Claudette, NYC

Hubby and I celebrated my sister's birthday at Claudette in NYC - a French restaurant with a Mediterranean flavor. The restaurant is located in Greenwich Village (or "the Village" to New Yorkers - as in "Hey, let's hang out in the Village tonight") just a few blocks away from Washington Square Park. Although this French restaurant has a ritzy Fifth Avenue address, it manages to have a somewhat casual elegance about it which I appreciated. Adding to the restaurant's relaxed vibe were the friendly and helpful staff who made us feel welcome.

Claudette | 24 Fifth Avenue, NYC

Drinks

My first drink was the Strawberry Thyme Soda. It was a light sweet drink which my sister accurately and concisely described as tasting like cotton candy. For my second round, I ordered the Blood Orange Harissa Soda which was lighter and less sweet. I enjoyed both equally.

Starters

For starters, we shared the Truffle Hummus which we all agreed was really good (I would definitely go back again just for the Truffle Hummus).  The flatbread was thick, warm, soft and fresh. Delish! The hummus seemed freshly made and had an appealing rustic texture. The three of us shared the dish, but I think we should have probably ordered the Pistounade as well - as it seemed slightly light for the three of us to share.

Entrées

My entree was the Sasso Chicken Tajine which arrived at the table in - surprise - a tajine! Compared to my sister's lamb dish and hubby's sirloin, it seemed a rather large amount of food - but happily, it was a good dish and I was able to bring the rest home to enjoy. I tried a little piece of Hubby's Black Angus Sirloin which was also very good.

Conclusion

Although my sister may scoff at the idea of returning to a restaurant ("There are so many good restaurants to try," she advised), I would definitely go back again. Our first time there was an enjoyable experience and I'm already planning to try the Pains Tunisiens with the Truffle Hummus, Chicken Liver Mousse and Pistounade!

Milestone: Shao Bing

A new Chinese restaurant has opened up at Hudson Eats food court today—Northern Tiger. It's the last restaurant to open in Hudson Eats' initial offering and I've been waiting for months to try it. What a surprise to see that it has opened today!

It's nothing like I imagined it would be—a typical Chinese fast food on hot steam trays. It's a Chinese fast food joint with a small menu focusing on northern Chinese fare, some of which I've never heard of, like shao bing and a noodle dish called Beijing zha jiang mian. I after a few minutes of deliberation and researching on my smartphone, I decided to try the shao bing which is a thin sandwich made of scallion pancake type "bread" enclosing chopped beef, onions, Anaheim peppers and cilantro.

The Verdict

Although it was made fresh and served immediately, it wasn't hot. The texture of the beef might also give pause to those who are accustomed to western food. There were pieces of something chewy in there which I couldn't identify. It was OK, but a bit too greasy for me. Supposedly it is one of the more popular items, along with Beijing zha Jiang mian, which I'll try next time.