Archive for the ‘Saatchi Eats’ Category

Saatchi Eats: Buvette

Thursday, April 4th, 2013

card

For this round of Saatchi Eats, we decided to get French with it. Located just 4 blocks up from our offices (at 42 Grove St.) was a small, hidden gem called Buvette. With a bar for a quick bite or rustic, wooden tables for a more relaxed meal, Buvette epitomized French cuisine. Looking around, we thought, “Everything is just so pretty.”  Let’s dig in!

Cr’q Forestier

Croque

The picture makes this delectable lunch look less than delectable, but don’t be fooled. This French staple with a twist (it’s brother and sister are Cr’q Monsieur and Madame) is mushrooms and melted cheese goodness on fresh bread. A bit on the heavy/mega-decadent side, so if you order this, come  with an appetite!

Steamed Eggs and Prosciutto

EggsProsciutto

The French have managed to turn a classic egg sandwich into something far from typical. This open-faced sandwich is bit of cheese melted on bread, peppered eggs cooked to perfection and fresh prosciutto topping it off. A lighter option for brunch or lunch, you’ll be satisfied with this surprising treat.

Salade de Poulet

SaladChicken

At first glance, this is a salad with roasted chicken. But when you dig in, the dish is a lot heartier than you expect (with half the calories of most other items on the menu). The roast chicken pairs well with fresh green beans, potatoes, cucumbers and crisp greens, and the light mustard dressing  is divine. This gets our pick for what to order if you’re aiming for a healthier lunch than our melted cheese options above!

Shepard’s Pie

ShepardsPie

This Shepard’s Pie was on the specials lunch menu.  Beef, mashed potatoes and melted cheese pie. How can you resist? And while it definitely airs on the hearty side of the menu, the fluffy potatoes really sing and it’s the perfect size for one person.

All in all, we’d say we had a successful trip to Paris. Uh, we mean, Buvette.

Another local eatery confidently suggested!

Category: Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Hudson Clearwater

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

HC2

We refer to this lunch spot (which serves lunch from 12-3 pm) as a “secret restaurant”.

For lunch, the door is easy to find. For dinner, you might not be so lucky.

Hudson Clearwater is a little taste of Brooklyn in the heart of the West Village, just three streets up from Saatchi on Hudson St. The food was absolutely delicious, and we even got a fresh fruit smoothie to split as a little pick-me-up.

Now, it’s time to get down to business. What did we eat!?

Fresh Fruit Smoothie

smoothies

This smoothie was SO good – a combination of orange, banana, blueberry & raspberry. It was pretty thick, so we ended up using spoons to eat it rather than drink it. Was a great, refreshing way to start the meal but could probably be a healthy dessert option as well.

Baby Spinach Salad

Salad

This salad was definitely big enough to be an entree, but we chose to split it in three as our appetizer. The spiced pecans and brie combination make this a healthy yet savory option!

Details are key:

  • baby spinach, honeycrisp apple, brie, spiced pecans, apple-sage vinaigrette   $ 9

8 OZ. ANGUS or VEGGIE BURGER

Burger
We got both the Angus burger and the Veggie burger. Delicious is an understatement. For all you beef eaters, this burger was cooked to perfect and came with your choice of a side salad or fries. The jalapeño aioli gave it some kick! For the vegetarians in the house, the veggie burger was awesome paired with manchego cheese, it’s like you’re having a real burger ;)

Details are key:

  • bibb lettuce, tomato, jalapeño aioli, fresh baked roll $ 13
  • add aged white cheddar, roquefort bleu, manchego, parmesan or crispy shallots $ 1 

Organic Lemon-Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Chicken

A classic grilled chicken sandwich that was turned into a more gourmet version with the lemon twist, mustard-mayo combo and roasted red peppers. Paired with just-the-right-amount-of-greasy french fries, this meal was satisfying and filling!

Details are key:

  • free-range, mizuna greens, roasted red peppers, house mustard-mayo, baguette $ 12
Category: Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Cantina Corsino

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

corsino 1

SAATCHI EATS is a casual insider’s guide to cool food finds around the neighborhood.    This week – Italian deliciousness from Cantina Corsino.

