No, it’s not a deli, contrary to what you or Neha may have thought.

It’s “international comfort food.”

Yeah. Say what? Even more confusing is how the menu is completely American. Okay, maybe the ‘Fish & Chips” qualify as British, but still. I’d probably rename it to “American comfort food.” Even as such, the only thing ‘comforting’ on the menu is the ‘Fried Chicken in a Bucket.” But at $16, that’s not very comforting, is it?

But don’t let that deter you from trying out Delicatessen.

First off, it’s a beautiful restaurant (they also have a beautiful website, integrating flash in an innovative way).  It’s actually bi-level, which we didn’t see until we were about to leave. Glass doors surround the exterior and during today’s humid, muggy Sunday, they pulled them up so that dining indoors had an al-fresco element to it. Even though I love dining in an open space, it was sticky and flies were swarming all over the place. That’s my only complaint. But the interior is just simply gorgeous. There’s a long horizontal strip of a mirror that adorns the wall right before it meets the ceiling. The chairs are wood but modernistic; they curve inwards and are sleek. The booth is made of a leather-like material that’s hard but quite comfortable to sit on. There’s really nothing not to like about the ambiance.

Second, the food is decently priced if you’re not ordering from the entree menu and just from the “All Day Breakfast” menu. You can easily get away with under $15 for brunch, even including an appetizer if you have a party of four.

Third, the service is wonderful and the runners are timely. They refill your water. They honor your requests for Tabasco sauce and more jam within 30 seconds, and if you talk about gambling in Pennsylvania casinos, the cute runner might just stop and chat with you. Wait, actually I almost forgot. Our server chased us out the door thinking that we underpaid. She just couldn’t add. We tipped her around 23% and she didn’t even realize it. Man, it sucks to tip someone well without them even knowing it…

Fourth, Delicatessen in on the “crossroads between SoHo and NoLita.” It’s like being in two places at once!

Cornbread with jalapeno butter and cheddar ($8)

The five of us were promptly seated a bit before noon. We started off with cornbread for the table. It comes in this small pan, still warm from the oven. The butter is magical. It doesn’t even taste like butter. All you get is that kick from the jalapeno and the silky texture it brings to the bread.

I’d say that slice of cornbread is studly looking. Wouldn’t you agree?

There’s a discrepancy with their menu. I don’t think they’ve updated their menu outside (hanging on the door) or their menu online. Several items offered on those menus included:

• The Breakfast Burrito
• Smoked Salmon Plate
• Sliders
• Grilled Lamb Kebab (this is starting to sound more international now)
• Giorgio’s Meatballs
• “Sticky” Ribs

Um yeah. There were nowhere to be found on the menu today…

Fines Herbs & Vermont Goat Cheese Omelette ($11)

I had my heart set out on the Breakfast Burrito, but since it didn’t appear on the menu, I went ahead with the herb omelet with goat cheese. I have to say, that was some darn good goat cheese. There must have been at least 3-4 eggs in there. It was so fluffy yet somehow dense at the same time. It was a decent sized serving, perfect actually, because I finished everything without feeling overly stuffed. The potatoes also hit the spot. Slightly crunch on the outside, and soft on the inside. I loved how there were bits of tiny pieces of caramelized onion.

Butter on toast, melted (included in all breakfast dishes)

All of us received toast with our dishes. Even though we expected to each get a plate of toast, they stacked all of them on one plate. Somehow, that made it more appetizing. That also meant that any piece of toast that belonged to a carb-conscious eater eventually made its way into my stomach, except for that lone 1.5 piece that I could not stomach. They serve it with butter and jam, which of course, is the only right way to do it.

Eggs Florentine ($12)

This actually wasn’t on the menu. The difference between Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict is the spinach v. the Canadian ham. I think you can figure out which has which through the pictures here.

Jenny asked Angela if the hollandaise sauce tasted weird, to which Angela replied no. Then they both resumed back to eating…

Eggs Benedict ($12)

Either way, they both looked really delicious and it helped that both were photogenic.

