Road Trip: New York (Round 2)

M had to go to NYC for work so K and I decided to tag along. Free hotel. What what? While I don't normally even bother talking about restaurants that weren't that great while on the road, two were so disappointing that it would be a disservice to not mention them. The Spotted Pig was good, not great, and certainly not worth the 1.5 hour wait time M and I logged. After having dinner there, M and I continued our night of mediocrity at the "famous" Magnolia Bakery. The cupcake we had was gross. Yes I said it - gross. M said that she usually has a different flavor (vanilla with chocolate frosting,) but I'm sorry. Everything in a place that gets as much hype as Magnolia had better be good. Real good. On a more positive note, below are some places that did fit the bill:

Tonnie's Minis Cupcake Shop (120 W 3rd St.): After lamenting about my subpar Magnolia experience, S convinced me that she knew of a place that truly had the best cupcakes around. No line out the door and the guy working there might have been stoned, but no joke - this cupcake was ridiculous. Moist red velvet INSIDE yellow cake with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of sprinkles (the fine crunchy kind, not the big long ones)...it was so unforgettable, I brought one home for M and K too!

Essex (120 Essex St.): Walking into Essex for brunch was a bizarre experience because it's like a club. In the middle of the day. Music is blasting, hipsters reign supreme and the wait is long. But for $16, you get your choice of anything off the menu and three cocktails - bloody, mimosa or screwdriver. If you go, you have to get anything Matzo Brei - which is essentially, pieces of Matzo mixed into the egg scrambles. Satisfies my Jewish friends' dietary needs and so damn good.

Cafe Boulud (20 E 76th St.): Thank goodness it was Restaurant Week, otherwise I probably would never have been able to afford this meal. K's pork was tiny but all kinds of amazing, and our chocolate cake dessert was probably one of the best I've ever had. Though stuffy and reeking of old New York money, I'd say Cafe Boulud is seriously worth it. And there's nothing like a Padma sighting for a little validation.