Cantina Corsino (a semi-quick walk down Hudson Street) offers a variety of tasty Italian cuisine lunch option, with a bit of a fun twist. Portion sizes of each dish ordered were great; not too filling but filling enough that you don’t have to venture to the Atrium for a bag of chips at 4:00.

brussel and crostini

The lunch menu, while perhaps a bit short on variety, boasts a wide variety of Panini options, all of which are simple yet delectable. The must have dish from the H/H team’s lunch as definitely the fried brussel sprouts. An unusual and surprising pairing yes, but an amazingly tasty (and crunchy) starter to lunch. Along with the interesting vegetable starter, we had two crostinis – ricotta & orange and oliver tampenade. The waitress suggested these as there were a lot of options, and of course, they were great suggestions. They were gone pretty quickly.

salad and panino

The ½ Panini, soup or salad (choice of two) option was the popular main meal option for our lunch – the arugula salad with candied walnuts or the white bean soup with faro was the perfect match to the toasted prosciutto and sweet onion paninis.

Word of advice: don’t be scared to try the cold, red sauce served with the paninis in a small little bowl. Although we’re not exactly sure what it is per se (picture an cold tomato bisque), it served as a great dip for our toasted sandwiches.

panino - int

Final Verdict: Cantina Corsino is a perfect lunch spot if you’re looking to hike a bit outside the standard Saatchi lunch area (or spend a few bucks on a short cab ride). If you wait for warmer weather, it’s certainly worth a try.

soup and panino

Category: Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Empellon Taqueria

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

Now that the winter weather is upon us, some of us start to think “where should I go for lunch?” The West Village has great lunch spots, but we tend to fall victims to eating the same sandwich 5 days a week when it’s cold. If you’ve answered yes to the above, its time you learned about Empellon Taqueria.

Located on W 4th and W 10th, Empellon Taqueria offers casual, yet sophisticated Mexican food at a reasonable price. The Saatchi Eats team all opted for the 2 course prix-fixe meal for $20, which includes your choice of either an appetizer, entrée (tacos or a hamburger) or dessert. We also sampled the guacamole and flight of salsas (7 total! and all incredible) and topped our lunch off with a necessary margarita.
Some of our favorite dishes were (with plenty of pics below) …

  • The guacamole. It was made fresh to order (we could tell) and had an extra kick to it, since we spotted some jalapenos in amongst the fresh avocados.
  • The Kabocha Squash. We were surprised it came cold, but it had great texture and was full of flavor.
  • The fish tempura tacos. The lime mayonnaise with the cabbage highlighted the fish beautifully and was not overbearing.. And they were easy to eat…always a plus with tacos.
  • The shortrib burger. Bonus that it comes with yucca fries!
  • Chocolate flan with cinnamon ice cream…because who doesn’t like chocolate?!

Overall verdict – Bundle up and brave the cold and head to Empellon Taqueria for a fun and filling lunch. If you’re caught on a client call at 1pm, have no fear. Consider stopping by after hours and sampling one of the 40 tequilas the bar offers. Post work drinks anyone?

Category: Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Cafe Henri

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

SAATCHI EATS is a casual insider’s guide to cool food finds around the neighborhood.    This week – French café fare from Café Henri (27 Bedford St).

Last week, the H/H team took a trip over to Cafe Henri, a local French hotspot on Bedford and Downing Street. The verdict? A new favorite lunch spot for pretty much all of us. With reasonable prices and a rustic-chic atmosphere, we were excited to dig into the extensive menu of French classics. Here’s a run-down on what we ate and what we thought. Oh, and did we mention they do breakfast all day?

Gratines A L’oignon (French Onion Soup)

A warm appetizer with baked cheese rarely disappoints – and this soup definitely hit the spot. A tasty pre-meal treat with a twist: the rosemary baked into the cheese kicked it up a notch.

Eggs Benedict with Ham, Roasted Potatoes and Mesclun Salad

A classic done well! Some people will argue that brunch is strictly a weekend engagement, but this dish makes the case for why those people are wrong.  You can opt for ham, bacon or smoked salmon, but the ham was a salty and wonderful selection.  In the end, it made for a heavier lunch option but so worth it.

La Poulet Ratatouille (Roasted Chicken and Ratatouille on a Toasted Baguette)

This sandwich was just the right amount of healthy, without being boring. The chicken was tender and the bread was moistened by the delicious ratatouille vegetables. The side salad was classic, with slight oil and vinaigrette.

Le Croque Madame (Toasted Country Bread with Ham, Cheese and a Sunny-Side Egg)

A true French lunch – a croque-anything! The lady-counterpart to the Le Croque Monsieur was to die for. The difference between Madame and Monsieur? Madame comes with the sunnyside egg. Paired with a mixed green salad as the lighter side dish, this was a perfectly balanced meal.

