Day Date: Popbar - West Village, NY - Sunday 8/17/2014

His Take:  I was watching the Food Network one day, and what I was watching did what the Food Network always does, MAKE ME HUNGRY.  This time they were showing a place called Pop Bar, which serves different flavors of frozen gelato on a popsicle stick.  MMMMMMMMMMM, I mean who does not like gelato?  Lo and behold, PopBar is in New York!  I immediately looked up the location of Pop Bar (Carmine Street in the West Village) and took a screen shot of the place in my phone so that I would 1) remember to tell Ariana and 2) remember where it is when we were going to go.

 

Here we are, Sunday afternoon after a wonderful Sunday dinner (side note: big thing for us Italians!) I met up with Ariana and we decided we wanted to head out for a bit and enjoy the day.  During the week Ariana had remembered that we still had not gone to Pop Bar, so on Sunday I suggested that we did.  And were off to Pop Bar.

 

I have to say I was a little fooled by the show on the Food Network, I thought the place would be much bigger!  But let me tell you, size does not matter, especially when it comes to Pop Bar.  As we were walking in a family was walking out and the Father saw us peeking in and said “it is delicious, you should definitely get one.”  Walking in staring at the display off all the flavors my eyes were immediately drawn to one, PEANUT BUTTER.  Peanut Butter gelato, I never had it before but it sounds perfect to me, I love peanut butter.  Off to the dipping station, where they can dip your frozen gelato in, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate amongst other things, me I prefer white chocolate to it all, so peanut butter dipped in white chocolate is already two for two in my book.  Now onto the toppings, they have various toppings they will coat your frozen gelato in, mostly nuts, but caramel corn is the one I chose.  Thankfully I did because it was heavenly and my frozen peanut butter gelato, dipped in white chocolate, coated in caramel corn, tasted absolutely amazing.  Just reread that again, my mouth is watering thinking about it.  Ariana got pistachio gelato, dipped in white chocolate, covered with hazelnuts, good yes, but it could not hold a candle to mine!  We sat on the bench right outside and I marveled over how delicious my pop was from Pop Bar.

 

Cannot wait to take another leisurely trip to Pop Bar.  Walk right in pick from one of the many flavors of frozen gelato, but don’t stop there, dip it in something and finish it off with a topping!  Incredibly delicious and who knows maybe next time I will grab two different flavors because pop bar is DELICIOUS!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

 

Her Take: On Sundays I like to go out. Do nice day things, take walks, go to the city and take in the scenery. I like to enjoy the day because on Sundays, we eat dinner at 1:30, so I have the rest of the day free! This Sunday, like every Sunday, Nicky was coming over, but this time he was in the mood to do something so we said POPBAR! 

We've been wanting to go and never got the chance to, so Sunday was the perfect day, it was beautiful out and what else goes hand in hand with a sunny day better than handcrafted GELATO (on a stick)? So we hopped on the train towards the West Village and we must have gotten out of the perfect stairwell cause Pop bar was just up the block on Carmine Street. 

I was surprised at how tiny this spot is, but then again do they need that much space? No! They have a glass "showcase" of all the different flavors of gelato pops and on the side they have 6 dips, 2 batches of each: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and a handful of toppings. I picked pistachio pop dipped in white chocolate and topped with hazel nuts. It was yummy but Nicky's was DEFINITELY yummier! The caramel corn on his peanut butter pop topped it off, I don't know why I didn't get caramel corn, I LOVE CARAMEL CORN! 

But I digress, I do wish Popbar had more toppings that weren't just nuts, I was expecting crazy or diverse toppings! What if I wanted, I don't know, crushed chocolate-covered cone or something weird! They had crushed nuts and chocolate sprinkles, that was it! I think that is the only thing Popbar should update, but other than that, this place is delicious! The gelato is creamy and the taste it on point. Plus when you dip it in chocolate.. MMMM.. so good!!! The size of the pops are just the right amount of gelato, not too little, not too much (is there a such thing as too much gelato??)

I really loved it here, they have 4 little stools to sit at and a bench outside, we sat on the bench, for 3.4 seconds because we inhaled our gelato because it was that good! 

Definitely going back to Popbar soon soon soon! I've been craving it every day since. 

