New Site!

Personalitini has a New Home!

Going forward, I will be posting from a new site!

www.personalitini.com

All of my historical blog posts have been moved there as well. 

Thank you for visiting!

Cheers,

Liz

Ramen is Only 3 Hours, I mean 1.5 Hours, I mean 30 Minutes Away!

When You Need a Fix, Hit Minca!

One of my good friends, Meredith, visited me from California this past weekend. We met up with some of her friends for dinner. Originally, we wanted to conquer Ippudo. I've lived in the city for over a year and I still haven't gone. There really is no excuse since it is so close to Stern. I haven't wanted to wait. This past Friday was no exception! The wait (at the no reservation restaurant) was over 3 hours! So, we decided to walk over to Momofuku Noodle Bar (which also does not take reservations) which had a 1.5 hour wait. One of Meredith's friends suggested going to Minca (http://www.newyorkramen.com/) instead, where the wait was *only* 30 minutes for the five of us! We walked over (by this point we had quite an appetite after searching for ramen!) and waited for our table. I have not gone to many ramen spots, so I wasn't sure what to order. The waitress suggested their most popular option: the spicy miso ramen. It was delicious! The broth had a fantastic flavor, the pork was perfectly fatty without being gross and the noodles were perfectly tender. This meal was for sure a "cheat meal" as I've been doing Atkins for the past month and a half with great success. Sometimes, you need to live on the edge, even if that includes eating carbs. 

Spicy Miso Ramen!

I'm not a ramen expert, so I may not be the best judge. I really loved what I ordered. It was a big bowl and I left very satisfied having only spent $13 on the entree. Also, because this isn't as much of a tourist trap as Ippudo, you likely won't have to wait as long. I only have a sample size of 1 (my own experience) so I cannot guarantee a timely meal. Put your name down and grab a drink across the street at Ace!

Check it out!

Nom,

Liz

So EN Love with this Place!

Dinner with Famous People

This past Thursday, I had a truly special evening. In my Digital Media Innovation class, a classmate and I won the opportunity to have dinner with several heavyweights in the digital/tech industry. I knew that my professor (Greg Coleman) and the CEO of LinkedIn (Jeff Weiner) would attend. I didn't know that one of the largest investors in Twitter (Fred Wilson) and basketball legend Dr J (Julius Erving) would be there as well! 

I tried to remain calm and not embarrass my professor and his super important (and rich) friends. I only took *one* picture. Naturally, it was of the super swanky drink I ordered: The Local Honey. 

Local Honey

This cocktail is made with Yamazaki 12 whisky. local honey with wasabi, Beefeater gin and royal bee pollen. It was DELICIOUS!

Our meal was INCREDIBLE. It was a pre-set menu and we dined on the following items:

Edamame - soaked in dashi (pretty basic, yet the addition was welcome)

Freshly Made Scooped Tofu - served warm with wari-joyu (not sure what the sauce is, but this was one of the highlights of the meal. It was so interesting and the texture was super creamy/soft. Also, it is made hourly!)

O-Tsukuri - chef's sashimi selection (definitely some of the best raw fish I've had in a long time!)

Oysters with Ponzu - chef's selection (these were ok, I had one that was a bit "fishy" and it made me have to chug my lovely cocktail. Eek)

Lobster Ishiyaki - stone grilled lobster with a butter miso sauce (yum city, loved this)

Stone Grilled Kuroge Washugyu Ribeye - with ponzu and arajio (the marbling on this was insane, I can only imagine it was expensive)

Sushi Rolls - chef's selection (basic but nom. I tried an eel roll, I am so adventurous...it tasted like chicken, sort of?)

Seasonal Panna Cotta - with a hojicha cookie (the seasonal selection was chestnut, really lovely)

This restaurant is expensive and certainty worth it. I hope to return soon with friends, even if only for the drinks!

Cheers,

Liz

My Life is Full of Sen

Cocktailing Event at Sen NYC

Last week, I organized an event for a club (Cellar) at Stern at Sen (http://www.senrestaurant.com/nyc/). It was a hands-on cocktail demonstration with paired Japanese cuisine. The venue is super swanky and our small group had a wonderful time. I was enjoying myself and didn't snap too many pictures of the cocktails or food. I managed to get one before the activities started of the bar set-up. 

We had four different cocktails. The Shiso Spritz (highlighting Vodka and Shiso Leaves), The Sen Mojito (highlighting Katana Sake and Malibu Rum), The Sen Cosmopolitan (highlighting Sake and Triple Sec) and the Mizu "NYE" Cocktail (highlighting Prosecco and St. Germain).

We nibbled on sushi, tempura, chicken wings and chicken skewers. So yummy!

I'd recommend going back here. The best feature of the restaurant is its square bar. It is an awesome focal point. Check it out during Happy Hour!

Cheers,
Liz

Colicchio & Sons Tap Room

Dinner and Drinks

Tonight, I had dinner at Colicchio & Sons Tap Room (http://www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/colicchio-and-sons/). It was fantastic. The bread looked amazing but I didn't have any - I'm still doing a special diet and cannot have any of that, wah! I ordered a Ketel One and Soda. It was great, as usual.

