MORIMOTO | CHELSEA | MANHATTAN | NEW YORK

Perfect for: A lunch or dinner with your colleagues

Price range: $$$$ Splurge

My rating: 7.5/10

Food: 6.5/10 Service: 8/10 Ambience: 8.5/10

I arrived at Morimoto with fairly high expectations based on a few things: it was started by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto after a stint at Nobu, fairly good ratings on Yelp plus a relatively high priced menu. I was here for Restaurant Week again, and read a review on Yelp that said this was a steal for $25. Surely it couldn't go wrong. 

Well, I really wanted to like Morimoto. I gave it every chance to impress me, and it ticked some boxes (the dessert and the presentation) but it ruined it for itself in the most important category which was the main course (the less-than-mediocre braised black cod).



It all started very well. I was seated at the sushi bar, and watched the chefs carefully prepare the sashimi and sushi right in front of me. I got the menu from the waiter, and before long, he came back with a warm towel and water. It took a little while to order, but that was expected given there was probably a lunch rush.

The lunch set came nicely arranged, with miso soup, a green salad with a beautiful citrus dressing, wood-ear mushrooms with a sweet sauce, and pickled cucumbers. All the side dishes were good, but they were overlooked when the braised cod turned out badly. The braised cod was dry and overcooked, and tasted like it had been sitting around for a while before it was actually served. I know this was Restaurant Week, but if they couldn't deliver at the same quality as they do normally then I don't think they should participate.

braised black cod with ginger-soy reduction, miso soup, suribachi sesame, mixed greens salad, mixed pickles

They did regain some credibility when they came out with the sudachi pie, which is a Japanese citrus fruit, on a pistachio tart, with pistachio gelato and chopped pistachios. The tart was creamy and tart at the same time - similar to a hybrid of a lemon tart and cheesecake, and the tartness was also offset by the cream on top. The pistachio tart and crumble added texture to the dish as well. This was very well done.

sudachi pie with fresh cream, pistachio tart and pistachio gelato

The service was fine, not exceptional, and especially not for a Japanese restaurant of this price range, which is why I gave this an 8/10 for service. 

All in all, I still can't forget about the braised cod, and I don't think I'll be making a trip back here before I leave New York. 

Meal: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Japanese

Address: 88 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10019, USA

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JOE'S SHANGHAI, CHINATOWN, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

Perfect for: A quick lunch with a friend, but why not go elsewhere in Chinatown?

Price range: $ Cheap

My rating: 5/10

Food: 4/10 Service: 7/10 Ambience: 5/10

It's very rare to find a Chinese joint that has better service than food. You'd bet that it's definitely a fairly inauthentic Chinese restaurant if that's the case (ahem, Chinese fusion restaurants, I'm looking at you). After all the things I heard about the soup dumplings / xiao long bao at Joe's Shanghai, was disappointed to find that this is exactly a restaurant that offers better service than food. 

I consider myself well-versed in the soup dumpling world, having not only consumed hundreds of dollars worth when I lived near the Chinatown area of Sydney, more specifically, I was within 5 walking minutes of a Ding Tai Fung. Joe's Shanghai's xiao long baos do not compare, not even close.

I ordered one set (8) of the crab and pork xiao long bao - highly hyped, surely can't go wrong. Soon after my order, the waiter diligently brought out the tea pot and the vinegar & soy dipping sauce (this is excellent service for a Chinese restaurant). And my tray of soup dumplings came out within five minutes of that. 

The recount of the story, soup dumpling by soup dumpling:

1. My first dumpling was disappointing to say the least. The dough was too tough and thick, the soup had far too much gelatin in it, and the flavour of the filling was overwhelmingly shrimpy - not even the crab and pork flavour I was expecting. 

2. The second dumpling got worse. At this point, the soup in the dumpling was now overpowering and tasted like I was slurping liquid fat, and not even the good kind. 

3-4. The third and fourth dumplings were only memories of me trying to drown the dumplings in the vinegar & soy concoction. 

5-6. The fifth and six dumplings are what I would call "the point of no return" where I felt committed to finishing these bad boys (bad, being the keyword here). I don't even know why I was so committed. 

7-8. The seventh and eighth dumplings: when I saw the light. I gave up. This completely wasn't worth it. There are far better calories to be consumed elsewhere in Chinatown (which is exactly what I did).

