Momo Update

This just in: no more cake slices at Momofuku Milk Bar... Evidently they're worried that the slices won't be fresh after being transported from the Billyburg bakery.  Here's a thought.... don't move the bakery to Williamsburg and everyone can eat cake.  Sounds like a better idea to me for many reasons.

ps. you can still buy a whole cake.

More on Momofuku Milk Bar

So much has been going on with Momofuku Milk Bar lately.  First, the release of their new soft serve flavors and my excitement over the Red Velvet Cake/Creme Cheese Frosting swirl, in addition to Carrot Cake and Cereal Milk flavors.  Then the elimination of their breakfast pork bun and relocation to the Bronx, where they will continue baking the goods until their new Williamsburg baking headquarters is ready.  And finally, another cameo on Gossip Girl last night (evidently, Blaire wanted to go there for dessert).  With all this action, I'm surprised I haven't posted sooner, but better late than never right?

Here's what This Little Piggy thinks:

- the Red Velvet Cake fro-yo tastes very little like its namesake.  It actually tastes a whole lot like chocolate.  At first I thought I was crazy, especially when my boyfriend's niece said it did in fact taste like the batter of red velvet cake, though recently my boyfriend confirmed it tastes like... chocolate.

- the Coffee Milk, which I had never tried before, was tasty.  It was creamy and didn't taste too strong of black coffee.  I would take this over the soft serve any day.

- the Compost Cookie... still a winner!  Rumor has it (confirmed 2 minutes ago) there is a similar recipe , if not the exact one, online.

- this last comment is dedicated to the party of three staked out at 1 of the 3 tables in the place: it is rude, to say the least, to bring your lap top (mac, of course) to one of the smallest and most crowded and popular locals in Manhattan and set up shop for 1 hr.+ to review your recent photos with friends.  Tx.

This Little Piggy gives the Compost Cookie and Coffee Milk four oinks.  Red Velvet Cake soft serve = two oinks.  Next flavor please.

This Little Piggy likes Tasting Table's Chefs' Recipes!

I am a huge fan of Tasting Table, and receive their New York and National editions regularly.  Being the recent Twitter nerd I am, I also follow them @TastingTable.  This morning they released the newest edition to their site, which currently also includes Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, and San Francisco.  Chefs' Recipe is "the free daily email about the city's best eating and drinking discoveries, from restaurants and cocktails to wine bars and ingredients."  Hopefully this will give me a renewed motivation to get in the kitchen.  More to come when the recipes start arriving!  Oink oink!

Click here to sign up!

NYT Wine Crawl Guide : I’ll Take a Manhattan (or Any Other Drink, if It’s Free) - Frugal Traveler Blog - NYTimes.com

View Larger Map 

I just saw this great post by Matt Gross of The Frugal Traveler in the NYT, that just so happened to be linked to by @Snooth on Twitter.  When it comes to wine, the team at Snooth knows their stuff, so I figured I should check it out.  The article basically acts as "wine crawl" guide, as opposed to a pub crawl.  It charts your path on a typical Saturday, beginning at Astor Wines & Spirits and ending up in Chelsea (this is where you take the lead).  Along the way Gross directs you to Union Square Wines, which usually boasts a tasting of 27 wines, and then up to Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit, a shop that provides a different take on the typical wine store. 

From here it's really up to the wino.  He suggests heading towards Chelsea and seeking out any of the number of Gallery openings, which you can find at NYArtBeat.com or Artcards.cc, two links Gross provides in the write up.  If that doesn't work out, I suggest heading over to the Chelsea Wine Vault (pictured on the left), in Chelsea Market.  Every time I have been, they've had an excellent tasting going on, plus they have a wonderful selection of wines under $10 (not free, but hey, few things are these days).  And if all else fails and you just want a free drink after work, Gross also includes a few other sites that should help you get your fix (see below).  They say "there's no such thing as a free lunch," though it appears that differs for wine.  Enjoy!  Oink oink!

Other helpful links:
MyOpenBar.com, DrinkDeal.com, and BoozeParty.net,

Irving Farm Coffee, Re-brewed!

As you may remember from a few months ago, I love Irving Farm Coffee.  Ever since they sent me some of their delicious Ethiopian Yrgarcheffe Ambassa blend to try and oink about, I have been a huge advocate of their delicious joe.  I also bought some of the Gotham blend for all to enjoy on a ski trip back in February.  Though the coffee is the star of this incredible company, who roasts their own beans at their farm in the Hudson Valley, the Irving Farm team, including the baristas at 71 Irving Place, are extremely helpful and are glad to answer any questions you may have about their various blends.

