Showing posts with label NYC food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYC food. Show all posts

Ramen Takumi, NYC, for Ramen lovers

Who loves ramen here?




I do :)..

Imagine soft egg noodles soaked an dipped in hot spicy soup adorned with fresh veggies and sprinkled with cruncy fried onion and shallots. 

Some extra pouched eggs and nori will surely make it more delicious. I am literally drolling as I write this :).



Well...don't blame me, especially as you have seen the picture above :).

And you can enjoy it in Ramen Takumi, here in NYC.

Ramen is pretty popular in Japan, its origin. But NYC loves it, too. I guess that explains why we have so many Japanese restaurants have ramen as their specialty, including Ramen Takumi.

I love their ramens...

Many choices are available here, including the hang-over ramen with ginger and white spicy soup (don't you just love the name ;)), shoyu ramen, et tan - tan ramen.


My fave is the spicy tan - tan ramen with fresh bean sprouts, shallots, mushroom, and minced chicken. So fresh! And super fresh. You can see it from the first photo I put up there.
They have vegetables ramen as well. So, those who are not eating meat and chicken can still slurp its yummy soup and noodles. I have tried it and loved it, too.

Ramen Takumi, NYC, for ramen lovers indeed.

They have various menu for rice lovers as well, including one with bulgogi beef, chicken teriyaki, and Japanese style fried rice. Many more can be find in the menu for sure.


The appetizers are yummy as well.
So far, my favorites  are chicken bun (soft bun combined with sweet spicy chicken), aged gyoza, and spicy chicken wings. Of course they have many more, including crab cake, tempura, baby octopus in Wasabi sauce et salads. Enough choices for those with adventurous tummy.


want some spicy chicken wings? let's dig in..


With approximately USD 35, you have a decent bowl of ramen for two and an appetizer. 

For two. 
Not bad at all.

The place is not that big but it should be enough for individual diner and small groups. And the service is pretty quick. You won't be starving waiting for your food. 

So, make sure you make a stop here at 517 3rd Avenue between 34th and 35th street.
And have a slurpy day :).

The Best Seafood Paella at El-Pote Restaurant, NYC

To those who love authentic Spanish food, come closer :)




Have you ever heard, tried, or even cooked Paella?
Yummy Spanish rice dish cooked with saffron and seafod, chicken, or whatever you like to put in there :).
Ahaaa...
It's surely one of the famous, if not most enjoyed, food from Spain. 
I love it!

I tried it for the first time in Brussels, while I have my internship there. Then during our 9-day-became-12-day trip to Spain, seafood paella was our favorite platter in Barcelona :). And here, living in NYC, where Spanish communities are surely easy to find, my love to this yummy plate is easily fulfilled. One of the nicest spots I've tried for that is El Pote restaurant

Conveniently located on the 2nd Avenue, in the proximity of my dear office and the UN as well, El-Pote has been lovingly known as the place for seafood paella. And I fully concur with it!

So, in one ocassion, we have a farewell lunch here with some friends.

And I for sure couldn't wait to try their famous paella. 
In addition to that, we also ordered some yummy appetizers while waiting for our paella. We ordered crispy fried clamary and stuffed mushroom or champinon rellenos. 

fried calamaries :)

My friends also tried the squid in their own ink or calamaro en su tinta :). 
It's all yummy ..
The appetizers taste really good indeed...
Then, while the appetizers were all gone amidst lively conversation and big laugh, there came our main course. And mine was of course the seafood paella...
I have to say even the smell of it, before you taste it, is sooooo good :).

the seafood paella
And it was great...
The dish was cooked in perfection that you could taste the rich seafood broth on the rice and saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, gave its signature hint and perfect color. And what a generous plate it was...I had lobster legs, giant shrimps, clamps, scallops and many more. So now that explains why it has good review and seafood paella is one of their most-wanted dishes here. Highly recommended!



happy me :)

seafood paella at El-Pote Restaurant NYC

For sure you can order many others as well, including the catch of the day with fresh fish and more, chicken, lamb chop, veals and many, many more.

Since it was a huge plate, I missed the dessert :)..but surely they have many options as well, like flan, cheese cake, tres leches. 

For the price range from USD 8 - 10 for appetizers, USD 17 - 58 for main course,  and USD 5 - 7 for desserts, this restaurant is surely a great place to dine.

So, what do you think....
Even the pictures looks soooo appealing, right :)
Wait until you taste it...

What's your favorite Spanish dish? :)

El-Pote Restaurant
718 2nd Avenue, between 38th and 39th street.
Open everyday from 12 - 3 PM and 5 - 11 PM





Hard Rock Cafe NYC, anyone?