All eight torturous soup dumplings came to $10 including tax and tip. You know what I can get for $10 in Chinatown? A lot of good Chinese food, that is not from Joe's Shanghai. You can get a duck sesame pancake from Vanessa's ($2.50), 8 pork and chive fried dumplings from Prosperity Dumpling ($2), a plate of steaming peanut sauce noodles from Shu Jiao Fu Zhou ($2), a takeaway container of steamed ho fun from a hole in the wall joint on Henry and Market ($1.75), and a piece of freshly made beef jerky from Malaysia Beef Jerky ($1) and you still have $0.75 for a rainy day. That's what I call a proper Chinatown experience. 

My key learning from this experience: don't buy into the hype - it's not worth the dollars and the calories. 

Meal: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese 

Address: 24 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA

WEBSITE | YELP

GOTHAM BAR & GRILL, GREENWICH VILLAGE, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

Perfect for: A special occasion date

Price range: $$$$ Splurge

My rating: 9.5/10

Food: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Ambience: 10/10

If you hadn't noticed, I take food pretty seriously. And if there's Restaurant Week on when I'm around, I'll be the first in the door. So I somehow lucked out and got Monday off work, and the first thing that came to mind was that I had to go and try Gotham Bar & Grill since they are only offering their Restaurant Week menu for Mon-Fri lunches. 

So at 1pm on a Monday, I'm streaming past a number of impeccably dressed men in suits (one of whom was carrying a stack of Forbes magazines - clearly means business) to snag my table at this well-reputed restaurant - it has 4.5 stars on Yelp after a trillion reviews, that's got to mean something. I am immediately seated at the bar - because when you're dining alone, you don't have to wait - next to another lonely diner who is obviously here for the same reason I am (to take photos of food), and two men talking strictly business (I hear the words financing, Wall Street and Carolina Herrera thrown around and I immediately classify them as bankers for high-end labels).

I order from the prix fixe Restaurant Week menu:

Entree: Wild Striped Bass Sashimi with Asian pear, watermelon radish, cucumber, yuzu ginger emulsion avocado wasabi purée

Main: Pappardelle With Braised Short Rib Ragu with swiss chard, winter squash, aged pecorino

Dessert: Tropical "Vacherin" (vanilla parfait, passion fruit, mango paper, coconut sorbet)

Before I dive into the details of each, let me just say that the meal was top-notch. I couldn't fault the chefs even if I wanted to - not even on the quantity, it was all perfect. I can see why they've managed a 4.5 star rating on Yelp now.

The striped bass sashimi was fresh, the wasabi wasn't overwhelming given the avocado addition, and the yuzu ginger emulsion added just the right amount of tart to the dish, almost acting like a vinaigrette for the salad of pear, radish and cucumber.

Wild Striped Bass Sashimi with Asian pear, watermelon radish, cucumber, yuzu ginger emulsion avocado wasabi purée

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I consider myself quite well-versed in the pappardelle-sphere. I can tell you this was great - silky and al dente - a close second to the pappardelle I had at al di la, and that's competing with an brilliant Italian trattoria. The braised short rib ragu wasn't what I was expecting and wasn't your traditional Italian ragu - it was much more soup-like given the additional of the vegetables, but it was incredibly flavoursome and had me scraping the last of my plate.

Pappardelle With Braised Short Rib Ragu with swiss chard, winter squash, aged pecorino

The dessert of the 'vacherin' was described to me as a deconstructed parfait but it was really a combination of coconut macaroon, coconut sorbet, mango paper and passionfruit jelly. I'm butchering it completely but it was a brilliant combination of ingredients, especially if you're a fan of passionfruit, mango and coconut - which I am. 

Tropical "Vacherin" (vanilla parfait, passion fruit, mango paper, coconut sorbet)

As for the service and ambience, this was very much a fine dining restaurant. The waitstaff were incredibly professional all throughout and the only fault I noted was when I had to ask twice for the check (only due to the waiter engaging in conversation with other patrons). The ambience for lunch was light yet you definitely got the sense that this was where the business deals get done over lunch. 

And for $25 (excluding tax and tip) this meal was robbery in broad daylight. Yes I would do this again, I would do this every lunchtime if I had the time and spare calories to do so. Would I dine here and indulge in their regular menu? YES. I'm looking at it now and already planning a trip back.

