Candle Cafe

Those who have followed my blog for a while (or ever eaten with me) know how much I love meat. However, I obviously don't eat a 22 oz piece of steak everyday or else I would not fit in my apartment and also love my veggies and tofu (it's all about balance haha!). One thing I never got into was places that specifically serve vegan or vegetarian food and I particularly hated "fake meats" as I thought they were so weird and unnatural. However, I've actually been exploring vegan options more often than usual thanks to vegan colleagues and friends. I had a super delicious cupcake the other day and also had a lovely meal at Candle Cafe with my new dear friend M. The food was super yummy and I am definitely excited to explore more of the vegan scene in New York.

Potato Latkes - Ginger-Apple Sauce, Cashew-Horseradish Sour Cream
The latkes are not as crispy as I would like but they were still pretty tasty! I loved the ginger apple sauce and little bits of crunchy apple slices on top. 

Artichoke, Leeks, and Pesto Brushetta 
Mmm this was delicious! The pesto was super flavorful and the artichokes and leeks were cooked perfectly. I loved this dish!

Penne with Peas, Corn, and Zucchini 
I usually hate peas but these were fresh so I actually enjoyed it! The veggies were fresh and sweet. The pasta was also cooked well and held up against the hearty tomato sauce. Not a super memorable dish but it was tasty and filling! 

Pomegranate Chipotle Grilled Tempeh - Sweet Potato Puree, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, Mole Sauce, Fennel-Apple Salad 
I had a small taste of this from M and loved it. The sweet potato was so delicious and I loved the addition of the pomegranate. The flavors worked so well together and I loved the different textures also. 

Sweet Potato Pie - Coconut Whipped Cream, Cinnamon Ice Cream 
The crust was not the best but the sweet potato with the cinnamon ice cream worked really well together. 

I am so glad that I broadened my tastes and gave this a try. I also had By Chloe (a super popular vegan spot) and will be posting a review on that soon! I am also excited to try out this vegan sushi place called Beyond Sushi.

Candle Cafe 

2427 Broadway 

New York

NY 10024

Chomp Chomp

Chomp Chomp serves Singaporean and Malaysian Hawker food and since I LOVE cereal prawn I was really excited to try it out with G. I thought the meal was pretty good but I think it lacked a little bit of that extra oomph. However, I did have a enjoyable meal and think it is a decent choice if you want these dishes in a less hectic atmosphere as compared to Nyonya.

Crispy Cereal and Curry Leaves Crusted Head On Prawns
While the dish itself was perfectly fine, it was just mediocre when compared to the cereal prawns I had in the actual hawker centers in Singapore. The cereal coating was not as crunchy and decadent and prawns were also not as juicy and meaty. I did love devouring the shrimp heads though. 

Kerabu Sotong - Spicy Calamari Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Mint, Galangal, and Calamansi
I am an avid hater of cilantro so I had to carefully pick away each stem before eating this dish. The flavors were refreshing and the calamari was tender and meaty. I loved the crunch of the cucumber and the juicy plump tomatoes along with the crispy garlic on top. 

Chye Tao Kueh - Fried Radish Cake, Shrimp, Chinese Sausage, Chives
Yum yum yum I love turnip cake! This was a very satisfying dish but I think it would be even better if the turnip cake was a bit more brown (but that could be just me as I like this EXTRA crispy). It was pretty good but could use a slight flavor kick. I am no expert in Singaporean cuisine but it just seemed to lack a little something. 

Char Kway Teow - Wok Fried Rice Noodles with Clams and Shrimp
I really enjoyed this dish! Flat noodles are some of my favorite types of noodles and the savory and sweet sauce was excellent. 

Overall I think Chomp Chomp is worth a try but probably not the best Singaporean food in the city (and probably a little pricier than some places). However, the atmosphere is lovely and the staff are incredibly warm so I would recommend coming here if you are in the mood for some Singaporean dishes!

Chomp Chomp

7 Cornelia Street

New York

NY 10014

Her Name is Han

Her Name is Han has been getting a ton of positive reviews and I was really excited to check it out. I really loved the concept of the place too because it is named after the owners Mom which I thought was super sweet. Following this concept, the cuisine is supposed to be very homey and nostalgic of home/mom's cooking. The atmosphere itself was also quite cozy and I had a really enjoyable dining experience here. I wouldn't say its a ton better than other places as there are a number of places offering similar dishes in the area, but I think it is worth a try if the wait is not too crazy! I do like how they have some dishes that are slightly different such as the topping tofu and the crispy tekbokki (not pictured here but I had it another time). They also have some interesting drinks. All in all I would recommend this place!

Topping Tofu
The tofu was smooth and full of flavor. I loved the sesame sauce on top but the crispy onions were soggy and stale. We told them and they replaced it right away. The next time I came here they were also a bit stale so I think that's something they should fix because the fresh onions made all the difference in the world. 

