Wahoo's Fish Tacos

Well folks, as you read this I am probably on my way to LA!  I'm taking a quick trip to visit a friend and I'll be sure to eat all the West Coast goodies.  For those of you looking to get a bit of your own West Coast grub in NYC, head on over to Wahoo's Fish Taco.

As you walk into Wahoo's Fish Taco, you'll see that it has a super casual, relaxed, surf-themed vibe - reflective of its California roots!

Casual surf-themed interior of Wahoo's Fish Taco

Fun bar area

If you happen to come during Happy Hour (goes until 7pm), you'll score some great drink deals on select cocktails and beers.  And they come out hugeeeeeee:

Happy Hour margaritas and sangrias

More interested in the food?  Then walk towards the ordering counters at the back - you'll see the menus along the wall there.  You'll be happy to note that almost everything on the menu is $10 and under!  Place your order first and then take a seat at a table of your choice with your number if you are staying to eat.  Someone will bring out your food to you.

Institute of Culinary Education: Techniques of Fine Cooking I

If you've noticed I've been quiet on the blogosphere lately, it's because I've got my learning cap on and have been busy with school (the cooking kind, as well as the more serious kind)!  The Hubby had the brilliant idea to enroll me in the Institute of Culinary Education's Techniques of Fine Cooking 1 as an Anniversary gift.  Smart, isn't he?  It's the gift that keeps on giving! He sure has been enjoying the new kitchen skills I've picked up lately.

The Institute of Culinary Education ('ICE') is located on West 23rd Street and offers career training for real chefs-to-be, and also holds a lot of recreational classes for people like you and me.  It's pretty fun walking by the real chefs in class and watching them in action.  There are recreational classes which range from just a few hours, to others that span several days like the one I took.  Check out their website, it's hard not to find one that doesn't pique your interest!  You can sign up for classes online so the whole process is pretty easy.

Photos from Techniques of Fine Cooking I

Techniques in Fine Cooking is a program which focuses more on teaching technique rather than recipes.  (Though admittedly, I've been loving practicing the recipes at home).  It is a 5 day course, with 5 hours each day.  ICE offers sessions which are either 5 days consecutively, or 1 day a week over 5 weeks.  

I learned how to truss a chicken, poach eggs, make mousse (hello, arm workout), wet and dry braise and work with mussels.  The list goes on and on!

The class introduced me to working with foods that I'm unfamiliar with, or had been intimidated of.  The techniques taught are not actually that complex, but I think the class gives you the confidence that you can do it!  There's also no better way to learn how to make something than to actually do it yourself. 

Though class sizes vary, my session of Level 1 Techniques had 16 students, along with a Chef instructor and a kitchen assistant.  Chef Anita was an energetic lady who sure kept us on our toes each day!  She has been teaching at ICE for many years so she's a true veteran and knows how to keep the class moving.  

We were in a nice sized kitchen and split into groups of 4.  Each group works together to prepare dishes.  I loved that Chef Anita structured the class so that for the most part, each group made everything in the curriculum - i.e., granted each group may make a different type of vegetable, we all learned how to blanch.  

Here are a few pictures of my group's accomplishments:

Hurricane Club

I had heard that The Hurricane Club serves fun cocktails.  So, of course, this became an immediate must on my "to try" list.  I actually didn't know much about the Hurricane Club before my dinner there, so I just assumed the cocktails would be original cocktails similar to those you find at PDT and Death & Co.  What I didn't expect was what I ended up experiencing at Hurricane Club and you know what?  I loved it!

When you walk in, you'll see just how big the space is!  It's beautifully decorated and you can't help but feel like you've just stepped into a restaurant in Miami.

The drink menu is fun and foldy.  Most of the drinks are Carribean/vacation inspired and they even come served in fun tiki cups and bowls with umbrellas!  And the size of these drinks...these are some serious(ly fun) drinks.  The cocktails did not disappoint!

Drink menu - I didn't know what to choose!

Who doesn't love a big drink that comes with an umbrella and fresh orchid?

This bad boy pretty much screamed "where's my hammock?"

The Breslin

Located in the Ace Hotel, The Breslin is an oasis in the middle of that sketchy wholesale area between Flatiron and Herald Square.  When you first walk in, you are greeted by an upscale funky pub vibe.  It's very similar to Otto's bar area where there are a couple tall tables for you to stand around with a drink or two.  The Breslin is a pretty popular after work spot so come early or be prepared to join the ranks in the bar area while waiting for your table (about an hour for me on a Thursday evening).

When you are seated in the dining area in the back, you'll notice all the wood and fun animal decorations. Its almost like...a farmhouse?  No that doesn't seem to be the right way to describe it - best to check it out yourself!

Wood, booths, animal decorations, and open kitchen in the dining area

Looking at the menu, The Breslin has lots of drink choices including original cocktails (which is always a plus for me in my book!) and beers.  The food menu, however, is actually pretty limited.  Its really meat centered and there is no safe dish - The Breslin is definitely for the adventurous (and carnivorous) eater!

