Best Restaurants in Brooklyn - Park Slope Restaurant

Park Slope restaurants offer delicious foods that can appeal to anyone. Park Slope, Brooklyn, a neighborhood in New York, is attractive and features casual dining establishments and classy restaurants. Crime rate in this section of the city is very low as there are many people with creative minds in this area. There are numerous Park Slope restaurants and bars, retail stores and many green grassy locations where both visitors and residents alike can frequent. Here are some of the best and favorite Park Slope restaurants.

Your Favorite Park Slope Restaurant

Convivium Osteria
An award winning restaurant, Convivium Osteria is considered as the one of the best casual dining Park Slope restaurant, serving mostly traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Launched in 2000, several critics have referred to this amazing restaurant as one of the most authentic and romantic restaurant in New York state as a whole. Entrees served integrate old but great world recipes from Portugal, Spain and Italy. Desserts are freshly baked, pasta is homemade everyday while the meat used is only from the naturally raised animals. This restaurant features 3 different living rooms; the historic Botega of Barcelona, farmhouse themed area and wine cellar area. Dinner is served 7 nights every week and making reservations in advance is recommended.

Aunt Suzie's Restaurant
Aunt Suzie's is also among the casual-style Park Slope restaurant due its Brooklyn and southern Italy influences. The restaurant prepares food in the old school Italian way with fresh ingredients, a wide variety of spices and a great deal of time for simmering. You can choose from a vast range of Italian dishes, wines, desserts, side and many more. Even if your preferred meal does not feature on the menu, just ask the chefs at this restaurant and they will prepare it for you.

Stone Park Café
A former wine shop with an attached grocery store, stone park restaurant opened its doors to customers for the first time in 2004. Owners and childhood friends, Josh Grinker and Josh Foster, converted this run down place into one of the best casual Park Slope restaurant it is today. With a rating of 3-stars by "New York post", this café has been a favorite place for food critics, tourists as well as locals. Stone Park Café is equipped with a sidewalk patio, good-size dining room and a full bar. It serves dinner, lunch and brunch, seven days every week. Walk-ins are allowed or you can make reservations for large parties too.

Santa Fe Grill
If you are looking for one of the laid back Park Slope restaurant then make a stop over at the Santé Fe Grill café and order some delicious drinks and authentic Mexican dishes. One of their characteristic appetizer sides is avocado fries, so you can order them and try them. Other menus are also available for people who do not like Mexican foods, including burgers, salads and chicken entrees. Santé Fe Grill requires no reservations and it is open 7 days every week for dinner and lunch. Smoking is not allowed anywhere within the on site bar or the dining area.

Steak Restaurants In New York City Offer Astonishing Variety

Steak restaurants offer more than food---they reinforce people's inner snobs in completely acceptable ways. New York City residents have strong opinions about foods, music and clothing, but few attitudes reveal more than a person's choice of steakhouse. Meat has a primal appeal, and favored chophouses offer attentive service, comfortable ambience and perfectly cooked steaks.

Charring Requires Precision and Balance

The best steak restaurants treat beef with proper respect, but the steak artist who prepares your steak must have a high degree of expertise. Charring adds the complex flavors of caramelized meat without tasting like carbon. The best grades of beef have great marbling, and the best restaurants serve USDA prime. Only 3% of U.S. beef makes the cut.

Most quality New York City steak restaurants age their beef to satisfy discriminating palates. Dry-aging intensifies flavors and breaks down tissues, so steaks become more tender. The process requires precise temperatures and controlled storage for days or weeks, and risks of spoilage and shrinkage add to the costs of aging. Most restaurants use wet-aging processes, vacuum-packing meat to allow it to age without risks of bacterial contamination from improper storage conditions.

Great steaks need seasoning, but balance remains important. The simple flavors of butter, marinades and acidic-finishing liquids help to seal juices and complement flavors. Cracked pepper, kosher or sea salt and signature herbs add distinctive touches that still allow the char flavors to dominate.

Best Steak Restaurants New York City

Choosing your favorite chophouse depends on many factors. Some diners like the dark ambience of class steak restaurants and simple side dishes that leave the beef as the undisputed star of the meal. The politically correct might prefer restaurants that offer variety for other guests on special diets, and New York City diners can find perfect blends of ambience, technical food-preparation expertise and menu variety. The following establishments consistently impress by providing superior steak treatments.

Peter Luger

This Brooklyn institution ranks as the top choice of many New Yorkers, appearing on Zagat's list for 27 years. The specialty-aged beef has perfect marbling and comes simply dressed in pools of melted butter and bloody juices. You can order the porterhouse for two, three or four people, and wait staff slice the beef at tableside.

Wolfgang Steakhouse

Wolfgang Zwiener learned his craft well as a Peter Luger waiter, and he joined his steak expertise with upscale menu choices and modern décor. The restaurant has three New York City locations: Murray Hill, TriBeCa and Midtown East, making it easier to get reservations on short notice. Diners can order the prime porterhouse for two, three or four people, but the chefs do wonderful things with rib eyes, sirloins and filet mignons.

