Move over Nutella. There’s a new spread in my life and it’s just as versatile as you and peanut butter combined. Friends, meet Speculoos - a carmelized biscuit originating from Belgium and the Netherlands. Thanks to the genius of a woman who thought to turn Speculoos into a spread, we now have Speculoos cookie spread, the object of my affection. 

The spread has a hint of cinnamon and is very reminiscent of gingerbread cookies. And there are tiny remnants of the cookie in the spread giving it a bit of crunch and substance. I would be perfectly happy eating the spread out of the jar - it’s THAT good. And for those of you that care - it’s 100% nut free and vegan!

I can only imagine how good it would be on crepes, pancakes or toast. And with celery, pretzels or ice cream. Do me a favor and go get yourself a jar. (I found mine at Trader Joe’s, but I hear you can find it in most grocery stores now.) You can thank me later.  

A few Thursdays ago, a friend of mine basically told his mother she could not get into Daniel that weekend. Taking that as a challenge, said-mother made one phone call and 15 minutes later, we had a reservation at the famed Michelin three star restaurant at 7:45pm the next day, Friday. 

Dainel is not for the faint of heart. It takes some determination to get a reservation and you have to really want to go there to spend that kind of money (three course prix fixe starts at $108 per person). Lucky for me, I was guest of honor at the dinner and got to experience the very best of New York dining. 

From the minute you walk in, your every whim is attended to. From coat check to the bar to the hostess stand to the dining room, there are people taking care of you every step of the way. I never had to ask for anything (e.g. more water, directions to the powder room). The number of people they have on staff relative to guests is astounding. And the space is beautifully appointed and the epitome of elegance. Here are a few additional things that caught my eye:

1. They bring out a stool for your purse. Ladies, no need to place your bag on the floor or behind your back. You have to see it to believe it. 
2. They bring out a non-electric carpet sweeper between every seating. Crumbs are not okay. 
3. Fresh baked madeleines? Yes! Petit-fours? Oh yes! Mini chocolates? Oh yes please! The extras keep coming and coming. 

And the meal itself was exquisite (I had the Artichoke and Squid Ink Raviolini, Duo of Beef, and Warm Guanaja Chocolate Coulant). Nothing that will change your life, but beautifully executed and prepared. Flavors, ingredients, and presentation are all top notch. My take on Daniel is this: it’s a place you go to be pampered and taken care of. Sort of like a spa for the rich & hungry. If you ever get a chance to go, you’ll leave with your mind, heart and tummy nourished. 

Note: I do not have photos of my meal, because I just wanted to enjoy it and immerse myself in the experience. The restaurant website has tons of photos if you’re really curious. And special thanks to Andrea Custis for a meal of a lifetime!

Daniel

60 East 65th Street (between Park and Madison)

New York, NY 10065

212-288-0033

Looking to eat a few dumplings? Or twenty? Head over to Dumpling Man where you can order dumplings by the piece for less than $1 each. Choose from pork & chive(my favorite!), chicken & cabbage, veggie (tofu & shiitake), shrimp & corn and more. Best of all, it’s all handmade behind the bar. Talk about a feast for the eyes. 

Dumplings are cooked to order so they come out piping hot and soft. I prefer them steamed, but you can also get them fried. If you’re looking for a quick snack, four or six should do the trick. If you’re making it a meal, I’d order about eight. 

If these dumplings don’t bring a smile to your face, I don’t know what will. 

Dumpling Man

100 St. Marks Place (between 1st Ave and Ave.)

212-505-2121

Cupcakes are the treat du jour in many metropolitan cities. New York is no exception with a line-up that includes Magnolia Bakery, Billy’s, and Crumbs. A few months ago, a west coast cupcake chain opened up on the UES - Sprinkles. Curious to see if these cupcakes would hold up against the stiff competition in Manhattan, I decided to buy a box of six and hold a cupcake tasting with a few friends. Here’s what we got:

Lemon Coconut - A MUST for coconut lovers. With a hint of lemon, it’s everything you love about coconut cake, lemon bar and cream cheese frosting in one bite!

Strawberry - Like a dream!! It’s the cupcake version of strawberry flavored Pockey. My FAVE!!

Red Velvet - This rich, decadent treat delivers the goods. The light chocolate cake is moist and the cream cheese frosting just sweet enough. You’ll feel like royalty eating it. 

Hazelnut - If you love Nutella, this cupcake is for you.

