Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare

Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare

New York

In the world of fine dining, my favorite in the United States is Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare in New York City. At first glance you may be double checking Google Maps because it somehow directed you to a local grocery store. However, tucked away at a discreet corner of the store, you’ll find the gateway to some of the tastiest, most innovative, perfectly seasoned, and beautifully presented cuisine. First, there are some decisions you’ll need to make upfront after being seated at the long wooden counter.

Beverages are always a first but soon, if you’re lucky, you’ll be asked about a supplemental truffle option. Look, this place isn’t cheap but if you can afford it (yes, make that decision to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the rest of the mouth), add the truffle option. Trust me, it’s really worth it. Other fancy pants restaurants ladening with Michelin stars don’t treat it with as much respect and care as does Chef Ramirez.

Chef Ramirez

White Truffle from Alba

On the evening which I’d visited (11/19/2019), the wonderful white truffle from Alba, Italy showered a gaggle of Hokkaido uni atop a perfectly toasted brioche base. The aroma gave me a great big hug and the first bite in release an avalanche of the subtle salty of the sea infused with deep earthy tones. It was a delicious symphony of fresh flavors, I still think about that dish with fondness.

White Truffle from Alba

Another dish forever staple-gunned to my brain is a delicate filet of white fish sitting in a rich sauce. The plating was a visual treat as the multiple lighting sources made for a disco ball effect on the table (in the best possible sense of a disco ball). We were seat at the end of the long counter so the chef and staff checked in with us often. By the end of the night, we got a chance to chat with them about each dish. Everyone was very kind and casual which made for a relaxing dinner. Both myself and my dining partner came off a 10 hr workday with several stressful meetings. So this was especially appreciated.

White fish filet

White Truffle Ice Cream

The last course featuring our truffle supplement came in the form of ice cream topped with a generous heap of white truffle. Every bite and dish had been delicious and well balanced and this ice cream was no exception. The ice cream itself was velvety smooth and the truffle put it at the inflection point between sweet and savory –absolutely magnificent.

White truffle ice cream

At the end of the meal, I was both happy and sad. Happy that it was such a fun and innovative experience but sad that it had ended and that I live on the west coast so coming to this restaurant again will require a bit of planning. Chef Ramirez wished us well and was even kind enough to sign our menus.

Beyond the Postcard: My Visit to Colmar’s Christmas Market

Beyond the Postcard: My Visit to Colmar’s Christmas Market

New York

Experiencing Christmas Magic in Colmar

Colmar's Christmas Market is famous for its fairytale setting across 6 distinct, charmingly decorated squares, offering a rich array of local Alsatian crafts, food like vin chaud and bredele, and a truly magical atmosphere.

Stepping into Colmar during Christmas is like tumbling headfirst into a storybook. Seriously, if you've ever seen photos of this Alsatian gem, multiply that charm by a thousand when the holiday lights are twinkling. Unlike some sprawling markets, Colmar’s Christmas magic is spread across several smaller, distinct markets, each tucked into the town's unbelievably picturesque squares. It means you’re constantly turning a corner and discovering a new delightful scene, whether it’s the charming Petite Venise or the grandeur of the Place des Dominicains. For me, it felt less like a market and more like exploring a living, breathing Christmas village, with every half-timbered house adorned with festive flair.

A Christmas Fairytale Come to Life

Colmar truly feels like stepping back in time, as if the entire city was pulled straight from the 16th century. Its already fairytale-like old town becomes even more magical at Christmas, with the whole place decorated like a dream. The historic heart of Colmar hosts six enchanting Christmas markets, each offering a delightful variety of food, unique trinkets, local wines, and even rides for children. To see just Colmar's markets: You could spend a full day (6-8 hours) comfortably exploring all six markets, Browse stalls, enjoying food and drinks, and soaking in the atmosphere.

