New York City - My Food Journey continues

After working for a year I moved into a downtown apartment on the 45th floor with this amazing view! 

Moving to New York City was another pivotal point in my life, having just graduated I got my first job as a marketing analyst around mid-town; I was overwhelmed with work during this phase of my life, desperately tiring to make ends meet, I would take on many freelance design, photography and even manual labor jobs just to make the rent for the month plus setting quiet alot aside for my only indulgence in the city, Fine dining.

Following my obsession with the Food Network, it was only natural that I spent my first few pay checks at restaurants owned by Iron Chefs; Morimoto's, Del Posto, Babbo, Lupa and Mesa Grill. But this was only the tip of the culinary ice-berg which is New York City.

Pictures from my mom's phone @ The union sq farmers market and Soho

It was also in New York that I experienced my first michelin-star meal, this was probably at Fleur De Sel (now closed), a quaint 1-star restaurant in Flatiron. I ordered the seasoning tasting menu of 6-courses, which was a mind-bending sensory experience. From then on, I became a certified food-snob, restaurants by Jean Georges, Thomas Keller and Eric Ripert soon followed. But there was still something lacking, Michelin-starred quality restaurants couldn't be the end of it. While I tried to recreate Michelin quality food at home, I always found myself trending towards the casual and more whimsical style of cooking.

It was about this time that I started to discover quaint small eateries in the city which define New York dining. Restaurants like Prune, Public, Kyo Ya and Momofuku soon became my favorite destinations for me to indulge my palate. Soon Saturday and Sunday New York brunches seem to be the norm, and I would venture into underground dining which peeked my culinary mind.

The view from my apartment. Oh! how I miss NYC

My very best meal in New York?
That was probally at Corton (Paul Liebrandt) when the restaurant just opened its doors and before it received any of their coveted stars.
239 West Broadway (Walker Street), TriBeCa; (212) 219-2777, cortonnyc.com.

My Favourite Sushi in New York?
Definitely Sushi Azabu; It was a perfectly executed when I was there, and the whole place is so perfectly unassuming.
428 Greenwich St, TriBeCa, (212) 274-0428, greenwichgrill.com

My favourite brunch in New York?
Probably Prune or Public; but nothing beats quaint sunday brunches lazing at home.
Prune Restaurant ::: 54 East 1st Street New York, NY, prunerestaurant.com
PUBLIC Restaurant 210 Elizabeth Street  New York, NY, public-nyc.com

It was about this time that I started conceptualizing my cookbook and planning it out, and that takes me onto a whole new path of my food journey; Learning by experience and Crazy nights in NYC's china town.