Uncle Boons, Nolita, NYC

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Malini Sood Horiuchi

Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$$

Must try: Chicken and Banana Blossom Salad, Khao Soi, Grilled Blowfish Tails

Uncle Boons is a wonderful downtown dining spot serving uncommon Thai fare.

This eatery was opened the by husband and wife team of Ann Redding and Matt Danzer, both of ex- Per Se pedigree.

The menu here shies away from the regular Thai offerings of copious amounts of curries, noodles, satays and so on. The selection here is limited but in a thoughtful way.

Many of the recipes used in the kitchen are handed down from Redding’s family – who was born in Thailand. Where else can one try delicate dish of tender charcoal-grilled blowfish tails served with a fresh green chili sauce or chicken and banana blossom salad with several layers of flavor and texture in every bite. The Khao Soi is a must try dish consisting of a flavorful yellow curry served with both soft and crunchy noodles.

The one thing I missed at Uncle Boons was spice. The menu seems to focus more on the gentler side of Thai food which is refreshing too.

At Uncle Boons the attention seems to be on creating a culinary experience that is a little set apart from the rest and yet authentic in its core.

Here is some of what we ate:

Spicy Roasted Chicken & Banana Blossom Salad

Steamed Egg wrapped in Red Curry & Kaffir Lime

Northern Style Golden Curry (Khao Soi)

Grilled Blowfish Tails

Water Spinach with Garlic

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Overall
	* Restaurant Name
	Uncle Boons
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Lower East Side / Thai
	* Street Address
	7 Spring St. (Between Bowery & Elizabeth St.), New York, NY 10012
	* Phone
	(646) 370-6650

Masq, Midtown East, NYC

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Malini Sood Horiuchi

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to this establishment. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I was recently invited to a press dinner at Masq which is Midtown’s little gem offering innovative American Cuisine with a New Orleans flair.

The space occupies the first floor of a townhouse and is spread over four distinctive areas that flow one into the other. There is a full-service sit-down bar located in the front of the restaurant, which has a really cool horseshoe-shaped white oak bar. Here one can choose from a variety of New Orleans inspired specialty cocktails, an impressive selection of global wines and other premium liquors.

The restaurant then continues into a Lounge area decorated with eclectic vintage furniture and masks which leads into the main dining room. There is also private party area called “The Red Room” located in the back, which makes for a perfect space to host an intimate gathering of up to 45 people.

Co-owners George Chaprastian and Executive Chef Marc Getzelman make for a dynamic duo who truly have a passion for what they have created here at Masq. The place exudes warmth and hospitality from the minute you step in.

Chef Getzelman offers some really innovative fare with his New Orleans-inspired menu. You feast on delicious Mac ‘n Cheese croquettes, Crawfish Étouffée, Po’ Boys and their signature Jambalaya tempered with goat cheese amongst other wonderful eats. Do NOT miss dessert – their Sabayon was really refreshing and delicious.

With a spot like Masq in our midst, one doesn’t have to travel far to celebrate Mardi Gras coz here “It’s Always Fat Tuesday!”

Here is some of what we ate:

MAC ‘N CHEESE CROQUETTES

PROSCIUTTO FIG FLATBREADS

SHRIMP & CATFISH PO’ BOYS

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

JAMBALAYA

SABAYON

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Overall
	* Restaurant Name
	MASQ Restaurant & Lounge
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Midtown East / American New
	* Street Address
	306 East 49th St. (Between 1st Ave. & 2nd Ave.), New York, NY 10017
	* Phone
	(212) 644-8294

Juliette, Williamsburg, NYC

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Malini Sood Horiuchi

Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$$

Must try: Eggs Forestière

Juliette is an ultra charming brassiere in Williamsburg located right next to the famed Egg.

Nested in an area where trendy restaurants open ever so often, Juliette has managed to hold its own. Offering a locally sourced, French inspired menu classic favorites with a twist rule here. The meal we had here was very solid.

The interiors at Juliette are French country whimsy. The space offers locales to suit every mood. There is a vintage barroom up front, a main dining room, a solarium adorned with vines and an extremely popular rooftop bar that is packed during warmer weather.