Delicatessen Scramble smoked atlantic & caramelized vidalia onion ($12)

Neha and Lisa ended up getting the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. I almost got this, but I’m actually glad I didn’t. I had a bite from Neha’s and while it was good, I don’t think I would have been able to down the whole thing. It was a bit too salmon-y and hence, salty.

Brunch ended up being around $15 a person, including an appetizer and an breakfast entree. All of their main entrees are in the mid to upper teens with Steak Frites being $27. I’d recommend coming here as an experience over the food. After all, how many other ‘international comfort food’ spots do you know of?

MENU
54 Prince St.
New York, NY 10012
nr. Lafayette St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-226-0211 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• The Great GoogaMooga | Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• An interview with Terry Chen of “Filled with Sweets”
• Co. Pizza
• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde

Brioche Perdue: French toast made with brioche from “Ceci Cela” with mango, strawberries, bananas, and papaya. Served with a dallop of creme fraiche

France: One Nation Above God

‘Home to Earth’s entire population of 62.6 million people, every single one of the planet’s 427 cities, and all of its history, culture, and beauty, France is the only country in the world.‘

Courtesy of Our Dumb World, a national bestseller, brought to you by The Onion.

Sorry, I just had to insert that. If that kind of humor pertains to you, I’d highly suggest picking up a copy. In fact, I picked up two myself, while convincing a coworker and another friend to do the same.

In all seriousness though, the French are really nice people, barring a couple of encounters that I’ve had. The first encounter was on an overnight train ride from Rome to Nice, where a French couple tried convincing us that they booked the whole cabin for themselves and that we were, unfortunately, unwelcomed. To spite us, they gave us dirty stares while we were sleeping. The second encounter involved the server at L’Orange Bleu. He wasn’t mean or anything, but he looked at me as if I had asked the dumbest question in the world.

Located just above Nolita in SoHo, L’Orange Bleue offers a weekend prix-fixe brunch, which includes a mimosa/sangria/coffee/orange juice and an entree for $15. Their brunch list is pretty decent, ranging from a Brioche French Toast to Huevos Rancheros (how authentically French!), and Croque-Monsieur (at least that’s French).

So what was my dumb question? I asked the waiter whether the sangria was any good and he gave me this blank look like, “Uh, yeah, why wouldn’t it be?!”

I went for the mimosa, and luckily so, because the sangria was eh (Clare ordered it).

Amy sips her cup of joe while Clare dreams about her crabcakes

But besides that one encounter, we didn’t really see the server again. The runners were really friendly (I’ve yet to encounter an unfriendly runner) and the food was delivered on time. So everything else about the meal was pretty decent.

Oeufs poches Maryland: Two poached eggs on crab cakes/Old Bay spiced hollandaise/mesclun/french fries

Clare and Amy both went for the Maryland crabcakes. I had a piece, which while good, was a bit too much for me. Even though they’re really small, I wouldn’t be able to stomach both, especially with that rich hollandaise sauce. But don’t take it from me because Clare and Amy both polished it off.

The highlight of that dish had to be the fries. So crispy. So well seasoned. So soft on the inside. L’Orange Bleue sure knows how to make their fries.

If you imagine hard enough, it sort of looks like the face of that server- an angry face with bulging eyes.

I on the other hand, wanted something on the sweet side and settled for their Brioche French Toast. Honestly, it was good, but it wasn’t outstanding. The french toast itself was light and airy and pulled apart easily with a little tugging from my fork. I liked how it wasn’t overly sweet, probably because of the creme fraiche. But the downside is that the creme fraiche did its job too well and sort of mellowed out all the flavors. I was hoping for the flavors from the fruit to come out a bit more, but the cream muted the sweetness. I shouldn’t complain, though, since I walked out feeling sufficiently full without being on a sugar high. I find that the best french toasts (at least for the first few bites) end up being too heavy in the end because of all that sugar.

