Red Velvet Cupcake: Crumbs Bake Shop vs. Magnolia Bakery

I am really not a cupcake girl. I mean why settle for a tiny cup when you can have the whole 8-inch cake. Right? I honestly do not get the cupcake point.

But anyway, since I am already in New York, I might as well do as New Yorkers do. Or at least as New York tourists do.

I must try some red velvets.

But only from 2 shops, I promise myself, because I repeat, I am not a cupcake girl.

 

Shop # 1: Crumbs Bake Shop

 

The place is quiet when I arrive at 11am. Only a few people in line, and a few seated,
quietly reading the morning papers.

 

Crumb’s Red Velvet cupcake is soft and moist, although I do not agree with its frosting which is sickeningly sweet. I wipe away all the white stuff and enjoy the plain red cake.

 

 

Shop # 2: Magnolia Bakery

 

The bakery is packed when I arrive at 5:30pm. I wonder if it is always as busy as this.

 

I cannot believe it, but the superfamous Magnolia Red Velvet cupcake is dry and crumbly. The cream cheese frosting is slightly better than Crumb’s, but still, a major disappointment.

 

THE VERDICT:
Crumbs ♥ – ok lah, but I’m not going back
Magnolia Ӫ – total waste of time AND calories

Crumbs Red Velvet Cupcake wins.

 

 

Okay, I know this is supposed to be exclusively a Red Velvet thing, but when I see chocolate, I forget all the rules.

 

Magnolia’s Devils Food Cupcake with Mocha Buttercream
Now this, instead of the Red Velvet, should be The Superstar.

 

Still not a cupcake girl.

 

Crumbs Bake Shop: 1385 Broadway (37th/38th), New York, NY, USA. Tel: 212.764.7100
See other branches here.

Magnolia Bakery: 1240 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, USA. Tel: 212.767.1123
See other branches here.

Balthazar ♥ ♥ ♥

 

I swear, this is one place in New York that is always, ALWAYS packed. From early mornings to very late at night, the place is buzzing with activity, full of good vibes, full of life. I love it. BUT only when I can get a seat.

The place is packed when we arrive for dinner at 11pm. Good thing the smart food blogger (ahem) made reservations. We get a table at the very back of the room.

 

Photographing the place is not allowed, so forgive me for this bad shot
I hurriedly took after the server gave me the warning speech

 

Cold rustic bread. But good cold rustic bread.

 

Escargots in Garlic Butter – delicious

 

Duck Confit with Crispy Potatoes, Wild Mushrooms and Frisée Salad 
I don’t care how much duck fat this dish contains, honestly, I don’t give a sh*t about all the cholesterol and calories, because this super-crispy-on-the-outside, super-fall-off-the-bone-tender-on-the-inside duck leg cooked in its own fat is SERIOUSLY MINDBLOWING STUFF.
It should be on the top of everyone’s New York list. It’s so good we are back at Balthazar the very next morning.

 

 

Breakfast:

Chocolat Chaud – I like it sweeter

 

Soft-Boiled Organic Egg and “Soldiers”

 

Scrambled Eggs in Puff Pastry with Wild Mushrooms and Asparagus
The eggs are fantastic and the vegetables fresh although the whole dish needs a sauce of some kind. No ooomph factor.

 

Lunch:

Balthazar Bar Steak with Pommes Frites and Maître d’ Butter
The steak, although a bit chewy, is excellently seasoned.

 

Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce 
Perfect chou puffs, very good vanilla ice cream, and rich chocolate sauce.
I wish I didn’t have to share.

 

Balthazar: 80 Spring Street, New York, NY, USA. Tel: 212.965.1414

Bar Room at The Modern ♥ ♥

 

If everything were up to me, I’d be inside MoMa’s Counter Space: Design and Modern Kitchen Exhibition right now, ogling at all the kitchen spaces, touching and caressing every countertop, every tile and every sink in sight, with the top of my shirt soaking wet in drool. (I have this weird, uncontrollable thing for kitchens and bathrooms)

But I am not.

Instead, barely two hours after lunch at Bouchon Bakery, I am seated at The Bar Room, having early afternoon snacks, which is not supposed to be happening, well, at least not until 5-something pm.

Compromise, compromise.

 

The Bar Room at The Modern

 

The Bar Room serves Alsatian food. I’ve eaten a lot of French in my 31 years, but I have to admit I’ve never had anything from the Alsace region of France.

 

Tarte Flambée - Alsatian thin crust tart with crème fraîche, onion and applewood smoked bacon. In short, pizza. Nothing special, will skip next time.

 

Warm Lamb and Goat Cheese Terrine with toasted pistachios and watercress –
rich and filling and so delicious that I finish off the whole plate despite being
up-to-the-neck full from lunch

 

 

And the compromise?

