Major Food blesses the UWS

Parm has been around for some time now as a small Mulberry street sandwich shop with all the standard Italian staples. Parm is part of the Major Food Group (ZZ’s Clam Bar, Carbone & Dirty French (blog post to come!!!)). Due to the restaurant's overwhelming popularity, our friends at Major Food decided to bless the upper west side with Parm uptown. A full service restaurant and bar with an expanded menu and lots of Italian charm. The menu? Pastas, sandwiches, salads, a full charcuterie counter...you name it, they have it. Everything my fictional Italian heart desired. The restaurant is quick large and was packed at 7pm on a Friday night.

I suggest ordering a lot and sharing. Get several apps, the made-to-order mozzarella is a must and the prosciutto is to die for, then sharing a platter and a sandwich. One of those options needs to be a “parm” ie. their chicken or meatball (get the meatball!!!). I also hear their sides are amazing, specifically the Smashed & Crispy Potatoes. Sadly we were to full to get a side dish but I noted this info for my next visit. If you’re an ice cream lover, save room for dessert. They have monstrous ice cream cakes and a plethora of other dessert options.

Make your reservations now & enjoy the following Italian inspired food porn...

...And dinner begins...

Parm’s Made-to-order Warm Mozzarella served with perfectly crisped garlic bread. Unreal. 

Freshly cut Prosciutto. Perfection with the warm mozzarella. 

Chicken Francese platter with baked ziti. Ahhhhmazing. The ziti is a must-try.

The Meatball Parm Roll. If you get one thing at Parm, one must try the meatballs...on a roll, the platter, whatever. Just try them. They’re the best. Ever.

The Almond Joy ice cream cake. Very good. My least favorite part of the meal if I had to pick one but still good. 

Godere! (Enjoy!)

Mario Batali’s Del Posto Impresses

Del Posto has been on our list for quite some time. Our 4 year anniversary was coming up so we figured an evening at Mario Batali's elevated flagship would be the perfect way to celebrate. We were correct.

Upon arrival, we immediately felt grateful we dressed up. The place is legit fine dining. I find many restaurants in NYC have strayed away from the buttoned up, jacket required dress codes. At Del Posto, I suggest dressing to impress. The space is large. Much larger than expected. To my dismay we had to wait about 20 minutes though we had a reservation. We didn’t mind so much as there was room in the bar & lounge area. A large glass of wine was calling my name. As we waited, we enjoyed our wine and people watched. A slightly older crowd but a nice mix. Lots of suits. Very different from Babbo, our other Batali fave. 

When we finally sat, we were happy to discover our table was one of the best in the house. A table for four even though we were only a party of two. This is a big deal especially in NYC where space is always limited/non-exsistant.  What followed was nothing short of a phenomenal dining experience. Everything from the food to the service to the ambiance was exactly what we wanted and expected. We opted for the Captain’s Menu. 8 courses at $179 per person. Pricey yes, but very worth it for a special occasion. 

When making your reservation, do so waaaaay in advance for a table at a prime dinner hour. I would not suggest making plans afterwards. Not only will you be unbelievably full but you will have just sat for about 3-4 hours. We were there for four. This is an experience so plan your evening accordingly. 

Continue reading for more details & mouthwatering images...So good.

Homemade breads with fancy, flavorful butters. A delightful way to start the 3+ hour meal.

One of the top 3 best bites of 2014. A tender steak tartare with black truffle and crispy chips. Ridiculous.

A little taste of fresh pasta. Mushroom, truffle...yep, it was truffle season.

Veal steak wrapped in bacon. A true carnivores dream. This was Ryan’s favorite course...

A plethora of beverages...drink up!

Happy anniversary to us!

Eat Up!

Start 2015 Off Right!

Hi friends! My apologies for dropping off the face of the earth! The holidays in my profession are insane. That, combined with traveling and being sick with the flu the last week has put me a little behind.

Anyway! Moving on to the good stuff...I've decided to make my first post in 2015 count. I’ve had several people ask me about my fruit & veggie smoothies. I posted the recipe for my morning ritual last year BUT have made a few changes. Ryan and I also received a fantastic new kitchen toy for Christmas! The Nutri Bullet. I have to say, this thing rocks and is the perfect companion for my smoothie making. It blends in seconds and you can drink straight from the cup. They even provide handles you can screw on for easy sipping. My favorite part is the super easy clean up. Major plus. 

Please see below for my new and improved, Start Your Day Right Smoothie recipe... 

BTW keep reading up...Ryan and I have had some major food adventures this past month and I am beyond excited to share them with you! Stay tuned!

Juanina's Start Your Day Right Smoothie

1/2 banana

1 c of your favorite frozen berries (you can also use fresh but frozen gives your smoothie a nice icy texture)

1 or 2 heaping handfuls of spinach

1 big splash of fresh OJ (regular OJ is fine too, I like Simply Orange)

1 scoop Amazing Grass Super Food (AMAZING STUFF!)

1 tsp Chia Seeds

Enough water to blend...

Blend all the ingredients above in a blender and enjoy!

BUY ONE! You can make smoothies, dips, soups & more!

Drink up!