Mandoo Bar - Manhattan

They Make Em Right in the Window!
I am talking about Korean dumplings, obviously. The last time the Puffin was in town we took a walk on 32nd street and caught a glimpse from outside. It is like a magnet that pulls you in.

Fu-Kee - Manhattan

Nothing Like a Good Soup to Perk You Up
I learned about this place from Lunch and ordered exactly what they did, zombie-like. I got the roasted duck soup. As you can probably intuit from the photo, it was delicious. I suggest you click on the photo for a closer look. This is a good place for quick, cheap Chinese food.

Ruston's Diner - Syracuse

Some Have Accused me Of Fanciness
I grew up in Syracuse, a pretty regular, small city in central New York. I came back for a x-mas visit and was confronted: any spots up here getting on your fancy list? Huh, Mr. Paris Fancy-Pants? (Or at least, that is how it sounded to me.) I happen to think that there is quite a bit of good food up here, especially the diner variety. Case in point is Ruston's, a small diner that doesn't have a weakness on the menu. If you go more than a few times the waitresses remember you, how you like your coffee and what your "usual" is. Today I tried something I'd never had before: home fries smothered in brown gravy. A picture is worth a thousand words, they say.

H3C - Paris, Redux

Had to Try the Pho
There is a French custom of shaking everyone's hand when you arrive at work in the morning. I like it generally, but wonder how smart it is during flu and cold season. Everyone at work has been coughing and wheezing so when I started to feel a little flu-ish, I popped over to H3C for some Pho. In my mind, this would be akin to chicken soup and I was eager to feel better prior to jumping on my flight back to Brooklyn. I have a longer write-up of H3C here, from a previous visit.

This was just what the doctor ordered. I dipped the tender beef in the side-sauce, then slurped up the noodles with my chopsticks and finally drained the remaining broth, one spoonful at a time. Ok, time for my eight hour flight.....

9, Rue de Renard
4th Arondissement
Paris

Breizh Cafe - Paris

A Small Piece of Brittany in Paris
Excuse the alliteration, but Breizh means Brittany, in Breton. Breton is a celtic language that is a relative of Cornish and Welsh. I had no clue about any of that until I read this. The Breizh Cafe focuses on galettes and crepes, Breton-style. Below is my "Galette de Champignons", a tasty mix of cheese, mushrooms and ham wrapped in a buckwheat envelope. It was delicious.

Lao Lane Xang - Paris

Thai Food, You Got Competition!
I am lucky enough to have a colleague here in Paris who was born in Laos and offered to take me for an authentic Laotian meal. I'd never had it before and was not sure what to expect. I love Thai food and measure most asian food againt it. This meal more than held its own! I recommend clicking on the pictures for a larger view, you won't regret it. We started with an order of fish cakes. Not only were they beautiful, but they were also meaty and light at the same time.

Patrick Roger - Paris

Un Temple de Chocolat
A wise man once told me "don't trust anyone with two first names." This crossed my mind as I approached the Patrick Roger storefront. However, a few minutes of peeking in the front windows changed all that.

La Goulette - Paris

Just the Fries, Please
Sometimes laziness gets the best of me. Ok, truth be told, sometimes ambitiousness gets the best of me, the rest of the time I am lazy. Tonight was no exception. I picked a small Tunisian cafe for dinner because it is directly across the street from my hotel.

Crêperie Suzette - Paris

Savory Crepes on rue des Francs Bourgeois
I spent most of Sunday afternoon walking around the Marais. I was absolutely starving and remembered I was a few short blocks from this wonderful creperie. They serve both crepes and galettes, I was in the mood for the latter.

Berko Bakery - Paris

And Now For Something Completely Different...
I did a double-take as I passed a window full of cupcakes on rue Rambuteau. Cupcakes? Ain't that as Americana as you can get?

Jacques Genin - Paris

I've Been to Heaven - It's Caramel-Made
My ideal Saturday breakfast is sugared and caffeined in double dosage. So, when I read about the newly-opened Jacques Genin boutique on David Lebovitz' blog, Saturday could not come quickly enough. Vehicle of choice - a caramel eclair. But, I am getting ahead of myself....

Pain de Sucre - Paris

Marshmallows in Paris?
This lovely shop in the Marais makes some absolutely beautiful treats.

Maison du Chocolat - Paris

Pilot's Strike = More Chocolate
My previous visit to Paris ended up being longer than planned due to a pilot's strike. Annoyance quickly turned to glee as Puffin and I thought about all the extra treats we could eat. We took a walk down Rue de Rivoli and popped into the Maison du Chocolat next to the Louvre. Peering through the front window got me all revved up.

H3C - Paris

Minh Chau's Little Brother
This sleek vietnamese eatery is owned and run by the same family that started Minh Chau. It is the younger, cooler, hipper version. The exterior belies what waits within.

Roni-Sue's Chocolates - Manhattan

2+2 = 5
Roni-Sue is a small chocolate shop a few stalls down from Shopsin's in the Essex Market. They have, using some kind of magic-realism, fused two disparate elements into a delicious chimera. I am referring to what we insiders call "Pig-Candy." It is crispy, salty bacon, deep-dipped in chocolate. What kind of a sick mind would associate these, much less retreat to their laboratory to meld them? Roni-Sue, of course. Thank goodness she did.

Chickalicious Dessert Club - Manhattan

Diabetes, Here I Come....
Puffin and I took a test drive to see if this spot could be added to my diabetes express train plan. This is the little cousin of Chickalicious, across the street. Definitely much more low key - you order your desserts at the counter and take them back to your seat. No wine pairings, just plenty of treats to pick from.

Korhogo-126 - Brooklyn: CLOSED

Love at First Bite

Sometimes you just fall in love with a place. Korhogo bills itself as a French-African bistro (or African-French, not sure which.) It is named after the chef's hometown of Korhogo, Ivory Coast. The Puffin and I visited recently on a frigid night and were warmed up with a starter of crab and cod fish fritters, which were delicious.