Blue Marble Ice Cream

102 Franklin St, New York, NY 10013

(212) 775-1117

Organic ice cream is a phrase used a bit too often nowadays. Not all ice cream makers can really claim this. In this over crowded market place Blue Marble is an ice cream company that is standing up from all the competition out there. We found Blue Marble as a small oasis just outside of New York City's China Town in a coffee shop on the corner of Franklin Street.

For a start we ordered the base flavors of Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate which were simply genuine. The purity of all three flavors came straight through in the first spoonful. There was no doubt that this was a perfect combination of organic ingredients that gave these and all the other flavors we tried a beautiful texture and taste.

A single marble scoop is generous and put in a cup as the norm is, makes a nice complete treat. Featuring wooden spoons and environmentally friendly cups, Blue Marble has placed importance on being natural. The ice cream is also without the artificial growth hormones and flavor enhancers found in supermarket shelf products. The result is there to taste and enjoy. You really cannot make out that this ice cream has no eggs and no corn syrup.

We tried the single marble scoops just make sure we could taste more flavors and not get sweetened out. On the menu they do have milkshakes and sundaes also. The ice cream cakes and ice cream cup cakes are also on their list. Yet to try them out on hot sunny days. I am sure they will be great. Founded in Brooklyn, their products are also available via grocery stores and retailers all over the tristate area. 

The logo is simple design which I likened to bursts of blue color and flavor from a brown sugar ice cream cone. It is completely in sync with the products and pleasing to look at and as their website informs is inspired from an astronaut's comment about the earth looking like a 'blue marble' when seen from outer space.

And yes, they do source from small farms, grass fed cows from upstate New York and have strong focus on sustainability which are the current best practices in the food business.

Hummus Place

109 Saint Mark's Place, (Between 1st Ave. and Ave. A), New York, NY 10009
(212) 529-9198

Mediterranean cuisine spans several countries and we have always found it very soothing and welcoming especially with its focus on vegetables, fruits, grains and beans. Of course in New York City you can not miss the falafel sandwiches and the couscous. Taking time to find a good place to sit down and enjoy the flavors of this cuisine, I narrowed onto 'Hummus Place' for a Sunday afternoon lunch.

This place was authentic from the start and is also known for making their food fresh daily. The eggplant sandwich with a boiled egg was one combination that was something that I had not seen at other places. One bite into it and I was hooked. The hard boiled egg with the tahini made a very nice taste and different from the regular eggplant sandwiches. Also, the mango chutney added the correct balance in flavor.

The falafel came served on Tahini and green sauce. One of the best Tahini that I have tasted. Perfectly made and fried to perfection, they were quickly gobbled up.

Strained yogurt with za'atar and olive oil called 'Labane' was served as a dip. The touch of olive oil made the taste of za'atar come through. I have not tried it before but this was a good start. Will have to see how I can incorporate it into my own recipes.



As a side order, we had baked cauliflower with parsley tahini sauce which literally melted in the mouth. A full head of cauliflower made with the mildest of seasoning was quite soothing. A good healthy choice and something that I had not expected to be so tasty. Will surely remember to order this again.

The veggie couscous made of whole wheat grain and topped with vegetables came decorated with chick peas, raisins, caramelized onions and roasted almonds. A very nice combination and delicately made. This dish was served with a small bowl of clear soup, which I poured on top of my dish and it made it soft and slightly moist and hence perfect to eat.

There are three locations of this restaurant in the city, and the one in East Village was the one we tried. I am definitely keeping this one on my list for the next visit to the city.

Forcella Eatery

334 Bowery New York, New York 10012
(212).466.3300

NoHo is almost as chic as SoHo and especially the Bowery area which is now truly easing itself into the modern upscale versions of luxury lofts and a quaint restaurant scene. Gentrification brings its rewards and this time it is in the form of an Italian Pizzeria that is staking its claim to the traditional Neapolitan style. On a Sunday afternoon I found myself there observing the giant black and white tiled oven that was bringing out fresh pizzas.