Beyond the Markets: Colmar's Culinary Delights

Beyond the enchanting Christmas markets themselves, Colmar offers an incredible array of food options throughout the city. Many wooden stalls are dedicated to showcasing local produce, allowing you to savor regional specialties. You'll find delicious treats like foie gras, a variety of Christmas sweets, and of course, the renowned Alsatian wines.

Postcard-Perfect Moments

Colmar is a photographer's dream, offering postcard-like pictures at every turn. You'll find yourself in storybook-like towns, surrounded by colorful, tinted houses that are beautifully decorated and lit up for the holidays. It's easy to lose track of time here; you could effortlessly spend a few days simply wandering the cobbled streets from market to market, especially when the city truly comes alive at night.

The Enchanting Atmosphere

What truly sets Colmar apart is its undeniable atmosphere. The sheer beauty of the architecture, combined with the festive decorations, creates a warmth that permeates everything. Carol singers often fill the air with joyous melodies, and the gentle buzz of happy visitors adds to the communal spirit. Even the canals of Petite Venise, usually picturesque, become even more magical with reflections of twinkling lights dancing on the water. It’s not just a place to shop; it’s an experience for all the senses, a chance to slow down, soak in the festive spirit, and truly feel the magic of Christmas. Colmar’s Christmas market left me utterly charmed and ready to plan my next return.

My Broadway Playbill

My Broadway Playbill

New York

Experiencing the incredible Broadway shows in New York and London is always a highlight of my visits. I’ve compiled this list to keep track of all the fantastic performances I’ve been fortunate enough to see.

Broadway Musicals
Cats
Jersey Boys
Wicked
The Lion King
The Phantom of the Opera
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ❤
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Mary Poppins
Miss Saigon
Chicago
Annie

Broadway Plays
The Vertical Hour (2007, Julianne Moore, Bill Nighy)
Nice Work If You Can Get It (2012, Matthew Broderick, Jessie Mueller)


Orphans (2013, Alec Baldwin, Ben Foster, Tom Sturridge)
The Trip to Bountiful (2013, Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams)
Vanya and Sonia and Spike (2013, Sigourney Weaver, David Hyde Pierce, Kristine Nielsen)
Lucky Guy (2013, Tom Hanks, Maura Tierney, Courtney Vance)
The Present (2016, Cate Blanchett, Richard Roxburgh)

Off-Broadway
❤ Avenue Q
Blue Man Group
The Book of Mormon

West End Shows (London)

The Seagull (2025, Cate Blanchett & Tom Burke)


Les Miserables 2025
Hamilton 2025
Cabaret 2025

Image Post

New York

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ASIATE

ASIATE

New York

Asiate

80 Columbus Cir #35, New York, NY 10023
(212) 805-8881
www.mandarinoriental.com/asiate
Asian Fusion

The View

From the elegant 35th-floor dining room, offer views of Midtown Manhattan’s sleek vertical marvels and the Central Park.

asiate_restaurant

Three Course Weekend Brunch

Amazing views of Central Park and Columbus Circle. The brunch items are fairly diverse, you get a good amount of food for the price.

Bread & Butter

Chocolate Croissant & Multi Grain Bread
asiate_bread

Gourmandise Tasting

Roasted Tomato Bisque

Asparagus Frittata

Ahi Tuna Poke

Shiitake Mushroom Terrine

asiate_gourmandise

Second Course

Duck Confit & Yukon Potato Hash

Pan Seared Scallops

asiate_scallops

Dessert Duo

Mango-Coconut Parfait, Lime Form.

Semi Sweet Brownie, Mocha White Chocolate Cream, Phyllo Crisp.

asiate_dessert

AQUAVIT

AQUAVIT

Michelin Star New York

Aquavit

65 E 55th Street, New York, NY 10022
(212) 307-7311
www.aquavit.org
Nordic cuisine

FOUR COURSE PRIX FIXE MENU

The food is remarkably innovative, harmonious, and balanced. I like the restaurant itself as well, modern wooden furniture with funky Scandinavian decor. The restaurant staff took care of us all through the meal and the food was absolutely delicious.

