Delta Grill

The Delta Grill quickly became one of our NYC favorites.

A little peek into the French Quarter right in the center of Manhattan...

Great food and great live music! 

I've been to the Delta Grill a handful of times and just happened to take pictures here and there...I've sampled a lot of the menu and everything I've had has been excellent with solid authentic roots but bumped up with NYC flair.
It you're craving a good ol' southern meal, head to the Delta!
Here are some of the things we've tried...


Delicious cornbread mini muffins to start...

A southern favorite...

Fried Okra

Served with a creole mustard dipping sauce

An adventurous twist...

Jambalaya Wontons

The classic...

Shrimp Etouffe

The lighter side...

Blackened Chicken Salad

A dinner special to die for....

Blackened halibut served over crawfish fried rice served with steamed broccoli

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Anejo Tequileria

Top Chef star Angelo Sosa recently opened up this new tequileria in the heart of Hell's Kitchen which snagged the Village Voice's vote for NYC's "Best Margarita"!

We took my husbands Dad here for Father's Day Brunch. We stumbled upon it while heading to our Circle Line Tour and enjoyed a wonderful brunch together! 

We all went with the Prix Fixe menu which offers one brunch dish with a cup of coffee and 3 drinkies (margarita, bloody maria, sangria, or mimosa) for $29.

We each tried something different and everything was excellent...especially the margaritas!!

These are the dishes that we tried:

OAXACAN OMELETTE -

OAXACAN CHEESE • SOFRITO SAUCE

TOMATOES • SEASONAL MUSHROOMS

CILANTRO • HOME FRIES

EGG BURRITO -

 

OAXACAN CHEESE • SOFRITO SAUCE
CHOICE OF: SHREDDED PORK • CHICKEN
SHORT RIB • SHRIMP • MUSHROOM

CHILAQUILES -

 

 BEEF PICADILLO • CREMA
QUESO FRESCO
SMOKED SALSA ROJA

ANEJO BURGER -

AMERICAN WAGYU • JALAPENO PICKLES
ANEJO GUACAMOLE • OAXACAN CHEESE
TOASTED BRIOCHE • YUCCA FRIES

Next visit I'd like to try thier small plates menu for dinner. I've heard that although everything is quite pricy, Angelo has come up with a unique menu that compliments the harsh flavors of tequila. I'm not a big tequila drinker but could certianly be convinced to try one of thier tequila flights alongside my meal!




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L'Allegria

While walking around with my in-laws we found L'Allegria...

a cute little Italian spot with yummy personal pizzas! 

L'Allegria is located on 44th & 9th and serves up Northern Italian cuisine. Their menu is pretty standard but their great prix fix lunch and dinner menus make them a little unique. They also have a great happy hour wine special, offering a few bottles at only $25! 

We just popped in for a light snack and shared some salad and pizza. 

Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Pesto 

Small Italian Brick Oven Pizza

Everything was great - it was a perfect place to refuel and continue the NYC tour with our family! 

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Five Lamps Tavern

Five Lamps Tavern is a new addition to the upper west side and a good addition it is.

Not only do they have amazing burgers, they have a 75 seat beer garden in the back - yay!  

The first night we visited, it was packed but we managed to find seats at the bar (it was a little chilly for outdoor seating). We ordered a couple of beers and looked over the menu, which is pretty small but also understandable for a brand new restaurant. Hopefully they'll expand the menu as they mature. 

My husband ordered the classic burger...and loved it. The fries were awesome too! 

CLASSIC BURGER

Brooklyn Blend, soft lettuce, tomato, red onion, house rémoulade.  

Served with IPA Fries

The first thing on the menu that caught my eye was the grilled salmon BLT...grilled salmon fillet, bacon, romaine, tomato, toasted fennel rémoulade, country bread, served with IPA fries. I must not have been alone, because by the time we put our order in they were sold out of the salmon. 


In a spur of the moment decision I went with the 5LT burger...it ended up being an excellent choice! 

5LT BURGER

12 oz cajun-crusted, house blend with 

slab bacon & Roquefort, lettuce, tomato, red onion. 

Served with IPA Fries

I LOVED this burger!  It's right up there with my all time favorites. 


Still in first place is Rocky's in San Diego... 

Rocky's Burger

The 5LT burger is definitely a stand out and one of the best burgers I've had in a long time! The bacon and roquefort are mixed into the patty and they add such an amazing difference to the burger. I like my burgers medium...it looks pretty pink in the picture but it was done perfectly and so juicy that the bottom bun didn't hold up to the challenge. 

Last weekend we went back to Five Lamps for brunch and everyone had the classic burger (unfortunately the 5LT isn't on the brunch menu, and they wouldn't make the exception..boo). We had a great time and the food was excellent, again. 


