Category Archives: Downtown (22 St and below)
Sympathy for the Kettle
Dear Food Diary:
Strolling around the other day, we were cold and in desperate need of a hot drink. I refused to spend a lovely afternoon inside a Starbucks, so we kept walking, and unexpectantly found this cute little place Sympathy for the Kettle.
It was a pleasant surprise, as we walked in, the aroma of the teas danced with our senses. The place is tiny, cozy and adorable, with a distinct personality of its own. We sat down at one of the tiny tables and ordered different pots to share. My favorite was our White Tea and Kyoto Cherry Rose Tea. But the varieties are endless, and you’ll surely find one that suits your mood. From Traditional Black Teas, Oolong, Chinese Black and Puerh to Flavored Black Teas, Chai, Green Teas, Flavored Green Teas, Jasmine Teas, White Teas, Herbal Teas and even Mate.
You don’t have to be a tea connoisseur to enjoy ur time there. It’s just a great place to grab a couple good friends and chit chat while sipping some very delicate and aromatic tea. Let’s not forget the sweet treats, small and delicate with tons of flavor. These little pastries were sweet indeed.
Basta Pasta: Japanese doing Italian
Dear Food Diary,
Being a true fan of Iron Chef, I just love the ambiance and concept of Basta Pasta. Open the door and enter a mini version of the infamous Kitchen Stadium. A squeeky clean open kitchen, with steel appliances, pots and pans of all sizes and shapes, condiments, fresh ingredients and chef and su chefs in white working away like bumble bees. There’s no battle between chefs, but a mission to satisfy every diner, while a mix of apetizing aromas fill the space.
Ed’s Lobster Bar: Fresh Of Boat (FOB)
Dear Food Diary,
You know I love sweet juicy and fresh lobsters. Well, the lobsters are indeed FOB (FRESH of boat) at Ed’s. Sources say they come in all the way from Maine every day. And by how popular and crowded the place was on a tuesday night, I doubt there were any left overs for the next day. They were being sold like hot cakes.
Ed’s doesn’t take reservations, so the trendy new spot have enjoyed a great opening and days that followed with food enthusiasts eager for a table and willing to wait. No seating until the whole party arrived, tables at the back were limited. So we settled for the stainless steel bar, squeezed into our high chairs and began our lobster feast.
Cafe Habana: Smile it’s GRILLED CORN!!!
Everytime I think of Cafe Habana, i get a big smile on my face. Why?… well, four words “Mexican Style GRILLED CORN” !!!
Fire roasted smokyness on every grain, generously sprinkled with chili powder and cotija cheese. Flex your muscle and squeeze all the juice out of the slices of lime over your corn, trust me, you’ll thank me later.