 

Just to make sure that I did not gorge myself on the pizzas straight away, I decided to start with a nice 'Amalfi' salad, that had honey balsamic vinaigrette, Radicchio, Arugula, Gorgonzola cheese and decorated with sliced pear and walnuts. Lovely combination that freshened the palate very nicely and prompted me to dig into the next dish.
 

 

Sometimes I feel that the eggplant is a very unique vegetable that can take any flavor you give it to and the eggplant parmigiana di melanzane that was my next dish was rich in its layered presentation along with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. There was a bit of crispness in the top layers and a full texture taste in the tomato soaked bottom layers.

 

Smoked mozzarella has a nice smell that when matched with mushrooms creates a very non-tomato tasting pizza. Made with Tarfuto mushrooms and truffle oil this pizza was soft in the center and crisp and risen on the outside. The hot dripping mozzarella tasted salty and smoky giving me a very unlike pizza taste which was I must say was a good change. A few bites later I was ready to try the evergreen tomato version which I had read was not to be missed.

 

The Margherita version that Forcella serves is made with Buffalo milk mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil that is sourced from a protected designation of origin in Italy. Garnished with fresh Basil leaves, this pizza was pure taste. The cheese melted and mixed with the tomato sauce in a correct consistency making every mouthful fulfilling. One thing I must say about the pizzas here is that they are individual sizes with four pieces to a pie, so if you do not like to share, you will be ordering two next time like I did.

 

What Italian meal is complete without a cappuchino. The barista at Forcella produced for me a beautiful looking cappuchino which my server had made sure was real hot even with the milk froth. Served in modern white ceramics it was a good ending point for the meal. This place was also with lively music and had families and couples coming in for quick bites with wine or coffee. A good find to add to my list.

 

 

V-Note

1522 First Avenue, 80th Street, New York, NY
(212) 249 5009

When I read about V-note, it was described as an 'organic wine bar' serving 'vegan' cuisine. Set on the upper east side. At first glance it looked more like a relaxed lounge setting with modern art on its walls. For early dinner time, it was well occupied and we were soon seated on a curved sofa with a circular low table adorned with comfy cushions.

Looking down the menu options and the descriptions I saw several enticing options. I selected the 'pistachio and pepper dusted tofu' which when came looked like a piece of art. It was served with a roasted root vegetable filled crepe, lemon truffle emulsion and topped with frisee salad in a red beet vinaigrette. Completely delightful in the multiple flavors that came with each mouthful this was one of the tastiest version of tofu I have ever had.

 

The other dish I tried was the eggplant parmigiano, which was good old baked eggplant and cheese topped with parsnip strips in a cashew cream. The delicate flavors presented artistically was a sight for the eyes and for the palate too. This is one parmigiano that I will go back for seconds.

A side of fries should also be mentioned. Every restaraunt kitchen can create the omnipresent tuber, but here too the outcome here was well made and seasoned finely. They too were cleaned up fast.

This is one vegan restaurant, which I would love to visit soon.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

81 Bergen St (at Smith St)
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, 11217
(347) 763 2979

And other truck locations in and around Manhattan
(718) 701- 1630

Ice cream trucks in New York are omnipresent in the summer months. And I am sure, you have tried many. In SoHo, the Van Leeuwen artisanal ice cream truck looks different and does stands out.

We found the truck in SoHo on Prince Street on a warm saturday afternoon. It is a light yellow truck with a simple ice cream cone and a coffee cup image. The truck has large open windows on all three sides and a descriptive menu board with all the flavors they have.

We tried three flavors, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Taking pictures became a difficult exercise, as the kids finished the vanilla and the chocolate ones with super speed. Only the Strawberry one was safe in my hands and the picture above shows the rich creamy texture of this ice cream.

They have the ice cream flavors which are really fundamental, alongwith some unique and special ones. None of these are comparable in quality and taste to the ones which are available in the freezer section of a supermarket. One spoon, and you will taste real french chocolate, real tahitian vanilla, and fresh new york strawberries.

