Jessica's Dinner Party

by jessica yoon

new york

Doughnut Plant

Please welcome guest writer Michelle who is a fellow foodie, phenomenal writer, and my one and only sister.  She is JDP’s special correspondent to the New York food scene!

New York is a gastronomical hub of deliciousness mixed with obnoxiously trendy restaurants serving mediocre food.  A challenge of mine this year is not to pigeon-hole myself by visiting the same familiar eateries I know, and instead, to seek out hidden, or in this case, not-so-hidden gems.

Doughnut Plant is somewhat of a celebrity with glowing reviews by self-proclaimed doughnut fanatics on Yelp.  Plus, it was not only “challenged” by Bobby Flay on Throwdown, but Doughnut Plant won.  So, this past weekend, I trekked down to the Lower East Side to check out this local favorite.

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The Chocolate Room

Valentine’s Day is not for another few months but thoughts of love and cupid filled my head when I went to the Chocolate Room in Park Slope.  It’s a very cozy but not crammed spot in Brooklyn and feels like the perfect date spot.  Too bad I didn’t go with a boyfriend, a lover, or a secret crush, because it would have been very romantic, a piece of dark, chocolate cake and spoons knocking together. But!  I went with a very, very wonderful friend and had a fabulous time.  So, I guess a boy wasn’t very necessary at all!

I like chocolate, but wouldn’t say I’m a chocoholic. However, for the Chocolate Room I might convert.  Each dish had just the right amount of sweetness and cocoa intensity.  There was sophistication but also homey, comfort as well.  When we sat down we were welcomed with a little taster of a dark chocolate sorbet.  I like to say that I like dark chocolate, but secretly I prefer milk.  The sorbet was exceptional though, refreshing with just enough of cocoa aftertaste.  It made you yearn for me.

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Baked, a Review

As I looked at the tantalizing desserts and stood amidst the urban wild, cabin decor of Baked bakery, I began to think that the long trip to Red Hook, Brooklyn would become the first of many. It was extremely difficult to narrow down the menu, especially after reading reviews here and flipping through their delicious cookbook.  Finally my friend and I decided to order two cupcakes, a whoopie pie, two brownies, and apricot rosemary bar to go.  Yes, it was kind of a beastly thing for two girls to do, but in our defense, we did not finish everything, it took us an hour and three transfers to get there, and we spent a fair amount of time working our way through.  Excuses, excuses, I know.

We started off with the sweet and salty cupcake.  It was definitely a winner for me.  The chocolate cake had a upper crust like a brownie and the inner workings of a molten chocolate cake.  Inside was a soft, almost melted chocolate filling that worked well with the mouse-like, airy frosting.  Despite the layers of chocolate, it was a very delicate cupcake that gave a hint of salty caramel.  In contrast to my opinion, my friend found the cupcake boring and cliche.  I agree with the cliche, but the speckles of salt really saved it from being boring for me.

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US Open 2009

I don’t follow many (actually any) sports with the exception of one, tennis.  My sister introduced me to to the sport a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since.  If you live in New York or are a tennis fan you probably know that the US Open is held here in the city (yes, Queens is part of New York City) at this time every year.  It started this past Monday and will continue on for two weeks.

So how is food related to the US Open?  Well, like at any event or amusement park, food is overpriced and very expensive at the Open.  When you’re hot and thirsty, $5 for a cold bottle of water is necessary but can also feel like money down the drain. I’ve made it a habit of spending no more than $10 to $15 at the Open and I thought I’d share with you what I do.

First of all, I always bring a couple bottles of water and drinks in my bag.  I freeze them the night before so that they stay cold throughout the day.  This year I decided to make my own beverages instead of buying power drinks.  I made a thin smoothie by blending frozen berries with some water.  I also made a minty, amateur lemonade by squeezing a couple of lemons, adding sugar and lots of mint. The berry juice was delicious but the lemonade wasn’t spectacular, however both were refreshing.

Half frozen

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Levain Bakery

 

I walked out of the subway on the Upper West Side and knew instantly that I was in the right place.  The smell of baked chocolate and browned butter greeted me as I stepped out into the sunlight.  It may have been my imagination and the anticipation of eating Levain Bakery’s famous chocolate chip cookies, but I lie not when I say I followed my nose to the small, almost hidden gem of a bakery.  Actually, it wasn’t quite a direct journey.  My sense of smell may be good, but my eyes sometimes fail me. I walked deliriously up and down Amsterdam Avenue trying to locate the semi-sub level bakery. I finally caved, and asked the fruit cart man who told me it was around the corner below the waxing salon.  Hey!  It wasn’t just me though, even my friend confidently strode past it and continued almost half a block before I finally caught up with her as I hopelessly (and obnoxiously) yelled, “Angela!  Angela!” to a girl who had her headphones on.  Levain is a very humble place.  It’s not fancy, cutesy, or filled with shades of pastel.  Here, it’s all about the tastes and smells.

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