All in one day? No problem!

The next morning we ambitiously tackled Doughnut Plant and Le Maison du Chocolat. They both always top our list, but never back to back and so close to lunchtime. So many sweets, so little time. We strolled endlessly through the city streets enjoying the holiday decorations and vibe after an indulging morning of doughnuts (creme brulee and peanut butter & jelly), lattes, and sinful hot chocolate.

Many steps and Uber minutes later, our group made it to lunch at ABC Kitchen. Seated at a beautiful round table for six, we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. Chic with a side of street sass thrown in, this Jean-Georges original has fascinated me for years. Not only is the food extraordinary, but I love supporting their genuine farm-to-table efforts. Locally grown fresh produce? Mostly organic? Cruelty free-humanly treated livestock? Free of pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, and GMOs? Yes, yes, yes! My favorite hot-sauce butter fried chicken dish is no longer available for lunch, but you can still order it off the dinner menu. Our party size allowed us to sample a good portion of the menu. #travelperks The highlights were the Ricotta and Farm Egg Raviolo and the Akaushi Cheeseburger. For dessert, the Cookie Plate and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sundae were the crowd pleasers, as usual. I especially loved the simple and lightly sweet Almond Cake. Make sure you research what the restaurant-front looks like, to avoid getting lost as I did my first time.

To say I’m excited about the upcoming ABC Kitchen Miami is to put it lightly.

I’m pretty sure the after-lunch scene involved more walking and most likely a nap. You’d think there would be plenty of time in between eats to explore. Truthfully speaking, when every meal averages at least two hours, and traffic is a nightmare, that’s just not the case.

Later on, recovered and ready to tackle our second night in the city, we arrived at The Modern. The entrance makes a much greater statement at night when the lighting accents the curved wall dramatically. Several things have changed since my last visit. The menu now offers four or eight-course options. Tipping is no longer allowed. And except for alcohol or corkage fee, the price is all-inclusive. Not sure about an official dress code, but everyone dressed stylishly elegant. From the time I reserved to the time of our visit, the Michelin Guide upgraded The Modern to a second Michelin star; I can see why. Everything was on point from beginning to end. Service and dinner flowed perfectly.

To begin, a Beet Tasting arrived as an amuse bouche, and I was less than thrilled. I detest beets. But I loved, loved, loved this tasting. The outstanding trio of beets consisted of a beets consommé, beet chips, and beet Madeleines. Every single course was praiseworthy. I chose the Roasted Honeynut Squash in a black truffle sauce, Fontina Gnocchi with the white truffles supplement, Crispy Long Island Duck, and Truffle Cornbread Pudding dessert. Need I say more? Excited to add the cheese course to my menu (since apparently, I wasn’t eating enough), our waiter brought the cart over to explain the cheese selection. I chose to let him decide for us, and it was perfect. The Modern became my favorite experience of the entire trip. That’s a big deal, given the caliber of restaurants we were blessed to visit.

Day 1 Shake Shack & Eleven Madison Park 

Day 3 Momofuku Ko & Jean-Georges

Day 4 The Palm Court & Ai Fiori