For those who care, Juliette was recently featured on Project Runway in Episode 9 (Let’s do Brunch)! That is definitely one way you can spend your time here by checking out the scene but for others like me…..the food will occupy you just fine too.

Here is some of what we ate:

BAKED FARM EGGS

SMOKED SALMON BENEDICT  

EGGS FORESTIERE

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Overall
	* Restaurant Name
	Juliette
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Williamsburg / French
	* Street Address
	135 North 5th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
	* Phone
	(718) 388-9222

Mozzarella & Vino, Midtown West, NYC

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Malini Sood Horiuchi

(I was invited as a guest to this establishment. All opinions expresses in this review are my own.)

I was recently invited to review Mozzarella & Vino, a brand new spot opened by veteran restaurateurs Gianfranco & Paula Sorrentino of Il Gattopardo and Leopard at des Artistes fame.

Located in the old Il Gattopardo space, right opposite the MOMA, Mozzarella & Vino is housed in a chic, inviting space that is filled with warmth and authenticity.

Mozzarella & Vino distinguishes itself from it sibling restaurants by offering a seasonally inspired small plate menu with an emphasis on Mozzarella di Bufala Campania DOP, Italian cheeses and affettati.

This affordable enoteca style restaurant also offers a full bar and an extensive wines list. This is one of the first spots in New York City to use an Enomatic wine serving system, which allows them to store unique high-end wines.

The kitchen is supervised by Chef Vito Gnazzo of Il Gattopardo and The Leopard and helmed by Antonio Savino. The menu at Mozzarella & Vino is quite simple but the flavors are truly authentic and the quality of food really shines. The best of ingredients are flown in twice a week from small artisanal farms in Italy. One can tell that in this kitchen there are no short cuts – everything is made fresh from scratch and is all really delicious.

Mozzarella & Vino is open everyday from 11:00 AM to 10 PM. The genuine affection and care taken of anyone who walks through the doors of Mozzarella & Vino is palpable. Its almost like you are welcomed home when you set foot in here and are pampered the whole way through with great food and wine.

Here is some of what we ate:

Bread Basket

Zucchini and Calamari fritti with spicy tomato sauce

Affettati & Fromagi

Smoked Mozzarella with Cherry Tomato Suace

Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant and Riccotta

Meatballs

Apple crostata with smoked mozzarella gelato

Mascarpone chocolate mousse cake

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Overall
	* Restaurant Name
	Mozzarella & Vino
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Midtown West / Italian
	* Street Address
	33 West 54th Street (b/t Avenue Of The Americas & 5th Ave in Midtown West), New York, NY 10019
	* Phone
	(646) 692-8849

Shopsin’s General Store, Lower East Side, NYC

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Malini Sood Horiuchi

Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

Must try: Poutine, Mac and Cheese Pancake

	* Overall
	* Restaurant Name
	ABC Cocina
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Flatiron / Latin American other / Tapas/Small Plates
	* Street Address
	38 East 19th St. (Between 5th Ave. & Park Ave.), New York, NY 10003
	* Phone
	(212) 677-2233

Spicy Roasted Chicken & Banana Blossom Salad

Steamed Egg wrapped in Red Curry & Kaffir Lime

Northern Style Golden Curry (Khao Soi)

Grilled Blowfish Tails

Water Spinach with Garlic

MAC ‘N CHEESE CROQUETTES

PROSCIUTTO FIG FLATBREADS

SHRIMP & CATFISH PO’ BOYS

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

JAMBALAYA

SABAYON

BAKED FARM EGGS

SMOKED SALMON BENEDICT

EGGS FORESTIERE

Bread Basket

Zucchini and Calamari fritti with spicy tomato sauce

Affettati & Fromagi

Smoked Mozzarella with Cherry Tomato Suace

Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant and Riccotta

Meatballs

Apple crostata with smoked mozzarella gelato

Mascarpone chocolate mousse cake

Guacamole with Grapefruit Salsa

Raw Shaved Fluke

Shrimp with Sizzling Garlic and Chili Oil

Short Rib Taco

Fish Taco

Grilled Maitake Mushrooms

Salted Caramel ‘Impossible’ Flan

Soft And Crunchy Almond Cake

SMOKED SALMON BENEDICT  