Ditch Plains

After walking around the West Village on Sunday morning, we worked up an appetite for some brunch and decided to finally try Ditch Plains. We've heard great things about their Lobster Bake but figured we'd check out what else they had to offer.

Turns out they have a lot to offer...for starters, the bloody mary was absolutely tremendous. Strong, spicy, and loaded with flavor, this hit the spot. Jess ordered an omelet stuffed with swiss cheese & mushrooms served alongside a salad & toast. It was a large omelet that was properly & evenly stuffed with the aforementioned additions.

Eric got the chicken burger topped with swiss cheese. The burger did not suffer from a lack of taste as many turkey & chicken burgers have a history of doing. Helped out by a healthy layer of swiss cheese and a soft, flavorful bun, this burger was well seasoned. Served with a juicy tomato, delicious pickles as well as a side salad and fries, it's a complete meal that will leave you satisfied.

We both walked out saying that everything we ate or drink was right on point. Add that to the relaxed vibe, great service, and convenient location, and I have a feeling we'll be back real soon for some more brunch and to check out their lobster bake.

Engagement Celebration!

The Resto Hoppers are engaged! Would you expect anything less than an epic weekend of eating out to celebrate? I didn’t think so….

I’m tipping my hat to Eric for planning every single detail and making sure that every meal was memorable and amazing.

The Night:

Blue Ribbon Bakery – If you are ever looking to celebrate a special occasion, go to the private wine cellar room at Blue Ribbon Bakery! It's an intimate room across from their bread-making area and the service was fabulous. We started with some drinks and the cheese platter, some beef marrow with red wine sauce, garlic shrimp and chorizo. Everything was great, but I was too distracted and excited to recall the details.

For entrees, I split the salmon with asparagus, potatoes and mustard sauce and the tuna...both were good but you need to go with meat here. Most others went with the fried chicken or the filet mignon and we got some sides of the brussel sprouts & parmesan and roasted garlic, both were great.

For dessert, we had to go with the bread pudding, which we discovered at Brooklyn Bowl and which is AH-MAZING. As the waiter said, they may lace it with crack...it's that addicting.

The Day After:

Jane - We went around the corner for brunch at Jane, a regular in our rotation but one that can always be counted on to deliver. I'm a huge fan of places that steam their milk for coffee...a classy move. I went with the mushroom omelet and Eric went with the hash....both were heaping portions and were a great chaser to an amazing evening.

WD~50 - When we needed a really special meal to celebrate just the two of us, we knew it was going to be wd~50, a spot that has long been on our "special occasion" list.

We walk in and who do we see in the kitchen but Wylie Dufresne himself? We knew it would be fantastic from that point on....

We started off with the "Eggs Benedict," the Peekytoe crab roll with salt ‘n vinegar chips & celery mayonnaise and the Shrimp spaghetti with tomato, basil & garlic. The "eggs benedict" consisted of breaded cubes of hollendaise sauce, jello-like molds of egg yolk and bacon chips. Let us just say it was out of this world...as you can see from this shot of Eric's face after taking a bite.

It's Wylie's way of playing with ideas that make his dishes so special. The Eggs Benedict was fun to eat and each bite was just bursting with flavor.

The shrimp spaghetti was another culinary feat - the spaghetti strands were made of shrimp and tossed with shrimp in a tomato sauce, so you were getting lots of shrimp flavor in every bite. I was worred that the texture might be off, since shrimp can be stringy, but it was perfect.

The crab roll was excellent as well, although not as memorable as the first two.

As entrees, we went with the Mediterranean bass with artichokes, forbidden rice & white chocolate-green olive and the Lamb skirt steak with pistachio ‘polenta,’ endive marmalade & spiced apricot.

The bass was beautiful and cooked perfectly and the "forbidden rice" was in the form of crispy brown rice balls that really balanced out the lightness of the fish.

As for dessert....we passed. However, we did receive a parting gift complements of the restaurant: balls of marshmallow ice cream dipped in rice krispies and frozen for a perfect ending bite.