They do have some other flavors which are not the usual. Earl Grey Tea flavored with Bergamot is one option I have not seen many places. The cinnamon one is also another option I will look to try next time and its description reads like another genuine creation.

Besides artisanal ice cream, there are on the menu small treats like donuts, cookies and fresh brewed coffee. Not a large variety probably just like their few ice cream flavors, but nevertheless high on quality.

On a side note, they use bio degradable plastic spoons and recycled brown paper cups. There is surely something about ice cream from these brown paper cups that gave it a more chic feel that is not at all out of place in SoHo.

Singapura

106 Lexington Avenue,  New York, NY 10016
(212) 684-6842

On Lexington avenue, around the 40th street area there are several restaurants that serve Indian food. It was with surprise that we walked into 'Singapura' which is a mix of South East Asian and Indian cuisine. For dinner, the place was packed when we called though the wait time was not too long.

Appetizers of spring rolls or fried dumplings are always de riguer for this type of cuisine and we did the honors by ordering both. Well prepared, they came in rectangular platters with dipping sauces.

The fried dumplings had mixed vegetables and mushroom filling. Both were well made and satisfying. You cannot go wrong with appetizers like these.

Lotus lamps hang from the ceiling in hues of red and orange giving soft light all around. The decor is subdued and quiet. The Chinese version of the abacus is placed several places along the walls next to the tables. My kids had a good time practising their addition and subtraction skills.

The vegetarian Hakka noodles were made with thick noodles and a good helping of carrots, bell peppers and green onions. The serving size was good for two people.

Noodles always go well with a sauce based dish and even before entering the place, I had known what I wanted to get. Vegetarian Manchurian, probably does not exist in pure Chinese cuisine, but the Indian version of Chinese food cannot have a menu without this.

Here too it was on the menu. Balls with mixed vegetable in a gravy sauce, this dish is one of my favorites. Flavorful and made just with the correct spice level, it was tasty and just as fulfilling as I could have imagined. The manchurian balls were so well made that they were melting in my mouth.

For me the chili paneer was a bit too chili. The staff was courteous and quickly fixed the dish making it much milder. This version came out perfect and was quickly polished off with the rice and noodles. An overall good experience and will be on our list to visit when we are looking for some fusion food.

Georgetown Cupcake

111 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince) New York, NY 10012
(212) 431-4504

Finally, we found a cupcake place that is totally worth it to make a trip to Soho besides the shopping, of course. We were strolling in the city the other day and came across one of the best cupcake shop so far. Me and my hubby are huge fans of cupcakes and have tried almost every cupcake shop available in NYC. This came as a pleasant surprize. It has several locations besides Soho like Georgetown, Boston and Maryland.

When we arrived at the store, there was a long line. As it turns out, all cupcakes are made on  location towards the back of the store. The interior of the shop was modern and uplifting. There was so much choice that it got a little confusing as to which one to pick and which one to leave to try the next time.

There was the Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a thin layer of Callebaut chocolate ganache icing topped with a fondant flower. This one was my son's choice as his favorite color is blue and this cupcake had a blue flower on top.

Then there was the Georgetown Cupcake's signature cupcake — the classic red velvet cupcake with a vanilla cream cheese frosting topped with a red fondant heart.

Another chocolate variety that caught my eye was the Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting topped also with a orange fondant flower.

There other flavors are a bit not common like Lavender Earl Grey Tea cake. This was a vanilla cupcake with lavender and earl grey tea, topped with a lavender infused buttercream frosting, a fondant flower, and a sprinkle of lavender sugar. The sweetness was just perfect and not overwhelming at all. The lavender frosting was tasty too.

What goes with a good cupcake, a good cup of coffee. There is also an extensive menu of coffees, lattes, cappucchinos and teas to go with these delectable desserts.

Toby's Public House

86 Kenmare Street (crn. Mulberry Street), New York, NY
(212) 274-8629

There is pizza and then there is pizza in little Italy New York. On the corner of Mulberry and Kenmare, there is Toby's Public House. Very quaint looking, with open windows and easy atmosphere, this looks like a place where you could go in for just coffee and read your newspaper or come in with all of your family for a full menu sit down meal.

