Chelsea Market, NYC: The Lobster Place and Amy's Bread

One of my favourite foodie places in New York City has to be Chelsea Market. We only had a brief browse through here during our first trip in 2007, and I made sure to go back for a revisit on our most recent trip to NYC. After a lovely morning stroll through the High Line, my son and I headed to Chelsea Market for lunch.

The Lobster Place

I knew what I wanted for lunch, so we made a beeline for The Lobster Place. This is a popular spot not only for the prepared foods, but also buying fresh fish and seafood to bring home to cook. There is also a little grocery section to buy drinks, condiments and other various items to accompany your seafood purchase, and there's a large section devoted to sushi-making.

A sushi chef busy at work filling catering requests:

Some lobsters for sale:

The Shack in the Back menu board:

I initially wanted the lobster roll, but then changed my mind in favour of variety. The Slider Sampler (US$15.95 excluding tax) included three types of sliders (lobster roll, tarragon shrimp and crab club) and some chips. I didn't care much for the chips, but my boy sure couldn't wait to get his hands on the salty crispy stuff!

The Slider Sampler featuring (from left to right) Crab Club Slider, Lobster Roll Slider and Tarragon Shrimp Slider, all on mini-brioche buns. They were all delicious, and I almost didn't want to share any with the boy. I liked that the slider fillings were minimally dressed so that you can still taste the seafood:

For my "veges", I got a container of Japanese Seaweed Salad with Sesame, which was crunchy, salty and very tasty. This one was all for me, since my boy has quite a nasty allergic reaction to sesame seeds:

I wanted to share some of this lobster goodness with hubby, so I got a take-away Lobster Roll ($16.95 excluding tax). I explained to the girl behind the counter that it was for much later, and she packed everything separately with a lot of ice.

The takeaway container of the fresh lobster meat from the claw and tail, with celery, scallions, lemon pepper and mayo. I really liked that the lobster meat wasn't drowned in mayonnaise like the first lobster roll we had at another place a few years ago:

Please excuse the presentation - assembling the lobster roll was more difficult that I thought. Hubby enjoyed it, and I think we have found our favourite place for lobster rolls (though I'm up for trying out more lobster rolls!):

Amy's Bread

If you like bread, you'll love Amy's bread. There are a few Amy's Bread bakeries around NYC, but I've only ever been to the one inside Chelsea Market. Everything looked so good that I wanted to get one of everything, but I showed restraint and only bought three items.

Bread! There were hard crusty rustic loaves and soft dinner rolls, cheesy types and fruity ones:

There's even a refrigerated cabinet with salads and sandwiches for a more complete meal, and of course danishes, cookies and biscuits/scones for the something sweet afterwards:

(Clockwise from top) My loot consisted of a chocolate twisty bread, cheese scone (or was it called cheese biscuit?) and a delicious cinnamon challah. Our favourite was the challah, which was quite indulgent for a bread:

Chelsea Market is definitely worth a visit for any foodies in NYC!

Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
United States
(Meatpacking District)

New York City: A Child's Playground

It's a well-known and loved fact that there are lots to do and see in New York City, but what if you have little ones tagging along? In fact, there are so many things to do in NYC with children - be it playing at the parks, visiting museums or having fun in the playground. I didn't know that there are so many playgrounds in NYC; in fact, I had actually dismissed the thought of finding even one in the Financial District, where we always stay. One would think that most people in the Financial District are there for work and not play, yet I found three within easy distance from our hotel (discovered mostly during our daily walks).

Here is a photo summary of the places in NYC that my son enjoyed the most.

Playgrounds

The best things in life are free, including playgrounds. There are so many playgrounds around in NYC that we were coming across a new one on every new route we took. If you want to find a playground in a specific area, the City of New York Parks and Recreation website is pretty handy.