We'll certainly be back for many more enjoyable experiences at Five Lamps, and maybe next time I'll try something other than a burger! 



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Co Ba

Co ba is a cute Vietnamese restaurant in Chelsea. The menu is inspired by traditional Vietnamese food stalls which in Vietnam are called Co Bas.

The menu is fairly limited but then again, so is my knowledge of Vietnamese food! 99% of my Vietnamese food consumption is alongside one of my best friends Vicky, who is in fact Vietnamese and has the same taste buds I do...I always trust her to point me in the right direction!

This occasion we were celebrating Vicky's upcoming trip to Vietnam and decided to meet up at Co Ba for brunch!

The brunch menu features three hearty combo meals with *UNLIMITED* Mimosa, Bloody Marry, Lychee Bellini, Vodka kumquat limeade Or House limeade(non alcohol) and coffee or tea for $21.95!

A. COM & RICE COMBO

Includes choice of vegetarian or poached shrimp soft rolls,

mixed greens, fried egg, and jasmine rice and choose one Com meal (beef, chicken or tofu)

B. VIETNAMESE SOUP & SANDWICH COMBO

Includes tofu tamarind soup, mixed greens salad w/sesame soy dressing,

fried seafood dumplings, and choice of sandwich

C. PHO & SANDWICH COMBO

Includes bowl of rice stick noodles in oxtail broth served with sliced sirloin,

bean sprouts, fresh herbs, side of mixed green salad w/sesame soy dressing

and choice of sandwich

Vicky ordered Combo A with the Cơm BÒ LÚC LẮC which was sweet soy & sake marinated beef sirloin and onion served over jasmine with vegetarian soft rolls, mixed greens and fried eggs on the side. She loved it!

I was craving Pho and ordered off of the regular lunch menu. I went with the Pho Ba which was rice sticks in an oxtail broth served with sliced sirloin,bean sprouts,and fresh herbs...

It was so good! And anyone who knows me (from this blog or otherwise) knows that I Iike my food EXTRA SPICY! Every few spoonfuls I added a little bit more chili pepper sauce until it was just on the edge of blowing my head off! Some might call me crazy but I love it! 

The hot pepper sauce drastically changed the color of my broth...ha! 

The dinner menu has a much larger selection and is very reasonably priced (the most expensive dish is $20). I think when Vicky gets back from Vietnam we should head to Co Ba to look at her pictures and reminisce about her fabulous trip ;)  

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Wo Hop

Wo Hop is a Chinatown landmark...establised in 1938. There are two locations for Wo Hop and they are right next door to eachother. 15 & 17 Mott Street...15 is upstairs and 17 is down! I read somewhere that upstairs joint is for tourists and suckers, so obviously we went downstairs!

They serve totally Americanized Cantonese food and they've earned fame with late night eaters...Wo Hop only closes for three hours each morning (7:00 am - 10:00am) but all other times you can go there to cure your chinese food cravings!

They turn tables quicky and the waiters are certianly not strangers...It's good service but if you're in the mood to sit and relax, be prepared to feel a little rushed.

A glimpse into Wo Hop...

Tons of sapshots and business card tacked to the walls

And...I left my mark :)

Whatever you order, you will not leave hungry! We didnt get that memo before we went and totally over ordered! As you can see, the portions are huge and the food is heavy.

This is what we had...

Steamed Pork Dumplings

Steamed Pork Dumplings

Shredded Beef, Szechuan Style

Sliced Chicken

Roast Pork Lo Mein

 

While it might not be gourment cuisine, it's actually pretty good, it's open SUPER late and it's cool to expierence a restaurant with seven decades in Manhattan!

One day, when your starved (or hungover!) check it out...but beware, it's cash only!


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The Abbey Pub

The Abbey is one of our favorite watering holes! 

They serve Miller Lite (which is a rarity in Manhattan) and they have great bar food!

Plus... they give you awesome & addictive snacks! 

We've been to the Abbey several times and everything I've tried (wings, nachos, poppers, french onion soup, caeser salad) has been great! This particular occasion we started with the wings. The sauce is perfect, not too buttery with just the right amount of spice! And when I order them extra crispy, they actually come out extra crispy!

I had a steak salad and it was awesome! The steak was super flavorful and the veggies were nice and crunchy!

My husband ordered the bacon cheeseburger. The bun was a little too large but the beef patty was nice and juicy and the bacon was crispy. He loved it!

I love the Abbey because it's never quiet but it's a great place to go when you want to avoid the mayhem of a night out in a loud bar packed with college kids! We've always been able to get a seat and actually have conversations without screaming over crazy loud music!


Its a fun low key place and you should definitely check it out!!