Beef, Deodeok Root, Kimchi with Sesame Mustard Sauce
This was nice and refreshing but probably not something I would particularly order. I enjoyed the tanginess of the dressing and the crunchiness of the root but it was not my favorite dish. 

Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables 
This is one of my favorite Korean dishes and I enjoyed every last bite of this! It was very tender and I loved the savory and sweet sauce. One of the best comfort foods with a big bowl of rice! 

Spicy Assorted Seafood and Homemade Dumpling Stew 
I was not too into eating the seafood but the soup itself was absolutely delicious. It was very flavorful but also clean and not heavy. It had a very pure seafood sweetness and also slightly spicy. 

Overall I think Her Name is Han is definitely one of the better restaurants in Ktown and worth a try! I didn't have to wait the two times I came but I hear that the line can get a bit crazy.

Her Name is Han

17 E 31st Street

New York

NY10016

Steak at Matt's

M and I love to cook together and one of his speciality dishes is steak :D We decided to pair it with some mushrooms and shallots and garlic spinach.

Cosme

Cosme serves high end contemporary Mexican cuisine in New York's Flatiron district. I've heard various good reviews and noted it down on my list of to try's. It was quite difficult to get a table for a while but I was glad to finally be able to try it out at one of my birthday dinners with T and A.

Cobia al pastor, Pineapple Puree, Cilantro 
What a fresh and delicious start to the meal! The cobia slices were hearty and nicely spiced. The pineapple was perfectly tart and sweet and went so well with the fish. I also loved how you had the textural contrast of the puree and the slices of the fruit itself. 

Burrata, Passila Mixe Salsa, Weeds
This was very subpar. The burrata wasn't too creamy and it was a bit bland. 

Uni Tostada, Avocado, Bone Marrow Salsa, Cucumber
Delicious! Fresh uni with indulgently flavorful bone marrow on top of a crispy tostada. 

Black Garlic Rubbed NY Strip for Tacos, Shishitos, Avocado-tarragon Puree
This dish was good but nothing special. The steak was cooked nicely and I enjoyed the creamy avocado but I would have preferred more exciting flavors. 

Duck Carnitas, Onion, Radishes, Salsa Verde 
The duck carnitas is their most famous dish and I can certainly see why! The duck was very succulent and just melt in your mouth. The accompany sauces also provided a lovely flavor combination. The onions and radishes provide a much needed fresh crunch to the decadent and juicy duck meat. A must order. 

Husk Meringue, Corn Mousse 
This was an absolute dream. The corn flavor was amazing and the mousse was so creamy and luscious. Another must order. 

They also brought out this little birthday slice which I thought was a sweet touch. 

Overall I had a enjoyable meal here and also got to take a healthy amount of the duck carnitas home for a yummy leftover meal the next day! I wouldn't say I am rushing to come back or that it's a must visit but if you are interested in some refined Mexican cuisine in a sophisticated setting I would definitely recommend Cosme!

Cosme 

35 E 21st St. 

New York

NY 10010

Rosemary's

Rosemary's has always been known to be a super cute spot with delicious Italian fare. Unfortunately, only the former statement was true when I had lunch here with G and W. The space was absolutely adorable but the food was extremely mediocre. There was no wait here for a weekday late lunch but I hear that there is usually quite a long wait to dine here for dinner and brunch. I wonder if the food is better during dinner but a high quality restaurant should not have this issue.

Octopus Salame - Basil, Sicilian Giardiniere
I've had similar dishes like this before where the texture was on point and the flavors are clean and sweet. This was quite the opposite. It was chewy and bland and not enjoyable at all. 

Cavatelli - Butternut Squash, Walnuts, Sage
This was actually not bad. The pasta was cooked nicely and the butternut squash was sweet and creamy. I also enjoyed the crunch of the walnuts. However, this was not good enough to make up for the mediocrity of the other dishes. 

Warm Chicken Salad - Roasted Chicken, Kale, Endives, Radicchio, Spiced Walnuts, Gorgonzola, Chicken Jus
Meh... another so so dish. Nothing horrible about it but just a bit roughly done and very forgettable. 

Fig and Prosciutto Focacce - Prosciutto, Black Mission Fig, Arugula, Balsami 
Another forgettable dish, the ingredients actually all sound so delicious but it was just so whatever when the final product came. I think fresh figs would have been better as the dried figs were quite hard and did not go well with the bread. 

The food was incredibly mediocre and our server was also really annoying and awkward. This was disappointing as I've read so many good reviews and the atmosphere is so cute! I will not be returning.

Rosemary's 

18 Greenwich Ave. 

New York

NY 10011

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