One thing you will quickly learn about me…I like to eat. A LOT. I love trying new restaurants especially throughout NY and wherever I travel. I take pictures of everything I eat because it not only reminds me of where I have been and what I have eaten, but also of how blessed I am to enjoy such wonderful things in life.
Gratitude is the attitude and I believe it’s so important to appreciate what you have in life. I’m blessed in being able to travel for work and play and I always make the most of every city I visit. My mission is to find good food, experience new things and share with others. If you are ever in one of these locations, check out the spots below for some good eats!
BROOKLYN:
Asian | Sushi | Italian | Chinese | Brunch | Bagels | Pizza | Seafood Steak | BBQ | Deli | Diner | Dessert | Tapas |
Brooklyn, NY
Asian Fusion
Totally obsessed with Top Chef star Dale Talde’s Asian American Fusion restaurant in Park Slope. The food is incredible, the decor is beautiful and the ambience is full of good energy. Last time I was there on a Friday night, they were playing Wu-Tang Clan and it made the dumplings taste even better than before.
My first time there, it was the Pretzel & Chive Pork Dumplings and Chow Fun for the win. Deep fried noodles with braised pork – you cannot go wrong with this masterpiece of a dish. We also tried the King Crab Fried Rice but definitely not my favorite, although it’s one of their more popular dishes. The freshly squeezed watermelon margaritas complimented this meal perfectly.
I just had the pleasure of dining there again recently and you absolutely must RUN, not walk to get there and try the Crispy Oyster & Bacon Pad Thai they added to the menu. Talk about an immaculate conception! The combination of the fried oyster and the chunks of deliciously cooked bacon mixed in with the spicy peanut sauce of the Pad Thai made my mouth so very happy. Got the pork dumplings again because they are the best appetizer and also went with the Samosas, a good veggie only option, which were quite a treat as well. We also went with the Lemongrass Pork Shoulder, which was cooked to perfection and was the perfect amount of food to split amongst the three of us.
I crave the delicious smells and tastes of Talde, and was so excited when they were added to Seamless! I promptly ordered the Pad Thai and dumplings again but will admit the Pad Thai is only meant to be eaten at the restaurant as the oyster got a bit soggy by the time it was delivered, but those dumplings are good anytime – day or night.
Sushi
This restaurant is sexy, swanky and one of my FAVORITE places to get sushi in all of Brooklyn, with two locations in Williamsburg and Bay Ridge.
Where I’m going, no one knows…
Shut it down with the Sashimi Aquarium and washed it down with peach and lychee martinis.
Italian
One of the few BYO’s in Park Slope, the food is delicious and worth the wait since they don’t take reservations and it’s always crowded on a Friday or Saturday night. Luckily there is a bar nearby called the Sea Witch where you can pass the time. The staff was even kind enough to hold our bottle of wine. The menu is amazing and I highly recommend the Scamorza to start (grilled mozzarella with mushrooms and truffle oil) and the Fettucine Melenzane. My girl got the Pesto Gnocchi and was very pleased as well.
Went back for Round 2 with another one of my best girlfriends that came to visit and this pic sure sums up our night – a big ol’ blur! I had the Risotto Pescatore but couldn’t tell you how it was. Oops I did it again 😉
I dedicated an entire blog post to this place. Check it out here. Authentic Italian food. Good looking waiters. A dining room where you feel you are amongst real-life gangsters. Located in Bensonhurst, this should be on your must-eat at list when in Brooklyn.
Chinese
Szechuan Garden
Somehow forgot to take a pic of the main courses but the wonton soup was on point. My beautiful aunt and her super cool friend came to check out the place and get some good NYC Chinese. Got a recommendation from a local Brooklynite to check this place out, and we went with the Mei-Sang Curry Noodles, Chicken with Garlic Sauce and the Pepper Steak, which is the only thing my mom would order from Chinese and the one thing my aunt picked 🙂
The most amazing part of that dinner happened right at the beginning though. As we sat down and were looking at the menus, Aunt Holly noticed that the napkins on the table had a red rose on them, which was always a sign from my sweet Mom, God rest her soul. A Rose was a sign from St. Therese, a saint known as ‘The Little Flower’ who touched many lives with her “shower of roses.” Mom lets us know in many ways she’s there – a song, a smell, a license plate – but roses are most definitely her fave. Thanks for the gift Mama, hope you enjoyed dinner as much as we did <3
One of my favorite spots to brunch near Prospect Park. For $17.99, you get some delicious choices like eggs benedict or savory crepes, but you also get ALL YOU CAN DRINK Mimosas or Bellini’s. Brooklynites, this is one boozy brunch you don’t want to miss.
