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I will always pay extra for truffle oil 🍄✨

📍Pisticci, Morningside Heights, NY 🗓August 22, 2017

It is a secret dream of mine to go to one of those truffle festivals in those quaint countryside towns in Italy. I may have to trick Nate into making an Italy trip and not fully disclosing that the primary purpose will be to indulge in truffle everything. 

Pisticci’s is another Columbia gem where all the students take their parents because it’s more impressive than taking them to the local bar or Koronet for a jumbo slice. It’s also always filled with professors, grad students, families, and couples. It’s frequently crowded but I never have to wait too long for a table (they reserve a bunch for walk-ins). They have classic Italian fare and rotating daily specials, one of which is frequently the Linguini di mare which my heart skips a beat for whenever I see it on their specials board. Otherwise I almost always get the Fettucini ai funghi and yes, pay the $2 (I believe) extra for truffle oil. We once took Nate’s aunt here and she raved about her meal and then had a taste of mine and ate way more bites than I would have let anyone else who wasn’t marrying us take from my plate! Nate is partial to the classic Meatballs with polenta. They also have some excellent cocktails and wine options.

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Nothin like a little 🌘 eclipse action to make you appreciate the last ☀️rays of summer. Dolla oysters, pitcher cocktails, and harbor views also help 😉 🌇 

📍Pier A Harbor House, Battery Park, NY 🗓August 21, 2017

The day of the eclipse, I felt a little sad to be missing out on being one of those people that drove down to an area in the path of totality. Instead I was stuck at work in an area where only about 70% of the sun would be blocked out. Luckily my co-worker bought enough glasses for us to share and another co-worker showed us how to get to the roof of our building. It was pretty amazing. Science is awesome. I cannot wait for the next one.

Pier A is kind of bougie. The oysters were questionable (I had some stomach issues later which may or may not have been due to these oysters but I lit’relly cannot say no to doller oysters)! The cocktails, while not that pretty or “gramable” were strong and come in pitchers. My friend and I split the “Albatross” aka the Paloma, which included tequila, Italian grapefruit soda, and lime. Then we both got the Monday $10 Burger which was generous enough to come with bacon but also some sad limpy fries. These views though were unbeatable with the sailboats drifting along and Lady Liberty winking at you. Ended one of the last truly warm days of summer stumbling home pleasantly tipsy through Wall Street singing Hamilton tunes out loud to the subway. New York, I love you.

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Who else is of the opinion that some of the best hidden gem restaurants are the ones that don't fret about not having their name posted outside? 😅#ifyoucookittheywillcome

📍Malay Restaurant, Flushing, NY 🗓August 20, 2017

Good luck finding this place unless you know about it already. Seriously. There’s no sign out front. It’s a small hole in the wall and if you’re squeamish about some of the dingier options that Flushing has to offer, you may want to avoid. Although you’d be missing out on some seriously delicious eats. Sorry I can’t tell you more about what we ordered or link to a website. Just use your trust Google Maps to help you locate this yummy Malaysian restaurant and if you’ve stumbled into a glorified hallway with a giant painting of Malaysia and its surrounding countries on the wall, you’ve stumbled into the right feast.

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Trying to think of what special occasion I can come up with to justify a trip to Tanoshi… Labor Day? 1.5 month anniversary? Monday? 🤔🍣

📍Tanoshi, Upper East Side, NY 🗓April 18, 2017

Omakase. What a perfect meal. The chef chooses. You sample a huge variety of foods. Everything is fresh. Perfect - except the price. Tanoshi is famously one of the more reasonably priced omakase options in the city yet we still need a special occasion to justify going. Especially when we order off the regular menu and get some more items after the main course is done. 

Tanoshi has two spaces which are separate from each other although they are also right next door to each other. You must RSVP in advance because they only seat about 20 people total, so they do 3 seatings a night. I have gone with a group of three (including me) and one lucky guy saw our crowd, asked what was going on, and filled in the extra one seat left by our group. It’s also BYOB so you can stop by a nearby liquor store and get some sake. I also highly recommend you make an evening of it and go to (with reservations) nearby Seamstress for pre- or post-dinner cocktails. This is the XXX roll - uni, roe, and quail egg. The textures (especially with the raw egg) are just as special as the flavors. 