A playground on Catherine Slip near Water Street, just east of the Financial District and south of Chinatown and very close to the East River Bikeway and South Street. Across the road is another playground, and one block north on Catherine Slip is another playground. Discovered these playgrounds during our walk on the first day:

Playground at West Thames Park. Accessible from the Financial District via an overhead pedestrian bridge on West Street near Rector Street. A fun playground for sand and water play:

At Central Park, home to 21 playgrounds! After posing for the camera at this bridge, my son played at the nearby Heckscher Playground, located in the southern section of Central Park. Apparently it's the oldest playground in Central Park. Large area with a huge water feature with slides, tunnels and ramps - perfect for the hot muggy summer weather:

A small neighbourhood playground on Riverside Boulevard near West 68th Street. We took a short break here after exiting the Hudson River Greenway for Central Park during our bike ride around the city:

The flagship Imagination Playground at Burling Slip (flanked by John Street, Front Street and South Street) was the closest playground to our hotel. Kids can play in the sand on one side, with the distinctive blue foam blocks in the middle...

... and splash in the water on the other end. You can see the South Street Seaport just over yonder. The Imagination Playground is the only playground I know with on-site trained staff (called 'playworkers') to facilitate activities and provide added safety. Free to public:

Museums

It's no secret that NYC is museums galore. There are a few children-oriented museums around, and many museums have children's programs - even the MoMA! I must admit that I am more an outdoorsy person and not so much a museum-goer, but we did check out two museums.

All hands on deck! Entrance tickets to the South Street Seaport Museum includes entry on the Lightship Ambrose. Kids under 9 years old go in free, and join the mailing list at the website to receive two free tickets:

The American Museum of Natural History is a must for kiddies over 3 years old! Then go share a stack of pancakes for lunch at Sarabeth's a block away (it is possible to leave and re-enter the museum - just be sure to keep the entrance tickets):

My son absolutely loved the dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Natural History:

High Line Park

We had a couple of people recommend that we visit the High Line, and I was puzzled as to why I had never heard of it before. The puzzle was solved when I did a little research and discovered that the first section of the High Line was opened in June 2009, shortly after we'd left NYC in 2009. It was suggested that we start at the north end and work our way southwards, and then head to Chelsea Market which is conveniently located close to the W 16th Street exit. It was a nice stroll through, and I appreciated the innovative idea of making use of a historic but disused freight rail line while preserving its heritage. It's also a pretty cool concept walking along an elevated rail-trail.

The stairway access into the High Line at West 23rd Street, where we started. The northernmost access point is on West 30th Street:

Near the start of our walk southwards along the High Line. That building up ahead had an unusual design, and there were a few tourists taking photos of it. It looked like a residential building with tall windows, and most of its occupants were sensible enough to have their shutters drawn:

There were more foliage further south, and the rail tracks are visible here. Oh, and that's my boy with his teddy-blankie (that transforms him into a super-hero):

There is even a sundeck and water feature between the West 16th Street and West 14th Street access points. Nearby are some food stalls set up selling drinks and coffee, snacks, ice cream and sandwiches:

We then exited the High Line at the W 14th Street access point, and headed to Chelsea Market for lunch. I was in foodie heaven in Chelsea Market, and I will write about what I ate in due time. Stay tuned!

Pancakes @ Sarabeth's (Upper West Side), New York

During our final week in New York last month, I brought my son to the American Museum of Natural History - a fantastic place for kids and adults alike. The visit brought out the science geek in me, and the boy loved the dinosaur exhibits. We left the museum briefly to have lunch at Sarabeth's, which is located only a block away from the museum. There are several branches around NYC, and I'd read online that Sarabeth's is enormously popular for brunch on weekends at all locations and that there is usually a wait for a table. It was just as well that we went there on a weekday, and we were whisked to a table without having to wait (it was still a pretty full house).

The entrance to Sarabeth's, with a few outside tables for al-fresco dining:

Stepping into Sarabeth's was like stepping inside a large home with lots of tables and chairs. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual, and the staff were cheerful and friendly. The boy and I were sat near the back, but we were not neglected as our table was next to the hallway to the kitchen, and the cash register was nearby. We were given the Breakfast/Lunch Menu and a Kid's Menu, but I was keen for only one item that I'd read was good at Sarabeth's: Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes with fresh blackberries and strawberries. I ordered a plate for the boy and I to share, and it was plenty for our tummies.

Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes with fresh berries, maple syrup and whipped butter. These were the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had. It was simply divine with maple syrup drizzled over it:

I would love to bring hubby to Sarabeth's next time we're in NYC. For now, I'll have to keep dreaming about those fluffy lemon and ricotta pancakes.

Sarabeth's West
423 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
United States
(Upper West Side)
Tel. +1 212 496 6280

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

On our trip to New York last month, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with my son (in his stroller). This was my third trip to NYC, yet my first walk across the famed bridge. It was only during this third trip that I realised it may be possible to cross the bridge on foot, and after clarifying that fact, I knew I couldn't leave NYC without first doing it. This realisation only hit me at the end of our only weekend in the city, so I had to do the bridge crossing without hubby, not able to share the load of pushing a stroller with a not-so-light child in it. That was one of the many times during our trip that I was grateful we hadn't left the stroller behind at home in Hong Kong, because although our almost-4-years-old kid loves to run, he most definitely wouldn't have been able to make it across the whole 1.8km length on foot (and then back again), and I wasn't going to try walking that length carrying a 16kg load - plus all the other kiddy baggage that comes with him - on my arms. It took me 45 minutes to reach Brooklyn, stopping many times for photo-taking. We were blessed with glorious weather that Monday, and there weren't many tourists, pedestrians and cyclists on the bridge. If I were to do it one-way only, I would take the Metro subway into Brooklyn, walk the bridgetowards Manhattan and enjoy the city skyline along the way.

Brooklyn-bound on the Brooklyn Bridge (click image for larger view):

Clearly marked lanes for pedestrians and cyclists:

Looking south-west towards Governors Island. The Statue of Liberty is also visible from this viewpoint (click image for larger view):

An acquaintance had suggested having an ice cream once we got to the Brooklyn end of the bridge, and that idea stuck with me. At the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a diner across the road by the traffic light, called Celeste Diner. The diner wasn't really anything special, but it sure was nice sitting down in air-conditioned comfort after walking for the past hour in the sun from our downtown hotel. The ice cream also wasn't anything special with only three basic flavours to choose from, but it was a yummy cool treat.

Inside Celeste Diner:

Our mid-morning snack - a scoop of chocolate ice cream. We ordered a strawberry-flavoured one shortly after:

I leave you with a panoramic shot of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge. It really was a beautiful day that day.

Click image for a larger view:

Kiwi food @ Kiwiana, New York

Less than three hours after we finished our late lunch feast, we ate a fabulous dinner at Kiwiana in Brooklyn. Hubby's excuse for the gluttony within such short span of time was that we'd spent half the day cycling all over New York City, and he could still eat more. I didn't protest even though I was exhausted and still full from our 3pm lunch, because we only had one weekend in NYC, and this was our only chance to head out to Brooklyn. Kiwiana was on our must-eat list for our NYC trip because one of hubby's colleagues in Hong Kong co-owns this restaurant, and hubby had promised we would check it out. Plus Kiwi food piqued our foodie interest. I'm glad we went because the food was good! Chef Mark Simmons hails from New Zealand, trained in Australia and Japan, and was a former Top Chef contestant. We met the guy, and he was super-friendly and down-to-earth.

The cozy little restaurant:

Kiwiana is small and cozy, in a simple and homely setting. The staff was enthusiastic and friendly, and I felt right at home. The menu wasn't big, which I appreciate as it meant that Chef Simmons can maintain good quality control of the food going out from the kitchen. You can tell with every bite that the ingredients were of top notch quality, and the dishes were executed well. Kiwiana was worth the trip to Brooklyn (which was only a short subway ride from downtown).

To start our meal, we shared the Foie Gras Torchon with kumquat marmalade, bitter greens and toast. The torchon was smooth and extremely flavourful, and the kumquat marmalade was simply delicious!

