Maison Ladurée Visited

Maison Ladurée storefront display

As expected, I paid a visit to Maison Ladurée during my trip to NYC.  This was the one place that I was most looking forward to visiting.  I must say that Ladurée exceeded my expectations.  Well, at least the macarons excelled.  The store is set up like a boutique with macarons prominently displayed along the counter, while other Ladurée products (teas and perfumes) were displayed in a separate nook and along the walls.  The decor of the store was very posh and the employees seemed be cutouts made for the upscale environment.  Personally, it seemed like the employees were not truly interested in assisting their patrons.  Not once did I see one of them greet a customer or offer assistance.  Instead, they hid behind the counter, waiting for customers to come to them.  I've heard that this is part of the French culture, so maybe that's what they're going for??  I've even heard stories about how some of the employees use fake French accents, too.  I'm guessing that this may be a ploy to try to give people the experience of visiting a true French boutique...the Parisian experience!  They should be careful, though.  They are within close proximity of Québec and Montréal...

 



Macarons for my friend

Back to the main attraction: macarons!  Rumor has it that the macs sold at Ladurée are flown over from Paris every night.  True, or not, they're well worth the wait (lines can get long) and the price.  At $2.70 a piece, they are slightly more expensive than most macs.  However, in my opinion and based on all the other macs I've tasted, Ladurée makes the best macarons!  The meringue cookie shells have a great, smooth texture with even coloring.  There's an ever so slight crunch as you bite down, but that quickly transitions into the chewy center of the cookies.  Unlike many other macarons that I've tasted, Ladurée's held together after each bite.  No crumbs to catch or shattered meringues here!  Best of all, the fillings provide a perfect balance to the cookies so that you get a great flavor without extreme sweetness.

The macaron flavors that I tasted were orange passion, rose, pistachio, raisin-cinnamon, coconut, and caramel with salted butter.  My favorite was the rose.  In reading reviews, I've found that people either love it, or hate it.  I think for those that did not take a liking to the rose macarons had the general consensus that it was too floral and reminded them of soap or perfume.  I, on the other hand, thought it was the best (and most unique) macaron flavor I've tasted yet!  I found both the rose flavor and the sweetness to be quite light...it was like getting brief wafts of sweet roses with each bite.  Return visits are definitely in the future!

NYC Eats (part I)

Sadly, my food tour in NYC did not start off on a high note.  My first stop was David Chang's Ssäm Bar, a part of the Momofuku empire.  I've dined at Ssäm Bar before and had an enjoyable experience.  This time around, I was left a bit dissapointed and thought this was a sign of things to come on this trip.  Maybe I went in with my expectations too high for an establishment and chef I have come to know as serving great food.  Portions were small, prices were high, and the food came out with the speed of a fast food chain.  To top it off, both of the dishes I tasted (poached chicken and chanterelles with quail eggs) lacked complexity/depth in flavor...they were basically one-note dishes.  Fortunately, this was just a one-time occuring low during my trip. 

My spirits were immediately lifted and my appetite satiated the next day at Ippudo.  This might not be saying much, considering the ramen selection I have in Seattle (it's not great), but this was by far the best ramen I have ever had!  I also enjoyed some of the tastiest chicken wings to ever meet my taste buds- crispy skin, tender inside, and just a bit of spice.  The ramen I had was, at first, extremely rich and creamy.  But after mixing in the dallop of ginger that topped my ramen, the creamy richness was tamed to just the right level.

Hirata Chicken Wings- fried and then glazed w/ Ippudo's special black pepper sauce

Miso Ramen with additional braised pork belly

Akamaru Modern topped with Ippudo's secret "Umami Dama" miso paste

Another highlight to the trip was Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery.  Such a highlight that I actually went to both locations within NYC on consecutive days.  The first Bouchon I visited was located in the Time Warner Center, where I not only enjoyed a top-notch chocolate soufflé, but also a great view of Columbus Circle at night.  The other Bouchon Bakery can be found in Rockefeller Center.  My visit to the Rockefeller Bouchon was during the afternoon, so it was pretty crowded.  Nonetheless, I carried on and got a nice selection of goodies: almond brioche, Nutter Butter cookie, and macarons.  The Nutter Butter cookies was peanut butter overload, but in a good way.  I'm not sure if they used fresh ground peanut butter, but it sure tasted like it!  The macarons were also delightful.  Definitely better than what I have had in Seattle- great texture, but ever so slightly on the sweet side.

Chocolate Soufflé with Crème Anglaise

Almond Brioche

Nutter Butter Cookie

Macarons: cranberry, chocolate, pistachio, salted caramel, pumpkin, and vanilla

Below, are a few other pics of deliciousness.  The brussel sprouts were beyond amazing!  I think they used some sort of balsamic wine that tastes like buttery popcorn when carmelized.  Whatever it was, I definitely want more of it  :p

Housemade Pappardelle pasta from Mario Batali's Lupa



Roasted Brussel Sprouts from Lupa




White Miso Semifreddo from Spot Dessert Bar: blackberries, sesame tuile, and raspberry sorbet



Yuzu Eskimo from Spot Dessert Bar: blackberries, strawberries, raspberry foam, chocolate pearls, oreo "soil", and chocolate ganache 

NYC Eats (part II)

My trip to NYC included a fantastic 3 course lunch at George Mendes' Aldea in the Flatiron District.  Inspired by his travels to Europe and his Portuguese background,  Mendes melds the cuisines of Spain, France, and Portugal to create a Mediterranean flavor all his own.  At $24, the 3 course lunch is a steal, considering the quality of the food, portions, and the excellent service.  For my three courses, I started with a pork and duck terrine, followed by farro risotto, and ending with a fig tart.  Luckily, I was with friends who were willing to order different items and to share their courses, so I was able to taste quite a few different dishes.  I left Aldea perfectly satisfied and eager to try their dinner menu.

Rustic Pork & Duck Terrine (muscat wine gelée, market greens), Farro Risotto (cucumber, orange, mushrooms), and Fig Tart (mascarpone, brûléed figs, spiced walnut ice cream)





Mussel Soup (Yukon Gold potato, fennel, linguica sausage), Skate Wing a la plancha (sweet corn, brown butter, cucumber), and Chocolate Pear Bread Pudding (caramelized almonds, gingersnap ice cream)

 

I also gave David Chang's Momofuku empire another shot.  I figured (more like hoping) my previous experience at Ssäm Bar was a fluke.  This time I went to Noodle Bar, instead.  I've been to Noodle Bar several times before and I've enjoyed each visit.  The experience this time around was no different.  Delicious food, reliable service, and a young, laid back atmosphere.  This was midday snack before an early dinner, so I tried not to fill myself up too much.  Of course, that did not happen :p  I ended up getting a full meal: kimchi, chicken wings, rice cakes, and ramen...my stomach overpowers the will of my mind.

Kimchi Jar

Smoked Chicken Wings

Roasted Rice Cakes

Momofuku Ramen: pork bell, pork shoulder, poached egg

I'm Back!!

After a week and a half of travelling around Manhattan and tasting all sorts of yumminess, I've safely returned home!  I had such a great time on this much needed vacation.  I ran into a few bumps in the road with the snow, rain, and cold weather on the east coast; but the amazing food and great shopping certainly made up for it :)  I visited a lot of places with some good eats, so I'll just note some of the highlights in the posts to follow.  For now, here are a some pics of Manhattan as viewed from Liberty State Park and Pier C Park in New Jersey.