BLT Prime

People who enjoy variety with their steaks will appreciate this restaurant that offers great poultry and fish dishes, creative sides and freshly baked popovers that make perfect sponges to absorb steak juices. Steak lovers with fussy friends can enjoy their beef while their guests choose other options. The restaurant serves great cuts of Debragga beef, including cuts of American wagyu steak for international aficionados. Hickory grills add distinctive flavor notes to the chars of grilled meats, and contemporary decorating themes make these restaurants perfect venues for trendy dinner parties.

Keens Steakhouse

This restaurant satisfies diners who appreciate historical ambience because it features memorabilia collected for over 120 years, which is how long the restaurant has served New Yorkers in the garment district. The restaurant's décor transports diners to 17th-century London, and chefs have used the same classic dry-aging techniques for over a century, perfecting the process.

Minetta Tavern

Trendy diners will love the gorgeous dining room and sexy ambience of Minetta tavern, which caps style with solid culinary skills. The côte de boeuf for two and New York strip make perfect choices for intimate tête-à-têtes. Creekstone Farms beef cuts get treated to dry-aging before talented chefs cook them on a high-temperature broiler that chars steaks perfectly.

Delmonico's Restaurant

You cannot mention New York City steak restaurants without including Delmonico's, which pioneered the Delmonico Steak, a prime beef cut prepared in signature style. The restaurant claims fame as America's oldest restaurant, offers one of the world's most extensive wine cellars and diners can enjoy private dining rooms that offer gourmet dishes like Lobster Newburg and Baked Alaska for dessert. You should definitely try the house special, Delmonico Steak, at the only restaurant offering the genuine article.

New York City steak restaurants offer incredible choices, but simple neighborhood eateries often do amazing things with beef. You should choose your favorite places to enjoy steaks, even if you prefer the local coffee shop's Roumanian skirt steak broiled simply under a gas grill's broiler.

Six Main Types Of Sushi That You Might Want To Know About

Mention Japan and the first thing that will come to peoples' minds is their cuisine. The Japanese are famous for their unique and exotic cuisines. One dish that stands out from the rest of the Japanese cuisines is sushi. In fact, it is the most famed Japanese dish in the world as well as in its country of origin, Japan. Usually, this dish is preserved for special events and occasions. This Japanese dish has a rich history and is therefore closely associated with Japanese culture and traditions.

In the early day Japan, this delicacy was referred to as pickled fish preserved in vinegar. However, in the modern day Japan, it refers to rice that has been cooked using vinegar as well as other ingredients like uncooked fish and other types of seafood. It may sound simple but it is this simplicity that makes it such a divine meal. Aside from being a scrumptious meal, it also has nutritional value. The meal is high in protein, carbohydrates and vitamins. This dish also keeps it low in fat, as most of the ingredients used in its preparation are consumed raw.

There are several types of sushi where most of them originate from Japan itself while others are creations of chefs from different parts of the world:

1. Nigirizushi

This type consists mainly of rice balls that have seafood mainly: tuna, shellfish and eel's toppings. At times, seaweed may be used to bind the rice and the toppings. The seafood is mostly served uncooked although sometimes, it may be fried or grilled. In the west, nigiri is often sweetened using either avocado or grilled eel.

2. Gunkanzushi

It is a variation of the Nigirizushi and is commonly known as the battleship sushi and is a rather modern type of sushi as it was not in existence until its invention in 1941. A combination of rice and seaweed is molded into cups and seafood filled into the cups. It is mostly prepared when the toppings to be used are in semi liquid form such as fish eggs.

3. Norimaki/Makizushi/Makimono

This delicacy involves the rice and seafood being rolled in dry seaweed. It is known to many as "rolled sushi". There are several kinds of Makizushi, the most common being:

• Futomaki

These are large rolls and vegetables are a common ingredient in making these rolls though they also make use of non-vegetarian toppings.

• Hosomaki

These refer to the thin rolled sushi. Most contain only one topping. They are of different kinds namely: kappamaki, tekkamaki, negitoromaki and tsunamayomaki. Each of the above named types of Hosomaki makes use of different fillings.

1. Oshizushi

It is pressed sushi. The toppings are pressed into the rice in a wooden box and the result is an appealing and mouthwatering bite.

2. Chirashizushi

In this dish, the toppings are randomly sprinkled over the rice, thus the name scattered sushi. The toppings may either be raw or cooked.

3. Inarizushi

It is easy to make and also cheap. It consists of deep fried tofu pouches that have been filled with rice. Traditionally, only rice is used to fill up the pouches. However, with time, the west has come up with different variations on this.

