Maharlika

I have always been curious about Filipino food and so was keen when J recommended we try out Maharlika in the East Village.

Balut - Fertilized Duck Egg
I am a super adventurous eater but this was one thing that I thought I would never try. Balut is a Southeast Asian delicacy and is a half developed bird/egg. I was definitely a little grossed out but was also very curious. J said that he's had it multiple times and enjoyed it. You crack open the shell and see random blobs of stuff and little feathers.... definitely not for the faint of heart. I had the parts that were more egg-like and must admit I quite enjoyed it. It had a incredibly rich eggy flavor. I did not eat the half developed feathery/meat bits as much and was ready to move onto the next dish. 

Lumpia - Spring Rolls 
These were fried nicely and flavorful, but nothing special.

Arroz Caldo - Filipino Style Congee
I really enjoyed this congee. It was smooth and the chili/garlic oil on top was very nice. 

Braised Eggplant
This was tasty but much too oily. 

Sprite Marinaded Pork with Garlic Fried Rice
Ugh the pork was like sandpaper! It was so dry and overcooked. The only thing that was nice was the garlic rice. 

Overall I thought the food was sub-par. I have seen many posts regarding their dinner and brunch that looks much better but I do not think I would recommend this place.

Maharlika 

111 1st Avenue 

New York

NY 10003

Serafina

Serafina has multiple locations in the city and is a safe choice if you are looking for solid traditional Italian food. I would not say its a must visit by any means but if you are looking for some well made dishes at reasonable prices this would be it.

Truffle Pizza 
This was delicious! The crust was well made and the truffles were fragrant on top of the ooey gooey cheese topping. 

Lobster Ravioli
I tried one of my friend's ravioli and was not a huge fan as the filling was a bit too minced for my liking and the pasta sheet was a tad too thick. 

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio 
A simple dish that was made very well. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the simple flavors really shone through. 

Tomato Gnocchi
The tomato sauce was hearty and tangy and the gnocchi was fluffy. My friend enjoyed this.

The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy and I enjoyed my dinner here.

Serafina

1022 Madison Ave

New York

NY 10075

Flex Mussels

Flex Mussels is a classic that never disappoints! The food is always delicious and the vibe is fun and cozy.

PARMA - parmigiano cream, lemon, scallions, toasted garlic, crispy shallots
The mussels are super plump and sweet and the crispy shallots on top gave the creamy dish a crunchy element. A squeeze of lemon was perfect to offset the richness of the dish.

The Flex Donut Collection
Oh my god these donuts are heavenly! These little nuggets of delicious are fluffy and injected with a selection of amazing fillings such as caramel and peanut butter and jelly. The vanilla sauce is also very well made. MUST ORDER! 

I have also seen pictures of savory donuts for brunch but unfortunately I will be unable to try them until my next visit to New York.

Flex Mussels 

174 82nd Street

New York

NY 10028 

Takashi Ramen

I have always been a huge fan of Takashi but have never gotten their ramen! They only serve it at Friday and Saturdays at midnight and 1 am so you definitely do need to make an effort to taste this bowl of yumminess! Similar to the beefastic yakiniki offerings of the regular menu, the ramen is also beef centered with a beef broth and roasted beef belly. The broth is incredibly rich and the noodles were cooked perfectly. I was super full from dinner earlier so I shared a bowl with A but halfway I was actually wishing I had a full bowl!

I definitely recommend trying this bowl of ramen out! I wish it was served during more hours of the day but perhaps it makes it even more alluring :p

Takashi 

456 Hudson Street

New York

NY 10011

Striphouse

Striphouse is one of New York's classic steakhouses and I've been wanting to try this place for a while. I usually don't do dish by dish reviews for steakhouses/sushi restaurants (unless there were some special dishes) so will do a brief synopsis.

The appetizers and sides were VERY good. I loved the creamed spinach and the creamed corn. It was incredibly indulgent and well made. The bacon was up to par to other solid steak houses and the mac and cheese was also yummy.

The steak was also cooked well and I enjoyed the unique rub they had. Minetta's is still my favorite steak in the city but Striphouse did a good job.

The one thing was a little bizarre was the service. It is a little hard to explain because our server was actually very nice but acted super strange towards one of our dining companions. She refused to fill up her glass with wine and also seemed to serve her less food. We had to ask her outwardly to fill her class in order for her to get much attention. This obviously ruined the mood of our friend and it was not ideal. If our server thought our friend was underage (she is not) she can easily ask for an ID but her behavior was unacceptable and just weird.

The food was actually very good, but the service was unfortunate. However, I wouldn't say that you should avoid Striphouse and that it is worth a try! It is also pretty easy to make a reservation which is a plus.

Striphouse

15 W 44th St.

New York

NY 10036

5 Senses

With a plethora of options in Ktown, it is difficult to pick a place sometimes. 5 Senses continuously delivers solid Korean favorites and I highly recommend it! The dish below s a spicy octopus rice in a hot stone plate and it was SO delicious. The rice gets crispier as the meal goes on and the entire dish is drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce. Delicious any day but absolutely perfect for a cold wintery night!