No ogling at kitchens but I get to see Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch up close at 
A Little Night Music!

 

Grabbed from NightMusicOnBway

 

It is a beautiful, beautiful musical.

Send in the clowns…

 

The Modern - Bar Room: 9 West 53rd Street, New York, NY, USA. Tel: 212.333.1220

Bouchon Bakery ♥ ♥ ♥

It is a cold and wet day in New York City. What is supposed to be a nice long stroll + picnic lunch + carriage ride in Central Park becomes a nice long stroll + leisurely lunch + escalator rides in Time Warner Center.

 

 

Oh well, I’m just happy to eat Bouchon Bakery goodies whether outside at the park or inside the café.

 

 

It’s funny how I rant about Thomas Keller’s upscale, 3 Star Michelin Per Se and rave about his very casual, no Michelin Bouchon Bakery. But that’s just me.

 

I wonder if all these people were planning to have picnic lunches at Central Park, too

 

Watercress and Endive Salad - a colorful and superfresh salad of watercress leaves, supercrisp red and white Belgian endive, candied walnuts, Roquefort cheese and Fuji apples dressed in walnut vinaigrette.

 

Apple and Celery Soup – healthy and delicious

 

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup – oh God, how can something so simple be sooo good

 

Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Toasted Brioche – lovely flavors

 

Sticky Buns!!! My favorite!

 

After lunch, I drop by Borders to get some nice books to read for my flight back to Asia.

And I see this.

 

What BS!

 

To put a stop to overeating? Nevaaahhh!!!

 

Bouchon Bakery: Time Warner Center, Third Floor, Ten Columbus Circle, New York, New York, USA. Tel: 212.823.9366

Momofuku Milk Bar ♥

 

I tried EXTREMELY hard to secure dinner reservations at Momofuku Ko weeks before my trip, but alas, it didn’t happen. I guess buying breakfast at the Milk Bar is the next best thing.

 

Apple, Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Cornbread – the mild tartness of the apple,
saltiness of the cheddar and sweetness of the onion mix quite well in this cornbread.
After a few bites, however, it loses its magic. 

 

Clockwise from left: Corn Cookie (corn powder, corn flour) – love this cookie the best 
Blueberry & Cream Cookie (dried blueberries, milk crumbs) – nothing special
Compost Cookie (pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips) –
quite good but a bit too sweet

 

Cereal Milk – this is Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes dissolved in milk.
Fun to drink except I don’t plan to become a diabetic this early in life.
Or this early in the morning.

 

It’s 8:00am and I’m on a sugar high.

Good morning, wet and wild New York!

 

Momofuku Milk Bar: 15 West 56th Street, New York, New York, USA. Tel: 212.777.7773

John’s Pizzeria ♥

Nah-ah. I am not inside a church in New York.

 

It used to be one, but not anymore.  Thank you, heavens!

 

It is now a pizza place where ordering by the slice is not allowed.

 

So we order a whole Traditional Pizza which is basically mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and tomato sauce, and we ask for additional toppings of Italian sausage, fresh garlic and anchovies

 

There’s too much stuff on the pizza everything slides off when you hold it up. But really, who am I, the great cheese lover, to complain about this. Next time though, I’ll skip the saltier-than-usual anchovies in exchange for more fresh garlic. They put too many of the fish it ruins the whole New York pizza experience for me. Or I’ll just get my pizza fix from someplace else. Any recs, please let me know.

 

Thought for the day: If he is the creator of all pizzas in this church-pizzeria, 
does this make him the Almighty Pizza God? He he.

 

Off to the next block to see Billy Elliot…

Broadway musicals, my second great weakness after food.

 

John’s Pizzeria: 260 West 44th Street, New York, New York, USA. Tel: 212.391.7560

Dean and Deluca ♥ ♥ ♥

 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, mama often tells me. So whenever I travel, I wake up to eat. Well, not really. Whenever I travel to NEW YORK, I wake up to eat. Because Dean and Deluca is so worth it.

 

So many choices, so few mornings!

 

Cake doughnuts! Gotta try one.

 

Despite gorging on a trayful of Shake Shack goodies last night, I wake up this morning with a growling stomach.

Heavy breakfast. That’s what I need.

 

Santa Fe Burrito – scrambled egg, home fries, Andoville sausage, cheddar cheese,
red chili sauce on whole wheat tortilla
Nothing can be heavier than this. It’s a complete meal in a wrap. And a very delicious wrap.

 

Pumpkin Cake Doughnut – soft and nicely spiced, I can have rings and rings of this.

 

My perfect breakfast – burrito, doughnut and mocha. Now I’m ready to face the day.

 

Dean and Deluca: New York Times Café,  620 8th Avenue, Retail Space B, New York, New York, USA. Tel: 212.221.0308

See other locations here.