Kobe CLub- NYC Restaurant Review #8

September 16^th, 2008

Kobe Club – "if you're straight gangstaaaa"

It's been a while since my last real critique so there are a few things I would like to address before I get into this week's review. A good friend of mine, whose name will remain undisclosed due to confidentiality reasons, has created a rival blog to that of the J-Spot. It is unfortunate that he/she has a hard time seeing other people in the spotlight, such as myself, and needs to recapture the attention of peers by creating a blog to review my own reviews. I welcome the constructive criticism with open arms and I wish them luck as they will soon see how demanding and arduous having a blog can be.

Now onto the Kobe Club…..

As my date and I rushed over to make our 7:30 p.m. reservation, I had not realized that something had dropped on me from up above. When we were seated, I noticed a grey/black residue on my shirt. At first, I was puzzled, so I excused myself to the bathroom to check it out. Alas, a bird had shat on me. Surprisingly, this was not what I had in mind during my celebratory dinner for passing Level 2 of the CFA. I figured it was a funny start to the night and that the audience would enjoy hearing an embarrassing story about yours truly.

After I cleared up the whole bird shit mess, I was finally able to start enjoying my first experience at the Kobe Club. We were seated in our own little cocoon, which was very cool. Aside from the music, I really enjoyed the décor and vibe of the restaurant. My idea of fine dining does not include hearing Beyonce and Alicia Keys; however, I must admit, when they come on the ipod, you will see those hips start to shake. The feeling I got in Kobe Club was similar to being at a very posh, expensive nightclub (where I don't belong).

One more thing I should mention is that we ordered off of the restaurant week menu (which is available until late November)

Now onto the most important part, the food……

APPETIZERS:

"High Class" Kobe Beef Hot Dog

As most of you know, I love when the waiter comes out with unexpected treats from the kitchen. It came wrapped in a flaky crust and was served with homemade mustard. Even though it was a bite size portion, the gourmet hot dog was very tasty and was a great precursor for things to come.

American "Kobe" Beef Cheek Ravioli

To be honest, I was expecting a lot from this dish. The flavors were there, but the sauce was just too overpowering. It was dark brown and drenched the pleasantly placed raviolis. The homemade pasta was cooked to perfection, and the meat filling was tender and savory. Each ravioli was bursting with full flavors, but, as I mentioned before, was covered in the thick meat sauce which may have even taken the ravioli's by surprise.

ENTREES:

I highly recommend ordering off of the restaurant week menu. It's a great deal economically and the entrees they offer are superb, especially the sirloin which I will discuss more in detail.

Kobe Chopped Sirloin Steak

A 12oz. sirloin in a wagyu Japanese sauce served in a cast iron skillet with Vidalia onions and roasted bacon. Dare I say more? By far, the best sirloin I have ever had. This piece of meat could easily be mistaken for a filet because of the tenderness and juicy flavors which were flowing out of each bite. I am not a huge fan of bacon, but I can assure that any meatatarian would thoroughly enjoy this dish. The steak came in the shape of a burger (trust me, I would have loved to throw a piece of cheese on there) which was a little odd, but it did not disappoint. The onions were soft and translucent and were a perfect compliment to an already flawless dish.

My date and I (who will continue to remain nameless) got a great recommendation from a one, Steph Rosen (first shout out in J spot history) to try the Kobe Club Parmesan Truffled French fries.

Kobe Club Parmesan Truffled French Fries (MUST ORDER DISH)

They tasted even better than they sound. The fries were smothered in truffle oil, fried to a crisp and sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese and parsley leaves. This dish was a perfect compliment to sirloin, not for the filet, though. The sirloin had the consistency of a burger, so the fries were a great addition and perfect for sharing. It is a pricey side ($15), but what isn't expensive at Kobe Club.

If you are a fan of restaurant week and love trying places that you wouldn't dream of going to if it weren't restaurant week, then Kobe Club is for you. The regular menu is absurdly overpriced; even if I had the money I don't think its worth those prices, since there are so many other great steak places in the city who have the same or better quality beef. With that being said, the restaurant week menu at Kobe Club is being extended into late November and is the perfect opportunity to try this overpriced, posh steak house. My recommendation would be to get the 3 course price fix ($35) and order the following: Tuna Tartare as the appetizer, the Kobe Sirloin as the entrée, the sorbet as dessert and the truffle fries as a side. I made the mistake of upgrading my price fix in order to get the Kobe Beef filet (not worth the extra 40 bucks). I have provided a link to the menu and Kobe Club location below.