The brioche used to be from Balthazar’s Bakery but is now from Ceci Cela’s. Not exactly an upgrade, but Ceci Cela’s is still pretty legit.

Would I come here again? Probably not, although I really did like the ambiance. I will admit that it beats the popular Essex for brunch in terms of the quality of the food and price, but not service. We dined indoors, although there are a line of seats on the left hand side for al fresco dining. The restaurant sits in an area that makes for a quaint and quiet Sunday brunch, but also for a brawly and loud Friday dinner. In fact, they even have belly dancers at night sometimes. They’re also showing all of the World Cup games, although I can’t quite imagine sitting at this Eurocharm cafe with a beer in hand watching football.

That’s the French for you.

Last but not least, THANKS FOR THE MEAL CLARE!

MENU (The brunch menu hasn’t yet been updated)
430 Broome St.
New York, NY 10013
at Crosby St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-226-4999 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• The Great GoogaMooga | Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• An interview with Terry Chen of “Filled with Sweets”
• Co. Pizza
• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde

Spiced Potatoes: grilled chicken, and spinach ($11.95)

Dosa: light, crispy, sour-dough crepe made from rice and lentils

You know what I really wanted that day instead of dosas?! Grilled and buttered corn topped with cheese and chili powder. But you know what happened? Seth and Albert showed up late to Cafe Habana and the wait would have been 20-30 minutes. Thanks you two, for killing a dream.

So Albert led us to Hampton Chutney, a few blocks away. With the exception of the free dosas that they hand out near Washington Square Park whenever Steinhardt has some sort of festival, I’ve never had a legit dosa. To Seth and Albert’s credit, I liked it so I guess it wasn’t so terrible that I missed out on that corn.

This is one of those grab-and-go type of places with little tall tables, bars, and stools. The whole place supposedly seats 18. They even have a midsized jug of water to the right of the counter when you order in case if you’re too cheap to buy a drink (like me).

The dosas are pretty big, for a dosa that is. But since they’re quite thin (they’re like an Indian-wannabe crepe), they’re not exactly the most filling. But I would think of Hampton Chutney as a place that you go to get some ethnic variety, even if it means sacrificing less stomach space.

Masala Deluxe: spiced potatoes, spinach, jack cheese and roasted tomatoes ($10.45)

See how then they are? They get a bit soft and sticky in the middle but the sides are crisp and extremely thin. Seth had a problem with the sourdough part of the crepe. It tasted like a milder version of injera to me, but I thought the sourness went well with the filling.

That’s cilantro chutney there. All dosas are served with fresh made chutneys

• Cilantro
• Curry
• Mango
• Tomato
• Peanut

And this time, Seth was the picky eater. He was the only one who didn’t finish. So much for preaching that I’M the picky eater here…

MENU
68 Prince St.
New York, NY 10012
Near Lafayette St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-226-9996 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• The Great GoogaMooga | Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• An interview with Terry Chen of “Filled with Sweets”
• Co. Pizza
• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde

Aegean Sarma

I used to be that girl who made her mother order French Onion Soup so that I could pull off the melted cheese, dangle it high up in the air, and drop it into my mouth. I love the sight, the smell, and the taste of melted cheese. Yes, even manufactured, pasteurized, heavily processed cheese. I don’t discriminate.

I walked out of Antique Garage in love with Halloumi cheese and grape leaves. Yep, that’s it above. Wrapped in those delicate leaves is a hearty slice of Halloumi cheese and tomato seasoned with fresh thyme. It’s then grilled and although the cheese doesn’t quite melt, it has this salty edge to it. They have this bread which is thick, almost like a Focaccia and it goes wonderfully with the cheese.

Rachel and I agreed that when you throw down that $30 for dinner, it’s not just about the food. It’s about the ambiance, the decor, the service, the company, the music (live in this case), and the experience. So yes, at $14, that Aegean Sarma is overpriced. Each bite is probably $1.00 if you manage to portion it out. But the decor here is lovely and I felt I was thrown into a wonderfully decorated antique garage sale. Beautiful wooden panels and bricks align the walls and the chairs are plush maroon. Faded gold frames adorn the walls and in the middle is this exquisite three tiered chandelier.  It’s truly one of the most well decorated restaurants I’ve been to.

