TheBetterHalf, Author at Chez CateyLou

Seattle – Top 20 (part 1)

June 24, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 7 Comments

A recap of our trip to Seattle in a list format! Here are 20 of our favorite things about this beautiful city in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle | chezcateylou.com

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Cate and I ventured out to the great Pacific Northwest to spend some time in Seattle. It was our first time in this area of the country and we really enjoyed our time in this beautiful city on the water. To mix things up, instead of writing a full narrative I’m just going to list 20 impressions about Seattle (feel free to let me know what I got wrong in the comments). We’ll do the first 10 today, and another 10 later this week. Here goes.
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Istanbul, Turkey (part 1)

June 2, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 6 Comments

An overview of some of the sights and restaurants in the amazing city of Istanbul, Turkey and a closer look at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet.

In February, Cate and I spent four nights in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is a truly transcontinental city as it falls right on the Asia/Europe border. To get a better appreciation of this gigantic city of almost 14 million people, we spent a few nights in both the historic old city (Sultanahmet) and a few in the newer side near the Bosphorus strait. In honor of this split city, we’ll split our recap into two posts: today a recap of the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar, Mikla Restaurant, and a look at some of the best sandwiches in Istanbul. …

Carbone – NYC

May 10, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 3 Comments

A $55 Veal Parmesan?

There’s no way to assess a meal at Carbone without acknowledging that you’re paying for an experience. For an ambiance lifted straight out of the Mad Men era: white table cloths, old-school tile floors, and a Rat Pack heavy playlist. For waiters with a surly demeanors outfitted in snappy maroon tuxedos. And especially for a menu that’s almost audacious in its simplicity – straightforward dishes that are souped-up versions of Italian-American classics.

So taking this all into account, does it live up to the hype? It sure does. …

Jacob’s Pickles – NYC

April 4, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 11 Comments

If you are looking for delicious southern food on the Upper West Side of NYC, then look no further than Jacob’s Pickles! This is comfort food at its finest!

This is Southern face it, if we too simple, than y’all don’t get the basics.

Sure, the above Lil’ Wayne quote may be referencing Southern rap music, but he just as easily could have been talking about Southern food. Biscuits, fried chicken, gravy, repeat. It’s not that hard. And yet, it’s not easy to find a spot near our apartment that excels at this kind of homey food. My favorite NYC chicken and biscuit joint, Pies -n- Thighs in Williamsburg, is incredible, but I don’t always have the time to travel to Brooklyn nor the patience to deal with hipsters. Luckily, Jacob’s Pickles, located in the Upper West Side, has brought delicious (and gut-busting) comfort food to Manhattan, alongside a great craft beer menu, pickled everything, and an inspired cocktail list. It’s definitely my favorite uptown brunch spot.

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RedFarm – NYC

March 7, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 2 Comments

RedFarm on Hudson Street in New York City is a modern Chinese restaurant in a rustic yet hip setting. Delicious food and fun vibe.

So far on Friday Dinner Series we’ve covered a few of our favorite Asian spots in New York City: the James Beard nominated Uncle Boons (ahem, we discovered it first, Mr. Beard), Ippudo, Momofuku Noodle Bar, and Momofuku Ssam Bar. But what about Chinese? With the recent rise in popularity of more exotic Asian cuisines – ramen, Thai, Vietnamese, and of course sushi – Chinese food is often forgotten. I mean, there’s nothing trendy or different about Chinese food, right? You’ve got your General Tso’s, some egg rolls, a heaping helping of MSG, and if you’re feeling crazy, extra packets of duck sauce. But RedFarm has changed all of that and made Chinese food cool again thanks to incredible flavors and awesome twists on traditional dishes.

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