Category: Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Leyla

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012


SAATCHI EATS is a casual insider’s guide to cool food finds around the neighborhood.    This week – the cute, cozy and delicious Leyla, located a short walk north on Seventh Avenue south. We’d also like to give a shout-out to Saatchi summer intern Taylor Cavallo, who graciously provided this post before leaving last week. Also, Cristina Pansolini for providing photos

Leyla, located at 84 Seventh Ave South, is the perfect spot for a leisurely afternoon escape lunch during a jam-packed work day – leisurely being the key word. This is not a rushed lunch environment, but it’s worth the trip if you’ve got a client on hand or a slow afternoon.  The H/H team went while Restaurant Week was in full swing and Leyla offered a full three course meal that left the entire table happy.

THE ROOM

The atmosphere of the restaurant was chic and laid back. A beautiful, cozy bar was certainly the centerpiece of the interior (note: this would also theoretically be a great happy hour spot!). We also particularly enjoyed the soundtrack; Billy Joel and Elton John were some seemingly atypical choices for the sophisticated restaurant.

THE FOOD

The Restaurant week menu was packed with unique spins on common dishes, and we sampled a little of everything. Between the table’s three course meals, we tried the hamburger (sizable and cooked perfectly),  fish and chips (which came with wonderfully seasoned fries and a zippy tartar sauce), and an interesting watermelon gazpacho starter. The Buffalo Mozzarella Salad appetizer featured candied pecans which were the perfect touch atop the salad was a must try. Also worth mentioning – the spiced banana cake with sprinkled candied ginger was the perfect way to end a great, relaxing lunch.

THE PHOTOS

Category: Saatchi Eats

Happy Hour Sunspots: Downtown

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

Summer has definitely let us know it’s here, and here to stay. What better way to embrace the heat than with a cool drink, some sunglasses and a rooftop?  We’re bringing you some of the best summer happy hour sunspots to help you get your tan, and your drink, on!

Yaffa Cafe
Location: East Village

There’s nothing better than some greenery and an East Village mojito. The decor at Yaffa Cafe is really funky, they have great fruity cocktails and a cool selection of interesting beers. Plus, the people watching is almost as good as in Williamsburg.

Saturdays Surf NYC
Location: Soho

In addition to the surfer-esque clothing, Saturdays has an up-front espresso bar serves their own blend of La Colombe coffee brewed by some of the best baristas in the city. Out back, the fully planted yard acts as a wood-decked sanctuary from the streets. It is a place to enjoy your coffee, hang out with friends or have a quiet meeting. We thought we should throw in a more tranquil, liquor-free option!

The Delancey
Location: Lower East Side

Time Out NY said it best, “The rooftop [at The Delancey] is what keeps crowds coming back to this LES rock club—it’s got potted palms, a fishpond and a margarita machine. When the airy party ends at midnight, head to the ground level for dee-jayed music or into the basement to catch a live show. Tuesdays from 7 to 10pm, hot dogs and burgers are served for five bucks per plate—so no need to worry about boozing on an empty stomach.”

Category: Links, New York, Outdoor & Ambient, Saatchi Eats

Saatchi Eats: Fatty Cue

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

If you have a meat craving around lunch time – Fatty Cue is arguably your best possible option in the West Village. The Williamsburg transplant recently expanded their dinner menu to accommodate the lunch crowd of the neighborhood, and the H/H team is here to tell you that this is a very, very good thing. We took a team of four Saatchi-ites last week to sample their wares, and the group left with full bellies and smiling faces.

Fatty Cue is known as a “meat” place, and we’ll concede that that’s pretty much the case. It’s Asian inspired barbecue in the best possible way, and that means a lot of brisket and pork. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a nice balance of options and flavors. Our table sampled the (heavenly) deep-fried bacon as a starter, a burger and the “secret” brisket . . . but we also had a fantastic green salad, a spicy rice dish and a light-as-conceivably-possible deep fried oyster sandwich.

There’s not-quite something for everything at Fatty Cue, but there’s a lot for most of us. We also should point out that our server was awesome, knowledgeable and really helpful. The only thing left to mention is that their food is really pretty. So instead of belaboring how much we liked the joint, we’ll leave you with photos of all of our dishes and let you be the judge.

Category: Saatchi Eats