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From left to right: shaved parmesan ➡️ balsamic dressed mix greens ➡️ heirloom tomato ➡️ grilled peach ➡️ prosciutto 🙌🏽. The perfect summer salad. Forgive the poor lighting; it's the price we pay for romantic candlelit dinners✨

📍Max Soha, Morningside Heights, NY 🗓 August 17, 2017

Max Soha is one of those dreamy Morningside Heights restaurants that seem to really cater mostly to locals. The tight space never feels too crowded or loud. The yummy staple menu is always supplemented with a constantly changing daily specials menu that always has delicious appetizers, pastas, main courses, and desserts to keep each experience fresh and interesting. Summer is my favorite time to visit since they have a great outdoor seating area that’s partially elevated. Their cash only policy keeps prices low and their staff is so great.

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Whoever invented late happy hours like this one that started at 9:30pm was a GENIUS.

📍Gyu-Kaku, Times Square, NY 🗓August 10, 2017

Seriously though. As someone who will starve all day in preparation for what I know will be a delicious meal, I am a strong believer that good food is always worth the wait. My budget agrees and adds on good and cheap(er than usual) food is worth the wait. Enter late happy hours. Sure there’s the normal rush after work to down as many cheap cocktails & appys happy hours, but not enough places extend their happy hour times long enough to make it worth the rush and fight the crowds. But if you go for a later happy hour, there’s less people, and you can still save yourself some room for delicious food specials at a  “reverse” happy hour. And what better place than the city that never sleeps than to roll these out?

I went with two friends, one of whom keeps kosher so he stuck to the vegetables and fish which were delicious. We also had two rounds of ordering. The first round involved a Spicy Tuna Volcano appetizer that my friend demanded we get. It was good. I wouldn’t demand it again. I would, however, strongly request the Vegetable Garlic Noodles because they were delicious. We proceeded to the Kalbi Short Ribs, Premium Rib Eye Steak, and Mushroom Medley. After deciding we could eat more (and, at these prices, why not?), we ordered the Harami Miso Skirt Steak, Filet Mignon and another round of the mushroom medley because they are my passion. All truly delicous and 100% worth returning for. Maybe even at full price…

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“Let’s get the ‘Pure Snow’ sake in honor of Jon Snow.” 😂 #wellthen I need a good Game of Thrones food pun - any takers? 🍣🍶⚔️ #whitefishwalkers #MotherOfDragonRolls #imbadatpuns

📍Mido, Upper West Side, NY 🗓August 14, 2017 

I need someone to teach me how to drink sake. Also beer. And wine. And liquor in general. Anyway my neighborhood doesn’t have that many great sushi options so I didn’t mind when my best friend suggested a sushi place near her for our semi-weekly dinner. Mido is relatively new and a solid UWS sushi joint. The chirashi, which is what we both ended up ordering, was fresh enough if not pretty basic. The restaurant is also spacious with a very friendly staff. I sipped the Pure Snow Sake but I think next time I’ll stick with my green tea… 

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We interrupt these travel adventures to bring you the most perfect umami-packed roasted brunch tomato 🍅 

 📍Flat Top, Morningside Heights, NY  🗓 July 30, 2017

Flat Top, to me, is one of the best classic “New American” restaurants in the Columbia area. It’s a great place to bring your parents (and yes, I am specifically speaking about my immensely picky) mother. The menu is that sweet spot between overly simple where you flip it over and go “that’s it..?” and overly complicated where you don’t recognize half the ingredients.

There’s outdoor dining space when the weather gets warm (like during this brunch), and you can watch all the Columbia kids roll by plus those open air tour buses that rumble down towards Harlem headed for the Apollo Theater. Their brunch is simple and their coffee is excellent. I’m a smoked salmon benedict gal and Nate went for steak & eggs which, admittedly, did leave a little to be desired. For dinner, my parents rave over the bone marrow appetizer while I indulge my mushroom obsession with their three mushroom risotto which comes with parmesan foam which always interests me. Is there a wrong way to eat cheese? I haven’t found it.