Amuse Bouche

Pickled tomatoes lollipop sticks.

aquavit_amuse-bouche

aquavit_appetizer

Bread & Butter

Crisp flatbread and warm Danish rye bread with creamy brown butter and sea salt flakes.
aquavit_bread

Icelandic Langoustine “Crudo”

Maine sea urchin, celery, lovage, granny smith apple.
The flavor of the smoke that had escaped when they opened the jar had already permeated the goodies inside!
aquavit_icelandic_crudo

aquavit_crudo

White Asparagus & Beets

Smoked trout roe, danish rye, nobis, spruce.
aquavit_white_asparagus

Onion Family

Pan roasted foie gras, pork belly, union brûlée.
aquavit_onion_family

Carrot & Oat

Mascarpone mousse, walnut, oatmeal granola.

aquavit_carrot_oat

Amuse Bouche

Hot cinnamon beignets
aquavit_sugar_dessert

Petit Fours

Finally, there were six excellent little pastries.
aquavit_sweets

AI FIORI

AI FIORI

Michelin Star New York

Ai Fiori

400 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10018
(212) 613-8660
www.aifiorinyc.com
French/Italian

FOUR COURSE PRIE FIXE MENU

Amuse Bouche

Wild mushroom soup in a shot glass.
ai-fiori_amuse_bouche

Zuppa di Zucca

Butternut squash soup, pickled acorn squash, brown butter, foie gras.
ai-fiori_zuppa

Trofie Nero

Ligurian crustacean ragu, seppia, scallops, spiced mollica.
ai-fiori_trofie_nero

agnolotti

ai-fiori_agnolotti

Astice

Butter poached nova scotia lobster, glazed root vegetables, nebrodini mushrooms, château chalon sauce.
ai-fiori_lobster

Caffè Latte

ai-fiori_coffee

Panna Cotta

Balsamic crema, pomegranate, yogurt, green apple sorbetto.
ai-fiori_dessert

Petits Fours

Salted buttercream bonbon and passion fruit pâtes de fruit.
ai-fiori_petits_four

CHIKALICIOUS DESSERT BAR

CHIKALICIOUS DESSERT BAR

New York

Chikalicious Dessert bar

203 E 10th Street, New York, NY 10009
(212) 995-9511
www.chikalicious.com
Desserts

Three Course Prix Fixe Menu

ChickaLicious Dessert Bar is a great place to enjoy a delicate dessert with tea or coffee in a very Japanese, jazz music-filled atmosphere. If you sit at the bar, you can watch the chefs working their magic prepare the dessert just like at a sushi bar.
chikalicious_dessert-nyc

Chikalicious Amuse

Yuzu Sorbet. Cold and Smooth.
chikalicious-dessert_sorbet

Cafe Latte

chikalicious-dessert_coffee

Mocha and Hazelnut Trifle with White Coffee Ice Cream

Moist Triffle, Spongy Nutty Cake, and Crunchy Crushed Hazelnuts.
chikalicious_chocolate

Petits Fours

Shortbread Cookies, Coconut Marshmallow, and Mini Chocolate Cakes.
chikalicious-dessert_bar

ANNISA

ANNISA

New York

Annisa

13 Barrow Street, New York, NY 10014
(212) 741-6699
www.annisarestaurant.com
American

Five Course Chef’s Tasting Menu

I love Annisa and will continue to come to this restaurant. The room is elegant and the waitstaff is incredibly friendly and attentive.  The food is so delicious and done in such interesting ways. Overall I thought that the progression of the tasting menu was done beautifully and appreciated that I didn’t leave stuffed and gluttonous.

