Couture Conversation

Upper East Side/Yorkville Favorites: Yuka ~ Mezzaluna ~ Wa Jael Sichuan, J.G. Melon, Naruto Ramen (all not pictured)

Last year, after spending many on the upper east side, my previous perception of the UES as a mecca for Michelin restaurants was trumped by the discovery of some truly neighborhood gems. 

Yuka: This small restaurant has the greatest valued sushi of anywhere I have tried in NYC yet. Its fresh fish comes carefully displayed with friendly and quick service. The beautiful chirashi above lasted me two meals and was only thirteen dollars. Their AYCE is around twenty. If I want convenient, high-quality, and satisfying Japanese, this is where I go.

Mezzaluna: I’ve previously blogged about this restaurant’s fantastic thin pizza. After going back another half dozen times, I’m back to suggest their calamari salad. The grilled calamari is perfectly seasoned and is unbelievably tender. It is complemented with a bunch of arugula dressed in fresh lemon juice. Best appetizer of the year for me.

Wa Jael: Seriously authentic and seriously spicy Sichuan food on the UES - YES! Everything is top-notch here, particularly their Ma Po Tofu and Singapore Noodles. Their service is attentive, always. Reservations might be a must soon enough, as I suspect this place is gaining popularity-we’ve had to wait longer every single time.

JG Melon: This place is a New York hamburger institution, still so popular that it can still pull off “cash-only.” It looks like a simple joint but the hamburgers here are divine. The patties look so simple and come with only your choice of condiments, yet they are packed with flavor. Bobby Flay loves it. SeriousEats loves it. So if you’re a hamburger lover, this is a must-try. 

Naruto Ramen: I’ve also previously blogged about this ramen shop but I am now back at it again because this place has shot up on my list of favorites in the winter. Who doesn’t want a steaming bowl of savory goodness when its freezing cold outside! My new favorite is their curry chicken. There is something comforting about Japanese curry versus Thai or Indian curry. Best part is their curry comes in half portions so you can always get it as an appetizer to their hearty ramen portions.

On to exploring another neighborhood or two in 2013! 

Recipe: Spiced Apple Cider & Mulled Wine

As I’ve slowly emerged from my the marathon that was my first semester of law school, I’ve endeavored to re-commit myself to this blog. While I didn’t have time to blog for the past couple of months, I still made time to explore all the amazing crevices of Manhattan’s vibrant food culture. I’ll be doing a post (or maybe posts!) on some of my favorites. 

But for now, a post to wrap up the holiday season. This spiked apple cider recipe was a hit at a holiday party my boyfriend hosted. It’s easy, inexpensive, and versatile.

We bought our apple cider in 2 quart jugs at Trader Joe’s. Their spiced cider is seasonal and is an amazing steal for around three dollars each. Then we sliced some oranges and stuck some cloves through each slice (a fun and pretty way to get flavor without losing all those bits of spices in the cider). You can really use any spices you like or that are in your pantry such as pumpkin pie spice, allspice, and nutmeg. Whole Foods has a great bulk spices section so you can get whole spices (i.e. whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise) in small amounts on a budget; plus you won’t waste any spices!

We poured 6 quarts of cider into a big pot with a few sticks of cinnamon and the orange slices about an hour before the party started. We popped the heat onto simmer and set out the rum. We left the rum out so people could choose whether or not they wanted to spike their drink (or really how much they wanted to spike it!). When your guests arrive, you’ll have a nice drink to warm everyone up and your home will smell great.

If you don’t live in a cold city, no worries. When I went home to Arizona for break, I made the same drink at my family’s holiday party using oranges from our backyard. The perks of living in warm weather…fresh produce!

If you want to have another option at the party or you have leftover cider, a great option is mulled wine. Recipes usually call for a combination of red wine (i.e. Trader Joe’s box wine), spices (essentially the same as above with some, and a sweetener of some time. I like to substitute apple cider for simple syrup. Enjoy the rest of the holidays :)

Sonoma Valley, CA ~ Black Bear Diner

Sonoma Valley is a gorgeous and quaint place to stay in. We stayed at The Lodge at Sonoma which features mini condos and a shuttle that takes you into the downtown square. They have great local restaurants such as Cafe Le Haye. The owner is a delight. Every night, the kitchen prepares him a large plate of food which he balances in one hand, as he bikes to his home a couple blocks away. 

