ashleyd /

Kibo NYC Restaurant Review

(Guest post by Bo)

As Ashley and our friends know, I don’t usually rave about restaurants as I’m generally hyper-critical when it comes to food.  It is for this reason that my review of Kibo is all the more meaningful. 

001On Saturday night, Ashley, Robin, Alison, and I decided to try the new Japanese steak house that’s just around the corner from our apartment.

032Kibo opened in the former location of Japonais New York which was never able to attain the success of the original Chicago location.  Kibo is owned by the BR Guest Hospitality Group with a menu designed by “The Chef of the Century” Joel Robuchon.

We arrived on time for our 9PM reservation and were told that our table would be ready shortly.  Thus, we walked over to the bar to peruse the drink menu.  Ashley and Alison ordered a Lotus Blossom (Pearl Cucumber, Raspberry Sake and Rose Water) which they both loved and proceeded to drink several over the course of the evening. 

029I ordered a Tiger Bite (Yamazaki 12-Year Whiskey, White Peach, Sixpoint Bengali Tiger IPA) which I found interesting, but it wasn’t my favorite drink.  The bar tender was kind enough to swap it out for a martini without charging me for a second drink.

We were then guided to our table and began studying the dinner menu.  It is divided into the following sections: Appetizers, Sushi, Robata Grill (more on this later), Main Plates, Noodles, and Rice. 

We decided to order two appetizers (Curried Cauliflower & Chicken Dumplings), a Kibo maki, and two items from the Robata Grill (Wagyu Ribeye & Oysters).  Everything was beyond delicious.  The wagyu beef was a real stand out as well as the Kibo maki (shrimp, spicy hamachi, romaine, and walnut-tamarind).

002 005 006 007 008After finishing the apps, we looked at the menu again with an eye towards the main courses.  Ashley and Alison decided to go for the sushi platter for two while Robin and I split the Skirt Steak. Their sushi platter included two of the chef’s favorite rolls, 8 pieces of sushi, 8 pieces of nigiri, and a neon blue light to spice up the presentation. The one special roll was especially unique, complete with kiwi, salmon, avocado, and apple. The sweetness was balanced perfectly and one of our favorite tastes at Kibo.

009We also ordered a Chicken Dango Ramen for the table as the ladies had never had “real” handmade Ramen noodles. 

010The food and service was all phenomenal.  In addition, the interior redesign which took place when the new owners took over has made the space feel more filled. They broke the space up very well which means that on a weeknight, if the restaurant isn’t at 100% capacity, you can barely tell.

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Other than the first drink that I didn’t care for, I have no complaints or criticisms about the food. I’m sure we’ll be frequenting Kibo often and hope more people will do the same.

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ashleyd /

Tipsy Parsons

This has been a fabulous week thus far! My workouts have been right on plan, I enjoyed a wonderful first experience with Blue Print Cleanse, and now my parents are in New York City for the weekend!

Workouts

My workouts so far have been exactly the kick start week I needed after last week’s travel.

Sunday: Strala Yoga STRONG class

Monday: 4 mile run + Strala Yoga STRONG class

Tuesday: personal training workout

Wednesday: 4 miles of speed work+ slow flow yoga at Equinox

Thursday: personal training workout

I want to dedicate a full, separate post describing my Blue Print Cleanse experience. Even though it was only one day I still learned a lot about myself and successfully completed it. While I didn’t have to follow any prescribed post cleanse activities, I did find myself craving lots of fruits and vegetables today, proof from my pictures of today’s meals and snacks.

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Even though I did a very tough workout this morning, which normally leaves me ravenous all day long, this is a complete look at today’s food. My salad is larger than normal because I was trying to eat unprocessed foods today. By having a larger salad, I wasn’t hungry for a can of soup or bread on the side.

After a day of clean eating, I was looking forward to a comfort food dinner with my parents who are in town visiting for a long weekend.

024 We didn’t have dinner plans tonight because we wanted to start the weekend off on a relaxed note. To my surprise, when I walked through the door this evening, my dad had dinner reservations taken care of, complete with a great review from Garden & Gun magazine.

Tipsy Parsons, a new to me Chelsea restaurant, is known for their comfort food served with a dash of panache.

006 The antique filled restaurant’s cute candle lit tables welcomed us in from the cold as soon as we entered.

007 Within moments of sitting down, we were greeted by the waiter and a plate of warm cornbread.

011 The jalapeno honey served on the side paired perfectly with the warm, buttery cornbread and was the perfect way to start the meal. On the side we toasted to the start of a wonderful weekend with some local beers from Fire Island Beer Company.

