Secret Restaurant Recipes Review & Giveaway

Secret Restaurant Recipes Review & Giveaway

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a cookbook. Like ever. It probably has a lot to do with my affinity for eating out. And beautiful food photography. And superb design. And impeccable styling. In a word, this book is: PERFECTION.

And I’d expect nothing less from seasoned cookbook writers Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek. Leah is the author of Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking, while Victoria is the managing editor of Whisk magaizne. Together, they coauthored the Made Easy cookbook series including Starters & Sides Made Easy, Passover Made Easy, Dairy Made Easy and Kids Cooking Made Easy. When I heard they were working on a new cookbook, I wondered what they would be “making easy”, but I never imagined it would be restaurant recipes!

As a true foodie, I’ve eaten at many a kosher restaurant, and I was surprised to see just how many amazing kosher restaurants are covered in this book (over 70!). From Tierra Sur in Oxnard, California (one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had), to Rare in Miami Beach, FL (love their crab cakes) and Pizza Pita in Montreal (I always wondered how they make their poutine!). There’s also Carlos & Gabby’s in New Jersey (who doesn’t love their crispy chicken fingers?!) and New York favorites like Amsterdam Burger Co. (the breakfast burger is incredible!), Reserve Cut (I always orders the short rib tacos!) and my favorite local places like Basil Pizza & Wine Bar (they serve up their famous basil fries just up the street), Mason & Mug (I’ve been reinventing their deviled kale salad forever!), and Pardes (wish they would have included their smoked paprika popcorn recipe). Restaurants in England, Israel, Italy, Mexico and even Panama, are also included.

It’s so exciting to get a sneak peek behind some of the establishments that we regularly frequent. And Secret Restaurant Recipes is about more than just the recipes. It also includes tips and techniques from today’s top kosher chefs. I was surprised to see that some of the recipes are fairly easy, while others are more involved. When I first looked through the cookbook and had a craving for Reserve Cut’s short rib tacos, I just got up and went to the restaurant! On the other hand, Pizza Pita’s poutine was so ridiculously easy, I was able to make it quickly at home.

Thanks to the generosity of Artscroll/Mesorah Publications, I’m sharing 2 recipes from the book here. I recently did a demo at a chinese auction where Victoria Dwek also demonstrated the eggplant chicken from Segal’s Oasis Grill in Phoenix, Arizona. It smelled so incredible, I just knew I had to include it! I’m also sharing a dessert recipe from Bagels & Greens because if their donuts are any indication, these brownies are going to be a real treat!

Purchase Secret Restaurant Recipes on Amazon.

Read a review of Everyday Secret Restaurant Recipes.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Of course, I’m also giving away a FREE COPY of Secret Restaurant Recipes! To enter, simply leave a comment below about your favorite kosher restaurant dish. For an extra entry, follow Busy In Brooklyn via any of the channels below. Just be sure to leave a note in the comment letting me know where you follow.

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Giveaway is open to U.S. residents (for international entries, prize can only be shipped in the U.S.). Winner will be chosen at random at 10:00 AM EST on Tuesday, January 6th, 2015.

Eggplant Chicken in Garlic Sauce (Segal’s Oasis Grill, Phoenix, Arizona)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
kosher salt, for sprinkling
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp cornstarch, for dredging
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/3 cup shredded carrots
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Dark Sauce:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

1. Sprinkle eggplant chunks with salt; allow to rest for 20-30 minutes (this process will prevent eggplant from soaking up too much oil during frying). Rinse salt from eggplant and drain well.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl,whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Prepare the chicken: Place cornstarch into a shallow dish; toss the chicken in cornstarch to coat very well.
4. Heat 3-inches of oil in a wok or 1-inch oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chicken to hot oil and pan-fry until golden, 2-3 minutes  per side. Remove from oil and set side.
5. Add the eggplant to the same pan and fry until light golden, 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and set aside. Discard oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok or pan.
6. Add garlic and chili pepper flakes and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Return chicken and eggplant to the pan. Add carrots and sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes, coating all the ingredients well with the sauce.

Praline Brownies (Bagels & Greens, Brooklyn, NY)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

8 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1⁄3 cups (11 oz) sugar
1 cup (5 oz) flour
1⁄2 cup (2 oz) cocoa
1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp nut extract (optional)
2 tsp praline extract (optional)
7 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
chocolate frosting, (recipe follows)
chocolate and white chocolate curls, for garnish

Chocolate Frosting:
10 oz milk chocolate
4 Tbsp praline paste*
4 oz mixed crunchy nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed 9 x 13­inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate with the butter.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs and sugar at high speed for 5-­6 minutes.
4. Carefully pour in melted chocolate mixture. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix until mixture is smooth and shiny, about 4 minutes. Add in extracts, if using. Fold in white chocolate.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes (the edges should be hard, top cracked,
6. Prepare the frosting: Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Add praline paste and mix until combined. Gently pour over the top of the cake. Tilt the pan sideways until entire cake is fully covered.
7. Sprinkle nuts or chocolate curls on top. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until frosting is set. Let cool before slicing into bars.