We were so impressed that we asked our waiter to get us into the kitchen to thank WD himself, and we were brought back a few minutes later. We got a quick tour of the kitchen and shook hands with the chef who blew our minds with a meal we won't forget. And he even congratulated us! Never washing our hands again....

Peels - To cap off the weekend, we joined forces with the parentals for brunch at Peels. Owned by the Freemans folks, this spot is ALWAYS crowded with hipsters on the weekends, so make reservations or be prepared to wait!

We started off with some bloody mary's and the pastry basket, which contained some nice goodies for the table - banana bread, pistachio bread, a chocolate chip loaf and lots more! I went with the Flower Power sandwhich: Hummus, spiced cabbage slaw, feta cheese & black olives.

Eric got the build-a-biscuit with avocado, cheddar and bacon...can't go wrong. The brunch menu is really large and has options for any set of taste buds - we'll definitely be back soon!

The Fat Radish

On Saturday, we met up with our friends Danny & Lindsey (check out her LTUL blog!), for some brunch at The Fat Radish. TFR recently opened & is located where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown - which, we all noted, is a completely different world. A cute coffee bar greets you upon entry and after walking down a small hallway, you are introduced to the dining room, which has a very hip and rustic feel to it.

I'll start with the negatives...the location and the service. I shouldn't have to ask multiple times for water or coffee. At brunch, these things should be flowing! I would think that this will only improve as the restaurant ages.

File this under "odd," but the entire staff breezes by in plaid button-downs. Waiters, hostesses, bus boys, etc... I'm not sure how I feel about this but it seems a little like they're trying too hard. We get it... you're hipsters.

Now, on to the goods... the food! My pumpkin pancakes were out of this world delicious and I will 100% be back again when I'm more hungover and these suckers can soak up some alcohol. Served with a maple mascarpone, candied walnuts, & a side of syrup, each bite was simply heavenly. Besides being a sucker for all things pumpkin (whoopie pies, what what!), what made these pancakes better than most others in Manhattan is that they were just a bit undercooked. This caused the middle of the pancakes to have a batter-like feel to it and who doesn't like that? It was like pumpkin cookie dough was greeting you at the end of every bite of flapjack.

This is what I looked like after my meal.

The rest of the table got eggs & while everyone enjoyed, I didn't get the sense that they LOVED the dishes. Maybe that's because I was too busy savoring each bite of my own dish. Lindsey's dish sounded the most interesting - spaghetti squash, candied bacon, & crispy egg. It should also be noted that the portions weren't particularly large. This was OK for the pancakes b/c no matter how you portion 3 pancakes, you're going to be full. But for the egg dishes, it was problematic. Eggs should ALWAYS be served alongside potatoes &/or toast. We had neither. Major no-no.

Oh, and the bloody mary's were quite delicious!! We'll be back soon enough.. Either for the pancakes or to see what they got for dinner.

10 Downing

We've gotten some comments from a few of our loyal readers that all of our posts are positive. For the most part, this is true. There are a few reasons: 1) we do research before deciding where to eat; 2) we do research on the best dishes at the places we choose to eat at; 3) our friends recommended good places; and 4) who wants to read us complain about some meal we had?

Well, well, well... Y'all got your wish! We had a less-than-stellar brunch experience with my parents at 10 Downing in the West Village. The omelet lacked any real flavor and fell completely flat in the cheddar cheese department. A major no-no. The Open-Faced Curry Chicken Salad sounded great on the menu but neither Jess nor my dad particularly loved it. For both dishes, my dad mentioned that my mom's versions was far superior. He wasn't just being nice... it was the truth. And, you never want to spend your money eating out when you think you can be doing it better at home.

On the positive side, the pumpkin bisque was delicious - even though the bowl was only filled up half-way - and the bloody mary's were just right.

Jess was here for dinner recently and had a good experience so maybe brunch just isn't their thing. In any case, we won't be back here for brunch. There ya go... not every meal we eat is the "best meal ever." Bummer.

For Dinner:

My dinner here came before the brunch experience tainted our perspective on this local spot.  One positive is that their bread basket comes with chunky tahini that is a nice departure from plain old butter.  

