Olivia Tapas

A group of friends and I went out for Tapas recently at Olivia Bar and Restaurant. We tried almost EVERY SINGLE item on their tapas menu. The verdict (from all of us) - "bland and nothing special." The only items we liked were the cheeses they recommended and the warm bread that it came with . The only other memorable item we ate were the dates wrapped in bacon. Literally, it was just dates wrapped in bacon...nothing more (you can do this yourself without the high price tag). However, we did liked the contrasting taste of the sweet dates and the slightly salty bacon.
Don't let the pictures fool you, they look tasty..but really, its just bland.























If you want to check it out:
161 East Houston Street, New York NY, 10002

Total Yummy Points: 4/10

Pinang Malaysian Thai Restaurant

We recently had dinner at Pinang Malaysian Thai in Forest Hills, NY. We read reviews by other diners on websites such as Yelp and decided to try this out. Many Yelpers raved about the rotti, some even said it was "the best they've ever had." So, that's was the first thing we ordered....2 of them! The waiter told us 1 rotti appetizer was not enough got 2 people. I thought that was strange, but we listened to his advice and ordered 2.Here was the rotti. One was enough! It's no larger or smaller than roti you order anywhere else and its NOT the best we've had. It's not bad, nor good -- really nothing special.

Our entrees were nothing special either. I am not sure all the praise this place gets on reviews sites are well deserved. We ordered the pineapple chicken and sizzling beef entrees -- there was absolutely nothing to rave about. The food was average. It was not what I expected at all from all the reviews. I wouldn't come here again.

If you want to check it out for yourself, here is the address:
111-10 Queens Blvd Forest Hills, NY 11375

Total Yummy Points: 4.5/10

Unidentified Flying Chicken (UFC) in Jackson Heights, NY - Best Korean Chicken Joint!

We recently tried out Unidentified Flying Chicken (UFC) in Jackson Heights, NY. The menu is mostly...CHICKEN as you would expect from the name. We actually thought the name of this place was weird, but the FOOD was definitely not! We were pleasantly surprised at how great the food was! It’s a small eatery nestled on a busy street, so it can be easily overlooked. The upstairs just have a few tables and just for take-out orders. However, if you do downstairs, it has cozy table settings for full service dinner.

We ordered the large chicken wings (in BBQ mustard – this was a little spicy & soy garlic) – both tasted awesome! There are 4 flavors to choose from, we plan to go back to try the other two. The chicken wings were fried to perfection – no grease dripping off, just light and crunchy. The chicken was perfectly seasoned with the sauces, so each bite was just so yummy! The chicken wings came with two sides, we picked the cold slaw and the radish – both were great.

We also ordered sweet potato fries – this actually really impressed us! The fries were very fresh, not the frozen kind you get at most places. They were peeled, cut, and fried on the spot! I’ve never tasted better sweet potato fries before! A+ for the fries and chicken!

We will be back! Go try it out for yourself! Here is a link to their website (its still under construction, but you can see the menu). http://ufchicken.com/

Total Yummy Points: 10!!!!!!! Hands down!

Mario Batali’s Esca Restaurant

We went to ESCA during restaurant week. Mario Batali is a great chef, so we figured the food at his restaurant must be delicious! However, just one word sums up our experience….disappointing!

Let’s get right to the food:

Appetizer

: Calamari – grilled squid with hot pepper, lemon and parsley.This dish was not spectacular; it was neither good nor bad. The most potent flavor in this whole dish was the lemon. I am not sure if that’s what I want in my Calamari.

Entrée: At first, I ordered the Scallops with Cauliflower, after a few bites, I could not eat it anymore. When the dish first arrived, it looked burnt (see picture) – but I thought it must taste better than it looks. No it didn’t! It was extremely salty and the scallops were so overcooked (hence the burnt look) that it tasted rubbery. I chucked down 4 glasses of water while attempting to eat this dish. I gave up after 3 bites. The waiter was extremely nice; he asked if he can bring me something else instead. We chose the Bass. Again, not much flavor aside from the lemon and lime juice. Also a grilled dish (like the calamari and the scallops). We gave up after this…just waited for dessert.

Dessert: Pannacotta – roasted vanilla pannacotta with summer fruit. This was the one dish that we actually liked. We devoured every last bit of the pannacotta. It was creamy and the sauces it came with complimented it very well. Overall, we were very satisfied with the service and the dessert, but that’s no reason to come back again. Mario Batali – we love you, but will not be returning.

Total Yummy Points: 5

Foodie Book Pick: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

I give this book, by Jennifer 8 Lee two thumbs way up!

I devoured this book from font to back. Lee traveled the world to give you an insight into the Chinese-American food world. Ever wonder where General Tso’s Chicken really came from? Do you know what’s in your Chop Suey? How about the famed FORTUNE COOKIES—where did they come from? How did it get started? Lee addresses all these questions, while also answering the question – Which restaurant is the greatest Chinese restaurant in the world?

Grab a copy of this book before you crack open your next fortune cookie!