After a our brunch at Norma's we decided to walk to the Time Warner Center. I've never been here before. I don't think it was there during my last trip to New York. Now I wonder what was there before. New York seems congested. I don't know how they find more spaces to build on.
There are a number of restaurants in this building like Per Se, Masa and Cafe Gray. We were just walking around when we saw some delicious treats at Bouchon Bakery. We couln't help but buy some, full as we are from a big brunch. We picked a few to try. We tried the flourless chocolate cake (it was a little too dense for me), hazelnut mousse (it was just ok, i didn't quite remember how it tasted), i liked the banana caramel mousse (it had feuilletine in the middle which I really enjoyed, it had a quenelle garnish which was just plain peanut butter). We also tried a couple of their own oreo cookies, the cream filling was good, just like our old time favorite oreo but the cookie part was a little too salty for me.
Did we just order all the wrong things? It's a TK establishment. Their treats are supposed to be really good.
Brunch at Norma's of Le Parker Meridien! That was my cousins announcement as we were planning out day. I've never been there or never really read up about it. I just wanted to be surprised with another great meal just like what with had in the other new york food places we've been to the past few days.
I was coming from a coffee date with my friend Erika from the upper east side so I just hopped on a crosstown bus on 60th all the way to West End then took the 57 bus which dropped me off right by Le Parker Meridien which was on 57th between 6th and 7th! Perfect!
We immediately got a table and studied the menu. We were greeted by a shot of a fruit smoothy. Then we went on and ordered our drinks. We all got freshly squeezed orange juice. It was $7 but it was refillable. It really tasted freshly squeezed and was at room temp. Just like how I would like to enjoy my orange juice. Looks like we're off to a head start. My cousin said that Norma's is highly acclaimed for breakfast food. It's one of the best breakfast places in town! Hmmmm... setting up my expectations!
The menu had very interesting items. We ordered: Waz-Za (described as fruit inside, fruit outside waffle... fruit outside was more like a smoothie, interesting brulee top), Real-Men-Do-Eat-Quiche (i liked the crust!), Flat-As-A-Pancake Crabcake (Mels, yours are better! I mean, they were ok, but the type I don't remember after the meal), Potato Pancakes (I like the cranberry apple sauce, I couldn't figure out the other one, it tasted like spiced pumpkin, the menu says it's sweet carrot), I personally ordered the Artichoked Benedict. I like it that the poached eggs sat on artichokes. The sauce was pretty tasty... but my potatoes are under! That kind of really ticked me off.
I finished my meal with a hot chocolate which was served with an entire ramekin of sweet whipped cream! I would typically think it's a good thing to have lots of cream, but I wouldn't need that much! The hot chocolate was sweet and creamy enough. I had my really good, freshly squeezed, served at room temp OJ to cheer me up. So it wasn't too bad except that I don't think it's top of the heap!
Having coffee with my friend, Er is something I always look forward to. On my last trip to New York, she introduced me to Le Pain Quotidien on 1270 First Ave, bet. 68th and 69th. She had Cafe Au Lait and I had a double shot of cappuccino. Then we shared some croissants and pain au chocolate. Very simple. Er and I just enjoyed everything while updating each other about the eventfuls and the uneventfuls of our lives. She just turned over her position at the WYA to the incoming director and is getting ready to go back to school. I just finished culinary school and I'm about to get into the heat of a real restaurant kitchen.
Croissants, coffee and conversations with Er made me feel warm and sunny despite the cold spring showers in New York City! I wonder when and where I'll have coffee with her next. Manila? San Francisco? Thanks for introducing me to Le Pain, Er! See you again soon! Miss you na!
I had quite a lot to eat today! I started with brunch with Melissa and Jill in Astoria in one of the neighborhood diner. Then I met up with my Frederick, Jun and Kuya Jay at Chikalicious again for yummy desserts and wine.
I met up with my old friend, Chris, for dinner. I met Chris a long time ago in one of the student confereces that I attended in college. I got to see him a couple of years back and we kept in touch. He told me to meet him at the lobby of workplace in the meatpacking district then he'll take me to dinner in the area. Before we had dinner, he showed me around his office building and wow! It must be a great place to work... perhaps it's the best place to work! They have a cafeteria where they don't have to pay anything when they get food. They have a gym, a spa, a break room that has all the treats and all sorts of drinks... he works for Google! I guess it's true huh? Google is indeed the best place to work!
He took me to Pastis for dinner. Which was great! Frederick recommended it but I was just putting it off because it's a type place you'll enjoy with great company. I eat alone a lot but I didn't want to do that at Pastis! And I was right! It wasn't a place for a lone diner. The atmosphere was fun and the helpings were pretty big so it'll be great to have other people to share them with! Between Chris and myself, we finished a small terrine of chicken liver and foie (which tasted more like chicken liver than foie) with frisee salad and grilled brioche (it wasn't as buttery as I wanted it but I like the grilled favor), calamari with harissa aioli and marinara sauce (I didn't even touch the marinara!), arugula salad with lemon vin and shaved parmesan, salad with grilled ahi tuna and the yummiest, croque monsieur! Melted gruyere all over my ham and cheese? One of the best bistro food I've had! Thanks, Chris!!!
Oh... guess what, two days later I went back with my cousins, this time I tried their famous mussel steamers! I think it had some white wine, I could smell it but it wasn't very overpowering. They smelled very pristine. Of course they tasted very good too! I finished an entire pot all by myself! I can't help it, I just had to eat like I'm King Of The Hill!
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Pastis Cafe
9 Ninth Ave, (cor Little West 12th street)
New York, NY
(212) 929-4844
It's down the street from Spice Market
Eating at a diner is as new yorker as an investment banker. My cousin Frederick took us here after we picked up his brothers from a delayed red-eye flight which arrived at 4am instead of 1am. From JFK airport, we headed directly to Chelsea for an NYC diner breakfast. He took us to Empire Diner where locals go for hmmm... breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Country Fried Chicken, Poached Eggs, Steak-Au-Poivre, Fruits and Yougurt, Malt Shakes... I can go on and on and on. I liked the Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes which was very creamy and tangy at the same time. Because of places like the Empire Diner, New York can afford to never sleep. People from all walks, well pretty much, walk in to this diner... some are drunk, some are loud, some are rushing to work, some just got off work. So NYC!----------------
photo grabbed from
www.nyc-architecture.com
After a our brunch at Norma's we decided to walk to the Time Warner Center. I've never been here before. I don't think it was there during my last trip to New York. Now I wonder what was there before. New York seems congested. I don't know how they find more spaces to build on.