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V & T Pizzeria Restaurant

V & T’s has such an adorable history! Brothers Vincent and Tony Curcurato were working in an East Harlem pizza shop before going off to WWII!  When they returned in 1945 they opened V & T’s which featured homemade pizza pies and traditional Italian favorites! 

My husband and I have been hearing great things about V & T’s since we moved into the neighborhood and now I know why the bellies of Columbia students have been fed by V & T’s for years… The portions are huge and the prices are low! It reminds me the beloved Salvatore’s (http://www.salvatoresrestaurant.net/) where I had my first job…bussing tables! I loved the people, the atmosphere, and the food and V & T’s shares the same vibe!  The food is exactly what you’d expect from a long standing family owned Italian Restaurant and I’m sure it reminds everyone else of their hometown favorites as well!

Our waiter seemed a little cranky and was not the most attentive but to his credit we showed up pretty late and he was a cute old man so it may have been past his bedtime :) just kidding! He brought us some warm bread and butter to start.

We started with salads that were perfectly standard... super crunchy veggies and tangy Italian dressing.

Next we ordered our meals….Chicken Parm & Linguini for me and Chicken alla Mario for my husband. As I mentioned before, when the meals were delivered they were enormous!

Everything else we saw come out of the kitchen looked excellent, especially the pizza! Next time I'm at V & T's I'm going to give it a try! 

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Dervish

One of my coworkers loves Turkey & Turkish food so for her birthday we ordered lunch from Dervish!!

I’m not at all familiar with Turkish food so I had to do a little research before writing all about it!

After scouring the menu and asking lots of questions, I decided on the Grilled Lamb Adana. Adana is typically a long, hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a wide iron skewer and grilled on an open mangal filled with burning charcoal. It’s named after Adana, the fifth largest city of Turkey and was originally known as the Kıyma kebabı (minced meat kebab) or as just Kıyma in Adana-Mersin and the southeastern provinces of Turkey….thank you Wikipedia!!

Another fun fact I learned is that the an “original” Adana is a meter-and-half long, made from hometown meat (only male lamb), red bell peppers and tail fat all hand minced together. Served with charred peppers and tomatoes, onion-sumac-parsley salad, and lavaş.  Sounds like a delicious labor of love!

Grilled Lamb Adana 

Hand Diced Lamb Tenderloin Mixed with Vegetables and Mediterranean Spices 

Over Lavash Bread and served with Cracked Wheat Pilaf

My Adana was served with veggies and bread over pilaf. It was sooo good! I loved the gamey and smoky flavor of the lamb paired with the nutty rice and tangy veggies. After a few bites I made everything into to a sandwich… which was a perfect way to enjoy all of the flavors together! My introduction to Turkish food was wonderful and I'll definitely be enjoying more of this cuisine in the future! 

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Gravy

Gravy has a contemporary southern style, serving traditional favorites like 
Po' Boys and biscuits & gravy among modern dishes like their BLT & D 
(Black Pepper Bacon, Duck Confit, Romaine with Tomato Aioli). 

I visited Gravy with a group of friends for brunch and we had a great time!

I started my day with an omelette...packed with cheese, bacon, and mushroom. It was HUGE and very tasty! And surprisingly the potatoes were the star, they were perfectly crispy and tender and dusted in delicious herbs and spices! I'm usually able to stay away from breakfast potatoes... but not these!!

Omelette - Choice of 3: 
Bacon, Mushrooms, Red Peppers 
Arugula, Spinach, Cheddar Cheese
Goat Cheese, Red Onions, Asparagus
Ham, Chilies

My husband went the the Tasso Benedict (sans arugula, cause he's scared of veggies!) and it was also very good! The chipotle hollandaise had a nice smokey heat and it made the dish truly unique. The only bummer was that the ham wasn't crispy. 

Tasso Benedict
Poached Eggs, Crispy Tasso Ham
Arugula, Chipotle Hollandaise

For the table, we ordered the biscuits & gravy and honey grits! I don't claim to be an expert on either of these dishes but my Carolina boy has had me sampling his favorite southern treats for 7 years now! 

I'm a savory food fan so the honey grits didn't knock my socks off...Gravy's lunch menu features Grits Three Ways (Honey, Cheesy, and Porky) which I had planned on ordering, but because we were there for "brunch" they wouldn't make them!! (boo!) 

Honey Grits 

The biscuits and gravy were right up my alley though! They came out a little dry (the biscuit to gravy ratio was off) so we ordered some extra gravy and that did the trick...yum!

Biscuits & Gravy

Overall the brunch was great...even though I didn't get the grits I had my heart set on. 


The lunch and dinner menus are also packed full of mouth watering dishes that I can't wait to try...I'll most definitley be making a trip back, and I WILL get my grits three ways :) 

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