5 Senses

9 W 32nd St.

New York

NY 10001

ABC Cocina

ABC Cocina is celebrity chef's Jean-Georges Vongerichten's tapas style restaurant. The cuisine is Spanish and Latin inspired and packed a huge flavor punch! The decor is very eclectic and we came for a yummy lunch after a intense soul session.

Guacamole with Peas and Warm Crunchy Tortillas 
The addition of peas wasn't as bad as I thought it would be haha. The guac was perfectly chunky and very fresh. I loved the warm tortilla chips.

Maitake Mushrooms with Goat Cheese, Fresno Pepper Vinaigrette 
The char on the mushrooms was perfect as it added another level of smokiness to the already earthy flavor of the mushrooms. The tartness of the goat cheese paired perfectly with the mushrooms and I loved how the cheese made the sauce creamier as it melted. It was a tad too salty but this would be absolutely delicious with some rusty crusty bread.

Chimichurri Grilled Shrimp Salad
The shrimp was juicy and well cooked and paired very well with the crisp salad greens. 

Charred Octopus, Smoked Paprika Creme Fraiche, and Guajillo-Vinaigrette 
Such a decadent dish! The little potato cubes were so crispy and fluffy on the inside and was the perfect bite with the tender chunks of octopus.The creme fraiche had a nice little kick and held the dish together. Once again this was tad salty for me but was just so flavorful that I did not mind. It would be so good over a bowl of white rice (I'm so asian). 

Arroz Con Pollo, Crackling Skin, and Lemon Zest
This was so so good! The rice was permeated with chicken flavor and the crackling was perfect on top of the warm and wet rice. It was such a comforting dish that had many textural components. 

Overall I felt that the food here was well executed and flavor packed. I did think that many of the dishes were a little too salty but they were definitely delicious also. I love the atmosphere and can see how this is a super popular night time spot. I think it would be great for a fun girls night out!

ABC Cocina 

38 E 19th St.

New York

NY 10003

Osteria Morini

Osteria Morini has an amazing Monday Special where pastas are only $10! Their pastas are utterly divine and it was so hard to decide which one to get. We each got 2 each and left with very happy tummies.

GARGANELLI - Pasta Quills, Cream, Peas, Truffle Butter, Prosciutto 
I usually do not like peas but these were fresh and sweet. The cream sauce was not too heavy but still decadent. I loved this dish. 

CAPPELLETTI - Truffled Ricotta Ravioli, Prosciutto, Butter
This is one of their most popular dishes but it was not my favorite. It is definitely still good but I got a bit tired of the pasta after a bit. Ricotta in pasta isn't my favorite (I prefer gooey cheeses) so maybe that's why! 

TAGLIATELLE - Bolognese Ragu, Parmigiano 
This is what the perfect bolognese would taste like - incredibly hearty and rice. The pasta was also fresh and chewy. Delicious! 

Since this is such a great deal, it is usually a bit difficult to score a reservation here on Mondays but the dishes are also well priced on regular days! I highly recommend Osteria Morini for quality Italian food!

Osteria Morini

218 Lafayette Street

New York 

NY 10012

Seamore's Again

Seamore's is a gem in NYC and a place I can go back to again and again. The food is always incredibly fresh and the flavors are bright and delicious. I also love that it is environmentally conscious and serves only sustainable seafood. The owner Michael Chernow is also frequently at the restaurant and always checks in with his customers about their experience. I really love it when you can tell that the owner is passionate about his business and make the extra effort to make his customers have a great experience. They have some constant items on their menu and also specials on whatever is freshest at the time. Check out the menu here!

Kale and Avocado Salad - Walnuts, Sweet Potato, Quinoa, Honey-Apple Vinaigrette 
This salad is absolutely delicious! The vinaigrette has the perfect touch of sweetness and I love to top off this salad with one of their daily fresh seafood offerings. The crunch of the walnuts and the crisp apples also take the salad to the next level. 

Poke - Ponzu, Peanut, Avocado 
This poke is incredibly flavorful and has a slight Asian flavor to it with some sesame oil. The fish is very fresh and the serving is also very generous. This dish definitely is a party in your mouth. At times I think this is slightly salty since the chips are also salted but I would highly recommend ordering this! I could totally see myself eating this over rice. 

I love Seamore's and would highly recommend it to anyone! Apart from the great seafood offerings, I hear that their burgers are also on point.

Seamore's

390 Broome St.

New York

NY 10013

Forty Carrots

I have had my fair share of froyo so it means quite a lot when I say that this is the best froyo I've ever had! The froyo at Forty Carrots is incredibly creamy and LOOK AT THAT SERVING! I love the granola topping and also added walnuts (and chocolate another time) but think that I would be happy with just the granola itself! I usually add mochi, captain crunch, and fruits to my froyo but am more simple here.

Forty Carrots

Bloomingdales 

1000 3rd Avenue 

New York

NY 10022

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