I like Monday...

I know,  it might sounds like an old magic I'm-feeling-good-mantra you need to say to yourself everyday.

But I'm talking about something else. Other "I Like Monday" :).
It is actually one of programs we have in Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta where you can enjoy great food, cool band and obviously fabulous music (otherwise we gonna go back to our lovely Monday blues).  I think they still have it until now down there. 

Okay, I miss it.., I miss HRC Jakarta, I miss the city and its never-ending-madness that you totally get yourself into.
I gotta admit that :).


But now as we're talking about Hard Rock Cafe... here comes another confession.
I have a thing for this global-chain cafe. I have been collecting many memorabilia from Hard Rock Cafe from different corners of the world :)...




I know, I know...don't give me that look.
It might be a lame hobby but I just love it! 
So far I have some from Bali, Jakarta (of courseeee...), Venice, London, Rome, Sharm El-Sheikh, Melbourne, and NYC.
Not that many but I'm starting :).

And how thrilled I am to know that Hard Rock Cafe New York is just one-subway away :).
Again, don't give me that look.



It might sound very touristy, but I have to admit that I really enjoy my visit to Hard Rock Cafe NYC. Whenever I have some friends coming to NYC, most of them want to see Times Square. And since Hard Rock Cafe is located at the heart of this "intersection of the world", then I frequently take my friends here as well.

So nooow, I'd like to share my experience dining in HRC NYC. Again, many of my friends always love to check in in this cafe :), enjoying the food as well as shopping for some merchandises.

By the time you are in there, you will have enough time to look around and take pictures with all those cool memorabilia and the famous wall :)


cheers...
They even offer you to take pictures and provide the big prints, HRC photo frame and keychain for 25 USD. Great souvenirs :).

Sometimes the line can be quite long as this place is famous and many people from many parts of the world come specially to have dinner here. But, I know how to handle it. Simply by applying for Hard Rock Cafe Rewards Card and you'll be good. The privileges are awesome, including rewards point, priority line (so you don't have to spend too much time waiting for your table), free voucher and the free nights at HRC hotel. With HRC spread in many corners of the world, it will be great to have one :).
You can apply here easily. I had my free voucher already :)..

And now, let's talk about the food...
A lot to choose from in terms of food. 
The Home of Legendary Burgers is the tagline of Hard Rock Cafe :).

My favorite is the mixed platter of starters, Jumbo Combo, like nachos, onion rings, chicken wings, with cheese and spinach and artichoke dipping. Like the name suggested, it is jumbo enough for your dinner or lunch :). It costs you around 23US. You can also choose the sauce and the hottest one is called heavy metal. Oh yeaaaah...
And this is how it looks :). Yuuummy, indeed...

Jumbo Combo...
For more entree, you can definitely enjoy the classic nachos, chicken tenders or the rocking' wings separately :)

They also have a variety of steak and grilled menu. 
The Angus steak or barbecue chicken are available.
Or you can also tried the Original Legendary Burger, with a combination of smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, golden fried onion ring, crispy lettuce as well as tomatoes. Since I don't eat pork or bacon, I chose the veggie burger :). Look how big the portion is...




For the kids, there are several choices. Bo love the chicken tenders while Obi is a big fan of the hot dogs. Both love that french fries or mash potatoes and choco milk. Happy meals for happy kids, for just around 8 USD :)




They have certainly many to choose from, starting from salads, entree, smokehouse, sandwiches, and of course dessert. 

Cocktails and beverages are abundant, with or without the alcohol, served in their lovely shots, tumblers and glasses. Even you wanna have them, you only have to pay extra 5 USD and you can get a new set of HRC glass to take home :).


here's what I got..

If you wanna check the complete menu, you can get it here.
And of course, the interior of this cafe is soooo Hard Rock..
One of a kind...
Too bad I always come here in the evening and most of my photos are blurry :)


Steven Tyler, my fave...

Kids will definitely be entertained as well, as they will have "an entertainment package" once they are here. Bo loves drawing himself and Obi plus the house and the clouds on the blank sheet they have there :).

the kids' set..

seriusly drawing :)


So, what do you think? Interested to come and enjoy Hard Rock Cafe in NY?

Hard Rock Cafe New York
1501 Broadway, New York City
Opening hours:
Restaurant 
Friday - Sunday  from 8 AM - 10 AM for breafast
Monday - Sunday from 11 AM - 12.30 AM
Merchandise
Monday - Thursday from 9 AM - 12.30 AM
Friday to Sunday from 8 AM - 1.30 AM