In the mood for some pizza and salad, I went in and was soon seated right where I could see the fiery wood burning oven, their speciality. I ordered one pie with primavera tomato, mozzarella, artichoke, olives, red onion, and arugula. To be on the safe side and to have all my greens, I had also opted for the chopped romaine salad, with fresh seasonal vegetables, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, ricotta salata, and lemon dressing.

I should not have worried, as when the first pizza came, I was happy to note that the arugula was generously on top. The pie was well baked with burnt wood flavor steeped in. Sometimes, pizza is all about the crust or the sauce, though this time, the fresh green toppings made it tastier for me. Toby' Public House has a well stocked bar. They have bottled sodas, waters, speciality mocktails and for the coffee inclined, the espresso and cappuccino.

Guess what, the tap soda is on them and that helps with kids wanting less and more without advance notice. We went on a Sunday afternoon and the place was buzzing with activity. There were mostly families, a few loners at the bar who appeared to be local, and a kid's birthday party celebration.

And then I turned my attention to the next pie, which was the classic Margherita tomato, mozzarella and basil. This is the most well known variety of pizza besides the plain cheese one, and is one that I suspect pays secret homage eponymously to the famous Italian mother persona. Giving it the prefix of 'Margherita' a name so similar to Margaret (which means a pearl in greek), this too has become tied to childhood memories of mother's recipes.

This pie too was well seasoned and with goey mozzarella was spot on for lunch time in the city. All pies come in one size which makes it easy to order. One thing to note, when you do visit, this is a cash only place and so come ready, as you might end up trying more than one item on the menu.

I feel that you cannot leave an Italian restaraunt without tasting the Tiramisu. Made with fresh mascarpone cream, this was soft and delightful. Too bad the kids polished it off before I could even get the camera. Some other time, when I come in only for late night coffee, since the place is open till midnight, I will remember to add a picture or too.

Bocca

39 East 19th, New York, NY 10003-1334
(212) 387-1200

Italian cuisine in New York city is almost on every street and avenue. I have tried several places all over and have found many favorites that I re-visit. Sometimes, I try new places that I get to read about or from reviews. Bocca caught my eye by chance when visiting the Union Square farmer's market, and decided to try it out one Sunday evening for dinner. The place is proud to note their authenticity by using only imported Italian DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) products in their menu.

Bocca has an elaborate dinner menu which has clean descriptions of all ingredients making it easy for my vegetarian taste. For the pasta dish, I selected the Tonnarelli Cacio E Pepe house made pasta served table side with pecorino romano and coarse black pepper. The server came to our table and diligently mixed the pasta with the romano and expertly served it to all. Mildly flavored and just right, it tasted smooth almost velvet like.

If you do note, the plating here also was a bit higher in style than the usual. It does up the experience and so did the fresh black pepper and romano cheese. At times, I have felt that to grade an Italian kitchen you have to try their pasta, as that is their fundamental base just like their pizza dough and sets the quality of the restaraunt. And this home made version surely made high marks on my list.

Also, finding good tasting ravioli is difficult. Every chef has her or his style of making it. Here, on Bocca's menu I was intrigued by the description of goat cheese mousse filled beet ravioli with fig jam and walnut oil. It did sound like a mouthful, but when it arrived looked like a piece of art put together delicately. Light and flavored with nuances of walnut and fig made this one of the finest ravioli's that I have tasted. Surely this is a must try if you are a ravioli fan.

The other pasta dish that I tried was the whole wheat fettuccine. Of late, I have been favoring the whole wheat versions of pasta, and this one was made with tomato sauce and fresh basil. Though being a standard simple recipe, I was happy to note that it was made with the same detail and cooked to perfection, just as the other dishes. Well plated, this too was superior in texture and taste.

In brief, surely there are many Italian speciality places that you can come across especially in New York, but this one was elegant and of high quality. Being well situated near Union Square, I do recommend a visit if you are in the mood for nice genuine Italian fare for dinner, or for lunch as they do have a separate equally compelling Lunch menu.