The Health Benefits of Eating Meat

Despite the increasing vegetarian trend, meat is very important to a balanced and healthy diet. Many people consider vegetables and fruits as worthy nutritional substitutes for the nutrients that meat offers. However, this is not the case. Meat offers great nutritional benefits that simply are not provided by other food sources. Eating meat can strengthen your metabolism as well as provide and much needed energy boost. Here are some great health benefits of eating meat:

High Quality Protein

Meat is a great source of high quality protein. Protein gives us energy and keeps our muscles and organs in good health. Animal proteins are nutritionally complete, as they contain all the essential amino acids that our bodies need from our diet. The body manufactures certain amino acids on its own, and amino acids from animal proteins can provide the rest. Although combining different kinds of plant sources can provide a complete protein, this requires special care and is often very difficult. Eating red meat is an easy way to ensure that your body is receiving the correct amount of essential amino acids.

Minerals

Meat contains a number of minerals such as zinc and iron, and selenium. When compared with plant foods, red meat contains very high quantities of iron. Iron helps in forming hemoglobin that distributes oxygen throughout your body. A lack of iron can cause anemia and other disorders. Zinc is a mineral that promotes healthy skin and immune system. High amounts of zinc are found in red meat. A zinc deficiency may cause a decrease in appetite which can lead to anorexia. Many children have a zinc deficiency, and this can be solved by increasing their consumption of red meat. Meat is also a great source of selenium. Selenium aids your body in the breakdown of fat and other chemicals.

Great Source of Vitamins

Meat is a great source of vitamins. Vitamins are crucial to your body's health. Vitamins A, B, and D are commonly found in meat. These vitamins strengthen your vision, teeth, and bones while supporting your central nervous system and promoting mental health as well.

Fat

Despite common belief, fat intake is actually essential to good overall health. Your body needs fat for the development of the brain as well as the ability to resist unfavorable conditions in your surrounding environment. Linoleic acid and palmitoleic acid are two of the fats present in meat. These fats help prevent your body from cancer and harmful viruses.

There are numerous benefits of eating meat. Meat is a great source of high quality protein, minerals, vitamins, and fat. It is very difficult to find a worthy substitute that offers all of these nutritional benefits. By eating meat regularly, you will strengthen your body and increase your health. You will be less susceptible to viruses and various infections and maintain an overall sound health. Two to three servings of meat each week will give you these benefits and help you to feel great.

Let's Look Into The Emergence Of A World Class Cuisine - Japanese Cuisine!

Asia has seen a steady rise of visitors these days. Its main attractions are the cultures of its inhabitants, nature and of late, its wide variety of mouthwatering cuisines. Indeed, Asia has seen a steady stream of tourists whose main aim is just to sample the traditional foods and recipes. There are quite a number of Asian cuisines, top on the list being, the Chinese cuisine, the Thai cuisine and the Japanese cuisine.

The cultures of the countries always, more than often, have a direct impact on the recipes and the preparation of their respective cuisines. The people of Japan for example, have rich cultures that have amazed the world over and over again. Their fighting techniques, their clothing, their beliefs and their world renowned ceremonies and celebrations, are all clear indicators of their cultural wealth. Believe it or not, each of the above named cultures has influenced the Japanese eating habits in one way or another.

Japanese cuisine has a rich history that dates back to approximately 2,000 years ago. However, a big chunk of the modern day cuisine has been influenced greatly by events that have occurred in the recent years. Arguably, the biggest turning point for Japan in terms of food was the introduction of rice into the region from Korea. Within a hundred years of its introduction into the islands, rice became the most common food in Japan, making it the staple food.

In fact, the Japanese were so impressed by this new crop that they started devising other uses for it. A popular use of rice at this time was in the making of wine. Shortly after the introduction of rice into Japan, Chinese immigrants introduced two other crops: soy beans and wheat. These two crops later came to be used as ingredients in Japanese foods and are still used to date. Other important imports from the Chinese included chopsticks and tea. This supports the notion that Japanese eating habits borrowed heavily from China and Korea.

Another integral factor in the history of their culinary development has been religion. The consumption of meat especially from four legged animals as well as chicken was prohibited. However, this did not take long and Japanese started eating meat again but during the time, there was an increase in the consumption of fish. The increased consumption of fish was also accelerated by the fact that Japan is an island. Due to this, there came the need to preserve fish. Subsequently, this led to the origination of sushi, referring to fish that had been preserved by fermenting it in boiled rice. As the years went by, the time used to ferment sushi was shortened and this led to the emergence of sushi as a popular snack.

It can never be complete if you walk into a Japanese restaurant and fail to order sushi. It is not only tasty but it is also healthy and affordable. Different restaurants prepare the meals differently and it is at your pleasure to ask the waiter to prepare sushi the way you want it. Japanese people are hospitable and welcoming and if you are planning for a vacation you better consider Japan. Apart from the foods, you are going to enjoy great sceneries and other beauties of the world.