheese and Ramen 
Carbs and cheese are my favorite things (and fries haha) and while we were told that this preparation was not traditional I really loved it. It was quite spicy but the sauce was balanced nicely as it was also very flavorful and sweet. The amount of cheese was ideal and I love the sprinkle of scallion on the top. 

Overall I enjoyed the fun and casual atmosphere of Bar Kogi and definitely would be happy to return. It is a great neighborhood spot for a quick and yummy bite.

Bar Kogi

952 2nd Avenue 

New York 

NY 10022

American Cut

As much as I love steak, American Cut has never been on the top of my list of restaurants to try for some reason. It was not until I saw an instagram post about its stellar Restaurant Week menu that I decided to book a table. American Cut is opened by Marc Forgione, who is an Iron Chef and the food definitely lived up to his reputation!

My party and I were a bit peeved in the beginning because we were told to sit at the bar even though we arrived perfectly on time and were not seated until 20 minutes later. The hostess did not give us any explanation until we asked her twice regarding the table and this definitely did not help that we were all incredibly hangry. The bartender was very professional and we enjoyed our drinks so that did calm us down a bit haha. One other issue was that the AC was broken so it was quite stuffy in there. But apart from these two small hiccups the food was PHENOMENAL and I had a great dining experience. Our servers were very sweet and professional and the dinner went very smoothly. We ordered two Restaurant Week Menus and also from the a la carte menu. I would definitely be happy to come back and try out other items on the menu. I've heard that the tater tots were amazing so that in itself is enough for my return :D

Everything Biscuits  
Good lord these biscuits were good. They were so fluffy, buttery, and flakey that I also asked for seconds but I knew I had to save my tummy for the main event.

Diamond Jim Brady Oysters - Champagne, Black Truffle, Cruola 
These oysters were slightly salty but still very yummy. The hint of truffle was perfect and the cheesy mashed potatoes also was a perfect compliment to the oysters. 

Bacon, Schaller & Weber - MF Steak Sauce, Black Onion
Bacon is always a good idea but this bacon was out of this world. It almost had a slightly short rib richness to it and the umami from the bacon and the black onion was spectacular. 

Hanger - 9 oz Pastrami Spice, Smoke 
The steak was cooked perfectly and I loved the pastrami spice. It really gave the steak an unique flavor and took the meal to the next level. 

Wild Mushrooms and Grilled Polenta, Sunchoked Spinach with Fontina and Smoked Salt, and Potato Puree "Robuchon" and Local Butter 
The wild mushrooms were cooked perfectly and had a lovely earthy flavor. The spinach was very creamy and decadent, and the potatoes were very smooth and buttery. Delicious sides! 

The New York City Cut - 20 oz Bone-In Ribeye, Pastrami Spices, Smoke
The steak was a tinsy bit more raw than medium rare but it still tasted amazing so we had no complaints. The rub once again was great and the crust was perfect. The meat was so juicy and had great flavor. 

Oh hell yeah 

Bell & Evans Chicken - Natural Jus, Chili
We decided to order the chicken from the Restaurant Week Menu since we already had two steaks. I usually would not order chicken at a steak house but boy am I glad we did! This was one of the most well done pieces of chicken we have ever tried. The flavors were very simple and allowed the impeccable taste of the chicken meat to shine through. It was very obvious that this chicken was of high quality and the execution was also on point. The meat was incredibly juicy and the skin was also crispy and not at all greasy. 

Cracker Jack Sundae - Popcorn Ice Cream
MAN this is good. The amount of caramel was just perfect and the texture of the popcorn was ideal with the ice cream. My only complaint was that it was too small even though I was full up to my eyeballs from this meal. The ice cream was also wonderfully smooth and creamy.

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream
This was probably the least successful dish of the night. It had a strange tart flavor to it and I really did not like it. 

I had such a great meal here and I am already telling friends all about it! My next steak destination is Delmonico or Bowery Meat Company but American Cut definitely left a great impression on me and I can't wait to return! 

American Cut 

363 Greenwich Street

New York

NY 10013

July 4th Festivities

I've never celebrated July 4th before as I was always back in Hong Kong for the summer so I was super excited to have my first July 4th celebration in the US of A. We had a BBQ and we also made a lot of sides and dessert.

Pilot and his little hat :)

Oooey gooey cheesy corn dip