Hi-Lo Eats (Eating My Way through Life)

Just nom nom nom away...

[hiloeats]

LOCATION: Les Halles (411 Park Ave South)

ORDER: Confit de Canard (Crispy duck leg confit, frisée salad, and truffled potatoes) & Side of Truffle French Fries

PRICE: $35.93

OVERALL SCORE: ★★★★☆ 

REASON: This night was such a luxurious one. Now, I’m not one that usually eats fancy (mainly because I cannot afford it on a college student budget), but the food experience is an unforgettable one. While the duck confit was delicious, the star of the night was the Truffle French Fries. 

Truffles were on my top ten things to try and Les Halles did not disappoint. The bowl of golden crisped fries with a nutty aroma beckoned me to devour it. My friends and I were salivating at the mouth while taking food pictures. The delicate fry was light yet it packed tons of flavor. The saltiness of the fry paired with the savoriness of the truffle oil and green onions was sinful. Before I knew it, there was nothing left. I should have paced myself and saved the best bite for last.

Confit de Canard is a crispy duck leg confit served on a bed of frisée salad and truffle potatoes. Individually, each had a nice flavor and was good. However, when you take a bit of everything and eat it altogether, the flavor of the dish completely changes. Everything worked together so well and it was amazing to see how one dish can completely become a new dish with pairing. I need to look into this food pairing more as Les Halles has perfected it with this dish. This dish is a definite try!

If it weren’t for the service, I would have given this food experience a 5 stars. The service was slow. Aside from the greeting and getting our drinks, the waiter rarely stopped by the table. My friends and I constantly had to flag the waiter down.

I notice they have a breakfast, brunch, and lunch menu which I must try. If it’s anything like the duck confit or the truffle fries, I’m in for a real treat!

[hiloeats]

Went on 10/09/14

LOCATION: Sunrise Mart (12 E 41st St New York, NY)

ORDER: Ito En Hoji Cha  ($1.99), Gyoza ($5.95), Tempura Udon (7.95)

PRICE: $17.12

OVERALL SCORE: ★★★☆ ☆ 

REASON: Sunrise Mart is a Japanese Market where you will find more than just groceries. It is an opportunity to experience a bit of the Japanese culture, where you can grab a quick lunch such as bento box, sushi, onigiri, bread, or a sandwich, and then take a seat at their seating area or take it to go.

I truly enjoyed my hojicha (Roasted Green Tea), and it complemented with the meal very well. If given the option, I will go for the hojicha over regular green tea or matcha anytime. The roasted flavor of the green tea really comes together for me and leaves a nice aftertaste in my mouth. As for the gyoza, it was not what I expected. The flavor of the fried dumpling and the dipping sauce was delicious, however, it was not very appetizing. I assume it was left out for awhile because when I took a bite out of it there was no crunch, it was soft and a bit cold. Fried dumplings should have a nice crunch bottom, and I was disappointed with these. Aside from the flavor, the texture is a key element too! There are microwaves available at the seating area to warm up your food, but I personally do not like microwaves. As for the tempura udon, the broth was at ready-to-eat temperature. The initial bite of the shrimp tempura had a nice crunch. However, as I dug deeper into the bowl, I realized the sweet potato tempura, eggplant tempura, and pumpkin tempura got soggy. The batter had completely fallen off and it became a little more difficult to eat. Nonetheless delicious, but again, there was no crunch. 

I was looking for a quick bite to eat because I had a meeting to get to. I stopped by Sunrise Mart to grab some onigiri for a snack later and decided to grab a few bite from their "food court". One of their busiest times is lunch time, and as you can see it is packed. There is traveling and nudging to go through, but, hey, this is New York. We nudge and make our way through sidewalk traffic all the time. 

While this place is great for a quick bite, it can get pricey. This would be a once in awhile eat for me since I am living on a college student budget. If it weren't for the soggy vegetable tempura and the cold gyoza, I would have given this meal a higher rating. But don't take my word for it. Go experience it yourself and let me know!

[hiloeats]

LOCATION: AlleyNYC (500 7th Ave)

ORDER: Luke's Lobster Roll

PRICE: FREE

OVERALL SCORE: ★★★★☆ 

REASON: One of the perks of working at AlleyNYC is #thatstheshitfriday when they offer catered lunch from various eateries. This week's was the limited lobster rolls available from Luke's Lobster. A toasted buttered bun filled with chunks of well-seasoned lobster claw meat equals happiness. It is pure symphony and sublime bliss! The warmth from the toasted bun compliments the cold and tenderness of the lobster meat.The creator of Luke's Lobster Rolls is a genius and has changed the world with this one beautiful creation. 

If you're in NYC, find Luke's Lobster and give their rolls a try. It will change the way you think about lobster rolls. Just Amazing!

[hiloeats]

Went on 9/10/13 with Randall H.

Location: Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin Robins (215-22 73rd Ave) Order: BOGO Banana Royale

2 scoops of Very Berry Strawberry Ice Cream with fresh bananas and caramel sauce 

Price: $5.94

Overall Score: ★★★☆ ☆ 

Reason: Ice cream is the best thing ever created! I was really craving for ice cream and I wanted banana toppings. The Banana Royale consists your choice of 2 ice cream scoops, bananas, and caramel sauce. Strawberry and banana are match made in heaven, don't you agree? I would not say that this is the BEST ice cream I have ever had, but it is good. There are frozen strawberries in the ice cream, so there are some with every other bite which complements the fresh bananas nicely. The caramel sauce was warm for only a few seconds and it quickly hardened to caramel candy (which I preferred to stay liquid).