Meal: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Modern American

Address: 12 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003, USA

WEBSITE | MENU | YELP

ROBERTA'S, BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Perfect for: A beer and pizza with mates after roaming the graffiti-filled streets of Bushwick

Price range: $$ Not bad

My rating: 8.5/10

Food: 9/10 Service: 7.5/10 Ambience: 9/10

Widely touted as New York's best pizza, you'll find Roberta's tucked away in a lesser known neighbourhood in Brooklyn, and one of my favourites, called Bushwick. Bushwick is probably only known for Roberta's - your average Manhattanite has probably taken the L train to the Morgan Ave, stepped out of the station and walked a block to wait in line for the famed prize at this hipster joint, but nothing else. 

It's not just brilliant to those from outside of Bushwick - the locals love it too. The hipster dude that runs Mary Meyer, a boutique / vintage store across the road from Roberta's said to me "it's pretty much where all the Bushwick-ers go for all their meals". (This was a somewhat alarming statement - I mean, all their meals? But then I remembered that this was America and let it go.)

So I came here after a full morning of exploring the outdoor gallery space that is Bushwick itself, and was feeling pretty peckish at 3pm on a Saturday. Luckily, because it was such an obscure time, there was no wait for me and my lunch companion. But inside the large space, it was still packed at such a time - it felt like we got the last free table. And it was a pretty good table too - outside in the courtyard, next to the heater.

This isn't one of those hipster blogs where I shy away from the most typical order - OF COURSE I'm ordering a pizza. I get the Speckenwolf (mozzarella, speck, mushroom, onion, oregano) because I'm a fan of all those things listed, and my lunch companion gets the roasted carrot salad with smoked ricotta and radish. We're sharing people, so we share. 

Speckenwolf (mozzarella, speck, mushroom, onion, oregano)

The pizza was delicious - you really can't go wrong with any of them. The base is thin and crisp - but not too thin that you've got nothing to chew on. The topping was also perfect - not too scant and not too generous. I sound like I'm drinking the kool-aid, but really it was quite perfect. The only thing I would've changed was the speed at which I ate my pizza - I would've preferred it to be warm the whole time, but that's really my own fault isn't it?

Roasted carrots with smoked ricotta and radish

The carrots were also pretty good. I am typically not a huge fan of carrots, but these were highly recommended by my fellow exploring partner-in-crime, so I had to give them a go. Honestly, they were pretty delicious with the smoked ricotta, and the presentation was definitely ace. If it were up to me, I would've added a bit of sweetness perhaps in the form of a jus, just to wake it up a little bit more.

I thought the ambience was fantastic - it's always fun when there's plenty of people around to liven up the place but you can still hear your own conversations. The heated courtyard setting was wonderful as we got the natural light without freezing our mitts off, and it made it a lot more relaxed and casual which perfectly matches the feel of the menu. 

The service was more so-so, it wasn't very streamlined and we did have to wait a while to order drinks, to order food, and to get the check. Granted they were quite busy, but... aren't they always this busy? 

The bill ran to no more than $30 per person including drinks, tax and tip. For a damn good meal. But when you visit, make sure you do more than just visit Roberta's - there are lots of amazing streetart all around Bushwick not to mention great thrift stores and a very interesting community of Central and South Americans so you're bound to find some delicious and cheap tacos if you're still feeling peckish after your pizza.

Meal: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Address: 261 Moore St, Brooklyn, NY 11206

WEBSITE | YELP

BAROQUE BISTRO, THE ROCKS

Perfect for: A long summer lunch - grab a few macarons from their huge selection for dessert

Price range: $$$ Exxy

My rating: 8/10

Meal: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: French / Patisserie

Address: 88 George Street, The Rocks, NSW

Hours: Mon-Sat 12-11.30pm, Sun 12-3.30pm

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MOMOFUKU NOODLE BAR, EAST VILLAGE, NEW YORK

Perfect for: A quick meal on a cold day! Or in my case, perfect for trying out the momofuku buns without having to go to a busier momofuku restaurant in NYC.

Must try: The buns, and the momofuku ramen

Price range: $$ Not bad

My rating: 8.5/10

If you're not a local in New York, and you didn't know what you were looking for, you would completely walk past momofuku noodle bar without even blinking. That's what I did, even when I was looking for it.

Situated between 10th and 11th, on First Ave, momofuku noodle bar is always buzzing with 'bros' and 'hipsters'. We turned up for lunch at 12pm on a Friday and were lucky to get a seat. We were actually seated next to a number of New Yorkers who weren't used to this foodieholic taking photos of what I was about to consume, which resulted in a few overly long and awkward stares.

We got a couple of sharing plates, and each got a huge bowl of steaming momofuku ramen. That was more than enough for the both of us. The pork buns were everything they were made out to be, and much much more. 