027 The menu was filled with Southern classics including three types of grits, macaroni and cheese, greens, and ribs. How does a Southern family make one choice? They share!

010We shared three appetizers: slow roasted pork ribs, quinoa salad, and the soup of the day, cream of celery infused with white chocolate.

026 028 025 Sorry about the last picture but unfortunately my camera didn’t cooperate. The appetizer winner was the celery soup; rich in celery and apple flavor but perfectly balanced with the cream and white chocolate drizzle. You couldn’t taste the white chocolate in every bite, but when you did it was a true treat. We shared this huge bowl three ways and each of us were wishing there was another spoonful left when we were scraping the bottom.

The appetizers only made us more excited for our entrees, which were served almost too quickly. The service was impeccable tonight, ensuring that our water glasses were never low and everything was served fresh and promptly.  We asked our waiter what three dishes were Tipsy Parson’s signature entrees and took his advice by ordering each. My mom chose the chicken & dumplings, which were a unique take on the comfort food classic. It was much lighter and herb infused than the original but still filled with tender chicken chunks and doughy squares.

022 My dad chose the Cheerwine braised short ribs, which our waiter promised would be fall off the bone tender. To my surprise, his favorite part of the meal wasn’t the ribs but instead the parsnip puree,

021 Last but not least was my entree, the crispy skate. Unfortunately, I think my mom’s was the best and mine could barely compare. The skate was seasoned perfectly but the sautéed arugula and pasta side was oily and flat. While I was disappointed,  this one dish couldn’t ruin the dining experience.

023 This meal was the perfect way to kick off our long weekend. We’re not planning every moment of the weekend but we do have some fun things on the agenda.

  • Breakfasts: Murray’s Bagels, Alice’s Tea Cup
  • Lunch: Meatball Shop
  • Dinner: ABC Kitchen and Tamarind
  • Sights & Sounds: Tenement Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of the City of New York, Essex Market, and Central Park Zoo.

Are we forgetting any of your favorites?

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ashleyd /

Greetings from Salt Lake City

Greetings from Salt Lake City!

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It’s absolutely gorgeous here even though there is so much less snow than normal! This is another whirlwind business trip which takes me to Salt Lake City and Las Vegas in there days time period all before enjoying the red eye back to New York City tomorrow night!

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Yesterday, I was on an early morning flight out here during which time I enjoyed my normal airport breakfast, Starbuck’s Perfect Oatmeal and an iced unsweetened green tea, before working and reading during the flight.

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We spent all day touring local stores and getting to know the market so by the time we stopped for lunch it was 2:30 EST! I was starving but luckily our lunch spot had plenty of healthy options. After enjoying a few bites of the table appetizers (fried calamari and fried brie) I ordered a filling and healthy lunch that I knew would leave me satiated and give me the energy I needed to last until dinner.

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This salad included mixed greens, tomatoes, strawberries, red onions, apples, and grilled chicken. It was delicious!

Salt Lake City has amazed me thus far in regards to their food and the spectacular views! Last night’s dinner may have been the best Italian I’ve ever enjoyed outside of New York City! Our local hosts took us to Cucina Toscana, an authentic tratoria in the middle of Salt Lake City’s downtown art’s district.

IMG_0009Run by an eccentric Italian man, Valter Nassi, the food, service, and atmosphere was absolutely perfect for a fun group business dinner.

IMG_0016The restaurant was warm and inviting, instead of the stuffiness you can sometimes find at a restaurant that has held a Zagat food rating of 26 or higher for 10 years!

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The menu was four huge pages of Italian delicacies including homemade lasagna, a special pork dish that half our table tried, and more seafood than I’ve seen on a menu in ages!

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Our table ordered multiple appetizers to share including the beef Carpaccio, grilled seafood, duck pate, and tomatoes with mozzarella.

IMG_0011IMG_0012IMG_0013I ordered their seafood dish which included salmon, shrimp, calamari, and clams in a red sauce over sautéed spinach. This was some of the most delicious red sauce I’ve ever enjoyed; perfectly seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs! If you are ever in Salt Lake City, you have to try this local institution!

This was the perfect way to enjoy Salt Lake City with my team before braving the 17 degree temperatures this morning for a hilly run through downtown!

IMG_0018IMG_0019IMG_0020IMG_0021IMG_0022 Have a wonderful day! We’re off to visit more stores before heading to Las Vegas this evening for dinner at Scarpetta and a stay in the Cosmopolitan hotel! I have heard great things so I’ll be sure to be back with a full review!

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