 

 

Date Night: Mr. K's - Midtown East, Manhattan, NY - Thursday 7/31/2014

Her Take: Ahh, Summer Restaurant Week. Another week to indulge in $38 per person goodness. This time we went to Mr. K's on Lexington Ave and 51st street. We had looked up a bunch of places to go and Mr. K's menu and ambiance really got us. Ergo, reservation for 2 at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday the 31st of July. Nicky and I agreed to meet straight after work and we did just that, we came out of the subway station at the same time it was perfect! We must have been on the same train and just not seen each other. It was 5 to 6, we were early, so we walked around the block and then decided to go in. In we went through the revolving door and into a beautiful, luxurious, grand restaurant! It was a vision of Pink art-deco elegance. The hostess was very nice and showed us to our table set with gold cutlery, wine glasses with "Mr. K's" etched on them, chopsticks placed neatly on a gold stand and a velvet armchair each! I felt like royalty; so elegant! Speaking of our seats, the waiter pulls them out for you and then pushes you in. And soon after, our waiter came back with an orchid corsage for me! :) :) The lighting was dim and the ceilings very high; it offered a very romantic feel.
We took a look at their Restaurant Week menu and we instantly knew what to order. We each got a Grey Goose and sprite; our drinks came with "Mr. K's" stirrers. Nicky ordered the Chicken Corn soup and I the Hot & Sour Soup, for entree Nicky got the Empress Beef and I the Basil Ginger Chicken and for dessert Nicky got the Vanilla Ice Cream and I the fruit medley with sorbet on top!
Before they bring out your food, they give you a hot towel to clean your hands with and they place it on a gold rectangular dish!
Let me tell you that the way they present everything to you is just exquisite, with so much detail and care. Our soups came out and they were beautifully presented, you have to see for yourself (see photos) They came in a gold stand with the soup in the middle covered and a tea-light candle under it to keep it warm. So NICE! And not only was presentation excellent, the food was too! My soup was deliciously smooth with just the right amount of "hot" and Nicky's was the prefect combination of chicken and corn. In between courses, they bring you a perfectly sized taste of Lemon Sorbet to cleanse your palate. This was the best lemon ice I have ever had, it was so creamy and it tasted like lemonade. Our entrees came along with our sides of Lo Mein and Fried Rice. My Basil Ginger chicken was excellent, and the ginger glaze was amazing, very basil-y but I really enjoyed it, the taste was so yummy. Nicky's Empress beef was so tender and nicely cooked, the sauce was flavorful and yum!! Both of our portions were a very nice size! Finally, our desserts, mmm my fruit medley was so fresh and refreshing after that meal, and sorbet on top (i couldn't tell if it was mango or pineapple) was SO DELICIOUS and was the perfect topping to the grape, pineapple and melon medley. With our check they brought over two chocolates in a (you guessed it) gold dish! :)
Our dinner was impeccable and the service was incredible. You can really tell that Mr. K's is an upscale, top notch restaurant. The atmosphere, amazing food, friendly staff and great service make Mr. K's a world of it's own. I HIGHLY recommend Mr. K's to all of you! Just be aware that it is a bit pricey, but remember, you get what you pay for!

His Take:  Restaurant Week, back in action!  If you missed our last post on Restaurant Week, I will give you a little recap, but you should really go read it because Bann was one of my favorite places!  Anywho, this time Summer Restaurant Week is where something like 300 restaurants participate in a special for $25 lunches per person or $38 dinners per person.  Naturally Ariana and I do the dinners!  The dinners consist of an appetizer each, an entrée each, and a dessert each, all selected off a smaller menu that the restaurant provides, drinks not included.  Side note, do not know why they call it Restaurant Week, considering it lasts three weeks, but hey all the better for us!