**If it weren't for the Buy One Get One Sundae on Tuesdays, I would not have bothered purchasing ice cream from them. I don't think the price is worth it. 

[hiloeats]

Went on 9/10/13

Location: LIC Market (21-52 44th Drive) Order: Spaghetti Special w. roasted mushrooms, scallions, and grana padano Price: $15.24

Overall Score: ★★☆☆☆ 

Reason: LIC Market offers great seasonal dishes, but this dish fell short of my expectations. When I took my first bite, this dish was aromatic and full of flavor. The mushrooms give a wonderful earthy and woodsy flavor which is complemented by the Grana Padano, similar to the Parmigiano. The Grana Padano is subtler and less nutty and salty than Parmigiano, used if the chef doesn't want it to overpower a dish. Although the first bite was delicious, each bite after started getting heavier and by the tenth bite, the cheese just overpowered my taste buds completely and it was all I could taste. I used the bread as a break between each bite, but that only helped a bit. I had to put the dish aside and come back to it later before I was able to finish it.

I would still highly recommend and encourage people to try LIC Market because they are delicious and their customer service is top-notch. My feelings for this restaurant have not changed. I'm just not a big fan of this particular dish. 

[hiloeats]

Went on 9/5/13 with Randall H.

Location: Bubba Gump (1501 Broadway) Order: Shrimp Po'boy Sandwich Price: $13.99

Overall Score: ★★★☆ ☆ 

Reason: Bubba Gump lives up to its reputation for its shrimp. The shrimp was fried to perfection and seasoned well. It was piled high on the bread. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of the break. It was difficult to chew and a struggle to take a clean bite out of the sandwich. The shrimp ended up falling everywhere on my plate. The service was great and the food was good, but it can definitely be better. Maybe next time.

[sweetmuse]

[hiloeats]

Went on 6/12/13 with Randall H.

Location: Rose House (136-17 39th Ave,1st Floor,) Order: The Prince William Afternoon Tea Set (w/ Mango Green Tea) Price: $38.00

Tier 1: Mango mousse cake, Chocolate-layer cake (Ganache, Mousse, and Cake), Parfait, Rose Cake, White chocolate chip lemon cake, White chocolate chip strawberry cake

Tier 2: Creme Brulee, 2 Rose cookies, Cranberry Scone with fresh cream and jam

Tier 3: Crab Salad, Cucumber wrapped in Ham, 3 Finger Sandwiches (Mayo, Ham, Cheese, Tomato)

**English Afternoon Tea Etiquette Tips:

1. The most orthodox afternoon tea time at four o’clock (that is generally known as the Low Tea).

2. In Victorian times, men are book tuxedo, misses robed.

3. The hostess with the formal dress serve guests. Non-maid shall not… just please help to show respect for the guests.

4. Orthodox English afternoon tea snack is loaded with three dessert plates filled, put the sandwich layer first, the traditional British dessert scone second, then the the cakes and fruit tarts on the third layer; starting from the bottom up. The proper way to eat scones - first coat with jam, then cover with cream, eat. Then cover the next one. 

Overall Score: ★★☆☆ ☆  Reason: This was my first time eating at the Rose House. The overall experience was good, however, it was a bit too pricey for my budget. (Hence, the two stars... Pricing is really important to me.) The place is intimate and perfect to chat and catch up with your friends. If you have the money and want to feel classy, I would suggest coming to the Rose House. If you are a broke and jobless college student like me, I would say keep away. Not the ideal place for jobless students.

[hiloeats]

Went on 8/29/13 with Diana L.

Location: Teado (145D Hester St.) Order: Mango, Passion fruit, and Honey Juice (w. free bubbles) Price: $2.00 Each

A tangy and refreshing drink that will keep you going in a hot summer's day

Overall Score: ★★★★☆ 

Reason: Teado is one of the best bubble drink stores located in NYC. They take the time to make their drinks properly. They will give you samples of the drink until it is customized to your liking. You can customize your drink by the amount of sugar and the type of tea. From oolong to green tea, their teas are traditional and authentic. To top it off, their customer service is impeccable.

Don't forget to feed the cat! You'll be in for an adorable treat!

[hiloeats]

Went on 8/26/13 with Randall H. and Justin M.

Location: Smashburger (180 W Old Country Rd.) Order: New Yorker SmashChicken with Smash Fries and Smash Sauce Price: $10.67

New Yorker SmashChicken: NY cheddar, garlic grilled onions, fresh spinach, tomato and peppercorn garlic aioli on a brioche bun.

Smash Fries: Tossed with rosemary, olive oil, and garlic

Smash Sauce: their signature sauce

Overall Score: ★★★★★ Reason: Best burger joint ever. Too bad I have to go all the way to Long Island or Brooklyn to get it. But, you know what... it's worth it. It's more than worth it. A good friend of mine brought me to Smashburger to the first time and recommended me to try the New Yorker SmashChicken and their fries. MY GOODNESS, it is the best fries my taste buds has ever come across. Just typing this blog and I'm salivating over the thought of it. I need to get some right now! Anybody who has ever been to Smashburger will agree with me... it's just NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM GOOD! 

[hiloeats]

Went on 8/26/13 

Location: LIC Market (21-52 44th Drive) Order: Spaghetti special Price: $14

cockles, toasted garlic, crushed red pepper

Overall Score: ★★★★★ Reason: Great service and delicious food. LIC Market serves up fresh and seasonal food that will have you coming back for more. I have received nothing but good feedback, and it's true. They deserve nothing, but good things. They do their best to keep their customers satisfied and the food is seasonal so there is always something different waiting for you at the LIC market. Definitely a place to stop by, especially for their brunch.... Mmmmm good.