Sunday, April 4, 2010

Two new favorite restaurants in NYC

On my trips back to NYC over the past six months or so, I've tried several new restaurants but these two stand out in my mind: Hundred Acres in the West Village and Ippudo in the East Village.

Hundred Acres: was all-around fantastic. I made a reservation for 8 PM on a Friday night and we were taken to our table by 8:10, which is pretty good for New York. The atmosphere was warm, relaxing and casual. The tables were spaced far enough apart so that we didn't feel like we were sitting on top of the other diners and the noise level was just right. The wine & beer list was thoughtfully curated, with a focus on local brews. The butter that came with the bread was ridiculously good - we asked for two additional baskets of bread, just so we had an excuse to eat more of the butter. It was creamy, soft, with a slight sweet hint. Later, the waiter told us that the butter is made with honey. All of our entrees were delicious and appropriately portioned. I recommend everything. It's a great place to go to catch up with old friends!

Ippudo: hands down the best ramen shop in NYC. And everyone else in the city seems to think so because I went for lunch on a random Tuesday and the wait was 30 minutes! This place blows Ramen Setagaya out of the water. I finally figured out what it means to have a broth with depth and complexity, because Ippudo's ramen has both. After drinking a full bowl, I wanted more because with every sip, I tasted a new ingredient. The pork was tender and fatty, with just enough salt. The noodles were the perfect consistency, chewy but still tender. I had a truly delightful dining experience at Ippudo and left the restaurant with a full belly, runny nose, flushed cheeks and feeling like I had just eaten something really special.

3 comments:

  1. I appreciate your PO very much the picture with the article. Continues to refuel!!

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  3. I too enjoy a cozy.. yet private setting thanks for the tip.

    jenn
    http://www.momentsofelegance.com

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