OK, on to Mr. K’s, the restaurant of choice.  Ariana and I did our research again on the Restaurant Week website trying to find the best place to go, look at a bunch of menus and places and settled on Mr. K, and let me tell you right from the jump, I am glad we did.  We looked up photos of Mr. K’s and the place looked beautiful and elegant.  Ariana and I made a reservation on Open Table for 6:30, and naturally we arrived early.  We walked in and were seated at a beautifully set up table for two.  First thing that caught my eye were the chairs.  They were this big, I guess, arm chairs that were so soft and cushioned.  Really comfortable to sit in and enjoy this dinner to come.  Next thing I, well we, really liked was the table set up.  The table was dimly lit, with a light centered on the middle of the table, from UNDER the table. Cool ambiance, but it gets better, in front of us was a Mr. K’s engraved stone that was there as a place setting and our chop sticks and spoons were being help on a little golden server for us. A + on the presentation, the place is perfectly set up to take a date.  Please excuse the not so clear pictures, we did not want to be super obnoxious and have the flash go off every 5 seconds, but were working on taking better photos for you guys!

Now the food!  The best part and probably the only reason you are reading this blog.  For appetizers, I started with a Chicken and Corn soup, which is exactly what it sounds like.  The soup was excellent, and again right up to Mr. K’s standards of presentation, it came in a little gold goblet with a candle underneath, and the lovely waiter took the top off my soup for me.  Thanks guys!  The soup was so tasty and the broth was excellent!  Ariana got a hot and sour soup, and her reaction seemed to be the same as mine, DELICIOUS!  Next up I ordered the Empress Beef, which is a cool name for beef and broccoli.  Not your run of the mill beef and broccoli, this was easily the best beef and broccoli I had ever had.  The beef was so tender and sliced perfectly.  Mmmm mmmm mmm, very very good, plus it came with a side of fried rice in another one of those golden goblets.  It’s like a little golden ball with the gift of food!  Ariana ordered the basil ginger chicken, which I tasted and was also very good.  For dessert I got a scoop of vanilla ice cream, can’t really mess that up and Ariana got a fruit cup, which she loved.  We ordered a cocktail each with dinner, sat, ate, and drank.

Mr. K’s, the place looks great and tasted equally as great.  I am glad we settled on this place, especially during restaurant week, as their normal menu seemed a bit pricey!  Although for the delicious food I would not mind paying anyway.  The staff here were all very nice and Mr. K’s gets a great review all across the board.  Hopefully one day I will return to Mr. K’s for some delicious Chinese food, because their menu was like a  book, there was plenty to order and try!  If you like Chinese food, and want more of an upscale delicious place, Mr. K’s is the place for you!

The Outside & Revolving Door

Interior

My Corsage

Chicken & Corn Soup

Hot & Sour Soup

Lemon Sorbet

Basil Ginger Chicken

Lo Mein

Empress Beef (dark picture)

Ice Cream

Medley of Fruit

chocolates

Family Night: Frank Pepe's - New Haven, CT - Wednesday, 7/30/2014

Ariana: Hey guys, so this post is going to be a little different; We've got my dad being a guest blogger on this post because it was a family road trip to Maine and we decided to stop at Frank Pepe's on the way home. And this was too good to pass up and not tell you!
I'm pretty sure you are going to enjoy this post! When it comes to "food critiquing" my papa's got you all beat! ;)

So, here is my take: I have read about Frank Pepe's in a couple of blogs, I have seen it mentioned on TV, I have even had people recommend this place to me and FRANKly.... I don't see why? It SUCKED.