All this being said, you can imagine my delight when I saw that 71 Irving Place was ranked one of the "Haute 5 Coffee Houses" in New York on hauteliving.com.  If for any reason you're unable to make it into one of their NYC outposts, you can also order many of the Irving Farm blends on their website. 

This Little Piggy gives Irving Farm Coffee four oinks!

Pulino's: Brunch Perfection

I was so excited when a little over a week ago Eater announced the reservation number for Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria (Bowery @ Houston). I had heard this was going to be one of the best restaurants of 2010, so I was glad to snag a reservation early on before the wait begins to resemble that of McNally's other star, Minetta Tavern. Pulino's debuted last Monday and currently they're only open for breakfast and lunch. Fortunately, I was able to get a four-top for last Sunday.

I arrived shortly after 12:30 (I should've known that time was a little ambitious after a night at Sing Sing) and was greeted by a friendly team of three at the door. They checked me in and kindly asked me to wait at the bar until the rest of my party arrived (my brother is rarely on time). Upon my brother's arrival (we ended up only being two), we were quickly seated at a nice table by the open doors that align the restaurant on the Bowery side. The decor was comfortable, warm and unpretentious and the crowd was attractive and energetic. I was more excited than anyone should be to see Eric Ripert and family sitting in a nice corner booth (don't worry, I kept my staring to a minimum).

Our delightful waitress presented us with menus and took our drink order... first up: the Bloody Maria, one of the three Bloody Marys offered on the menu.  It was wonderful (no bloody bull from Prune, though that wasn't as good last time so it's an even playing field these days).  It had a kick, though wasn't too spicy and actually had flavor rather than being overrun by too much vodka.  Second up on the drink list: the Pulino's Milkshake.  This too, was delicious.  For someone who isn't too fond of sweets this dessert like concoction was served up in a champagne flute and was pleasantly rich, while not making you feel like you had just inhaled a chocolate cake.

Food wise, we started with the Prosciutto di Parma.  This came out with baked ricotta, right out of the oven and drizzled with olive oil, as well as grilled bread.  All manners aside, it was nearly impossibly not to dip the bread directly into the warm ricotta and oil before topping the bite off with the prosciutto.  This was wonderful! 

We also shared one of the many breakfast pizzas, which come in two sizes.  The Salsiccia was a crispy white pizza topped with eggs, sausage, bacon and white cheddar.  Also amazing!  While I usually over order and feel like I need to be rolled out of restaurants, these two dishes were the perfect sized meal for two.  Ohh, and yes, we had to get dessert as well!  Aiming for something on the lighter side, I ordered some sort of Limoncello granita, which also came in a champagne flute.  It was tart and refreshing, especially considering the beautiful, warm weather awaiting us outside.

All in all, it was en excellent end to an enjoyable weekend.  I definitely hope to return in the near future to try some other pizzas, all of which sounded incredible(fingers crossed that I will still be able to get reservations) !

This Little Piggy gives Pulino's three Oinks!

ps. WineChap and Eater have recently paired up, creating the new column Decanted, in an effort to combine the best of food and wine reviews.  Check out their most recent review of Pulino's wine list here.  Just a heads up, this contradicts the review in julib stating that they do not have wine?!  I think I'm going to go with WineChap on this one since Ripert was enjoying a bottle next to me.

pss. UrbanDaddy also had a nice write up on the resto.

Má Pêche: Still a lunchtime favorite in Midtown

After going to Má Pêche for lunch back in December (I oinked about it here), it quickly became a Midtown favorite.  As far as my experience has gone, they have always been quick with their service and the food is delicious.  Though I haven't tried all the items on the $10 lunch menu, the bánh mì maison and bún du riz are excellent and remain my go to items.  I also enjoy the peanut butter cookie and the popcorn with nori and chillies.  If you're pressed for time, you can place to-go orders online.  While currently they are only offering a limited menu, the full restaurant will be open soon.

Hipsters on food stamps...

"They're young, they're broke, and they pay for organic salmon with government subsidies. Got a problem with that?"

Yes, as a matter of fact,  I do.  Though I'm not the biggest fan of the "hipster" lifestyle, I always sort of figured to each his own.  That, however, changed after I read this article last week.  It's when they start using my tax payer dollars to eat expensive, organic goods that I draw the line.  Remember to post your comments on how you feel about the latest hipster trend.

Posted using ShareThis

Celebrating St. Paddy's Day on the cheap?

Then check out this link, This Drink’s On Us, provided by the financial savvy group at LearnVest.  The link will connect you with various other website that can point you towards Happy Hours and Open Bars in your city.  Remember... Drink responsibly!

Outstanding in the Field posts their 2010 Schedule!

If you're not familiar with Outstanding In The Field, here is a little bit of info from their website:

"Outstanding in the Field is a roving culinary adventure – literally a restaurant without walls. Since 1999 we have set the long table at farms or gardens, on mountain tops or in sea caves, on islands or at ranches. Occasionally the table is set indoors: a beautiful refurbished barn, a cool greenhouse or a stately museum. Wherever the location, the consistent theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table."

Each meal is made with locally grown ingredients and typically prepared by a chef of that region.  Additionally, the proceeds from some of the specific events are donated to a particular charity, for example proceeds gathered from the La Plaza Cultural (NY, NY) dinner will be donated to Wellness in the Schools, which promotes nutritious and tasty food in NYC Public Schools.  Though I have yet to participate in one of their amazing events, they just released the 2010 tour schedule and I am hopeful I will make it to one of the three NYC dinners this year.  Click here to find a map and list of this years events.  Tickets go on sale March 20th, so make your profile early (required for purchase) so it won't be a hassle when this Saturday arrives.

(ps. you can also follow OITF on twitter or their blog. Also, the beautiful picture, and others, can be found in their gallery.)

Plaza Food Hall... Food Courts get Fancy

When Todd English left the Libertine, the restaurant at the Gild Hall Hotel in the FiDi, I must admit, I didn't really care.  The food was never very good to begin with, except for the lobster mac 'n cheese, and it was definitely over priced.  Anyways, thanks to GrubStreet we have a sneak peak at the new fancy food court English is apparently putting in the Plaza Hotel (Yes... the Plaza is getting a food court).  The 5,400 sq. feet comprising the Plaza Food Hall will host a wine bar, cheese/charcuterie station, sushi bar, burger bar, Asian noodle and dumpling station, espresso and tea bar, brick-oven-pizza station and seafood grill.  Additionally, there will be a specialty foods and cookware shop.  Sounds sort of overwhelming, but I guess that's sorta what food courts are all about.  Guess we shall see what this does for the Plaza Hotel.

Macaron Day NYC 2010

As mentioned yesterday on Gadling.com, not only is March 20th the first day of Spring, it is also Macaron Day in New York City.  What exactly does this mean?  Well, it means that at least 11 bakeries throughout the city will be celebrating with free macarons!  I fell in love with this tasty treat a couple years ago when Ellie, my french friend you've heard so much about lately, came to visit and brought me a beautiful box of the tiny morsels from the famous Ladurée tea salon in Paris.  For those of you who are not familiar with french macarons, the Ladurée's website describes them as "small, round cakes, crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle" and provides a delightful history of the pastry.  They come in a variety of flavors ranging from chocolate to rose to caramel with salted butter.

It just so happens that NYC's 1st annual Macaron Day coincides with the 5th annual Jour du Macaron in Paris.  To find more information on this delicious holiday, including participating bakeries, please visit macarondaynyc.com.

Tourondel says 'Happy St. Patrick's Day' with Free Food!

Though Laurent Tourondel may no longer be at BLT Burger, Grub Street reports that you can catch some of his tasty dishes, including a bacon pizetta, sirloin sliders, and most importantly.... CORNED-BEEF-HASH with sunny-side-up-egg sandwich at the "Tabasco Hangover Headquarters" food truck this Thursday, March 18th.  Tourondel's motive for such a pop-up menu...?  Serving the hungover and famished from St. Patty's Day's debauchery.  My motive for waiting in line between 7 and 9:30 a.m. (48th between 5th and 6th)?  Free Breakfast!  If you oversleep and miss the truck's first stop, you can catch this tasty special at 26 Broadway, near Bowling Green, from noon until 2 o'clock.  Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

ps.  there will also be virgin Bloody Mary's!

(picture taken from http://www.the80skids.com/2009/07/4-leaf-clover/)

Never too late for a Cocktail Event

Culintro is hosting a fabulous event tonight called "Building an Effective Cocktail Program" (in a Chef-Driven Restaurant).  Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend due to a prior engagement, but if you're free and in NYC, you should definitely check it out.  The program will include five amazing panelists, including Jim Meehan as Moderator (the guy responsible for those amazing drinks at PDT).  You can rsvp at alinam@culintro.com.  Hope you all can make it!  Oink oink!