One of the specials of the day was the Kiwi Burger going for US$10 (normal menu price US$15). We'd ordered one for the boy, who unfortunately was too tired to eat. Which meant more for mummy and daddy:

The Kiwi Burger - ground lamb, fried egg, cheddar and beetroot with hand-cut fries. This was very good as far as burgers go. The lamb patty was moist and cooked perfectly, and hubby was thrilled to see beetroot:

For mains, hubby chose Seared Diver Scallops with cauliflower and bacon ragout, and passion fruit sauce (US$24). The scallops were big, plump and sweet, cooked just right with a lovely char. I was in love with the cauliflower and bacon ragout, which was a tasty substitute for mashed potatoes:

I got the NZ Snapper with saffron and chorizo risotto (US$26). I never knew snapper could be so juicy and moist, and the crispy skin was the epitome of the Maillard reaction goodness. The saffron and chorizo risotto was lovely and would have been great on its own too:

For dessert, we chose Lemon Poppy Seed Panna Cotta with raspberry gazpacho (US$8). You can't go wrong with lemon and poppy seed, and the raspberry gazpacho gave a bright burst of colour to the dessert:

Pecan Bread Pudding with tangerine marmalade and whisky caramel (US$8), which came compliments of Chef Simmons. And we were glad for it because the bread pudding trumped the panna cotta! Unlike the soggy bread versions I've had, this was sumptuous and delicious, interspersed with crunchy pecans and moistened with marmalade and caramel. I'm not usually a fan of bread pudding, but this was delectable, and a meal on its own:

We had a great dinner at Kiwiana. The staff are some of the friendliest waitstaff we met on the east coast, and the food was excellent.

Kiwiana
847 Union Street
Brooklyn NY 11215
United States
Tel. +1 718 230-3682

Revisit: Italian @ Lupa Osteria Romana, New York

It was 2:30pm on a hot, sticky August afternoon in New York City, and we'd been cycling since 10am all over the city on poor quality rental bicycles. We hadn't had lunch yet, and the sustenance from our early breakfast had long disappeared early on in the ride. Hubby was hungry (but strangely, I wasn't), and his patience wore thin when both our first and backup meal options were not open for lunch business on Saturdays. When we rode past Lupa, we recognised it from our previous visit more than three years ago, and hubby was perfectly happy to head inside for some much-needed energy. After confirming that Lupa was still serving lunch and that our casual attire was not inappropriate, we sat down inside the cool air-conditioned restaurant, grateful for the break from the hot sun and cycling.

The entrance to Lupa Osteria:

Lupa is very nice (and a tad pricey) for an osteria. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual, and kids are welcomed here (at least it is during lunch service). The service was great, although our waitress was a little surly at the beginning (she gave fine service after the initial meeting). I've read that Lupa is super-popular and it gets very crowded for dinner, and I'll be sure to avoid coming here for dinner. The menu boasts a wide selection of antipasti and a nice variety of delicious-sounding pasta and main dishes.

Marinated Olives (US$6) to start with:

Complimentary bread and olive oil:

Mozzarella di Bufala, DOP & Grilled Leeks (US$15). This was so good:

A chef's special dish and not on the regular menu, Tagliatelle with Pork Shoulder, Mushrooms and Tomato. Very flavourful ragù, and the tagliatelle seemed handmade:

Saturday's piatto del giorno (special dish of the day) was Lamb Shortribs (US$22). The photo doesn't do justice to how good the dish was. I'm generally not a fan of lamb, but these shortribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, and full of flavour from the slightly sweet and sour gravy it was slow-cooked in:

Dessert #1 was Apician Spiced Dates & Mascarpone (US$9), and I loved it so! Each date was stuffed with an almond, and all the components went very well together. Even hubby (not a date fan) approved:

Second dessert was Olive Oil Torta & Blueberry. The cake was moist and a delight to eat, with only a hint of olive oil flavour:

It was great chancing upon one of our favourite eats from our 2009 trip, and we're happy to report that the experience was just as lovely three years later. Chef Mario Batali recently opened up a Lupa Osteria Romano in Hong Kong, and we'd love to give it a try.

[Prices quoted above are exclusive of additional taxes and tips.]

Lupa Osteria Romana
170 Thompson St
New York, NY 10012
(Greenwich Village)
Tel. +1 212 982 5089