After driving a long 3 hours from Maine, we ended up in Connecticut and said let's try Frank Pepe's! So we parked in their lot and there as already a line forming outside, mind you it was a Wednesday evening at around 5:15. Just as we got on line more and more people started showing up. We thought to ourselves "wow this is the Juliana's or Grimaldi's of CT" It is known as the best pizza in CT and we were eager to find out if it was. The line moved pretty quickly and before we knew it we were sitting at booth number 11. A while passes by... still no waitress and I finally start looking around and catch this older woman's eye. She comes to our table and asks in a raspy voice "what can I get ya!" we told her a pitcher of Sam Adams beer, an iced tea and two margherita pizzas with pepperoni (because if it's real pizza napoletana, 1 pie isn't enough) at least 5 times before she actually heard what we were saying... She kept walking around and asking "wait you got an iced tea right??" Yes, yes we did, and we also got that pitcher. FINALLY the drinks were brought from another waitress and one of our pint glasses were dirty so we told our waitress about it and to please bring another glass and some napkins.. "I thought you only wanted 3 beer glasses??" .... -_- she was annoying me, just LISTEN to us. Anyway that glass never came and neither did the napkins so my mom got up and grabbed some napkins herself and wiped the glass.
We waited quite a while for our pizza and as we waited we saw all the tables PACKED and enjoying their pizza, kids laughing, families saying grace before eating, and everyone just looked content; this made us more excited to try the pizza. When the pizzas finally arrived, they were presented on large rectangular pans instead of the traditional round pizza pans... were they trying to be cool or something? all the other tables also had these pans.. we didn't understand why they would serve them in this manner, the pizza got a squished and it was definitely not easier this way. Not only was the pizza squished, but it was cut very poorly into 12-16 slices so there were some very small, thin pieces and then there were huge rectangular pieces. Finally we all took a bite and we all gave the same face.. disappointment and disgust. The pizza SUCKED. The dough was very thick (unlike traditional pizza napoletana) it was very undercooked, the sauce tasted like ugly nothing, the mozzarella also like nothing and was very oily, the pepperoni was also cut into different sizes at one point my mom pulled out a pepperoni the size of a whole unsliced soppressata and it was just as thick as it was long. It was a nothing pizza pie with a side of gross. The whole overall taste was bad. We were all hungry and disappointed and as much as we wanted to eat, we just couldn't. So we left most of it. 1 pie WOULD have been enough and there probably still be left over slices. Our deaf waitress was shocked that we did not want a box to take the pizza home in and came back to ask again just to make sure. After waiting another century for our check to arrive and being asked if we paid yet (no you never brought the check, I should have said yes I paid twice) we finally left the spot. The pizzaioli were all young kids and we saw a few other tables leaving their pizzas. We walked out feeling annoyed but happy that we had this juicy story for this blog.

You guys all know how much I love pizza, I am pretty much a pizza expert so I can tell you with complete honesty that the pizza sucked, the service sucked, it all sucked. I am happy Nicky didn't taste the horrible-ness that is Frank Pepe's and no I will definitely never go back, not with anyone. Not worthy of a date night here! There was an Italian restaurant right across the street that was nowhere near as full as Frank Pepe's and I'm sure their pizza would have been 4289028502% better, and people will never know because they will continue to go to this mainstream, talked-about-all-over, we-gotta-go-here-before-we-die, rose-to-the-top-because-of-the-name-not-the-food spot.
I guess it is true what they say about NY pizza being the best pizza, but if there is ever a next time I'm in New Haven, I'll go across the street or make my own pizza, thanks.


Papa's Take:  I borrowed this information from “How stuff works” so that I can explain better how taste or flavor is determined by people. Scientists know less about taste than they know about sight and hearing -- senses that are far more complex. Why is taste so mysterious?

­Testing sensation is also a subjective science -- taste perhaps more subjective that most. Some people have inherited genetic traits that make certain foods taste disgusting. Others, called supertasters, have abnormally high concentrations of taste receptors. To their heightened palates, bland food tastes perfectly flavorful. And, as we all know, food tastes differently to different people -- we don't all like the same flavors.

Apparently all these supertasters hold daily meetings at Frank Pepe in New Haven,

I like pizza, no…. I LOVE pizza….. my kids love pizza and they are somewhat of connoisseurs being that their grandfather owned a pizzeria making very good pizza and so did I for a short while. They grew up on pizza, I mostly love pizza napoletana, especially when it’s made the right way and….Frank Pepe was NOT even close. It was TERRIBLE.  I have had some pretty lousy pizza but this one moved to the top of the list as soon as I took the first bite.

We ordered a large margherita with pepperoni. It took a little time, it’s understandable, the place was packed. I could not wait to taste the pizza that everyone seems to fantasize when they are alone in their beds at night. The one that made one writer actually say that you have to try this one before you die…. Really? Either he is a supertaster, he has no clue what he is writing about or he just wrote about it without actually setting foot in that place. Don’t worry about spending time in purgatory because you didn’t go there before you died, trust me, you can happily move along to heaven because you didn’t miss a thing.

As soon as we got the pizza, you could tell by the way it looked, it was not going to taste good at all. Yes, looks are not deceiving in this case…it tasted the way it looked.