For my entree, I ordered the Skate. It was DELICIOUS! It is such a light and yummy fish. If you haven't had it, definitely try it if you see it on a menu.

One of my friends ordered dessert. He got the beignets (little balls of fried dough goodness). Again, couldn't partake but I lived vicariously through him and it looked/smelled lovely.

Instead of giving patrons a mint or something else when the check comes, the server gave each of us a freshly baked pumpkin spice muffin to go! What a great idea! I gave mine to my friend.

Happy Sunday!

Liz

Tuttles!

Is Murray Hill Cool?

I went on what ended up to be a really great date this past Friday after my pre-date with Christine (heart her!). My brother lives near a bar I've walked by multiple times: Tuttles (http://tuttlesnyc.com/blog/). My date also lives in the area, so I suggested going there.  

A great feature of the spot is its exterior garden - it's a little too late in the season for it though. We sat at the main bar and had a great time. Sometimes it is too awkward to take photos of drinks on dates, so I didn't end up taking one. I ordered a Bulleit Rye Manhattan - if it ain't broke, right?

This is a great casual spot that is worth checking out if you're in the area, especially in the warmer months!

Have a good one,

Liz

Gramercy Tavern

Catching up with a Mentor over Manhattans

My old boss, John, was in town and suggested we catch up over a meal at the bar at Gramercy Tavern (http://www.gramercytavern.com/). He has been such a great mentor to me over the past couple of years; especially in my transition to business school from investment banking. To celebrate my job offer, I ordered a Bulleit Rye Manhattan. I need to support my brands!!

Bulleit Rye hits the Spot - the brandied cherries are a classy touch!

As an appetizer, I ordered four oysters. So yummy!!

Oysters, on the rocks

As my main course, I ordered the crispy duck leg with zucchini and grilled pole beans. Absolutely delicious. 

Quack Quack Nom Nom

To round out the meal, I finished with a Blue Bottle cappuccino.

I heart this drink

This place is super fancy (even at the bar area where we ate) - it has one Michelin star. It was a wonderful place to catch up with John. I will need to go back - that was one hell of a Manhattan!

Cheers, 

Liz

Tapas at Salinas

The Fun Continues in Chelsea!

After we left the Tippler on Friday, Christine and I headed several blocks uptown to Salinas (http://salinasnyc.com/). We wanted something a little more to eat beyond what was offered on the first venue's menu. We started with the Trio of Charcutero - it was delicious. It came with some toasted slices of bread and a fig spread; Christine said it was tasty. 

Meat on Meat on Meat

To complement with carnivore dream, we ordered some cheese. We got the daily selection of "Quesos Artesanales" - naturally, this is translated to "the expensive cheese" - not really, but basically.

More Cheese Please - MASSIVE GRAPES!

The spot definitely had mood lighting. I didn't want to use my flash so all my photos have a red hue...how mysterious. I ordered my go to drink for now - try to guess!

Bulleit Rye Perfect Manhattan

I had a date scheduled later that evening after my date with Christine - I am such a double booker! So, I ordered a cappuccino to keep going. 

You think you're fancy? Yes, of course!

Salinas is a lovely spot. There are a lot of tapas places in the city that I want to explore, so not sure if I would go back.

Cheers!

Liz

Some Tipples at the Tippler

Visiting the Tippler

My good friend Christine was finally free this past Friday! It was a joyous occasion that demanded celebratory drinks. She wanted to go to the Tippler (http://thetippler.com/) and I had been there once before and loved it, so our location was set!

The Outside

If you haven't been to this spot before, it can be tricky to find it. If you go, look out for the lit "Open" sign to guide you! I've been on a Manhattan kick lately, so why stop it? I ordered the Flight of Manhattans. It included (from left to right), a classic Manhattan, a Greenpoint (with Green Chartreuse) and a Little Italy (with Cynar). I liked them in descending order! The classic was clearly the winner. The Greenpoint was interesting. Green Chartresuse is a green liqueur made with over 100 herbs and plants. It had a nice flavor. The Little Italy was not that pleasant. I had not yet had Cynar...it is odd. It is an Italian bitter liqueur made with herbs and plants, the predominant taste profile from the artichoke....ehhh. It doesn't taste like artichokes it just doesn't taste great. 

Manhattan Flight

Christine ordered the featured special - an alcoholic egg cream. The dusting of cinnamon on the top was a lovely touch!

Alcoholic Dessert :)

We got hungry and ordered appetizers. I got a shrimp cocktail and Christine got one of the featured toasts with white bean puree. Nomnomnom!!

Shrimp Cocktail

White Bean Toast

For our last round, I got a Bulleit Rye Perfect Manhattan and Christine got some interesting drink that tasted like orange soda (but was alcoholic). I only snapped a pic of mine though, oops!

Bulleit Rye Perfect Manhattan

This is a fun spot right by Chelsea Market. There is a lot of bar seating and standing table room which is an awesome feature. If you get there before 9pm, you could probably find a spot to sit without much trouble.

Check it out if you're in the area!

Cheers,

Liz