Café Sacher at the Sacher Hotel, Salzburg, Austria


Café Sacher at the Sacher Hotel in Salzburg is one of the most charming places in all of Salzburg to sit in and have a cup of tea or coffee. Named after the world famous Sacher Torte, the Sacher Hotel lays claim to being owners of the original recipe.

 

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Café Bazar, Salzburg, Austria

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FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS PIE SHOP, Park Slope, NYC

 

 

Food: ☆☆☆☆ ½

Service: ☆☆☆ ☆ 

Ambiance: ☆☆☆ 

Cost: $

Dishes not to miss: Salted Caramel Pie, Chocolate Scone

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“This must be where pies go when they die,” says a sign as you walk into Four and Twenty Blackbirds. I couldn’t agree with the sign more. Continue reading

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The Doughnut Plant , Lower East Side, NYC

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $

 Dishes not to miss: Carrot Cake, Valrhona chocolate, Jelly filled, Raspberry

I was never a doughnut fan until I bit into one of Mark Isreal beauties at the Doughnut Plant.
Using recipes that were handed down from his grandfather, Isreal has gone from retailing his sweet treats out of a basement to owning two storefronts in New York City. He does nothing less than doughnut wizardry in these kitchens. Continue reading

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Bruschetteria, Lower East Side , NYC

 

 

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Food: ☆☆ ½          

 Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆          

Cost: $$

Dishes not to miss:  Pork Meatball Panini ,  Deviled Eggs with basil pesto 

 

The Bruschetteria is a tiny little eatery on the Lower East Side in New York City. It specializes in bruschetta, paninis and a smattering of other Italian fare. Continue reading

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Luke’s Lobster, Upper West Side, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

Dishes not to miss: Lobster Roll, Shrimp Roll, Crab Roll

 

Luke Holden is the grand master of the lobster roll.

Born and raised in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Luke grew up surrounded by the freshest of seafood as his father owned and ran a seafood processing company. Luke sources his seafood from the family business and that ensures using the best quality meats for his rolls. Continue reading

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Totoya Restaurant, Upper East Side, NYC

 


Food: ☆☆

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

I recommend: California Rolls. Rocky Mountain Roll


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This non-descript, east side Japanese restaurant serves food that is a little better than mall sushi and less than the fabulousness that Manhattan has to offer. Continue reading

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Taverna Kyclades, Astoria, NY


 
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Food: ☆☆☆ 1/2

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$

Dishes not to miss: Pan-Fried Greek Cheese, Grilled Porgie and Drurade, Galaktoboureko

 

If you are craving Greek food, then there is no better neighborhood to hit than Astoria in Queens.

Amongst the teeming numbers of Greek restaurants, Chef-Owner Ardian Skenderi’s Taverna Kyclades seems to be one of the more popular spots, offering the freshest seafood at very affordable prices. At peak times the waits can be very long but the food is very worth it. Continue reading

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Royal Tangra Masala, New Hyde Park, NY

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$

Dishes not to miss: Hot and Sour Soup, Lollipop Chicken, Chili chicken/ Vegetable and the Manchurian sauce

 

Ever heard of Indian-Chinese Food?

It is a fiery version of Chinese cuisine, tailored to the Indian palate. It was developed by a small Chinese community over a century ago, in a place called Tangra in Kolkata, India. Continue reading

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Sammy’s Halal Food Cart, Jackson Heights, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: n/a

Cost: $

Dishes not to miss: lamb over rice

 

From cabby to foodie! Sammy is immigrant from Pakistan who knew that he needed to be more than just another Pakistani cab driver in New York City. That has been the journey of Samiul Haque Noor of Sammy’s Halal who won the Vendy award for best street food cart in 2006.

 

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Megu, Tribeca, NYC

Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$$

Fit for: People Watching, Special Occasion Dining

Dishes not to miss: Tuna & Avocado Megu Style, Tuna Soy Akami & Black Truffle

Special notes: Wait for restaurant week or special promotions to eat here because the prices really hurt.


