Vesta

New York City is big. You may be the little fish in a big pond.  I surely was. Overwhelmed by the size, people, choices, and personality. Four years in this city and I am at a place where I call this home. It’s really the little things that make the whole experience rich.  I have my “go-to” places from coffee shops, bagel store, nail salon, dentist, and Saturday morning running routes. And to make my circle complete, I have found my go-to brunch place.  Really? Brunch?! Well if you know anything about New York, it’s that there real brunch culture that’s true to its etymological origins.  It’s perfect! New Yorkers, we sleep late and wake up late. New York really trumps at the art of this meal.

Vesta, an Italian Restaurant & wine Bar is tucked away in a busy area is definitely a local gem. They are committed to the local green market that means all the ingredients are from local farmers.  This also serves as a special place because I have taken, essentially everyone that I love here. From my best girlfriends to out of towners. This also serves as a special place because Mr. T and I had our first brunch here!

Pictured above is the Hangover pizza that features potato, pancetta, sausage, fried eggs & spicy tomato sauce.  The egg on that pizza just does something to you! My favorite is the Warm Bankie.  It tastes just like the name.  Warm like a blanket wrapped around you. It has layers of polenta then topped with asparagus, mushrooms & truffle oil. Oh and fried egg on that as well.

The staff here is really friendly and very welcoming. I’ll probably take a visit this weekend :)

Cocoron

This may seem like just a bowl of soba noodles to you, but I wish you can hear the bowls clanking, words between friends, and most of all, see how petite this place is! You couldn’t fit more then 12 people. This was rather a special day for me where my best friend & I were meeting each other’s “significant other”. Cocoron, the Japanese soba noodle restaurant in the lower east side, I thought may have been a brilliant choice since they were out of towners visiting for the day. But of course I forget how jam-packed and nearly impossible for party of four to sit together on a Saturday night. But after a few minutes of anxiety of whether switch up... through a miracle of God and prayer, we were able to sit all together, enjoying this lovely meal after a rainy Saturday. In my hopelessness, there was light!

The bowl that is featured is Pork Kimchee dip Soba. It was so delicious! I will definitely have this again. We also had the green tea ice cream to share. It was rather a successful day! :)