My mom and I split the butter lettuce salad with a warm goat cheese crostini and it was tasty!  I had a huge craving the day after for another butter lettuce salad - it's so superior to every other type of lettuce.  I got the scallops as well, which were great - flavorful and accompanied by brussels sprouts and spaghetti squash.  My mom went with the herb-lemon half chicken and it was quite tasty as well, and a large portion.  We split a side of the brussels sprouts, since they were raved about in reviews and they really didn't live up to the hype.  They weren't cooked enough so they were harder than I like my sprouts - the pieces of bacon did not redeem this dish.

To sum up, after eating dinner and brunch at 10 Downing in the same week, I would definitely use it as a fall-back dinner option going forward and will not be going back for brunch any time soon. 

Hopper'd. 

Eric's Birthday Weekend!

My birthday was last Saturday (8/28) and to celebrate I had lots and lots of great food with friends and family. Here's a rundown of what this Hopper eats for his bday:

LaPiazza Buffalo Chicken - I headed back home (Plainview) for the pizza that I consider to be the best in the land. LaP's famed pie has loads of buffalo chicken & mozzarella cheese, but the kicker is the creamy blue cheese that is drizzled on top. Each bite is more delicious than the previous one and I won't go home without indulging.

Tipsy Parson's Luther Burger - Jess threw me a surprise birthday brunch with some of my closest friends. We went to the previously blogged about Chelsea brunch spot, Tipsy Parson. This cute little spot is home to the Luther Burger (bacon cheeseburger served between a sliced glazed donut). It's every bit as delicious as it sounds and if you're looking for a clogged artery, this is for you! Sweet, savory, crunchy, it has it all!

Mercer Kitchen - Jean Georges' SoHo spot had been on my "list" for quite some time so it seemed like a logical choice for a bday dinner with Jess' and my families. The atmosphere is a mix of modern & rustic. It's sleek and feels very new, but at the same time there's lots of exposed bricks & pipes. We all agreed that it was a cool-looking spot. The highlight for Jess & I was the Shrimp Salad app. We liked the scallop entree and the tuna spring roll app, but weren't gaga over it. Jess' bro got a chilled pea soup that everyone tried & thoroughly enjoyed!

Jess' gift to me was a day & night filled with all of my favorite activities. We woke up and headed north to Wave Hill. This park is under the radar and needs to be seen! You wouldn't believe how pretty The Bronx can be. We had a lovely buffet brunch (highlighted by home fries & fresh fruit) before exploring the grounds - gardens, greenhouses, ponds, fresh smells, and more - and laying out in the abundant sunshine!

Blue Hill was my dinner surprise and it was incredible. Obama dined here during a recent visit to New York City, so you know its legit. All of their ingredients are fresh from local farms, including their two in upstate NY & Great Barrington. The decor is simple, yet elegant. They start you with warm, soft, crunchy bread and soft butter - a great way to kick off our dining experience.

Looking for a new type of wine? How about a Malbec Rose served chilled? It was delicious & we're already looking into ordering some for our apt. Our server raved about the tomatoes being in season so we ordered the heirloom tomato salad to start. They split it for us (always a nice
move) and upon first bite we were ready for liftoff! The flavors of the tomato are bursting out and with each bite, you are amazed with how tasty a salad can be! The best part is still to come as the tomato juice sitting at the bottom of your bowl is intensely flavorful. Take some of your bread and use it to soak up the juice..... Ahhhh, a lil bite of heaven.

Jess' entree was the veggie special - eggplant. The bite I had was tremendous and she loved it! On the side of this dish was an eggplant spread that we shared. Think of your favorite babaganoush and it's kinda like that only more eggplant-y and fresh. The chicken dish I got was a reco from the waiter, and he led me down the right path. This was oozing with taste and super juicy! Not your mom's chicken (no offense, mom. I love your chicken tarragon!).

All in all, I'd highly recommend Blue Hill if you are looking to celebrate a special occasion. We loved every aspect of our meal, and we think you will too!

Northern Spy Food Co.

As you may have noticed, we are big brunch people. So, it's weird that it took us as long as it did to try Northern Spy Food Co - it's right by Eric's apartment and we're always looking for good places around there to grub. We finally made our way there last Sunday, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, hoping to be wowed. And we were.