Black & White - A no-frills, simple classic. Belgian dark chocolate cake with a vanilla frosting.  

Cinnamon Sugar - Frosting not your thing? No problem. This cupcake has a sugary top and a kiss of cinnamon. Reminiscent of a coffee cake. 

The consensus? Sprinkles is a winner! I wouldn’t mind if a few more popped up around the Big Apple. 

Sprinkles

780 Lexington Avenue (between 60th and 61st St) 

212. 207 8375

As a PR person, I’m usually behind the scenes. But not next Tuesday! I make a TV appearance along with my partner in crime, Lia Lobello of Yay DIY!, to learn how to cook mushrooms from… Emeril Lagasse. BAM! Watch and find out what my favorite mushroom is (assuming they didn’t cut that part out). Whoever can name it, gets a free dinner on me!

Emeril’s Table (on The Hallmark Channel)

Tuesday, September 27 at 11AM

The cast of “Wild About Mushrooms!” p.s. I think Emeril and I make a nice couple :)

Sripraphai. Sri-Pra-Phai. Suree-Prah-Pie. Can’t pronounce it? Who cares. All you need to know is that the best Thai food in New York City is in Woodside. Yes, that’s Queens. And yes, I go there. And lucky for me, it’s just six stops on the R from my new UES digs. 

Now Thai restaurants are a dime a dozen in the city, but very few are worthy of a second visit. Most serve watery curries and sickeningly sweet pad thai. For the record, curries should be thick and fragrant; pad thai, refreshing and light. And that’s what you’ll find plus a whole lot of spice at Sripraphai. 

I’ve tried about a dozen dishes at this restaurant. And for me, no meal at Sripraphai is complete without Green Curry with chicken. Made with Thai eggplant, bamboo, and coconut milk, it’s got heat, flavor and a hint of sweet.. every bite is both comforting and exciting. 

Note: The curry (and all spicy dishes) here carries serious heat. So think mild if you’re used to medium; medium if you’re used to spicy.

Another favorite of mine is Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Pork. This dish helps me get my fill of veggies with a generous helping of crispy, fried pork belly. It has a sweeter, soy-based flavor so it balances out some of the spicier items. 

Last but not least, Yum Woonsen (bean thread salad) is a nice, refreshing dish. It’s served room temperature with ground chicken, shrimp, squid and dried shrimp with fish sauce, chili, onion and mint. I like it as a starter or in the summer time. 

So hop on the train, don’t delay! You won’t regret this food adventure to Woodside. Money back guaranteed. 

Sripraphai

64-13 39th Avenue

Woodside, NY 11377

T: 718.899.9599

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m inspired yet again by the food scene in New York. This time inspiration comes from a little hole in the wall that serves some serious pork buns, Baohaus. I’d been eyeing the spot for a few weeks now as I passed it on the way to and from my LES kickball games. The place is nondescript and shabby, but the press clippings on the window were hard to ignore - New York Times, Serious Eats, New York Mag to name a few. 

Here’s a rundown of the buns we ordered:

Chairman Bao ($2.99) - Braised all-natural pork belly served with crushed peanut, cilantro, relish and Taiwanese red sugar. It was decadent, sweet perfection. Watch out Momofuku! There’s a new bun in town and it’s cheaper, and just as tasty as yours. 

Haus Bao ($3.50)- Same preparation as the Chairman, but with beef cheek instead of pork belly. I prefer the pork belly, but if you’re looking for something less fatty, this is a solid pick. 

Oyster Po Bao ($3.99) - Fresh oyster coated in sweet potato starch and fried. Topped with aioli, pickled radish, cilantro and jalapeno. I blurted out, “Holy shit!” after one bite. Need I say more? This Asian twist to the Po’Boy is a WINNER. 

Birdhouse Bao ($2.99) - Fried Chicken (brined overnight) served with spicy seasoning salt, cilantro, crushed peanuts and Taiwanese red sugar. This chicken bun is the bomb. Chicken always seems like a “safe” choice, but Baohaus kicks the bird to unexpected heights. 

You’ll want to order two or three if you’re looking to make it a meal. But with rock-bottom prices, that shouldn’t be a problem. And with my company renewing another season of kickball, I’ll be going there on the regular. 

Baohaus

twitter: @baohausnyc

137 Rivington Street (near Norfolk), NY, NY 10002

 238 E 14th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenue), NY, NY 10002

From L to R: Oyster Po Bao, Chairman Bao (pork belly), Haus Bao (beef cheek)