Upland- 345 Park Avenue S, New York

Pre-dinner, Upland was hyped up beyond belief. My parents told me their duck wings were an immediate highlight, in addition to the rest of the amazing menu and stellar atmosphere. The interior, as expected, was gorgeous- bottles of wine lacing the walls, golden chandeliers and lush bushes infusing the space with a sense of sophistication. We started, after the constant pressure from my parents, with the famous duck wings. However, despite asking for them to be crispy, they arrived slightly soggy, over-drenched in the salty sauce, and dripping all onto my hands. They tasted good, yes, with a nice yuzu-lemon seasoning, but the flavor didn't stop the appetizer from being a massive disappointment. Next, we ordered the sausage and kale pizza, which I'd hoped would be a redemption. Unfortunately, the crust was too doughy, and the sausage tasted rather bland. Thankfully, the next dish would be a massive improvement over the next two- the Cioppino was a fantastic mix of clams, mussels, red shrimp, and white fish, all stewed together in a hot and spicy kochujan broth. All the seafood was cooked tenderly and the broth didn't overwhelm. The side of garlic bread was perfect for dipping as well. Finally, the angus skirt steak, which we ordered medium but arrived practically raw, so we sent it back, hoping for a recook. Instead, the steak arrived five minutes later curled up in a ball, slightly heated up with the same side of now cold onions. It tasted and felt better, but it's disappointing that the restaurant was so lazy. Thankfully, the owner offered free dessert, which included a delicious cookie basket and a creamy/fruity vanilla cake. Overall, I give Upland 2 1/2 pineapples. The restaurant evidently has the ability to be a 5-Star restaurant, but this night’s service, for the most part, immensely disappointed.

-tdg

China Blue- Tribecca, NY

China Blue is a tucked away restaurant in Tribeca, with a practically hidden entrance, complete with a secretive vibe. Upon entering the restaurant, you’re greeted to an expansive space, filled lightly with community tables, a bar, and smaller sections of seating areas in the back. Many customers are there for a drink, others are discussing business, but we’re here to eat. We sat down at a wobbly table on a platform overlooking the restaurant. We started with the Shredded Beef and the String Beans. The beef was tender and flavorful, mixed with spicy slivered green peppers. The string beans, in a bowl filled with minced pork, were the tastiest course of the night- expertly salted, a slight char, and a mouth-watering schezuan seasoning. Next, we had the “Shanghai Noodles”, toited as a classic chinese dish. Upon arrival, the noodles were crunchy, stuck together sitting beneath a pool of chicken and shrimp stew. Over time, however, the noodles became soaked in the sauce, offering a unique but delicious mix of crunchiness and classic soft-noodles. After, we ordered the make-your-own-pork-buns and the sea bass. The pork was fantastic, with just small amounts of fat but also a perfect crispiness. However, the buns were slightly soggy and fell apart to easily, and there weren’t any vegetables to fill the buns with to complement the pork. Disappointing. Finally, the bass. My parents loved it, and thought it had a light, complex flavor- however, I found the heavy vinegar to be overwhelming, and despite the tenderness of the fish, I had to stop halfway through eating it. Overall, I give China Blue 3 pineapples. Based on previous reviews, China Blue was made out to be one of the premier, authentic-Chinese dining experiences in NYC. Rather, while they have their fair share of tasty dishes, there’s not much of a difference in quality or authenticity between China Blue and other restaurants in the city.

Gato- 324 Lafayette Street, NY

Gato is a large, industrial looking restaurant by Iron Chef Bobby Flay. Our table of 3 awaited us in the center of the bustling, expansive room. However, we immediately got the sense that our waitress wasn’t friendly. After we told her we’d been to the restaurant before, she seemed to shut us out entirely and was later ‘too busy’ to take our order. Regardless, we eventually got our food after a long and tiresome wait. 

To start, we ordered two sets of ‘bar snacks’, which included seared yellowtail, spiced chicken, lamb tenderloin, a multi-layered potato, and a beef crudo. The yellowtail and the potato were slightly too creamy for my liking, while the lamb was too chewy. However, the beef crudo was perfectly salted and contained enough little vegetables and garnishes to help balance out the dish. Meanwhile, the spiced chicken stole the show, which was tender and surrounded by delicious tomato salsas and green harissas. 

For our entrees, we ordered the bacon pizza (yes, bacon pizza) and the carrots. The pizza was unfortunately small, but loaded with mozzarella cheese, crispy yet soft bacon bits, charred mustard greens, and very spicy chili peppers. All in all, an unexpected but pleasant combination. The charred roasted carrots were tender and sweet, and served with a creamy yogurt sauce and a zesty mint sauce. There were also some parsnip chips, which were supposedly salty, light, and crunchy. Overall, the food was the standout at Gato. However, the service was a travesty, and took away from the overall experience. 3 pineapples. Till next time! 