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Fresh Fanatic Bakery by Chef Michael Allen

 

I was invited to cover an exclusive tasting event showcasing the upcoming launch of The Fresh Fanatic Bakery by Chef Michael Allen. The event was held at the B3 Lounge at Body By Brooklyn, showcasing desserts by famed Pastry Chef Michael Allen and Thanksgiving accented foods catered by The Fresh Fanatic Market and Café. Continue reading

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The Wright at the Guggenheim Museum, Upper East Side, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆ ½

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

 Dishes not to miss: Roasted Chicken

 

The Wright (named after Frank Lloyd) opened to the public at the Guggenheim Museum on December 11, 2009, where the Guggenheim Café used to be. This sleek, modern space was awarded the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for outstanding restaurant design. The striking feature of this bright room is the multicolored installation titled The Horizon by artist Liam Gillick. Continue reading

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Crema, Chelsea, NYC

Crema Restaurante on Urbanspoon

 

Food: ☆☆☆ 1/2

Service: ☆☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$

Fit for: Lunch Spot, Brunch, Dine At The Bar, Outdoor Dining

Dishes not to miss: Salsas de la casa, Quesos Flameados, Burrito de Atún

 

Chef Julieta Ballesteros, of Mexicana Mama fame, has traded up to Crema in Chelsea, where she serves upscale, refined Mexican cuisine.

This eatery is a place to try delightful combinations of carefully composed plates. Ballesteros has put a lot of thought into the creation of each dish. At Crema, one experiences combinations of Mexican flavors that are rare and very pleasing to the palate. Continue reading

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Beard Papa’s, Upper West Side, NYC

 

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Beard Papa’s has perfected the art of mass-producing fabulous cream puffs without comprising on taste and quality. The Beard Papa’s empire began in Osaka, Japan in 1999 and has since expanded to over fifteen countries worldwide.

 

All their cooking is done right on the premises. They bake up crisp choux pastry shells, which have a filling of your choice, just as you order them.


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ABC Kitchen, Gramercy/Flatiron, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

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Sangeetha Fast Foods, Chennai, India

 

Sangeetha Fast Foods is one of my favorite breakfast spots in Chennai city. I love the local feel of the place. At Sangeetha, they serve a good variety of south Indian breakfast fare. My favorites are the vadas, dosas, mini idlis and upma. If you want to try a little bit of everything then order the “meals”. They make really good South Indian coffee too.

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SUSHI YASUDA, Midtown East, NYC

 

Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Fit for: Sushi purists

Dishes not to miss: Flash fried blowfish, White king salmon

Special notes: As of January 2011, Chef Yasuda has moved to Tokyo to open a restaurant there. However the quality of Sushu Yasuda seems to have been unaffected by this move.

 
Sushi Yasuda on Urbanspoon

 

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Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orlando, Florida



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ELEVEN MADISON PARK, GRAMERCY/ FLATIRON, NYC

Food: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2

Service: ☆☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆

Cost: $$$$

Fit for: Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Brunch, Private Rooms,People Watching

Special notes: For lunch, Eleven Madison Park offers 3 courses for $56. For dinner, they offer 4 courses for $125, or an 8 course Tasting Menu for $195.


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BARK HOT DOG, PARK SLOPE, NYC


Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $

Fit for: Foodies,Family-Friendly Dining,  Cheap Gourmet Eats

Dishes not to miss: Weisswurst, Disco Fries, Chocolate Salted Carmel Milkshake

Special Features: Breakfast/ Brunch – Weekend, Kid-Friendly, Late-Night Dining

 

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Ayada Thai, Woodside, NYC

 

Ayada on Urbanspoon

 

Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$

Fit for: Spice hounds, cheap eats, foodies

Dishes not to miss: Northern Thai Sausage Appetizer, Fried Fish topped with Green Mango Sauce, Raw Shrimp Salad

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Zum Alten Markt, Munich, Germany

Zum Alten Markt
3 Dreifaltigkeitsplatz
Munich, Germany
TEL: 49-89-299-995
http://www.zumaltenmarkt.de/

 

Zum Alten Markt is a small family run, cozy restaurant, that serves really good traditional fare.

Located right behind the vibrant Viktualien Markt, Zum Alten Markt offers a welcoming break from all the hustle and bustle. The food is great and the menu offers more variety and interest than the standard fare offered at other places. The interiors are done with , with its elaborate coffered wooden ceiling that came from a 400-year-old Tyrolean castle.




When we visited, they had an entire “Spargel” ( asparagus) menu, which is only in season in spring. Here one could choose from a variety of interesting offering such as ragouts, bakes and pies.

The service is solid, the tabs are affordable. Please note that reservations are a MUST, and they do NOT take credit cards. All in all Zum Alten Markt offers a really nice experience which is a cut above its neighboring rest.

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Telepan, Upper West Side, NYC

 

Food: ☆☆☆ 1/2

Service: ☆☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$

Fit for: Foodies, Quiet conversation, Brunch

Dishes not to miss: House smoked brook trout, Kabocha squash peirogis

Special notes: Lunch offers a great prefix for $28. Dinner offers a pre-fix 4 course tasting menu for $55 and 5 course tasting menu for $65


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