Dough was not cooked, it was very doughy, sauce tasted like it came from the cheapest can they can buy at the time, mozzarella was tasteless and bland that the overpowering amount of pecorino could not hide. We never leave slices on the tray, if we could not finish it, we would take it home to eat at a later date (usually the same night). Not this one, we forced ourselves to try to like it but at the end we could not…we left slices on the tray and the waitress was shocked that we didn’t want a box to take the leftovers.

This is another tourist trap like countless of others that don’t care anymore how pizza tastes and how much it costs because people will just keep going there following the various food writers that have no clue what good food is supposed to taste like.

Do yourself a favor and don’t even bother going there…save time and money and go to your local pizza place where the owner is using the freshest ingredients he can afford and tries to sell a high quality product. Unfortunately these small places will never have lines outside their doors because a food writer will never write about his place.

Finally, I should give them the benefit of the doubt and say it was most likely a bad night, that they had a different pizzaiolo, blah, blah but, at the end of the day, the main ingredients that make a pie exceptional should still be the same – the dough, sauce and mozzarella….and as I said before, they were nonexistent.

Thank you kids for allowing me to guest write on your blog. I hope after this, I am welcomed again… ;)

Date Night: Coney Island, NY - Friday 7/25/2014

His Take:  Coney Island, a landmark in Brooklyn, and somewhere, I a native Brooklynite had never been?!?!  That HAD to change.  Along with my cousin Frankie, I had put together a little trip to Coney Island.  Frankie had told me how last summer he had gone with his girlfriend Jennifer and some friends to see the fireworks display Coney Island does every Friday night. We were talking about this during a car ride home, and voila, plans were born!  We decided all of us guys would take our girlfriends to Coney Island for a nice night watching fireworks on the beach, eating Nathan’s, and riding rides. 

Back to me being a Brooklynite for a second, how could I not go see the Wonder Wheel, eat a Nathan’s hot dog at Coney Island, and most importantly ride the Cyclone!  This was my opportunity to get this off my bucket list!  So off we went to Coney Island on a Friday night.  We parked in the Aquarium parking lot, which is right next to the Cyclone.  I was as excited as a kid in a candy store.  I wanted to go on the Cyclone right away!  I was told to wait by my buddy Chris, who promised me we would go on later, on the way out since it’s right next to the car (wow I sound like a little kid, but hey, I wanted to ride the Cyclone!).  First stop for us, you guessed it, Nathan’s.  I was not to hungry and neither was Ariana, so I got a hot dog, we split cheese fries (of course she ate most of them) and then we walked to get a quick ice cream.  A lot of places to eat and drink on the boardwalk, all serving different boardwalk food, you know pretzels, hot dogs, ice creams, funnel cakes, the works!  I am actually glad we ate first because the line at Nathan’s was huge all night. 

After we all finally met up at Nathan’s and ate a little something, we realized it was time to hit the beach for the fireworks.  Coney Island’s firework “show” starts at 9:30 PM between 10^th and 12^th streets.  The beach between 10^th and 12^th streets is closed because the fireworks are literally on the beach.  We all sat in the sand, there was about 14 of us hanging out laughing and joking waiting for the display to start.  Do not make the same mistake we did, come prepared to sit in the sand, unless you want to stand on the boardwalk and watch the show.  I was shocked to see how packed the beach and the boardwalk was, filled with people waiting around to watch the firework show.  Sitting in the sand was a bit uncomfortable, I really should have gotten the chairs I had in my friend’s car.  Finally the show started at around 9:50, and it was really nice.  It was romantic to sit in the sand with my girlfriend and watch the display of fireworks.  The weather was perfect for a night near the ocean.  We asked Jennifer to take a picture of us under the fireworks because we know our loyal readers would want to see!  Plus I wanted one for ourselves!  Thanks Jenn!

