Shoo Fly Pie

Thanks "A" for taking back a slice of Shoo Fly Pie and Chocolate Shoo Fly Pie for me from Pennsylvania's Amish country. I had never tried them before and expected them to be sweeter, but they were kind of bland.

Artisanal

...is located at 2 Park Avenue in NYC's Midtown.

"A" and I enjoyed their prix fixe brunch of 3 courses for $24.07.

We started with a basket each of cheese gougeres and beignets. They were served warm and were delicious...little clouds of bread and cheese and cinnamon donuts.

"A" had the fluffy scrambled eggs with bacon and potato galette - very tasty.
I had the grilled cheddar with bacon and apple served with homemade potato chips - also very good. The chips were especially light and crisp.

For dessert with had the cheese plate (one pc each from France, Italy and Spain) and the Chocolate Marquis which had a crunch center and salty nuts.

I also had a sparkling mango juice ($4.50).

Hatsuhana

...is located at 17 E. 48th Street in NYC's Midtown. "M" and I went there last week to take advantage of Restaurant Week. "M" had a bottle of Kirin beer ($6.50) and I had a glass of Pino Grigio ($10).

For $35/pp we received the following:

- Clear Soup with three Japanese Mushrooms - very light

- Tuna Carpaccio - extremely tender

Bento Box with

- Seared Bonito with garlic and radish infused soy sauce - almost tasted like seared tuna

- Cooked salmon and edamame in a robust soy gelatin with seaweed salad - very good

- Tempura flakes wrapped in broiled eel - excellent

- Bluefin toro - extremely tender

- Sockeye salmon with citron pepper paste - spicy

- Sea scallop - tender and slightly sweet

- Pressed kelp cured halibut - tender

- Yellowtail - very tender

- One roll of your choice ("M" had spicy salmon and I had eel and avocado)

Followed by green tea and dessert - homemade coffee jello with vanilla ice cream. This indeed tasted like coffee and was very good.

Everything was excellent and tender. This restaurant lives up to its fine reputation. And the dining rooms (upstairs and downstairs) were packed.

Marketing

Is this the way manufacturer's are really marketing ladies' under garments these days?

Primehouse New York

....is located at 381 Park Ave. South in NYC's Gramercy area.

"A" and I tried their NYC Restaurant Week Menu: 3 course prix fixe for $35.

"A" started with a White Russian ($12). I had a Sommerwind - Montecristo rum, Reisling, lychee and cucumber ($12).

"A" ordered the Baby Field of Greens with Sherry Vinagrette and I had the Crispy Pork Belly with smoked cherry barbecue sauce. The pork belly was good, but not as tender as other places.

We both had the Creek Stone Farm's aged 7 oz NY strip with duck fat fingerling potatoes and house made steak sauce. The steak was chewy and disappointing.

We shared the Strawberry Shortcake - Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich, Farmer's Market Strawberries and Mint - this mediocre and pedistrian; and the Bittersweet chocolate tart with chocolate custard, toasted meringue and s'mores ice cream - very good and worth ordering again.

Sweetiepie

...is a darling little restaurant/dessert cafe located at 19 Greenwich Avenue in NYC's West Village.

It's decorated in bright pink and white and perfect for a girl's (young and more mature) gathering for comfort food and sweets.

We started with cockails $12 each: "A" had the Nutty Russian (khalua based) and I had the Sweetiepie Mojito (rum, raspberries, mint, lime, brown sugar and soda).

Then we shared an appetizer of homemade potato chips and creamed avocado dip ($9). The chips were thin and crisp.

"A" had the scrambed eggs in a nest - 2 parmesan baskets ($14) - the eggs were good, but the baskets were chewy. I had the mac n cheese with american, sharp cheddar and parmesan ($15) - it had a nice crispy breadcrumb/cheese crust.

For dessert we shared a Cookie 'Screamer - 3 scoops of ice cream (your choice of any 3 flavors; we ordered chocolate chip, mint chocolate chip and vanilla), rainbow sprinkles, crumbled homemade chocolate chip cookies and hot fudge ($13) and the trio of micro cakes ($12) - 3 Barbie size frosted sponge cakes (chocolate, lemon and vanilla).

We watched as a birthday party of girls devoured a Sweetiepig - sponge cake, whipped cream, bananas, strawberries and 18 (yes, that's right - 18) scoops of ice cream for $75!