Cocktails and drinks

Dinner menu

Blue Smoke

There is no shortage of establishments catering to the barbecue-loving New York crowd. Heck, we even have the annual weekend-long Big Apple BBQ where some of the best pitmasters congregate in Madison Square Park and smoke some delicious 'cue. It’s a true meat-lovers paradise! (This year, it's June 9-10. Mark your calendars!)

One of NYC’s local pitmasters, Kenny Callaghan from Blue Smoke, represents every year.  While I love Fette Sau, and Hill Country BBQ is pretty solid too, Blue Smoke ranks as my #1 favorite spot for several reasons: they’re consistent, they take reservations (so no waiting for 1 hour+ for a table!), and aside from the delicious ribs, the sides are a sure hit.

My piggylicious meal at Blue Smoke! YUM

 I’ve been going to Blue Smoke for years and love that every time, the food and service are great. They also have a full bar and whip up some great cocktails, including Mint Juleps! Be sure to make reservations ahead of time on Opentable.com, otherwise you may be in for a long wait!

Mint Julep Cocktails

My favorite appetizer to get is the Chipotle Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip. The flavor and juiciness to these wings is amazing, you won’t be able to stop!

Chipotle Chicken Wings

Brunch: Almond

Happy Thursday!  With the weekend fast approaching (yay for 4-day work weeks!), I wanted to share with you a brunch spot I recently checked out.  Almond had been on my "to try" list for a while now so when a friend suggested it for brunch, I just couldn't say no!

When you first walk in, you'll notice that its a big and fairly bright open space - I likey!  No crowded tables in cramped spaces where you need to move the table in order to get in and out.  This is much appreciated as I am a bag lady and always seem to have everything I own with me. 

In addition to allowing reservations for brunch, Almond seated us before everyone in our party arrived!  Hurrah!  It just makes the morning so much nicer if you can enjoy a coffee while waiting for the stragglers. : )

As you are seated, an AWSOME basket of biscuits are set on the table.  These babies were dangerously delicious - all warm, flakey, and bite-sized for easy popping into your mouth.  Served with butter and jams mmmm.  I love bread basket with brunch! 

When looking at the menu, you'll notice a good mix of traditional brunch dishes such as Eggs Benedict along with some originals such as the House Made Pastrami & Eggs!

Hill Country BBQ

It's one of those weeks where I somehow find myself with dinner plans every single night. I tell people that it's exhausting, but really I'm just excited about all the dinner reservations!

One of my dinners earlier this week was with a group of girlfriends from high school.  Actually, come to think of it, we all met when we were in the single digit age range!  And to celebrate, we decided to meet up at Hill Country for some BBQ!

Hill Country is a pretty big space filled with wooden tables and loud country (and sometimes Polka) music.  When you walk in, you definitely feel like you've left NYC and are eating somewhere where the BBQ is fabulous. 

Houston's (aka Hillstone)

What happened here???  My go-to spot in the city is what happened...

Everybody has their own “go-to” restaurant in the city.  A place where you can always count on the consistency of the food, you always order the same one or two things, and you always get this sense of happiness when you are there.  First place that comes to mind?  Houston’s is it (I know I know, they changed their name to Hillstone but I refuse to accept)!

Yes, Houston's is a chain.  And yes, I acknowledge that NYC does have a lot to offer in terms of eating options.  But Houston's is one of the best when it comes to great service, consistent quality in the food, nice atmosphere, and manageable pricing.  Most importantly, I have never walked out of Houston's less than satisfied. 

I love the open kitchen in each of Houston's locations

Ciano

I've got a soft spot for Italian fine-dining.  In recent years I've realized just how amazing and beautiful homemade sauces and pastas are!  Because of this, it tends to be the cuisine of choice when I'm celebrating a special occasion.  For this recent occasion, the hubby and I originally had a dinner reservation at Chef Michael White's Marea, which we dined at last year.  The food was wonderful (especially the pasta!) but in the heat of the moment, we decided to be adventurous and try something new.  And that is how we wound up at Ciano.  (Boy are we kicking ourselves now!)

Located in Flatiron, Ciano has a rustic feel with a fireplace, dark wood and earthy tones.  We got a great table on the 2nd floor in the corner.  They offer a Pasta Tasting Menu (for $89 per person) which we were really excited to try!

Six course pasta tasting menu at Ciano for $89 per person

Unfortunately it did not live up to our expectations.  The food was ok - while there was nothing particularly negative to note, we both were not wowed by any course.  The downfall of our experience was the service.  I must preface, this is a $$$-category restaurant and is up there in the list of finer dining in NYC.  And with that comes a high expectation for exceptional service.  It fell flat. Here's how my night went...

Upon sitting down, half my place setting was missing.  I asked the server specifically for the missing items, but was brought the wrong ones anyway.  I reminded him I was missing a fork and a plate, not a spoon and a knife.  Perhaps he was just busy and didn't hear me.  *Shrug* let's move on.  I'll sum up the rest of the service later, food first!

First up was the Housemade Egg Caper Noodles with Lobster.  I didn't think the lobster was at it's peak freshness, though hubby thought his tasted fine.  The noodles, sadly, did not seem to be the highlight of this course even thought it was a Pasta Tasting Menu.  Mainly because, there was barely any on the plate.

The little curly-cue you spot are the few strands of pasta