-tdg

Hanoi House- 119 St Marks Place, NY

Calling Hanoi House popular is an understatement. Hundreds of customers are consistently packed every night into the small but lively Vietnamese restaurant, and exit raving about the food and the atmosphere. My parents and I finally get corner bar seats on a cold Sunday night, and we’re greeted by a friendly and personable bartender. We start with the bacon brussel sprouts, which arrive steaming hot and sitting on a pond of chili/garlic sauce. They were incredibly spicy but also savory in the perfect way, and easily one of the best vegetable appetizers I’ve ever had. Deceptively simple yet so complex in flavor. For my mom and I’s entrees, we ordered the beef pho with oxtail. It arrived in a large bowl full to the brim with warm broth. Beneath the hearty broth sat a pile of soft and chewy rice noodles, surrounded by melt-in-your-mouth tender oxtail and beef slices. You could also customize your spice level with a side bowl of smoked sriracha/fish sauce and pickled slivered garlic. The whole soup was an eccentric mix of savory flavors, but most of all, it just made you feel good. My dad ordered the Bun Cha- a sort of thick fish dipping sauce with rice noodles, pork spring rolls and a heaping pile of different lettuces and herbs that you throw in to absorb the intense flavor. It was a large assortment of tastes that complimented each other perfectly. Overall, Hanoi House was fantastic. The food, of course, but also our bartender... who we later found out was the owner. It’s nice to know that Hanoi House is being run by someone so passionate about the restaurant and it’s unique food. An indisputable 5 pineapples. Till next time!

-tdg

Nur- 34 E 20th Street, New York

Nur, labeled as a "Modern Middle Eastern Cuisine" may just be the most sophisticated restaurant I've ever been to. The interior was sparsely designed with wooden benches & chairs, minimalist paintings and simple lighting, which worked with the long narrow space of the restaurant perfectly. It felt vibrant yet relaxing. One problem- the chairs and benches were immensely uncomfortable... maybe they could invest in some cushions?

We started with the Honey and Garlic Challah, which was a middle-eastern bread served with pickled red onions and crème fraiche. The bread was slightly sweet, and mixed perfectly with the slightly sour flavor of the onions. It was impossible to stop eating. Next, we ordered that night's special, the fluke tartare. The fluke was tender but overly salted. However, it was surrounded with an abundance of nuts, dried berries, and veggies, making for a full and delicious mouthful. 

For my entree, I had the Chickpea fried octopus, which came with a variety of thick sauces and pastes- a chickpea cream, black and white tahini, tamarind paste, and almond paste. While the octopus itself was perfectly fried, seasoned, and tender, the sheer amount of sauces overwhelmed the entire dish, bringing lots of unwelcome combinations to my mouth. My dad ordered the lamb shank, which was nothing very special; the highlight was my mom's dish, the seafood stew. A thicker bouillabaisse of sorts, the dish arrived with fantastically spicy cod, melt-in-your-mouth calamari, firm potatoes, and best of all, the world's best side bowl of couscous. It's almost impossible to describe- the rice itself was incredibly fluffy and it soaked up all the delicious flavors of the stew. A phenomenal entree that I wish I had ordered. Overall, I give Nur 4 pineapples. Till next time!

-tdg

American Beech- Greenport, Long Island, NY

Walking up to American Beech, you immediately get a sense of the fantastically energetic atmosphere. The outdoor bar was buzzing with drinking customers, and the nearby pizza bar was filled with a multitude of families and delicious looking pies. Past the courtyard is the main restaurant, where we were seated at a cozy, cushioned bench by a friendly waiter and a staff dressed in bright green Hawaiian shirts.
To start, the whole menu looked amazing, so it was difficult to decide on what to order. We settled on two appetizers. The first was the duck wings, which was marinated in a delicious tamarind glaze, resting on a bed of passionfruit sauce and creme fraiche. The wings were extremely crispy, the duck almost confit, and had a light spice despite being surrounded by an overall sweet flavor. The next appetizer was the grilled octopus. The octopus was extremely tender, and came with a nice mix of cold pickles and Sriracha on a bed of pureed eggplant, making each bite a blend of hot, cold, sweet, and spicy. My mom and dad sopped up all the remaining eggplant with warm bread.
My entree was the shrimp curry bowl, which came with basmati rice, roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, swiss chard, and a basil-coconut curry. All of the components seamlessly came together to form a plethora of herb and sweet complex flavor; however, it could've used a bit more salt to bring the shrimp and rice out. My dad had the skirt steak, served on a bed of mashed plantains and daikon slaw. The meat was cooked perfectly and just charred on the surface, and the sweet plantains complemented the savoriness of the steak nicely. My mom ordered the seared scallops, which sat on a potato croquette with swiss chard. The scallops were perfectly seared and sweet, and the croquettes were crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, and not greasy at all.
Everything about American Beech was welcoming; the atmosphere, service, and food were all stellar, and I'm looking forward to returning and trying the rest of the menu. 5 pineapples. Till next summer!

-tdg

Lulu's- Sag Harbor, NY

Lulu's is a brand new restaurant located where 3 previous restaurants have failed to maintain their business, so it seemed as thought they were cursed from the moment they opened. Lulu's however, looked like it would change that tradition, with a vibrant atmosphere, and a stellar design of the restaurant. I loved how the entire restaurant was just a long, narrow strip that extended all the way to the very back of the building. The bar was loud and energetic, and everything was off to a good start. Unfortunately, the curse would live on, as everything about Lulu's would go down from there. We started with the beet salad, the mussels, and the cabbage soup as an appetizer. The salad was nothing extraordinary, and the soup tasted fine, albeit a bit boring and with not enough sausage. My moms mussels were extremely disappointing, arriving on a lake butter with only six mussels that were chewy and bland. We ordered a mac-and-cheese as a replacement, which, thankfully, was cheesy, salty, and satisfactory. 

For my entree, I ordered the meatballs. They were lukewarm and flavorless, and came with a sad looking goat-cheese risotto that tasted like wet rice. The only true highlight of the meal was my dad's skirt steak, which came with a delicious pesto rub and was cooked to perfection. I give lulu's 2 pineapples. Seems as though the curse lives on.

-tdg