	Restaurant Review Rating Scale
			Total Points Available
Food	9		10
Service	7.5		10
Ambiance	8.5		10
Bang for the Buck	6		10
Overall	8.5		10
	39.5		50

Kobe club ($$$$$)
68 W 58th St, New York 10019
Phone: 212-644-5623 http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=41797&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=61

CODE RED- Restuarant Review - Dolce Vita

CODE RED ALERT: Dolce Vita

I apologize for the delay since my last post but I have been quite busy. This past weekend I went to a BYOB with a bunch of friends and felt obliged to share my thoughts on this horrid experience. Whenever I go to a BYOB, I am not as concerned about the food or the service, because it's a fun environment to enjoy with friends. However, this restaurant has to be one of the worst dining establishments in the tri state area. The restaurant is called Dolce Vita and is located on 181 Grand St. (Between Mulberry and Baxter) in Soho. Please continue reading if you are in the mood for a rant.

When you walk into a restaurant you expect a minimum level of service and food quality; similar to the expectation that you have for a ¼ pounder at McDonalds. At McDonald's, you are well aware that you are shoving a mouth load of crap into your mouth so you really can't be disappointed.

At Dolce Vita, my expectations were not high at all, but as the night went on, the service and food got progressively worse. The wait staff could tell our party was frustrated, but we didn't mind since we had never experienced such an awful dining experience. I am not going to review the food, the menu, the atmosphere or give a rating scale, as Dolce Vita is not worth the effort. It's also a waste of my time because I know you will never dine there after reading this review. As an aspiring food critic, I feel obligated to share the best and WORST restaurants that I come across in my travels, so rest assured there will be more to come.

Malaga - NYC Restaurant Review #7

September 11th, 2008

Malaga – "Dios Mio!"

Don't let the discrete and isolated location of this Spanish gem fool you; this is as authentic as it gets. From the menu, the servers and paintings on the wall, you can tell this is straight out of Espana. Malaga is also the name of a port city in Andalusia, southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol of the Mediterranean. The city of Malaga is most well known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, but if you want more info about this city, you will have research it on your own. I can simply guide you through the menu of great food I enjoyed last night.

Ever since I moved to New York I have been in search of a great Spanish restaurant; one that will bring back memories of my days studying abroad in Barcelona. Over the past two years, I have searched and searched, with only a select few making the cut. However, each restaurant had certain dishes that sparked my taste buds and provided me with glimpses of that Spanish flavor I miss oh so much. Malaga, on the other hand, had the whole package. Once you step foot into the restaurant, the music, the waiters and the décor sets the scene for a night out in Spain; all of this, while you forget that the streets of New York are only 15 feet away.

TAPAS:

Patatas Bravas

For those unfamiliar with this classic Spanish tapa, it consists of roasted potatoes with a special spicy sauce. This dish brings back some great memories of Spain and getting tapas after class with friends. The potatoes are usually the easy part, but perfecting the sauce is a whole different ball game. My fellow blogger Jordan Isrow, (who has yet to post in recent weeks) can attest that we tried numerous times in our apartment at Noventa y tres de Santalo to perfect our own version of Patatas bravas. The version I enjoyed last night was the best and most authentic I have found in New York. The potatoes were perfectly crisp and steaming when they arrived at the table. The sauce was a little different than what I am accustomed to, but it was on point. It had a contained spiciness that gave you a little kick at first, but then was subdued after that that.

Fried Chorizo with peppers and onions

Chorizo, yet another tapa classic, was done with perfection. Small slices of the spicy sausage served fried to a crisp in olive oil with peppers on onions. It doesn't get much better than that.

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

As an avid Spanish food lover, I had to try another staple of the Spanish culture to get the full effect. Malaga must have known I was coming, because they were on point again. Small shrimp drenched in olive oil and garlic, with some parsley and basil served in a small ceramic bowl.

ENTREES:

Chicken Villaroy – chicken breast served in bechamel sauce

I realize this doesn't sound like much, but first let me describe it and then you can just imagine how tasty it really is. Each order consists of two individual pieces, which is more than enough for one person. Each piece of poached chicken is completely breaded, but between the breading and the chicken is a "to die for" bechamel sauce, similar to a creamy alfredo sauce. So let's take a step back and go over it once more. Breaded chicken in a creamy sauce….mmmmdelicious.

Mariscada with green sauce

The presentation of this dish reminded me of paella, except, at Malaga, they served the rice on the side. In the old steel pot, were tons of great shellfish; including, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, etc. The fish were drenched in a phenomenal green sauce which really completed the dish. The sauce was a mixture of parsley, onions, sherry and tons of garlic. The real way to eat it is to create a base of rice on your plate and cover the rice with sauce, and then top it off with seafood.

All in all, I really enjoyed my dining experience at Malaga as it brought back great memories of my days in Spain. If you love authentic Spanish food or just finding that "hole in the wall" kind of place, look no further than Malaga.

Restaurant Review Rating Scale Total Points Available Food 9 10 Service 9 10 Ambiance 9 10 Bang for the Buck 8 10 Overall 9 10 44 50