Eating My Way Through NYC

New York…. New York… one of the cities I will never get tired of visiting. My recent trip was centered around the never ending exploration of food. As luck would have it, I stepped foot in NY on the last day of Restaurant Week, which made for a great start to the weekend! My first stop was brunch at Root and Bone. Based in East Village, this farm to table restaurant prides themselves on their southern dishes with a modern flare. Their fried chicken has received rave reviews so it was only right to start my pursuit with them. For only $29, I received biscuits with honey roasted chicken jus, deviled eggs with beet brine, pickled roots and chips, mac n cheese, watermelon with jalapeno key lime vinaigrette, red onion, and mint (crazy right?!), a fried chicken n waffle sandwich on buckwheat cheddar waffles with cheddar and pickled green tomato, anddd banana pudding. WOW! I’m getting stuffed reading about it and this was only the beginning! My verdict: I’d happily dine here again. The atmosphere was nice and quaint paired with a nice spin on my favorite southern items.

I’m sure after reading that, you might think I was too full to make it to my selected location for dinner. If you are thinking that, you may not know me too well. ;) After LOTS of walking and a little downtime, I was ready to conquer my last restaurant week meal at American Cut Steakhouse. For $49, I received delicious bread with herbed butter, caesar salad (not pictured), waffle fries with melted beer cheese, a tender filet mignon with chimichurri & vidalia onion ring, and a cracker jack sundae with caramel popcorn, peanut brittle, and popcorn ice cream. SHEESH! You could officially put a fork in me…. because I. WAS. DONE… for the day!

Although Saturday was not a part of New York Restaurant Week, I would like to share my experiences with you because the food was just that good! I started the day with a well known place called The Doughnut Project. They are often featured for their unique concoction of flavors. Whether you like sweet, salty, savory, or a combination of all, you will find it here! I purchased the maple bacon (because who doesn’t love bacon?!), lemon love letter (which tasted exactly like cake) and the prosecco (which was almost too pretty to eat…almost..). Not only were the flavors perfectly combined, the doughnuts were thick, extremely fluffy, and moist! YUM!

For brunch, (after eating just one doughnut….I  do know how to eat in moderation at times), I made my way to Harlem’s Red Rooster. This is one of my FAVORITE restaurants not only because the food is amazing, but because the vibe is so cool! They always have some sort of music playing, whether it is over the speakers, with a live band, or with a DJ. The experience is truly one of a kind. For this visit, I chose Marcus’ cornbread (with honey butter and tomato jam) and the scrumptious chicken and waffle circa 1930 (with smoked maple syrup, rooster hot sauce, and pickles). Everything was PERFECT!! What I truly love about their food is their lack of fear for using bold ingredients. It makes a huge difference. If weather permits, I encourage you to sit outside to enjoy the vibe while watching the hussle and bussle of Harlem! For my previous review of the Red Rooster, click Here

Finally, to close out the weekend (sad face!), I selected the fun and relaxing Mexican restaurant, El Toro Blanco. You really can’t go wrong with fine Mexican in NY when looking for a way to close out a great weekend. El Toro certainly lived up to this expectation. I ordered the green chile queso fundido with chorizo, which was served piping hot with warm tortillas. What a great way to kick my taste buds into gear! For my entree, I ordered the Pollo en Mole Coloradito. This translates to chicken over a fruity, nutty mole served with plantains, poblano rice, and warm tortillas. This meal was so satisfying and truly authentic. The service was also quick, yet attentive at the same time.

That concludes my trip to the infamous NYC. Hopefully I have influenced you all to pack your bags and visit one, or all, of these amazing locations. You won’t be disappointed! If you have other restaurants you love in NYC, share them in the comments below :)