It's a hipster hotspot - a mix between the woodsy, lumberjack-ness of Freemans and the comfort food vibe at Westville. The brunch menu is eclectic, with a bunch of hearty options: a chicken & egg sandwich with crispy thigh, poached egg and chimichurri...and a kale salad with Clothbound cheddar, summer squash, almonds and two baked eggs.

We went with the polenta and eggs: two baked eggs with polenta and braised mustard greens along with one of the specials - a mushroom sandwich on baguette with arugula, cheddar and potato. We went splitskys with both!

The polenta and egg dish was by far the better option - chunky yet creamy (oxymoron?) polenta infused with the greens made for a heavenly base to two perfectly-baked eggs. The perfect bite had some egg yolk, a piece of the egg white and a scoop of the polenta and kale, all together for a savory, satisfying combination. It was a large portion as well, and it left us feeling full and raring to go.

The mushroom sandwich had a bunch of great ingredients thrown together, but they just didn't mesh well. We wouldn't order this again...and with so many other great options that we wanted to try, there's no reason to. The french toast floating by to other tables looked scrumptious....as did the home-made biscuits and jam.

I'd also like to come back for dinner and to try their cocktails - they had so many interesting concoctions on the menu.

Check it out and become a fan....http://www.northernspyfoodco.com/

Westville Chelsea

Yes, that's right. Westville just opened its 3rd location in the city. Their Chelsea spot is conveniently located a few blocks north of my apartment on 18th between 7th & 8th. This is great because Westville is one of those places that's perfect for brunch, dinner and delivery - what else does a New Yorker need? It just opened up last week, so there hasn’t been much of a wait and they only accept cash. A plus is that the Chelsea Westville is bigger than the other two, with booths seating 4-6 people in the back plus a long bar with stools in the front.

They have a solid brunch menu and do one of my favorite make-your-own eggs dishes in the city. Instead of making omelets, they make "mashes," so that all of the ingredients you choose are mixed up together with the eggs and then scrambled. This makes for even distribution and makes it easier to eat! Their accompanying Portuguese muffins are yummy – they are like English muffins, only fluffier and bigger.

Eric went for the fried eggs over turkey hash. Two eggs any way you want it (in this case, sunny side up) are placed over a nice portion of turkey hash. The hash is very similar to mashed potatoes, only it has chunks of turkey & veggies mixed in. When the yolk runs into the hash it makes for a scrumptious bite! Throw in some toast & a side salad, and you have a pretty good start to your day for $9.

I also went a few days later for dinner with my roommates and got to take advantage of what Westville is known for - their market vegetables. They have a daily market vegetable list that is extensive, but more or less stays the same. For $13 you can get four veggies on a plate or you can order bigger single portions. We went with the Dijon cauliflower, bok choy with ginger and garlic, kale with scallions and the roasted butternut squash. Some other veggies of note are the Brussels sprouts and the zucchini with roasted tomatoes and mozzarella – every vegetable I’ve ever had there has been delicious.

The vegetables are a great starter to whet your appetite for………..wait for it……..the best veggie burger you’ll ever have. You don’t need to be a vegetarian or even a veggie lover to love this burger. It’s super flavorful and crispy on the outside, with a Portuguese muffin as the bun (see above, it’s delicious). The burger is topped with sautéed mushrooms and tartar sauce, which take it up a notch. This veggie burger always does the trick.

If you’re in the East Village, West Village or Chelsea and haven’t been to Westville yet, get involved!

http://www.westvillenyc.com/

Primehouse (Brunch)

One of the many reasons why I love living in New York City is that you can discover that a steakhouse in Murray Hill owned by BR Guest Restaurants is secretly home to one of the best brunch deals in all of the 5 boroughs. Who knew?!?

For the price of your brunch entree ($9-$17), you get the following complimentary: Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Bellini, Mimosa, Campari, Champagne, Orange Juice or Grapefruit Juice AND Coffee or Tea. Plus, a bread basket served when you sit down that is unbelievable! With soft, whipped butter this is one of the best baskets I've had in the city. Raisin bread + what tasted like a bannana-cranberry bread that was more like a dessert.