Borek crispy phillo dough stuffed with feta cheese & parsley

Look at that couple, chilling outside with a couple of drinks like it’s still summer

We stayed for almost three hours, catching up over some drinks. The server was never pushy and came to discreetly check on us periodically. They’ve got some interesting cocktails, like a Cucumber Cosmo, and their wine list is pretty decent although they only serve a few wines by the glass. Overall, though the place isn’t too friendly on the wallet, it’s a must if you’re looking for a restaurant with great service and a unique vibe.

MENU
41 Mercer St.
New York, NY 10013
Near Grand St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-219-1019

You should also check out:

• The Great GoogaMooga | Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• An interview with Terry Chen of “Filled with Sweets”
• Co. Pizza
• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde

If there’s ever a salsa you must try, it’s at Ideya. For our first dinner in a year in a half, Ling and Carson wanted to check out Ideya. Wai, somewhat of a regular, vouched for the place as having solid delicious food. When I asked for what he recommended, he said that he’s never ordered a dish that he didn’t like.

Ideya is just the sort of restaurant you’d expect to find in Soho. Amidst a long street of chic looking cafes and restaurants, Ideya has this sort of beach house vibe. There’s a bar immediately to the right and tables aligned on the left hand side. There’s a strip of brightly colored paintings reminiscent of the beach scene aligning the left hand wall. The music completes the ambiance.

I think one of things that a regular looks forward to is the plantain chips and salsa. I never liked salsa until now. Chunks of pepper, onion, mango, and tomato juice create this harmony of sweetness that compliments the plantain chips so well. You can actually buy a jar of their salsa for $5 and from what I tasted, it’s definitely worth it.

Ling and I decided to skip out on appetizers and instead split a side of Boniato fries, or sweet potato fries. They’re great for people who prefer crispy, crunchy shoelace sized fries. But I prefer my fries to be a bit soft on the inside. These were so crunchy that they almost appeared to be hollow on the inside. It came with a tomato puree for dipping and that really brought out the sweetness from the sweet potatoes.

Carson and Wai, however, did order appetizers. Wai ordered the Empanada de Pollo [braised chicken filled yucca turnover, mango chutney, and chive crema fresca.]. Carson got the Manchamanteles de Pato [pulled duck, cinnamon stewed fruit, corn and manchega cachapa]. Both enjoyed their food, and Carson said that his duck was very sweet.

We were in the middle talking about Wai’s new production This is Life (check out the trailer!) when the mains came out. The entrees were huge! Wai’s Bistec de Argentia [sliced skirt steak, ideya chimichurri, papaya barbeque, boniato fries] won the portion sizing contest. Boniato fries invaded his plate, threatening to take over the steak.

Ling and Carson’s Medianoche [pressed sandiwch of roasted pork, ham, swiss cheese, and pickles with ensalada] came to a close second. As if the sandwiches weren’t big enough, they got a giant serving of greens which had this incredible creamy sauce on them.

My Pato Ahumado [pecan wood smoked duck breast, spicy mango marmalade, plantain harina] may have been put to shame by the other two dishes in the portion arena, but the flavors were all there. The duck was tender and the skin was still crispy, like it should be. I was particularly impressed with the plaintain harina. Harina is sort of like cornmeal and I guess the closest analogy I can come up to describe the way it was served is mashed potatoes. Just imagine that sort of consistency but with a grainier texture and a sweet accent.

By the end of the meal, we were so stuffed. I’d definitely come here again, but probably for brunch. It’s a moderately priced place, and I ended up spending around $30 for my entree and half side order.

MENU
349 West Broadway
New York, NY 10013
Near Grand St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-625-1441

You should also check out:

• The Great GoogaMooga | Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• An interview with Terry Chen of “Filled with Sweets”
• Co. Pizza
• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde