Thru NYC

 
So, it has been an extremely long time since I have graced the pages of this site with some new food to munch on. There has been a lot going on and set me back some, but I will try to be more consistent with my posts.

As you may or may not be aware of, Restaurant week approaches our lovely streets here in NYC a couple of times during the year, and with it brings Foodie’s dreams to life. A plethora of places to chomp on some of New York’s culinary best’s, for a cheap, fair price. I would love at one point to say that I have tried 75% of the locales listed on the Restaurant week website, but that has yet to happen. The good new is, it leaves much to explore, and more to eat.

Check out Restaurant Week

Restaurant week will run from January 16th – February 10th, 2012 and will feature an array of restaurants within New York, serving “course” meals. Some serve only lunch, most serve lunch and dinner. For those unfamiliar with Restaurant week, it is basically the time of year where a long list of New York’s finest restaurants and local spots put out a tasting menu at a reasonable price. A showcase of what these restaurants offer to bring money back to the industry and NYC. To bring those that have always wanted to visit said restaurants, but were scared away by the price, or the menu. And to those who are just plain foodies, and love to go all over to try something new and different.

Some of the restaurants listed here are great restaurants that even after you have tried through Restaurant Week you will be sure to head back again. Which is the whole point in itself. Top Restaurants such as Aureole, Morimoto, Le Cirque, Cipriani, and many others are all featured within this upcoming Restaurant Week.

Keeping with the theme of Restaurant week I will speak of one spot that was a pleasant surprise to me. One that I enjoyed thoroughly. Spice Market. Now Aureole, a Charlie Palmer Restaurant, was one of my best experiences in a Restaurant. I wanted to original write about this particular restaurant, however, I thought that with the theme in mind, I would speak about one place that I enjoyed very much in…

Spice Market – 403 W. 13th Street New York, NY 10014 (212) 675-2322

 
Spice Market, at least to my wife and I, was discovered when she decided upon it during Restaurant Week with a friend. Upon hearing about the ambiance, decor, and food, I thought that we should try it. My wife wanted to try the Restaurant fully, skipping Restaurant week to have a 4 course meal.

Spice Market is one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s inspired restaurants.  He created this based on his travel to Southeast Asia.  Each dishes purpose is to be transported to a Vietnamese street market, or a Thai food stall, by using various sauces and of course spices.  The decor is made up of various artifacts from South India, Burma, and Malaysia.  Mixed with Thai and Chinese period pieces and mood lighting, to complete the ambiance.

The food, and restaurant nightlife in New York is where it’s at. It’s what drives New York City. Food and NYC go together like Pasta and Sauce, lol. Spice Market doesn’t have Pasta, but what they do have is some Great Food.

Ambiance: Jean-Georges Vongerichten has done it right with this location. Located in the MeatPacking District, Spice Market has that vibe of a luscious Southeast Asian mecca, hidden among the bustle of New York City. Wood Structures line the Room beautifully. Asian Accents scatter the area. The lighting is toned just right. It is a great vibe to walk into. It doesn’t feel bourgeois. It feels comfortable.

Food: My wife and I decided to go with their Spice Market Prix Fix $48.00 Menu. Let me tell you, it was Excellent. What a price for a 4-course meal. You really can’t beat that. Everything was just two choices, which made it easier. We just split everything. My wife started with the Shaved Tuna w/ Chili Tapioca, while I had the Lobster Summer Roll w/ Citrus-Dill Gelee. These two appetizers were done with just the right hint of spice to them. Not overbearing. I can’t fully remember the taste of the Tuna. The Summer Roll was like most Rolls, just had the hints of spice. Second Course my wife had the charred Chili Rubbed Beef Skewer w/ Thai Basil Dipping Sauce, and I had the Spiced Chicken Samosa w/ Cilantro Yogurt. I have to say I enjoyed my wife’s dish better. I enjoyed the chicken samosa but the cilantro yogurt wasn’t my cup of tea. The Thai Basil Dipping Sauce, however, was. Third Course my wife had the Cod w/ Malaysian Chili Sauce, Thai Basil. I had the Char Grilled Chicken w/ Kumquat Lemongrass Dressing. It was a tasty pairing of the lemongrass dressing with the chicken. A Char Grilled Chicken can be dry, so a dressing or sauce will always go great with it. I did not try the Cod. Lastly for dessert she had the Ovaltine Kulfi w/ Caramelized Banana, Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce. Basically A dense and malty dish not unlike a snickers bar coated with fennel seed and spiced popcorn. The spiced popcorn I could do without, although people really love that stuff, however the dish itself was very tasty. I had the Thai Jewels. The Thai Jewels was something I had never had before, but many restaurants do. They are Tiny bits of candy colored sweet water chestnut and tapioca dumplings blended with palm seeds, slivers of jack fruit and papaya, on a nest of coconut ice. That was an interesting dish. Both flavor wise and taste wise.

Verdict: It is places like this, that I truly enjoy. Not places that have overpriced food, and stuck up waiters. I have been to plenty of those and they are rated some of the best in the city. I want a cool, laid back, soft lounge vibe, great service, and great food. That is all I want. Give me that and I am A-OK.  Spice Market definitely gets my thumbs up.

Always Remember, Some of you may know these places, Some of you will not. Some of you may like these places. Some may not. But, at the end of it all, it’s about trying new experiences. Till next time. Just remember, There is Always a Site To See, In NYC.

So What Restaurant’s Will You Visit?  Leave Your Comment Here.