We each got the farmer's market omelet ($12) with egg whites, market vegetatbles, low fat muenster cheese, and two slices of turkey bacon. The last time we came it was served with a healthy portion of delicious "old school" home fries. This time, it was served with two skewers of fresh fruit. I guess it depends on the season... genius!

The omelet is stuffed with loads of vegetables (tomato, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, & more) and is a very good healthy & hearty way to start off your day. Primehouse also offers a dozen other brunch options that look great if this omelet doesn't tickle your fancy.

What also makes Primehouse such a great brunch option is that the service is impeccable. The entire wait staff was attentive & on top of their game, without being pushy at all. We loved it, and we think you will too!

Check 'em out at http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/primehouse_new_york/index.php

Rose Water (Brunch in Brooklyn)

While eavesdropping at work last Friday, Eric heard rave reviews of Rose Water in Park Slope. We checked out the menu and our mouths watered. It's a seasonal restaurant that uses local and organic food to create a unique and everchanging menu....very "Brooklyn."

We arrived at Rose Water on Sunday around 11:30, which wound up being the best time possible - there was no wait but by the time we ordered, all of the tables were filled (mostly with young parents and babies - Park Slope is so gosh darn cute).

In a rare occurence, both of the RH bloggers ordered the same dish, since it sounded too good to resist: the frittata with carmelized onions, asparagus, parmesan cheese and a golden beet salad. The dish also came with a spicy tomato sauce on the side along with a piece of zucchini bread.


We savored each and every bite of this delicious dish! The sweet carmelized onions were balanced out perfectly by the salty parmesan and the tomato sauce added great flavor as well. The salad was simple but the beets were so fresh and really went along nicely with the meal. The service was good and our coffees were refilled about five times!

We loved this place because not only was it delicious and healthy, it was a welcome change from our usual brunch spots in Manhattan. We will definitely make our way back here to sample future menus.

Clinton Street Baking Company

11 AM... Saturday Morning... Memorial Day Weekend... Party of 5... Wait time = 90-120 minutes! And, I can't say that I was all that surprised. Wait times were comparable the previous 2 times I was here and those were for parties of 2. After this wait time was announced, our party of 5 dropped to a party of 3 (me, Jess, and my pancake-loving mother), and our wait time dropped to 60 minutes.

The scene outside Clinton Street:

We quickly started things off by sharing a biscuit with butter and jam. People (myself included) are so excited for the pancakes that you forget that this is a full-fledged bakery and everything put in that oven looks amazing. The biscuit and jam is a great way to whet your appetite for the main course.

Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes! After having gone blueberry the previous 2 times I was here, I decided to switch it up a bit and ordered the banana-walnut pancakes. They were just as good as the blueberry pancakes (which lost to Food Network's Bobby Flay in "Throwdown: Pancakes" and are famously delicious). The banana-walnut rendition may be even better for me since I'm more of a banana-walnut guy (I like "the crunch"). The pancakes are large, thick and fluffy, filled with a ton of bananas and chopped walnuts, and topped with even more! Plus, the pancakes are dusted with some cinnamon and sugar. To make matters even sweeter, the flapjacks are served with a warm maple butter syrup. It all adds up to some of the best pancakes you've ever had. Also in contention are Cookshop and The Smith (imho). If you are into pancakes, you need to try these!! They WILL rock your world.

Before:

After:

Jess, who got the pancakes the last time I dragged her here :-) ordered a tasty omelet this time around.

This dish was much more up her alley and she enjoyed it very much! Is it the kinda omelet that you wait 60 minutes for? No! But it is if you're a great girlfriend and your boyfriend is a pancake-lover, like me!

I think I've said enough about these pancakes, but just in case I haven't, GO!!!!!!

The Diner: Meatpacking District (Brunch)

It’s kinda crazy that in a city filled with thousands upon thousands of restaurants, many of which proudly serve a weekend brunch, anyone could ever have trouble finding a good brunch spot. However, that’s the problem we faced on Sunday morning when deciding where to eat. We couldn’t think of anywhere new to go & we weren’t in the mood to head back to our local favorites. We started walking around hoping that the answer would come to us.

