Tag Archives: restaurant week summer 2014

NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2014: Bread and Tulips

3 Sep

Mike and I had to kill some time in the city (so weird that we don’t live right in it anymore!) before meeting up with someone, so we chose Bread & Tulips for our Restaurant Week dinner. I had passed by a few times and always meant to stop in, so this was the perfect motivation to finally do so.

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The space has a really nice feel to it, with clean white subway tile and some rustic influences. It was dark, however, so apologies in advance for the lack of light on the pictures.

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I was impressed that the menu included Gluten-Free spaghetti.

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And they included a card to come back and have a drink on them after dining with them for Restaurant Week, a really nice touch to bring people back.

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The bread was rustic and incredibly tasty.

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We started with the housemade meatballs with san marzano tomatoes and ricotta.  Really tasty little balls of meat.

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We also got the gorgonzola figs with rosemary and honey.  These were delicious.  Little mouthfuls of sweet that really started the meal well.

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For our entrees, Mike got the Flatiron Steak Tagliata with roasted garlic potatoes.  This was good but not outstanding.

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I got the housemade papparadelle with braised leg of lamb and grana.  It was quite delicious, however, I was hoping for more lamby flavor.

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For dessert we got a chocolate & hazelnut mousse cake with hazelnut gelato.  It was good but very rich.

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We also got the vanilla bean pana cotta with seasonal fruit.  This was tasty but a bit weird. The texture just wasn’t right.  It was very, very soft and wet.

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We were given two little almond cookies at the end of the meal, which were very good and a nice touch.

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Overall, I didn’t love my meal. It was good but not great.  I felt like we got a good meal for the price, however, I’m not sure how I would feel if I paid full price for it.  I would go back to try them again, but I’m not in any rush. Though that free drink ticket sure has some allure for an afterwork treat!

Total Nom Points: 5.5 out of 10

Total Nom Points: 5.5 out of 10

 

NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2014: Blue Smoke

2 Sep

Another work lunch just happened to be during Restaurant Week, so we decided to go to Blue Smoke BBQ in Flatiron. While they were serving the RW menu, most of us actually wound up ordering of the regular menu since their everyday menu is actually quite affordable for the quality of the food.

One thing on their RW menu that is always a hit with everyone is this chicken.  Great, crispy skin and tons of flavor.

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I got the vegetable special which was actually super weird… it was shaved root vegetables with a creamy sauce. It tasted good but the plating left a lot to be desired…

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But I also got their mac and cheese, which might be one of my favorite things on earth, so I was a happy camper.

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Overall, I always really enjoy Blue Smoke, whether at the restaurant or at Citi Field, and it’s a great catered lunch for work meetings, however, I’m not sure if I can say that it’s the best option for Restaurant Week.  It saves a bit of money, but their regular menu is very affordable. I would say just head here any time you are looking for good BBQ, regardless of Restaurant Week.

Total Nom Points: 6.5 out of 10

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NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2014: General Assembly

1 Sep

We really enjoyed our meal at General Assembly when it was newly opened, so when we were looking for a place to go with my coworkers for lunch during Restaurant Week, this was an easy choice to return.

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One of my coworkers selected the Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho, which was poured tableside.

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She really enjoyed this.

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Another coworker got a house dip: the house-made ricotta with local honey chili oil. Another hit.

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I went with the stone fruit salad. The peaches and prosciutto were a great combination and the greens were perfectly dressed.

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As for entrees, some got the Skuna bay salmon, which they really enjoyed.

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I got the roast chicken with pommery mustard sauce.  I usually don’t love mustard, but this was a great compliment to the chicken, which was nicely crispy yet juicy.

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And of course we all had to split a side of the corn creme brulee.  I absolutely love this dish and find myself dreaming of it for a long time after the meal. It is a must order.

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We had been leisurely with our lunch and suddenly we were short on time to get back to the office for meetings.  So we asked for our desserts to go.  We all got different eclair, including a peanut butter and chocolate, a key lime meringue, and a cherry and pistachio.  All were incredibly enjoyable and made the afternoon at our desks just a little sweeter.

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We really enjoyed our meal and being able to take advantage of it during Restaurant Week made it so we could go on a regular day, rather than saving it for a special occasion.  Everyone left the meal saying how much they enjoyed it and I keep recommending General Assembly to visitors. It is just a solid place to go where the service is always good, the food is always just a little special and out of the ordinary, and it seems to be a very good crowd pleaser.

Total Nom Points: 8 out of 10

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