This Little Piggy Goes to Gray's Papaya

 One of the best things about having a guest in town....?  Being able to do touristy stuff and not feel silly, like grabbing a hot dog (or two)  at Gray's Papaya.  It makes it even better when it's über inexpensive, like the Recession Special, which includes 2 hot dogs and a drink for $4.95.  Did I mention, I love the Papaya Drink?!

Saturday Cocktails @ The River Cafe

Last Saturday, after a delightful walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, me and Ellie ("frenchie" visiting me) enjoyed some delicious cocktails at the River Cafe.  I had heard wonderful things about this Brooklyn Heights resto that sits perfectly under the bridge along the East River, but granted I've only been to Brooklyn a handful of times, its not shocking that I hadn't been before.  Basically, the afternoon was perfect... the weather, absolutely beautiful and the drinks, delicious.  Larry, the wonderful bartender, took excellent care of us, bringing us scrumptious samples of strawberry smoothies and other beverages, along with my slightly spicy Bloody Mary and Ellie's Bellini.  Though we didn't eat, both the brunch and dinner menus looked fantastic.  I was also told that they have a pianist who performs nightly.  The entire combination of a lovely view, live piano music and an exquisite meal is something I hope to experience soon.

The BA Foodist on Taking Pics in Restaurants

As much as I love including pictures from meals I've had in restaurants, often times I don't.  I guess it's mainly because first and foremost, I am an eater. The reason I enjoy dining out (and recently cooking and eating in) is the food itself.  Secondly, I guess now I'm sort of a food blogger (sigh...).  While I'd love to have the pictures of many dishes I've enjoyed while eating out, I find it tacky to be snapping photos in most restaurants, not to mention my boyfriend and brother find it extremely annoying and slightly embarrassing.  Anyways, I saw this article on BA Foodist and I think it pretty much sums up my thoughts on taking pictures in restaurants.  Please feel free to leave comments, it doesn't really seem like people have caught onto doing that yet.  Oink!

No shortage on eats at Brooklyn Bridge Park

The New York Post (as opposed to The Piggy Post) recently reported on the foodie future of Brooklyn Bridge Park.  The 85-acre waterfront project recently began accepting proposals from food vendors who will be feeding the famished at four areas opening this spring at Pier 1 (Brooklyn Heights).  There will be two locations for vendor carts, an indoor location inside the Pier 1 gatehouse, and an outdoor elevated plaza.  Pier 6 will also host a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a 170-sq. ft. space inside its gatehouse. 

The Post quotes Regina Myer (president of Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation) stating,

"Brooklyn has been the home to so much recent creativity and energy surrounding food service, and we believe that Brooklyn Bridge Park will not only capture the energy of the burgeoning Brooklyn food scene, but provide a platform from which to showcase the best of Brooklyn to the rest of the world."

After my enjoyable stroll across the Bridge this weekend, I may have to make Brooklyn Heights a regular weekend destination.

It's not you, It's me...

Ever ordered something that looks really tasty, and in fact, it tastes pretty good, but for some reason you just don't feel like eating it?  The whole it's not you, it's me thing comes to mind. That's what happened with my salad today at lunch.  I ordered a delicious Tuscana Parmigiana salad from the cafeteria (it actually isn't that bad).  The ingredients looked great.  The presentation was nice.  But for some reason, after the first few bites I just didn't want anymore.  There wasn't anything wrong with the salad, it was a personal problem.  Guess I'll be venturing outside after all.  Fika iced latte anyone?

When Pigs Fly...

Just a heads up, if you're in NYC and reading this post, Jet Blue is celebrating its 10th Birthday with free tickets!  Follow them @JetBlue on Twitter to find out where they'll be next!

(darling picture found on http://www.gnome.org/~gman/)

Tweet Tweet! (oink oink!)

Happy Wednesday!  Out of excitement, I thought I'd share with you all that I broke 100 followers on Twitter yesterday.  Don't forget to follow me!  Tweet tweet, Oink oink!

Go BIG RED! : Cornell's Enology Department Takes Shape

Being the supportive sister I am, I root for Cornell because I visited my brother there for three years while he was in Law School.  Being the "foodie" I am, you can guess how excited I was when WineSpectator reported that the University has recently introduced a new complete undergraduate enology and viticulture (grape growing and winemaking) curriculum.  While the program focuses on the region's challenges (climate, soils, varieties, pests and markets) it also provides a wealth of knowledge on other grape varietals, climates and winemaking techniques. Additionally, the program is flexible and allows you to select electives that help narrow your interests, such as business and management, or wine specific courses in the School of Hotel Administration.  Go BIG RED!

