Burgers +Q

Over the last months since I discovered, since I discovered Burgers +Q (4726 New Utrecht Avenue; Brooklyn, NY 11219 – Tel: 718.552.2084) I’ve been here many times. Last eve I took some out of town friends with me; after they heard SYR and me rave about it, they wanted to experience it themselves.

JR and I, each had a dish of Chicken Marsala…

Chicken Marsala with Beer Battered Onion Rings, fries covered with sauteed onions and  gravy

The chicken was very juicy and flavorful, the onion rings crisp and delicious!

DR started with what he termed “delicious” Wings, then followed with a Bison Burger…

Bison Burger

He found the burger juicy, flavorful and plainly… “one of the best.”

SR ordered the Burger Salad…

Burger Salad

She declared it the “best burger I ever had.”

JR had a TexMex Burger….

TexMex Burger with avocado and jalapeno pepper

He too thought his burger was outstanding.

I washed my chicken down with my favorite drink, Mint and Tangy Lemonade, made from freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice, with fresh mint and honey

Burgers +Q may not be as upscale in ambiance or pricing as some of the other eateries we’ve reviewed on this blog, but it consistently serves superb fare; well worth a visit, or two, or three…

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Noi Due Carne Revisited

This past Tuesday, we went once again to Noi Due Carne (141 W. 69th St, New York, NY 10023 – Tel: 212.712.2223). Knowing Golan Chetrit, the owner of both this eatery and the dairy one downstairs (Noi Due), knowing his commitment, his dedication, his passion for the business, I had no doubt this too would be a superb experience – and like every time before it – I was not disappointed. 

While waiting I sipped the House Punch, a delightful combination of rum, port wine, tea, lemon, and nutmeg.

Soon our Black Angus Beef Carpaccio arrived…

Black Angus Beef Carpaccio: mustard vinaigrette, balsamic reduction, baby arugula, and crispy sweet potato.

 

The combination of flavors, the symphony of tastes, was truly a masterpiece!

We followed with a Lebanese Fattoush Salad…

Lebanese Fattoush Salad: Romaine, cucumber, heirloom tomato, radish, red onion, mint, kalamata olives, za’atar pita chips, and sumac red wine vinaigrette.

This salad because of the perfect mix of ingredient and superlative taste represented the deliciousness, the healthiness, the very best of the Mediterranean cuisine.

We segued with a Smoked Italian Eggplant Carpaccio…

Smoked Italian Eggplant Carpaccio, with lemon, tahini, pomegranate, pistachio, and silan.

The eggplant combination and the garlic bread together made this also a memorable dish. I never imagined that eggplant and pomegranate could make such a succulent combination!

We then went for the Crispy Roman Style Baby Artichokes. By taking the traditional recipe for Carcioffi alla Giudia – one of the jewels of Roman cuisine – and adding a few modern touches, Chef Beau Hauck has elevated this dish into a contemporary classic, crispy and full of flavor.

Next, we had the Spaghetti and Meatballs, with slow-cooked San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, and basil. The aroma, the meatballs, the al dente spaghetti made this also a special experience for our senses.

We were now ready for the 14oz. USDA Prime Ribeye, with sea salt, olive oil and roasted plum tomato with an additional side of perfectly seasoned potato puree served in its own ramekin. Having grown up in Montevideo, Uruguay, I learned early on what meat should taste like and this ribeye met every expectation.

Throughout the meal, we enjoyed sample quantities of their most popular cocktails…

From Left to right: West Side (scotch, elderflower, blackberries and lemon), Golden Apple (botanical gin, fresh ginger, apple cinnamon, and soda), Jalapeno Business (vodka, Fresh strawberries, lime and a jalapeno pepper), Bourbon Coolata (bourbon, coconut milk, pineapple juice, orgeat, and housemade grenadine).

For dessert – and in keeping with the season – we had a big slice of an incredible Pecan Pie…

A hot slice of Pecan Pie, with parve vanilla ice cream drizzled in caramel sauce.

We finished with a Mint Tea. Truly a memorable evening of food and drink! Hope to meet you there soon, gentle reader!

CS 

In Conversation with Lubicom’s Menachem Lubinsky on The Kosher Scene Radio Show

This evening at 10:00pm (Eastern Time), we will talk with Menachem Lubinsky, President and CEO of Lubicom Marketing Consulting. Mr. Lubinsky, who holds an M.B.A. in Marketing and Advertising from Baruch College, is a seasoned marketing executive whose successes have spanned many industries.

Mr. Lubinsky is the recognized authority in the kosher food market. In addition to the international kosher food show, he is the founding publisher of Kosher Today, the leading trade publication on kosher for the food industry 

We will be discussing how far Kosherfest has come since its inception 30 years ago, how it helped turn the kosher industry into a multibillion-dollar economy.

Meanwhile, and in case you missed it, why not listen to last week’s broadcast with Elan Kornblum? Elan Kornblum, Editor, Publisher, and Founder of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, (Mr. Restaurant himself!!!) and currently President of Great Kosher Restaurants Media, talked to us about Kosherfest 2018, the latest kosher restaurant scene and its up and coming trends. Like every time Elan has spoken to us before, this conversation too was interesting and instructive

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

A World of Books: A Conversation with Israel Mizrahi

Tune us in tonight at 10:00 pm (Eastern Time), on BlogTalkRadio, when we will talk with Brooklyn’s Mizrahi Bookstore owner and founder, Israel Mizrahi. Israel – and his Mizrahi Bookstore – have recently been featured in many publications of Jewish interest.

Israel is a very young man, with an unusually passionate interest in rare Judaica, he buys full libraries where he – all too often – finds long forgotten treasures. He will regale us with stories of unusual finds, some of the history of Jewish books, and various interesting anecdotes.

Israel Mizrahi, in one of the many aisles of bookshelves, and a very partial view of his bookstore’s first floor…

Tune us in tonight at 10:00 pm (Eastern Time), for a fascinating conversation.

Meanwhile, in case you missed any of them, please give a listen to one of our past broadcasts. Why not start with our latest talk with Pastry Chef extraordinaire, Paula Shoyer, always one of our listeners’ favorite talk show guests?

Come and visit us at BlogTalkRadio.com, Please? We’ll be waiting for you…

CS

Pho-Men: Asian Cuisine

Last evening, the legendary Lévana organized a tasting at Pho-Men on Troy (411 Troy Avenue; Brooklyn NY 11213 – Tel: 718.697.1947 in the Crown Heights neighborhood,). There were about 38 of us, and I for one had never tasted Vietnamese food before…

Rice Cake, Chicken Karage, Enoki Tempura

Portobello Banh Mi and Ramen Burger

Everything Pho Soup

This tasting introduced me to new and exotic flavors. Overall it was very good, Levi, the owner, humbly said that his menu is a work in progress, thereby showing a willingness to learn, a willingness to improve. I and everyone else in the group enjoyed the overall experience, but I would not be honest if I did not say that while the dessert was good, personally I wish it had been a bit less sweet and just a bit more tart. As for dish #3 on the above Menu: Bi Dao Salad, Lotus Salad, Vegetarian Pad Thai I was thoroughly unimpressed. The beautiful looking Strawberries Orange drink tasted even better than it looked, Peninah – the bartender – did an incredible job. Bravo Peninah! Bravissimo!!!

I always believed in trying restaurants twice, if not more, therefore I will be going back soon. Hope to see you there, gentle reader!

CS