Most likely through a quick online search or your hotel concierge, you’ll discover the lively restaurant scene in Sonoma. I, however, wanted to share a great brunch place for some comfort food that is perfect before a long day of driving and tasting. They have huge portions and tons of yummy options for reasonable prices. They have anything you could possible want. My boyfriend got the steak and eggs which came with a freshly baked biscuit and home-made gravy. I got a chorizo scramble that lasted me 2 meals. This is a casual place with warm service and good down-home cooking.

Napa Valley, CA ~ Stag’s Leap Winery

Stag’s Leap Winery is a must visit because this is the winery that put Napa on the map! In the 1976 Paris Tasting, the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V Cabernet Sauvignon was judged the best, better than its French counterparts.

The 1976 Paris Tasting, or Judgment of Paris as it became known, had a revolutionary effect, “like a vinous shot heard round the world.

                           - Barbara Ensrud, Wall Street Journal

This wine was so historically significant that a bottle of it was placed into the collections at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Although you can’t taste the original wine (or maybe you can if you know the right people), you can still taste and and purchase the wine made from grapes from the original vineyard that produced the famous 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon. Even if you’re not a wine connoisseur, it is a magical experience to taste a piece of history!

Important Note: Stag’s Leap is different from another winery called Stags’ Leap. Cask23.com is Stag’s Leap’s website. Stagsleap.com is Stags’ Leap’s website. Stags Leap (without the apostrophe) is the area in which both wineries are located.

Napa Valley, CA ~ Mondavi Winery

We visited Robert Mondavi winery first, and it is a great place to start your wine country trip if you’re looking for an overall primer. You can drop by almost anytime for a reasonably priced tour and tasting (Signature Tour is $25 for 75 minute tour and 3 glass tasting).

Your guide will give you a brief history about the Mondavi family (aka Napa’s First Family) and then take you through their To Kalon vineyards, which have been used for planting grapes since 1868. Wine bottles graced with “To Kalon Vineyards” will run you at least $100, but this doesn’t mean you can’t buy affordable Mondavi wines to enjoy yourself. They have an amazing distribution network and you’d be surprised where their wines pop up. 

Then you will visit their fermentation rooms and cellars to learn about the wine-making process and take an up-close look at their custom-made French cedar barrels. I learned that the colorful bands around barrels actually comes from the dye of the wine. 

Finally, you will get to enjoy their wines. Their tastings are great because they invite everyone to sit down around a a long, wooden table in a cozy, dining room. Their chef prepares an amuse-bouche to match the wines of the day. And your guide partakes in the tasting with you, making it an intimate and family/friends-oriented experience.

Napa Valley, CA ~ Silverado Vineyards

After a hiatus of unforgivable proportions, I’m back :)

In early August, my boyfriend and I visited Sonoma and Napa Valley. If you’re already planning to take a trip to San Francisco, stay for an extra two days to tour these wine countries - it will make your trip!

We decided to rent a car instead of going on a bus tour or taking the wine train. This matched our travel style and turned out to be very wallet-friendly (see below), which means more of your budget can go to tastings. 

Napa Valley is essentially organized into a “ladder” shape with two long parallel roads called Silverado Trail and Route 29 respectively. Unless you have some wineries you want to visit that require advance reservation, you can drive around the area and stop by almost any winery for a tasting and tour.

If you’re looking for a great place to relax with stellar views, check out Silverado Vineyards. The tasting room is in the heart of a beautiful home atop a hill. The room is full of windows, recipe books for Napa cuisine, and unique wine products. You can also walk from the tasting room out onto a two-level porch, which overlooks acres of vineyards. You can sit down, enjoy the wine and the view.

Budget-friendly Tip: Try Super Cheap Car Rentals. We paid $50.00 for two days of car rental and they let us return it whenever we wanted the last day. This is in comparison with the $250+options for the “brand-name” car rentals. Plus the BART Milibrae stop is right by it so you can get their conveniently or you can take their airport shuttle.