Felicidades a José Andrés

José Andrés remains one of my favorite chefs in the U.S.. While I have not yet been to Minibar, and still hope to go in the near future, Jaleo still shines as one of the few traditional Spanish restaurants I've been to in the States.  Their pan con tomate is excellent, and even better, at Jaleo they seem to have mastered the art of making an authentic gazpacho (this is not salsa people!).  While I also enjoy the other restaurants that make up the José Andrés empire in D.C. (Zaytina and Oyamel), Jaleo is a consistent favorite that stands out among the poor attempts at Spanish cuisine outside of España.

"José Andrés is a chef for the future. He's an food innovator, pushing different flavors and techniques in ways that have not been seen before. And he's a traditionalist, with cooking that's deeply rooted in a cultural context," Barber said in an interview. "He manages to be at once wildly innovative and deeply traditional, forgetting nothing of the past but reinterpreting it for the future."

Thank you to the Washington Post for publishing such a great article on the recent award humbly accepted by Andrés from The Vilcek Foundation, recognizing his amazing contributions to the arts.  The Foundation decided to focuses on the culinary arts this year stating, "Culinary arts are in a period of wild experimentation. For literature, I don't think the same statement could be made."

STEMS...

I may never have legs like this, but at least I have my appetite.

(ps. a new favorite past time of mine is looking at fashion photography (see jakandjil) and dreaming. you all can thank my frenchie for this, whose blog should be up and running in no time at all!)

Say it ain't so...

Another Brother Jimmy's invades Manhattan.  What is happening to Union Square?  First, Tim Horton's and TGI Friday's. Now, Brother Jimmy's.  Before we know it they'll be getting rid of the Greenmarket and putting in a Cheesecake Factory.

1834 Bar & Burger: VIP Grand Opening

Two great things just happened (actually 3... I forgot its Friday and 6 o'clock and I'm about to leave work). Great thing No. 1: I just found a cool blog, sociallysuperlative, that has info regarding lots of great events coming up. Great thing No. 2: They informed me about what I hope will be an awesome new sports bar in the FiDi and their Grand Opening event happening on March 16th!

View Larger Map

BREAKING NEWS: José Andrés to open in the Big Apple

This just in (via Feast and then Grub Street), José Andrés states in an interview with Alex Vallis of Feast when asked about the possibility of opening something in NYC:

"New York has been calling me for many years. It will be the right time. We’re trying to see when we are opening the next restaurant. I don’t have the space yet but I’m working on an American concept restaurant for anywhere that we find the right place. I open a restaurant as an intellectual approach to my work. I like to say I don’t open restaurants to make money; I open restaurants to tell a story. I love to go to New York and see my friends and get inspired. I don’t know when this opportunity will present itself. It will happen before I’m 45."

This Little Frenchie Smuggled Cheese into the U.S.

One of my best friends from way back when (High School) who was my partner for a French exchange program is in town for two weeks.  Luckily, after all these years she has learned a few things about me, mainly that I LOVE cheese... especially goat cheese.  So what did she do...? She smuggled some delicious chèvre into the States for me and how delighted I was to make a dinner out of it (isn't she the best?!).  We bought a baguette up the street at Zeytuna (great little market in the FiDi) and indulged in a delicious meal of goat cheese, Roquefort and a nice Bordeaux.  More to come soon on which cheeses I preferred, but I thought I'd post some pictures to jazz up The Piggy Post a bit.  I must admit, it's looking a little drab lately. 

Bon Appetit! Oink oink!

Should I eat Mexican or Should I eat Italian...?

If there is one thing my friends and family know about me, it's that I have an AWFUL time making decisions.  I have heard complaints and laughs about this repeatedly over the years.  Should I wear red or should I wear black?  Do I want Mexican food or should I order Italian?  Should I stay in or go out (usually always the latter)?  At least once a day I am faced with these difficult decisions and more often than not they revolve around food.  Fortunately, thanks to proconlists.com, I will no longer have to face this life and death contemplation alone. This new website allows you to create an account where you are able to make various lists full of the pros and cons of certain decisions.  You can even categorize them, food, clothes, shoes... you name it.

Finally, my brother will no longer have to deal with me asking the waiter 10 questions about the specials v. the regular menu items and ohh the fights this will solve with my boyfriend about where I want to order from ("wherever you want, I don't care, everything sounds good, Thai, Chinese, Pizza").