Extra Virgin Restaurant-West Village (NYC)

Extra Virgin
259 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10014 (212) 691-9359
Extravirgin.com

Located in the West Village, my friends and I went to Extra Virgin. They were telling me the food is excellent and consistent and their fish dishes are excellent. We are greeted and seated quickly for 6:30 on a Saturday night. It is a cute place with the typical tightly packed tables (maximizing all the space) you first enter at the bar area. We are seated in the dining area on the right side. We do not get our bread by our server is very nice. When I order my drink, she is fearful there is not available so I have a back up drink. I get the blood orange margarita $10 (blood orange juice, tequila and triple sec) came in a salt rimmed tall glass with a lime wedge. It was nice and strong but not in the typical margarita glass. We were all a bit ravenous and requested some bread. We never got it. We ordered our meal and I got the Pan Roasted Monkfish (Rock shrimp, lobster chowder, and sautéed spinach) $21. I was told by Ian that this dish was “meaty.”

I got two beautifully pan roasted pieces of monkfish with the skin on, and the lobster chowder was flavorful and lovely with the bits of great rock shrimp. I really wanted some bread to sop up the sauce, but alas I never came. The sautéed spinach was great and cooked with garlic. Everything tasted fresh and delicious! I could taste the flavors distinctly and thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

With the dessert menu, I was the only one to get a dessert and the rose water crème brulee with almond biscotti caught my eye for $7. I got a healthy portion of crème brulee with a lovely sugar burnt crust and the creamy crème brulee was lovely. The almond biscotti was not that remarkable.

Service 8 (points taken off for lack of bread and asking for it to not even get it)
Food 9
Atmosphere 8

Total 8.5 forks out of 10 forks

Extra Virgin pics are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20404&l=3c8ad&id=575810425

Lady Mendl's Tea-Irving Place in NYC

Lady Mendl’s Tea Room
56 Irving Place (near Union Square)
212-452-2222

This space is a bit hard to find. It is a around the corner from the W hotel. If you do not know, it is in a non-descript brownstone with a small silver plaque of a teapot by the front door. Very warm and inviting entrance with softly lit candles and welcoming smells after coming in from the cold outside. I was walked over to the back into a very cute intimate space. I was seated my table for one.

Five Course afternoon tea $35 and my server Sahar was excellent and very attentive. I decided to be daring and choose the Karigane Kukicha which is described as a twiggy green tea that has the smell of the ocean and can come across bitter. I loved it! I did not need any cream or sugar to drink it.

First course was a simple salad of several lettuces, corn, tomato, cucumber lightly dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Second course was a choice of four finger sandwiches (requests for seconds was honored)
Smoked salmon with cream cheese served on pumpernickel bread, smoked turkey with cranberry on brioche bread, goat cheese with sun dried tomato on seven grain bread and finally cucumber slices with mint crème fraiche on brioche bread. I enjoyed the cucumber sandwich and goat cheese sandwiches the best to ask for seconds. All are very small portions, crusts are cut off, and the bread is a bit dry. You can tell it was pre-done but not bad.

The third course consisted of scones one traditional and cranberry raisin scones served with raspberry preserves and clotted cream. Typical of scones very dry and crumbly the clotted cream was hard to spread but still great and the raspberry preserves was typical.
The fourth course was the first dessert which is a crepe layer cake filled with French vanilla cream with a side of fresh berries dusted with powered sugar. It was divine!
The fifth course was the second dessert was a Belgian chocolate dipped strawberry and assorted petit fours.

Service is included with the food bill so you don’t have to add anything more. My 1:30 seating was done by 3pm and it was not overly slow or rushed. There are only two seating times and I was happy to finally come here as I had always been batting zero trying to get a tea appointment the prior times.

The restroom was by the rear room and I loved the Penhaligon brand Quercus Lotion and hand wash gel. Light clean scent from this lotion and I wanted to buy it! The bathroom is very clean and quaint with excellent thick hand paper towels to wipe your hands and fit the décor of the whole place which I liked. The Lady Mendel’s Tea Room is ensconced in the Irving Inn.
8.5 forks out of 10 forks

Lady Mendl's pics (are in this album with Extra Virgin as well)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20404&l=3c8ad&id=575810425

KAI Restaurant (Upper East Side) NYC

Doing some research, I wanted to have some Japanese for lunch whilst in NYC. After some research, I found "KAI" in upper east side owned by Itoen, a brand that makes teas. There is a nice tea store on the lower level.

Lunch is only served from 12-3 on Saturdays. I got off my transport to take the "6" train to 69th Street stop. It is a short walk to the restaurant on Park between 68th and 69th streets.

I was seated at the last seat at the sushi bar. It was nice to relax and settle in for a nice lunch. Great service as they offered to take my bag. My water glass and tea cup were constantly refilled. I enjoyed the Hoji Cha (Roasted Green Tea) I was served. Yum! I settled on the $40 KAI bento. I figured it was the best way to try alot of great food.

I enjoyed watching the sushi chefs cooking and making the food. Watching a master at work, using economical movements (no waste) and everyone spoke Japanese save the runners. One of the waitresses noticed the hiragana I wrote and asked if I know Japanese.

I first got served dark miso soup and a fresh made tofu served with bonito shavings. The dark miso was nice and intense. The fresh tofu was delectable with an ultra smooth and creamy texture, very much a silken feel to the tongue. Next I got my bento box, I got some fresh daily sashimi (flown from Japan), tempura (veggies and a shrimp piece), grilled sake (Salmon) and red snapper, with one unagi piece rolled to envelope a burdick root piece, mixed rice, and a bowl of seasonal fresh veggies. Everything was simple, delicious and very fresh.

The dessert consisted of chocolate mousse cake sliver, some fresh fruit pieces and a piece of yuza cheesecake.

Overall with the food, atmosphere, and excellent service I give Kai a 9 forks out of 10 forks.

Cafe Lalo-brunch in upper west side

Then I went to Upper West side to Cafe Lalo known for their european style desserts and brunch got off at 86th on the 1 (local) as the 2 and 3 are express. I got there before Leewa as he miscaclculated and could not get a cab crosstown at all. (Turned out there was a parade which was the reason why the cabbies refused). So, he ended up hoofing it over. We were seated pretty quickly. (I had already put my name in a half hour prior.)


It is a cute spot with many Cafe Lalo prints on the walls, a dizzying cake display to tempt any sweet tooth, but like any New York establishment, space is at a premium. We ended up sitting along the windows at the "side bar". The waitstaff was very friendly and helpful.
We both got the same thing save the Lalo Paradise smoothie one had yogurt $6 (mixture of tropical fruit-mango, papaya, strawberries, bananas, kiwi, cantaloupe, and pineapple) the other not and the moroccan breakfast served with pita bread $11(consisted of eggs, fresh tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, spices, jalapeno peppers, tricolored bell peppers with fresh herbs). Then we had for dessert the chocolate raspberry cake (very decadent rich and definitely a great choice for chocolate lovers!).