Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

22 Jul 2011

Wafels & Dinges – New York City

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As The Astronomer and I strolled from ChikaLicious back to the hotel, we stumbled upon the Wafels & Dinges truck at Astor Place. Even though I had just consumed a hefty Italian dinner followed by a three-course tour de sweets, I couldn’t resist stopping for a taste. I live a gloriously gluttonous existence while on vacation. Plus, I didn’t know if I’d run into the truck again.

Belgium native Thomas DeGeest launched Wafels & Dinges in 2007. Since then, it’s grown into a mini waffle empire complete with one roaming truck, two roving carts, and two permanently parked carts in Central Park. The truck even has a hotline for waffle seekers to keep track of all the action.

I’ll admit it, I was so intent on trying this truck that I programmed the number into my phone before leaving town. I am a waffle lover through and through.

The truck offers three different kinds of waffles: Brussels, Liège, and mini “wafelini.” There are also a plethora of “dinges” including fresh fruit, butter, maple syrup, and whipped cream.

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Restaurant Review

20 Jul 2011

ChikaLicious Dessert Bar – New York City

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I find it nearly impossible to end a meal without something sweet to nibble on. Whether it’s a piece of fresh fruit or a small square of chocolate, my taste buds crave a hit of sugar for complete satisfaction.

Following a dessert-less family dinner at Hearth Restaurant in the Lower East Side, I dragged The Astronomer up the street to ChikaLicious Dessert Bar. While my dear Astronomer was perfectly content with the taste of braised goat pappardelle lingering on his palate, I insisted on a three-course dessert tasting.

Opened in 2003, ChikaLicious is an adorable 20-seat eatery built around an open kitchen where desserts and wine reign supreme. The restaurant’s chef and owner Chika Tillman (pictured above) trained at the French Culinary Institute and most notably worked under Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern before striking out on her own.

ChikaLicious serves a three-course prix fixe menu for $14 that includes an amuse, choice of dessert, and assorted petits fours. A wine pairing can be had for an additional $8.

Chika’s suite of sweets have been described as American desserts with French presentation and Japanese portions. Even though I had eaten a hearty Italian meal moments before, polishing off all three courses was a breeze.

To start, the chef sent out a coconut cream and lemongrass soup. Every spoonful was refreshing and decadent; it was a tropical Southeast Asian dream.

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Restaurant Review

18 Jul 2011

Del Posto – New York City

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My grandma once remarked (in Vietnamese, of course) that in New York City, money is spent as freely as water. From dining to shopping to transportation to entertainment, it’s dangerously easy to drop some serious change exploring and reveling in everything the city has to offer. While bargains may not be the norm in these here parts, there are still some great values to be had.

Take for instance lunch at Del Posto, Chef Mario Batali and restauranteur Joseph Bastianich‘s four-star Italian restaurant. Dinner here starts at $115, but a three-course lunch complete with amuses and mignardises can be had for just $29. Now, that’s a deal that even my penny pinching Bà Ngoại would approve.

The Astronomer and I lunched here the afternoon following our feast at Eleven Madison Park. We were seated at a table fit for four in the center of the dining room. The crowd of lunching ladies and powwowing business types spoke mostly in hushed tones, adding to the formal ambiance that I found too stuffy for this time of day.

After placing our orders, a server brought over a trio of amuse bouches. There were lobster and caviar finger sandwiches, a tomato soup with bread crumbs around the rim, and small bundles of sauerkraut wrapped in speck ham. All three bites were perfectly nice, but none were particularly wow inducing.

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