Amuse Bouche

Salmon Mousse Tartlettes.
annisa_amuse_bouche

Fluke Ceviche

Fluke Crudo with Black Lim and Radishes.
annisa_fluke_crudo

Foie Gras Soup Dumpling

Chef signature dish. Seared Foie Gras with Soup Dumplings and Jicama.
annisa_soup_dumpling

Pan Roasted Filet of Cobia

Sauteed Filet of Cobia with Grinnel Caviar, Cauliflower and Capers.
annisa_filet

Pan Seared Duck Breast

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Quail Egg on Pork Belly.
annisa_seared_duck

Amuse Bouche

Pear lemon Sorbet.
annisa_lemon_sorbet

Butterscotch Beignets

Pecan and Salted Butterscotch Beignets with Bourbon Milk Ice.
annisa_beignets

Petits Fours

Frozen Chocolate Mint Truffles, Candied Ginger and Mini Pineapple Popsicles. 
annisa_petit_fours

SCARPETTA

SCARPETTA

New York

Scarpetta

355 W 14th Street, New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-0555
www.scarpettanyc.com
Italian

Dinner Menu

The place has a great vibe with a warm atmosphere, great lighting and a nice buzz. The prices at Scarpetta still keep it in the range of what most would consider a fancy dinner, but the atmosphere is less stuffy and many of the dishes are straightforward. The pasta portion is hearty and generous. Some of the dishes are truly outstanding, while others are just good but not stellar.

Bread & Butter

Bread basket with stromboli, plus butter, mascarpone, caponata, and lemony olive oil.
scarpetta_butter

scarpetta_bread

Mozzarella in Carozza

Fried fresh mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes.
scarpetta_mozzarella

Bibb Salad

bibb_salad

Tagliatelle

Tagliatelle with spring vegetables, guanciale & truffle zabaglione.
scarpetta_tagliatelle

Panna Cotta

with guava soup and caramelized pineapples.
scarpetta_dessert

EATALY

EATALY

New York

Eataly

200 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
(212) 229-2560
www.eataly.com
Italian

What to expect

Eataly is a high-end Italian food market/mall chain. There are different sections for meats, cheese, coffee, fish, vegetables, gelato, bread, pastas, etc. They have sit-down restaurants, stand up stations and take out. Eataly gets very crowded, so do expect to be surrounded by large crowds.

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Polpo Alla Piastra

Grilled octopus with mixed greens.
eataly_polpo-alla-piastra

Tonno Alla Sicillian

Sicilian style tuna with summer beans and almonds from Noto, Sicily.
eataly_tuna

Pan Seared Salmon

Pan seared Salmon served with seasonal accompaniments.
eataly_salmon

ROBATAYA NY

ROBATAYA NY

New York

Robataya NY

231 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10003
(212) 979-9674
www.robataya-ny.com
Japanese 炉端焼き

Dinner Menu

The food is fresh and simply prepared. If you sit by the chefs at the wooden counter, you can watch the theatrics of the nimble, slipper-clad servers working the robata grill—climbing on the counter to reach raw ingredients, extending a paddle toward diners seated at the bar to hand off the finished dish. The menu offered a range of small plates, in addition to the proteins and vegetables prepared simply on the grill. The best dish we tried was among the simplest—kamameshi, a pot of slow-cooked seasoned white rice topped with snow crab.

Eryngi

Eryngi Mushroom with Salt.
robataya-ny_mushroom

Shishito

Japanese Green Pepper with Soy Sauce.
robataya-ny_shisido_pepper

Ninniku

Elephant Garlic with Miso.
robataya-ny_ninniku

Madai Sashimi

robataya-ny_sashimi

Hotate

Sea Scallop in Umami Soup.
robataya-ny_scallop

Ebi

Langostino Prawn.
robataya-ny_shrimp

Kamameshi

Kamameshi with Snow Crab.
robataya_ny_kamameshi

robataya-ny_kamameshi

Eggplant

robataya-ny_eggplant

Asparagus

robataya-ny_asparagus

Momo

California Free Range Chicken Thigh with Salt.
robataya-ny_chicken

Kamo

Long Island Duck with Salt.
robataya-ny_beef