Another favorite in New York City, is Petite Abeille, a small belgian bistro with 4 locations. I have only been to the Tribeca and the West Village location but would assume that all 4 have similar quality.
The decor is quite friendly - with it taken homage to its namesake "Little Bee" which was a very popular childrens book in Belgium in the 70's. The interiors of their restaurants are all decorated with images of Tintin and other popular Belgian cartoon and comic book characters.
The menu starts off in a beer lover's fantasy, with over 40+ belgian beers (mostly in bottle) ranging from Lambics, Abbey Ales, Trappistes, Amber Ales, and Strong Golden Ales. If you would prefer a glass of wine - they have a decent wine list as well. Just check out the chalk board on the wall to see exactly what they have.
From Breakfast to Dinner - with lunch and brunch in between, Petite Abeille has a wide range of Waffles, Omelettes, Sandwiches, Croques, Moules, Steak & Frites, and Salads to chose from. They do have a kids menu for those who dine with their children. The pricing is reasonable and portions are nice sized. They also have daily specials between Monday and Thursday and are :
Monday: 1/2 off all Belgian beers from Noon to Close
Tuesday: 1/2 off all bottle of wine
Wednesday: $19.95 for all you can eat Moules/Mussells and One Stella
Thursday: $19.95 Lobster Night.
So stop in and try Petite Abeille, as they can be found in New York City at the following locations:
#1 - 401 E 20th @ 1st Ave
#2 - 466 Hudson btw Grove and Barrow Sts
#3 - 44 W 17th Street btw 5th and 6th Sts
#4 - 134 W Broadway btw Duane and Thomas Sts
As the winter in New York winds down - it got me thinking about one of my favorite locales, St. Barthelemy (St Barths) in the French West Indies. This was one of the most relaxing places to be (in the off season), and as a foodie it was out of this world!
From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, all we did was enjoy the food, the drink, and the people in our little paradise. Considering that this island is thought to be pretentious and one of the most ritzy islands in the caribbean, I have to admit that it was very friendly and down to earth during the middle of their slow season.
Although we enjoyed restaurants of all levels from the small little "hole in the walls" to the top restaurants on the island, the one that truly stood out was Pipiri Palace, a little quaint restaurant located in the middle in Gustavia. The food was outstanding, as I had a seared Tuna Steak, and my wife enjoyed a Filet Mignon with a crust of apples and gorgonzola cheese. On top of the food, the service was excellent! On top of the complimentary small bottle of Vanilla Rhum, that almost every restaurants offers at the end of the meal, we were given several other bottles during the hour after our meal that we sat talking with another couple that was in the restaurant.
On top of this restaurant, there were a slew of other great places that had either great food, to have a drink, or both. From Le Select, Bacardi Cafe, Andy's Hideaway, (to name a few) the choices were amazing. To compliment the restaurants, one can visit the local supermarket Match Supermarche across from the airstrip. Since the island gets the bulk of their food and goods from a daily delivery from France, walking into the supermarket gives you the sense that you are in Paris, with great cheeses, wines, meats, and much more. There is no doubt, no matter what you are in the mood to eat or drink, one can truly satisfy their culinary needs on this wonderful island.
