Sushi Seki

I heard that there is a restaurant that serves an omakase similar to that of Gari in which the sushi pieces are a result of interesting and non-traditional flavor combinations. While I like Gari, I've had a few hits and misses there and I hear that Sushi Seki is actually better so I was very keen on trying it out for myself. I was delighted to find out that I was able to snag a few seats at the bar even though I only called a few days ahead. I am happy to also say that the dinner was absolutely delicious! I (and the sushi chef) felt like the omakase can go on forever but I finally called it quits after my ikura quail egg piece. The servers and sushi chefs were very polite and professional and I enjoyed every item of my meal. They had some pieces that were very similar to Gari such as the salmon tomato and eel avocado. I personally thought the salmon tomato was better at Seki but W felt the opposite. The toro was melt in your mouth and the spicy scallop roll was also a must order! Everything was expertly prepared, perfectly seasoned, and extremely fresh. While I don't remember exactly how many pieces I ate at Gari, Seki definitely seems to be pricier so this would not be a place to hit up every weekend unfortunately, we did have two big bottles of sake so that could have also contributed to the tab ;). Also, I had a few more pieces than pictured. Sushi porn lovers will adore this post... so without further ado... enjoy!

We all left the restaurant feeling very satisfied! I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Sushi Seki 

1143 1st Avenue 

New York

NY 10065

The Meatball Shop

The Meatball Shop is probably one of the first NYC restaurants that I heard about. It has been years since I first heard of it and I finally got around to trying it out last week. Unfortunately it was rather disappointing but I've heard that it has inconsistency issues with its various locations. I think the idea is really cute and I love the set up of the menu, however, the food was not that great and while it was not so bad that I would never return, I also would not specifically recommend it.

I loved how you can pick and choose your own dish (you also do that with the ice cream sandwiches for dessert) 

Classic Beef Meatballs with Marinara Sauce over Polenta 
Our waitress recommended the classic beef balls but they were a complete let down! They were very stiff and definitely needed more fat in the mixture. The marinara sauce was also much too tart and the polenta was not creamy or rich enough. 

Spicy Pork Meatballs with Spicy Meat Sauce 
The pork balls were much more flavorful and also richer in texture. The spicy meat sauce was also more complex in flavors and not as sour. 

Ice Cream Sandwich
The cookies weren't soft enough and my ice cream melted SUPER fast. Flavors were good though and I loved how you can pick two flavors of cookies and the ice cream filling. 

Overall, it was not a bad meal and I would come again for the pork meatballs and perhaps try the mushroom gravy but this is definitely not a place I am particularly yearning to return to. The wines are very reasonably priced though and the atmosphere is casual and cute. I hear that there is another meatball shop called Polpette nearby so I will give that a go next!

The Meatball Shop

447 Amsterdam Avenue

New York

NY 10024

Jado Sushi

While I love traditional sushi, I do enjoy elaborate sushi rolls here and there. I was meeting D and M for dinner and D suggested we go to Jado Sushi in Harlem as she's been multiple times and has enjoyed her meal there. The food was really good and I would be happy to return even though it took quite long for us to get our dishes. Our server was really friendly and everything was well made. The chicken karage was super crispy and juicy and all the rolls were tasty and interesting.

Jado Sushi

2118 Frederick Douglas Blvd

New York 

NY 10026

Dough

I'm not the biggest donut eater but Dough seriously has some of the best donuts I've ever tasted. I really did enjoy Krispy Kreme though when it was opened in Hong Kong but ever since then I haven't particularly raved about any specific donut. The donuts at Dough are sooo chewy and soft and the flavors are also so decadent and delicious. They used to be in Brooklyn so I am so pleased that they decided to open a shop in Flatiron on a street that I frequent often. I've tried a number of their flavors and LOVE the cafe au lait and hibiscus. I initially wasn't sure if I would like the hibiscus because they said it was quite tart but it was actually really great. It's a bit difficult to describe the taste but it's quite refreshing and interesting. If you go around closing time they might also throw in a few free donuts! I have yet to try the tres leches so that's next on my list.

Dough

14 W 19th St

Flatiron

New York

NY 10011

Don Peppe

I've already written a previous post on Don Peppe but it's soooo good that I want to bless you all with food porn pics again! I love how it's always consistently delicious and wished that it wasn't so far! By the way if you are wondering which pasta is the one on yelp with shrimp and creamy tomato sauce... its shrimp luciano... we were trying to figure it out for the longest time and ended up getting the wrong dish but it was still delicious so it's ok! Next time A ;)

Remember it's cash only! Come with good friends and a empty belly :)

Don Peppe

135-58 Lefferts Boulevard 

Jamaica

NY 11420

Jongro

I saw a picture of yukhoe from Jongro and knew I had to come! C later mentioned that the meats there are also super delicious we decided to go there for a early dinner. The set up there is super cute and the meats were great and very well priced. We got the kalbi, pork jowl, and the yukhoe. The meats were so juicy and well flavored and the yukhoe was also very tasty albeit a tad sweet. I loved how they gave you a little pot of egg that cooked over the flame so that it was super silky. I would definitely return!

We went really early like around 5:45/6 and got a table right away. When we left around 7ish there were already a ton of people waiting! 

Jongro 

22 W 32nd St 

New York 

NY 10001

Decoy

Oh my godddd this meal was SO good. Decoy has been known to serve some of the best peking duck in town and I really don't know why it took me this long to finally get here. Apart from the to die for duck, all their other dishes were amazing also and quite creative! When you make a reservation for a certain number of people, you are committing to its set duck menu which is ~70 and includes the duck and a set number of appetizers and mains. I am definitely already planning my next visit! I forgot to take pictures of some of the other dishes but I remember everything was scrumptious! I will make sure to take pictures of all the food next time.

Decoy Chips - Black Garlic Dip
Mmmm I love deep fried fish skin when I hotpot so this was a definite hit with me! Super crispy and tasty! 

Assorted Pickles and Cold Veggie Bites 
I loved the tangy spiciness of these pickles and the veggie bites were also refreshing and interesting. 

Shrimp Stuffed Shishito Peppers 
The shrimp amount was very generous and the batter was thin and crispy with no excess grease. 

Oxtail Dumplings Flakey crunchy skin with a rich oxtail filling... delicious! 

Peking Duck
Oh man this was SO good. I can definitely see why Decoy was named #1 peking duck in New York. The skin was so crispy and had the perfect amount of flavorful fat and the meat was juicy and flavorful. I could eat this forever and ever. 

I had such a great dinner here and can't wait to come back! Make sure you come with a group so you can try more dishes!

Decoy 

529-1/2 Hudson Street

New York 

NY 10014