New York, 2013

Last month I had the opportunity to visit NY again. So exciting!!
It was a business trip, so I didn't have too much time to try new and fancy restaurants or go on long walks, but I did get to visit new places (I finally crossed the bridge and went to Brooklyn!), go to museums and revisit a couple of my favorite places (Eataly and Bouchon, for example). Here are some delicious moments of the trip that I was able to capture:

Happy Hour at Eataly

Breakfast at Bouchon (cafe latte with brioche and jam)

Central Park from above (Mandarin Oriental Hotel)

Manhattan "seen with Brooklyn eyes" (Williamsborough Bridge)

Drinks and late lunch at Rabbit Hole. Brooklyn, NY.

Running some errands... (I couldn't stop myself from walking "gazillion" blocks as I always do when in NY)

Hot Dog at Times Square (Why not, right?)

Running some errands - part two...

Delicious lunch at Tiny's & The Bar Upstairs (so good!)

Need more tips about NY? Find some good ones here. 

Balthazar Restaurant, NY

Closing our NY 2012 Special with a trendy restaurant: Balthazar!

Frequented by celebrities, this restaurant is a truly delight! Not only because, upon entering the place, it looks like you're at some bistro in Paris, but also - and most important - the food and service are wonderful!
After several failed attempts to make a reservation (always packed - book it early!), we finally got to know this restaurant, well recommended by several friends.

We started our dinner with ceviche and a goat cheese quiche.

Then, the main dishes: I ordered an amazing duck on a bed of mushrooms (the best duck I've ever had!), steak frites, lamb and fish.

And, of course, we also ordered dessert: chocolate cream, apple pie and banana cream pie.

As you can see, this trip was filled with amazing restaurants like The Spotted Pig, The National and Balthazar.
All of them a little bit more expensive than the average restaurants (at least for the American standard) but if you have extra money and enjoy good food, these restaurants are perfect and well worth it (and don't forget those already mentioned here and not as expensive such as Burger Joint and Pastis). And I can not forget to thank my in-laws for providing us such delicious moments!

NY: Wandering - Part II

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (traditional style ice cream. Homemade and very tasty. But keep in mind you will have to face a line to have it!)

Street Art

Ultra-comfortable, cool and good cause shoes

Celebrating the Olympics

Coffee Break

On our way to the US Open

Home...

Wedding at St. Patricks Church

Wall paper from a Mexican restaurant in Brooklyn

The Spotted Pig, NY

A cool couple friend of ours (that's you Ligia and Colo!) told us about this great restaurant and we went there to check it out: The Spotted Pig is a funky place, with a cool decor, super friendly young waiters and delicious food!

We started our meal with deviled eggs, French fries, beer and rosé.

Then we had it all: I ordered one of the best grilled cheeses I've ever eaten! (with caramelized onions and dijon mustard), burger, pumpkin burrata sandwich and prosciutto arugula tart. Delish!!

For dessert, we ordered two pies: berries and chocolate.

Now, this place is a mandatory stop whenever I'm in NY! (as the restaurant is small, book it in advance. When we tried to have dinner there, we called the same day and there was a 1-hour waiting line. Then we went for a late lunch and the place was almost empty ;)

NY: Wandering - Part I

Besides eating, we walked a lot in this trip to NY (as I always do!).
We went to touristic places, different restaurants, watched tennis matches, visited new districts etc. So here I show you some photos of places we went to and which I think may be interesting for you to consider when visiting the city...

Chinatown (not necessarily beautiful, but interesting. A world apart inside NY)

The always beautiful Central Park

Brooklyn Bridge (this time, I finally crossed the bridge and got to know a piece of Brooklyn)

Fonda Mexican restaurant (delicious food and margaritas)

Exhibition at the Rooftop of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Memories of an unforgettable day

Manhattan view from Brooklyn

Tennis!!

The National, NY

I was not sure which post about my last visit to NY I should do first. So many delightful places that was hard to choose. What an amazing city!
So let's cut the chase and go to one of the highlights of this trip: The National Bar and Restaurant.

From the renowned American Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, The National is a casual yet elegant dining room, with prices a bit higher than average and wonderful food! (I did not take lots of pictures because I was too distracted by the food, the wine, the ambiance...)

We started dinner with oysters. I had never tried it before but my sister in law convinced me (and I liked it!). Then we had it all: I ordered lamb chop, men ordered steak, my mother in law ordered chicken and my sister in law ordered fish.

Hubby thought it was the best steak of his life! And I think the same about the lamb! Very moisty and tender and well seasoned.
We still had room for desserts: chocolate tart and profiteroles (unfortunately I did not take pictures. Let's use some imagination here...)

If I was already a fan of Chef Zarakian only by seeing him on TV, now that I tasted his food, I'm even more! (Note: make a reservation. This is one of those "it" restaurants!)