The famous momofuku pork buns with hoisin sauce, scallion and cucumber

Korean-style roasted rice cakes with red chilli, roasted onion and sesame

Momofuku ramen with pork belly, pork shoulder and a poached egg

I was more than stuffed when I finished my ramen, but I still had food envy when I saw the smoked chicken wings, and we didn't even try the sweets from the milk bar. Another good reason to go back when I'm next in New York!

All up, the meal came to ~$50 for two people, and we over-ordered so I thought it was pretty good value!

Meal: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Asian fusion

Address: 171 First Avenue, East Village, New York

Near: The great boutiques on 10th - there is even a sweet little shop that only sells stamps (they do custom stamps too)

Hours: Mon-Fri 12-4.30pm, 5.30-11pm; Sat-Sun 12-4pm, 5.30pm-2am

WEBSITE | MENU | 

MCA CAFE, THE ROCKS

Summer is here, and you're after a long lunch with a beautiful view. This is the perfect place for you - MCA Cafe in the Museum of Contemporary Arts. We arrived in time for lunch and got seated outside, and the first thing I noted was that there were sweet delights up at the counter that weren't on the menu - so if you've got a sweet tooth like me, don't be deceived!

We ordered the pulled pork sandwich (above), and ordered another but asked for it in salad form (below). The salad actually looks a lot more delicious than the sandwich too (and was much easier to eat!)

The staff were very accommodating, especially since the salad wasn't an option on the menu, but they happily made it for us anyway. 

Meal: Lunch

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Perfect for: A long lunch after a grand tour of the museum

Hot tip: Get a table outside if it's a nice day - but beware if it's windy!

Price range: $$ Not bad

My rating: 8.5/10

Address: Level 4, Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George Street, The Rocks

Near: MCA - check it out while you're there

Hours: Fri-Wed 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-9pm

WEBSITE |  

KINGSLEYS STEAK & CRABHOUSE, WOOLLOOMOOLOO

Kingsleys ranks pretty high on my list of perfect Saturday lunches, especially if the sun is shining and the wine is flowing. We spent the morning playing squash in Surry Hills, and after all that exercise, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice meal here. 

Entree:

We ordered the Garlic Butter Prawns and the Burrata Mozzarella Salad, both of which I would recommend and order again myself. 

The Burrata Mozzarella Salad was very different to any Burrata I've had before - the cream inside the buffalo mozzarella was a lot thicker and congealed than others I've had which are usually quite liquid. The flatbread had a smokey taste to it, and it was perfect combined with the tomatoes, basil and olives. 

Main:

We ordered the Oven Roasted Tasmanian Salmon, and New York Striploin for the main, with a side of zucchini, peas, mint, persian fetta salad, and the kipflers, spinach and chorizo. 

The striploin was very flavoursome and I really enjoyed it even though I'm not usually a steak person, but I found the salmon a little bland. Highly recommend getting any of the steaks since it is a steakhouse after all, right? 

Meal: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Modern Australian / Steakhouse

Perfect for: Lazy Saturday lunch in the sun, definitely with a glass of white

Must try: Burrata Mozzarella Salad

Hot tip: If you're going during the day, book a table outside so you can enjoy the sunshine!

Price range: $$$ Exxy

My rating: 9/10

Address: 10/6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo

Near: The Tilbury Hotel - meet friends for a few drinks before or after dinner (or lunch if you're feeling parched)

Hours: Mon-Sat 12-10pm, Sun Closed

WEBSITE | MENU |  

GNOME CAFE, SURRY HILLS

Meal: Breakfast / Lunch / Bar

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Perfect for: A quick and easy lunch while perusing the shops of Surry Hills

Also for: Meeting a new friend for a drink

Price range: $ Cheap

My rating: 7/10

Address: 563 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Near: Messina Gelato, 389 Crown Street - go get yourself something cool for dessert afterwards

Hours: Mon-Wed 7.00am-5.00pm, Wed-Fri 7.00am-9.30pm, Sat 8.00am-9.30am, Sun 8.00am-5.00pm

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HONEYCOMB, DARLINGHURST

Meal: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Perfect for: A quick and easy lunch while perusing the shops of Surry Hills

Also for: Meeting a new friend for a drink

Price range: $$$ Exxy
My rating: 8/10

Address: 354 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst

Near: Sonoma Bakery, so get yourself some baked bready goodness on your way home

Hours: Tue-Sat 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm, Sun 9am-3pm, 6pm-9pm

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