Vegetable frittata with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and fontina cheese, served with potatoes, a salad and a delightful piece of ciabatta bread. Bloody Mary, Not too spicy, filled with tomato and tabasco goodness, with lots of goodies on top.
Eggs benny on point! Smoked Salmon Blackstone. Very thinly sliced smoked salmon layered with spinach and tomato, topped with two perfectly poached eggs. No hollandaise or English muffin needed.
So many places to get a bagel around here, I feel like I’m in Heaven! My very first Brooklyn bagel was actually quite disappointing, especially since I grew up in Miller Place on Long Island, which is home to Better on a Bagel (check out the Long Island section below for more). Still the best bagels I’ve ever had!
My 2nd attempt in Brooklyn was much more successful. My usual egg white, avocado, tomato and cheese on an egg bagel was perfection. Good coffee and chicken salad too.
This has become my new favorite place in Park Slope for a big ass bagel sandwich. No one makes ’em like NY does! Ham, egg and cheese on an egg everything bagel shown here. Enough to feed two adults. Wraps and tuna salad are good too. Colombian coffee is strong AF.
I have been slacking big time in the pizza department! Only because there are so many fabulous restaurants to try. But I have lots of recommendations for the best slice in Brooklyn from some pretty reliable sources, so much more to come here.
Best pizza in the hood, possibly in Brooklyn! Get the fresh mozzarella slice, you won’t be disappointed. This is also the pizzeria they filmed the scene with Adam Sandler and the cute little kid in Big Daddy.
Lenny’s Pizzeria (not to be confused with Lenny’s Pizza on 86th!)
Great selection of slices in the window. White pizza was on point. Just the right amount of ricotta. Margherita was good but the cheese could’ve been melted a little bit more. Mozz sticks were bangin. Lenny’s staff was great.
This place is known for their seafood pots but I opted for the shrimp, scallops and lobster tail and was quite impressed. Seafood was very fresh and a lot of food for the price. Drinks are yummy too.
I know it’s technically a chain, but their lobster roll is legit! Make sure you get to Maine for the real deal at some point, but this satisfies the craving otherwise.
I only had the chance to hit one restaurant in BK during NYC Restaurant Week but I sure picked a good one. Benchmark is located in Park Slope and is considered ‘New American’ cuisine, focused on pasture-raised animals and locally-grown produce. They have a nice a la carte steak menu as well. Restaurant Week offered a 3-course meal for $42! Quite a steal in NYC.
Appetizer: Seared Scallops to start (my companion had the brisket and that was delightful as well)
Main Course: Filet Mignon (cooked medium rare, this filet was sushi grade but very tasty)
Dessert: Cookie dough stuffed egg roll on top, a chocolate moussey thing and ice cream with whole shelled pistachios on the bottom. YUM.
#Roze’AllDay
Located in Red Hook, this is a casual eatery where you order fast food style but then you can usually find a place to sit in the large seating area. I got the pulled pork and mac & cheese and it was delish. Look at the size of that sandwich! God, I LOVE NY. Stopped at Brooklyn Crab for drinks after.
I love this place because the guys behind the counter are always so nice and greet you with a smile (the Yelp reviews even reference how cool the owners are). They are also home to the Brooklyn Cheesesteak, a must-try for all of you Philly Cheesesteak connoisseurs. I lived in Philly for several years after college and then spent the last 17 years in Delaware so I was a big fan of the cheesesteak and my favorite was Jim’s on 4th and South (forget Pat’s or Geno’s, Jim’s is where it’s at)!
I will say the BK version is quite different from what you get in Philly, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the addition of the Peter Luger sauce, which can only be found in this neck of the woods. I got it on a round Kaiser roll, which wouldn’t even be an option in Philly, and it had things like lettuce and tomato on it that I normally wouldn’t get either, but this combination really worked for me. They also have awesome wraps and heroes (subs for those that don’t know how you really pronounce a sandwich on a long roll).
Went here once with my dad and it had that old school diner vibe. Got delivery through Seamless with my girl and the breakfast wrap with hash browns was bangin as were the milkshakes!