A short walk from Jess’ apt, it’s amazing that we had never eaten at The Diner before. It’s in the heart of the Meatpacking District, has great indoor & outdoor seating options (great for people-watching), and a casual vibe with flat screen TVs & magazine racks lining the walls.

I’ll get the negative out of the way… $3.50 for an iced coffee & NO free refills?!?!? Starbucks is more reasonable.

OK, now on to the positive (the rest of the meal):

We each went healthy and ordered the egg white omelet with broccoli, mushrooms, & red peppers. We added some cheese & split a side of turkey bacon. Throw in a plate filled with a small salad, home fries, & toast and you have yourself a healthy & hearty breakfast. Nothing too fancy, but it hit the spot nonetheless.

We both enjoyed our time here and will be coming back for the banana chocolate chip pancakes (when we don’t feel like being healthy). Plus, our mouths were watering at the various burger options on the menu (beef, chicken, veggie, turkey & more – all for $10.95). Check out the menu & more at http://www.thedinernyc.com/

Yerba Buena Perry (Brunch)

After running the Brooklyn Half-Marathon, Jess & I headed to Yerba Buena Perry for a hearty, celebratory meal with our parents. The outside of YBP is very unassuming, and before entering, we were unsure if the place was even open. This would be OK if the restaurant was packed, but it was at best 1/3 full. Makes us think that the look of the exterior is doing the restaurant a disservice. Many passerby's wouldn't even know that inside is a Latin restaurant with great food & tasty cocktails.

The "good bartender" was behind the bar so we all indulged in a celebratory drink - bloody mary's, blueberry gimlets, & a mojito. Everyone enjoyed their respective drinks & every last drop was devoured by the meal's end ;-)

The guacamole to start was smoky, chunky, & topped with queso fresco. I'm not the biggest fan of smoky guac, but this worked well with the layer of cheese on top balancing it out. The chips were a bit salty and served already dipped into the guac. Interesting presentation.

We ordered the sausage chorizo side dish as an appetizer & it comes with one sweet sausage & one spicy chorizo. Both were stellar and some people liked the sweet better, while others preferred the spicy... all about what tickles your taste buds.

Jess got the tilapia fish tacos, which were quite good but a little weak on the portion size. We both felt that for $13 they should serve you 3 tacos, rather than 2 small tacos. The dish did come with a healthy portion of rice & beans, but that's not why anyone orders that dish & YBP should know that.

There was no complaining about the portion of my dish, the Cubano Sandwich:

In between two pieces of freshly toasted baguette was serrano ham, BBQ suckling pig, brie cheese, chipotle mustard, & pickles. This sandwich was hearty & delicious... exactly what I was looking for! The crunchy bread was perfect, the brie cheese was strong enough to cut through the layers of pork, & both the ham & pig were uber-tasty. Served alongside Papas Provenzal - long, thin potato chips - and a side salad, this dish was a big winner in my book!!

To satisfy our sweet tooth, the table split the churros - served with mexican hot chocolate, that's so sweet it should be illegal. One mini churro per person with a follow-up sip of hot chocolate hit the spot!

Worth mentioning was that the french toast was out-of-this-world amazing.

We'll definitely be back to YBP to sample this savory dish for brunch & see what they can offer to a couple of restaurant hoppers for dinner.

The Smith (Pancakes-specific)

Eric here... I'm not sure if I have written this or not, but I LOVE PANCAKES! They are a great way to start your morning off, especially if you are hungover and in need of a hearty meal to soak up last night's alcohol :-) Today was one of those days for me. The Smith is a busy, busy place and was probably not the best choice for a couple with a nasty hangover, but these pancakes made it worth it...

Three big, fluffy pancakes are topped with baked apple slices, candied walnuts, and a white rum caramel sauce. And of course, a healthy portion of syrup (as desired by the individual). Some purists don't like any toppings, but for me, they provide a great blend of textures in every bite (I dig the crunch). I've gotten these pancakes many-a-times and they are always light & fluffy. It's quite the sweet dish & these pancakes are large so be prepared! I promise you that if you also enjoy pancakes, get these, and thank me later!