Vinh "ja" N.'s Profile

Bravo Katie B.,

You put the good booze in,
You take the big crowds out.  
You put the good food in and some kickin' entertainment about.
You do the hokey pokey and you dance yourself around.
That's what being Elite is all about.

- No, they don't serve duck even though the place is called The Duck Tacos and Burritos
- Yes, they serve awesome carne asada tacos where the meat is grilled over charcoal and you get a little smokey flavor
- Yes, the tacos are $1.50 but are well worth it price as grilled onions and peppers and beans are served on the tacos (beans can be on the side per request)
- Yes, this place has taken over Las Delicias as the answer to my carne asada taco needs, however, LD still is king of the al Pastor especially at the $1 price point

Let me tell you why I love the Golden Arcs:
- Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on non-sesame seed bun so I don't get them stuck in my teeth
- Sexual Chocolate shake named after Jackson Height's own local band and lead singer,  that boy good!!
- Some of the best women Queens has to offer eat here, pretty face, a firm backside, and big breasts like casaba melons
- And no hippopotamus shit,  place so free, one can throw glass on the streets!

Quality ingredients, fast service, affordable prices, good bread to meat/cheese/veggie ratio and a celebrity chef to boot.  What's not to like?

- Cold Fried Chicken - This didn't really do anything for me, didn't get much batter from the cold fried chicken and didn't get enough of the spice

- Spicy Tuna - A mix of spicy tuna sushi and miso tuna sandwich, not too wet and not too dry esp. with the sriracha mayo giving it a bit of a kick, nori shreds are a nice touch

- Banh Mi - I was pretty impressed, banh mi has been done do death the past year or so but the pork butt and belly were tender and had good flavor and the chicharones gave the sandwich a much needed texture

- The Jose Andres - Quality cold cuts and a thick piece of manchego, the "godfather" sandwich definitely gives the "godmother" sandwich a run for her money

- CLT - This was the other sandwich that I wasn't too excited about, I like chicken liver  and curry chicken skin sounds wonderful but together it gave a off fishy flavor that just didn't sit well with  me

- Maple Turkey Melt - What seems so simple was so good, the camembert richness was cut by the pepper arugula

- Reuben - The corned beef tongue was super tender and had great flavor, the cheese, kraut and Russian dressing were classic textbook

The BBQ pork rinds were great but was screaming for a cold beer which they don't serve and the chips were way too salty.  The sandwiches aren't too big but the nice thing is that lets you try different ones.  Oh and remember, Ink Sack is a few doors down from Ink but if you get confused Michael won't have any problems walking you over, he's such a nice guy.

"Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting."
William Shakespeare

Well if I was a Liege waffle from W&F I would be self loving all day and night with some speculoos spread all up in the nooks and crannies.  It's so sad that there isn't a waffle in the SoCal area that can even be compared to the loveliness of a W&F Liege waffle with it's lightness, crispness, fluffiness, sweetness, warmness and whatever adjective you can add -ness to.  Until the day that I can find a replacement I will have to spread my speculoos on something else...

Luke must be a Lobster because he's on a roll!  Get it?  Get it?  Hah, I crack myself up.

Lobster rolls Maine-style, served chilled atop a buttered and toasted New England-style, split-top bun with a swipe of mayo, a sprinkle of lemon butter and a dash of secret spices.  Expensive but well worth the self-indulgence especially if you can't make it out to Maine but only NYC.

Luscious custardy vanilla soft serve
Hand injected dulce de leche, over and over and over again
A soft sprinkle of sea salt
Dipped in smooth rich chocolate

A little bit of saltiness, a little bit of sweetness, a little bit of creaminess all in your mouth.  You can't help but smile as you just got Salty Pimped.

Hands down the best meal of of my latest trip to New York.  The hype, the price, the wait, the dress code are all worth a meal at one of the best, if not the best, seafood restaurants in the nation.

The newly renovated dining room is clean, modern and chic.  The addition of a bar and small lounge is a nice touch for a quick nibble and a drink.  The service was fantastic, very accommodating but not over bearing.  Many of the staff speak different languages so a translator for a business meal or special guest is available upon request.

Though I wasn't able to afford the Chef's Tasting menu at $190 for lunch, they do offer a more affordable City Harvest prix fixe as well as a standard prix fixe at $70 where you choose a dish from the starter, main course and dessert menu.  I went with the standard prix fixe and supplemented with an extra starter and dessert.

- The meal started with a salmon rillette on flat bread
- Then the amazing layers of thinly pounded yellowfin tuna, foie gras and toasted baguette shaved chives and extra virgin olive oil
- Next was the perfectly charred octopus with fermented black bean, pear sauce vierge, purple basil and ink miso vinaigrette
- The main course was perfectly crispy black bass with pickled cucumbers, black garlic-Persian lime sauce
- Dessert started with a special request of the off menu item The Egg which is essentially a pot de creme, with caramel, chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt
- Lastly was the light and refreshing greek yogurt panna cotta with Asian pears and yuzu ice cream

An amazing meal was completed with a tour of the busy kitchen.  Although Chef Ripert was not present, everyone form the chefs, cooks, wait staff etc. were very friendly and gracious.  I could not have asked for anything more for one of my most memorable meals.  Oh and guys, jackets are required, seriously... and you keep it on during the meal.  This is definitively a formal affair.

It was crowded,
It was cold.
Some things didn't go down,
As we were initially told.

Expectations always a high
From events of Yelp past,
Katie B. working off her ass.

Libertine didn't come through.
But Katie was running around,
Doing the most that she could do.

Such a waste of energy and time.
Damn! I didn't get my money's worth *sigh*
Oh wait, it was fucking free and nobody forced you to come out and the original plans canceled on the CM so they had to find a new place and the new place sucked and double booked and didn't tell them and then still went over on adjusted time but you still got your free drink, photo and dessert on so yeah.... there's that.

It felt like I was in Italy, but I was in New York but I am a California boy so I guess that's the best I can do until one day when I actually can visit Italy.

Eataly is an Italian wonderland full of good eats, drinks, shopping and more good eats.  So many offerings from fresh produce, cured meats, fresh cheeses, carving stations, gelato, cappuccino, baked goods, restaurants and even a beer garden.  One step into this business and you feel like you are transformed into a whole different place.  

I loved the hustle and bustle, the smell of fresh baked goods, the smell of pungent cheeses the sounds of espresso machines churning and crunching, the smell of salty brine of fresh seafood, the loud thumps of the cleaver and butcher's block.  Practically everything that you need for an Italian meal is at your disposal.  It's a shame I don't have something like this where I lived or I'd be visiting it everyday.  Definitely worth a visit for tourists and travelers.