After the fireworks we hit the rides!  I enjoy doing rides, but you all know the one ride I was waiting to do, THE CYCLONE!  The rides I did/watched my friends do all seemed cool.  First ride we hit was the Wonder Wheel.  Ferris Wheels, my most HATED ride.  Little tidbit about me, I am afraid of heights.  How do I do rides you ask? Roller coasters, on the way up I hold on for dear life and my eyes are closed shut, the way up is over so fast it does not even matter!  After much debate, Ariana, friend Sal, and my cousin Frankie convinced me to get on the Wonder Wheel.  Fun fact about the Wonder Wheel, it has something called sliding carts, which I had never seen before.  The freaking cars slide back and forth on a track at different heights of the wheel.  Great so not only do I have to sit in a box sky high, but I have to watch it swing back and forth!  As you’ll see in the picture, I was not to thrilled with this, but after going around the first time and not plummeting to my doom, I relaxed a bit and enjoyed myself, and maybe just maybe I’ll get on again.  My brother is fearless, got on the sling shot, so did a few of my other friends, and no thanks, that’s not for me.  We walked around a bit and by 12:45 everyone started getting tired and wanting to head home, plus the park closes at one.  Wait I know what you’re thinking, the Cyclone right? My Cyclone story is this, WE NEVER WENT ON! My sole purpose for going, the one thing I really wanted to do, right there in front of me, and IT DID NOT HAPPEN! 

I won’t say I left disappointed because I had a great time with my girlfriend and friends, but I left unsatisfied, I have an unfinished date with Coney Island, and me and the Cyclone will meet!  Coney Island is a great date spot, especially if you are going to see the fireworks.  Grab a chair or a towel and sit on the beach, a better view then standing on the boardwalk.  Grab your girl, grab some friends, and go watch the show.  A fun filled date at Coney Island.  Lastly, I will make you guys a deal, if you see me at Coney Island and recognize me from this blog, stop me and I’ll get on the damned Wonder Wheel with ya!  Till we meet again Coney Island! See ya soon.

Her Take: We have been wanting to go to Coney Island for some time now. Frankie, Nicky's cousin, told us that every Friday night, there's Fireworks. Finally we went. It was a bunch of us: Nicky and I, Chris and Martyna, Frankie and Jen, AJ and Bianca, and Sal and Rangel. (best couple) We headed over at around 7, made it there by 7:30-8 and basically stood on the Nathan's line for an hour! Nicky wanted a hot dog and so did the Chris, Martyna and her friends. I didn't want anything, so obviously I got cheese fries and a cafe mocha ice cream! :) I wasn't hungry...
By the time everyone ordered, ate and drank, it was around 9 o'clock so we said lets head down to the beach to get a good spot.
Coney Island was PACKED, with so many kids too, BABIES why aren't they sleeping?! But I understand it's nice to see the fireworks. Back to the beach, Nicky had bought two chairs for us, and those chairs were left in the car, a good place to have them when you're sitting on the sand! But it's ok, I sucked it up and sat down. We had our personal photographer, Jen, take pictures of us because shes the best! Plus she likes to so yay :) She took some great shots of us I must say!
The fireworks started like 20 minutes late! But they lasted about 15 mins and they were really pretty! We were so close, that many of us got hit with pieces of them. Cool life.
After watching the fireworks and being romantic taking photos under them, we decided to walk the boardwalk and go on some rides!
First things first: The Wonder Wheel! Built in 1918 and still goin' round!
Nicky is SUPER scared of heights and did not want to go on this at all, especially after he found out that the cars swing! BUTTTT we got him on :))) it wasn't that hard muahah! But he sat in the cart with his eyes closed grasping to the sides. What a baby!
It was a lot of fun and also REALLY cold up there, I was literally shivering. If you go, bring a light sweater!
Nicky even said he liked it so it went well!

After that we walked around some more and the rest of them went on a few more rides, I wasn't in the mood for rides that day, I might have been super tired. But it's all good because I had a great time!
We stayed until the park closed, 1 am. Longer than I expected!! Nicky didn't get to ride the cyclone, which is what he realllllyyyy wanted to do!

Coney Island is just a spot that everyone needs to visit at least once! This was Nicky's first time and he loved it. I'm glad he did! It's always a great time, and me, I love games and rides and ice cream and feeling like a kid again! Who doesn't? Get to Coney Island and ride the Cyclone before they take that old piece of history down!

I definitely want to go back, maybe in the daytime this time, so I can catch a tan while we walk ;) AND go on some rides!

 On the Wonder Wheel

 Nicky crying on the Wonder Wheel

 Jen and Frankie in the Front