Dessert
If you are out and about in Park Slope near the Barclays Center, you gotta check this place out. It only serves desserts and dessert cocktails – genius! It’s a great place to stop after dinner if you’re craving something sweet, whether you’re on a date or with a friend. It’s dimly lit inside with a big window looking out onto the Other 5th Ave. Keep your eyes peeled, you never know who you might spot in there.
Tapas
One of my new favorite restaurants in Brooklyn, there are so many fantastic dishes on the menu. They also have a great outdoor space in the back that gets some nice shade, making it the perfect place to get dinner and drinks in the summer. We started with the grilled octopus salad, which I believe was a special that day. It was cooked to perfection and the dressing was delightful. We also tried the Croqueta del Dia, which was ham and cheese that day and so damn good we couldn’t have just one. Then we tried what is now one of my favorite dishes ever – Berenjena con Miel – crispy baby eggplant, honey, melted cheese and nigella seed. This dish was out of this world delicious. It was an erotic fusion of flavors that I could not get enough of, so we ordered two of those as well. We ended with the Cochinillo, slow-cooked crispy suckling pig with rose petal quince sauce and chimichurri. Are you drooling yet, because I am thinking about how tasty this dish was. The crispiness of the skin and the tenderness of the meat, combined with the beauty of both sauces made this the perfect way to end a fantastic tapas experience.
Dela-WHERE
I have to give a shout out to little ol’ Delaware for reopening Scalessa’s. This old Italian favorite is back in a new location in Wilmington. All stocks are homemade from fresh ingredients and they make the mozzarella on site. I went there for lunch and got the eggplant stack, layered with tomatoes, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar. Good to the last bite.
This is a chain but with limited options in the First State, this one is actually quite good. The seafood is always very fresh and there are lots of ways you can choose to cook and season it. Salads are great too but one of my personal favorites is the Scallops over jasmine rice. Deeeee-lish.
Jacksonville, FL
Don’t let the name fool you. This is a nice restaurant with a rustic vibe and a nice outdoor seating area, perfect for a date night and close to Ponte Vedra Beach for a stroll before or after. I highly recommend the Shrimp & Grits (pictured in the back), the Iron Skillet Trout and the Octopus and White Bean Salad.
Long Island, NY
It must be the water around there because I have never found a more delicious bagel than the ones I have enjoyed here for years. Look how fluffy! Never get them toasted either, it’s unnecessary and they actually taste better straight out of the oven. YUM.
Sausage on the back left, meatball on the back right, and the best damn Grandma pie I have ever tasted. Brooklyn, you have a lot to live up to!
Christmas Day Cannolis
The best of the best, only in NY!
Love this place! Started a new tradition with Dad of going out to dinner on Christmas Eve, just me and him. Grilled lobster, scallops and shrimp on a bed of angel hair in scampi sauce, side of broccolini and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for me. Surf & Turf with crabmeat stuffed shrimp for him. Scallops drizzled in orange ginger on a bed of risotto as our appetizer. And the best damn bread with a garlic cheesy spread on it, warmed to perfection. We know Mom would be proud 🙂
San Francisco, CA
Located at the Embarcadero on the waterfront, celebrity chef Gastón Acurio serves Peruvian seafood in a large, partially outdoor space on the pier. Their ceviche is to die for and you can’t go wrong with any of the seafood entrees. I went with the seafood paella and it was delightful. The prawns were huge and the calamari was cooked to perfection. And did I mention the wine? There was much to be had that night.
If you are looking for a good, hearty Italian meal look no further than Original Joe’s. Went for the Spaghetti Carbonara with the housemade fettucine instead, pancetta and pecorino romano. Mangia!
Take Joe’s advice: It’s better to live rich than die rich.
Fabulous breakfast spot located on Mission Street in downtown San Fran. Avocado toast with poached eggs, rosemary hash browns and a small but mighty cup of cappucino. Breakfast of champions. Snag a table outside for some good people watching.
A great spot tucked away in the Hearst building downtown on Market Street, this dimly lit but well decorated cocktail bar has a fun drink menu full of bourbon, whisky, vodka and gin. I went with the Long Goodbye made of Cachaca, Passion Fruit, Aperol, Apricot, Lemon and Fernet Branca.
Seattle, WA
Coming Soon