*Praline paste is made from hazelnuts/filberts and sugar, ground into a paste.

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178 thoughts on “Secret Restaurant Recipes Review & Giveaway”

  15. The baby green salad at Blue Point is my favorite. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
    Erin
    fairyfractal at gmail dot com

    Reply

  29. The Roast Beef French Dip Sandwich with horseradish mayo and au jus gravy from Jeff’s Deli on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles! Yum, want one now (only 3000 miles away!), along with a side of onion rings!

    Reply

  31. I love and hope to “replicate” the bolognese from Aderet Grill in Dallas!
    I follow you on FB, Instagram, and Pinterest!
    Shavua Tov!

    Reply

  32. Mike’s Bistro short ribs are delicious. I would love to see which recipes in “Secret Restaurant Recipes” measure up.

    Reply

  33. i would love the recipe for salmon w all kinds of seeds on top used to have at Ariel’s in Englewood don’t know if any other restaurant has
    I follow you on facebook

    Reply

  39. My favorite dish is the artichokes from Tevere in New York City! They are the best item and super delicious! I follow you on instagram (@lindsaysetton)

    Reply

  63. I love recipe you listed. Looks incredible. But I also just enjoy a Tuna melt on rye bread w great fries. I follow you on all four (twitter, Facebook, pinterest & Instagram). Thanks! Hope to win!!!

    Reply

  68. Being that I live in a small college-town shtetel in North-Central Indiana, going out to eat happens infrequently. My favorite restaurant food is “The Dempster” roast Beef Sandwich. It is served at “Ken’s Diner” in Skokie, IL.

    Reply

  70. I make your Honey Zaatar chicken at least once a month. I get rave reviews for something that has so few ingredients and so easily prepared. I follow you on email, FB and Pinterest. I will learn how to do Instagram and Twitter someday. In the meanwhile would love this new cookbook.
    Happy 2015!

    Reply

  77. My most memorable dish was the ribs at Shmulke Bernstein’s on the Lower East Side, many years ago.

    I enjoy your blog very much. Would love to win this great looking cookbook!

    Reply

  82. I love the black bean burger and roasted sweet potatoes at a new kosher restaurant in Stamford, CT called “613.” I mostly follow you on e-mail and sometimes fb. Thank you.

    Reply

  86. I would love the recipe for all the burgers they serve at amsterdam burger becase one burger recipe would be too hard to choose.

    Reply

  99. I would love to win this cookbook and give it away because my kids bought this cookbook for me for Chanukah and its awesome. I have already made the eggplant chicken recipe that you posted and it was delicious and not difficult at all. I also made the blackened fish and even though it did smoke up my kitchen it was totally worth it. Last night I made the Cedarhurst sandwich from Carlos & Gabby and it was quite a supper. I gave some extra fried chicken pieces to my friend who just “happened” to be driving by at the right time and she couldn’t believe how delicious it was.
    I would love to have a few recipes from the now closed Haikara restaurant. No other restaurant’s negemake comes close to the taste of their’s. Also their peanut butter eggplant and the ginger carrot dressing on their house salad were amazing. I would also love the fettuccine al salmon (also called Pasta Sofia) at Va Bene which is melt in your mouth delicious. I am already looking forward to volume 2 of this cookbook. It was a really nice change from the usual “10 ways to make shabbos chicken or kugel” type of cookbook.

    Reply

  100. ok I love all the recipes and I find the cookbook very exciting but I have to say your enthusiastic voice and stamp of approval seals the deal for me!
    I bought this cookbook for chanuka for all of my nieces – 14!!- plus 2 of my daughters! But now I need one for me!!
    Love
    your blog – follow it all the time!

    Reply

  101. I love going to Tierra Sur and eating their wonderful Grilled chicken salad.
    They always use the freshest ingredients and have very innovative dishes

    Reply

  107. Favorite dish (please see if they will share the recipe) is Basil’s mushroom soup – it’s creamy and delicious without using any cream! I follow you on Instagram

    Reply

  109. I love your blog and follow you on Facebook, instagram, and pintrest. I would love to win this book. I recently moved to a more out of town area from Brooklyn and definitely find i miss some yummy things.

    Reply

  110. Love the veggie fantasy wrap from Yakimono in Montreal!!!!
    And would love to win this giveaway and learn the secrets of many restaurants :)

    Reply

  119. Love eggplant and chicken from David Chus Baltimore!I enjoy receiving your emails with new recipes to try…the photography and graphics are amazing too!

    Reply

  127. Following you on Facebook!
    When it comes to eating out I am not picky and love everything since I don’t eat out often at all (twice a year?) so everything tastes awesome :)

    Reply

  140. Favorite kosher restaurant is PIZZA PITA in MONTREAL . MY TOP 10 on their menu-
    Poutine, fish burger, veggie calzone, paninis, salad bar, wraps, Hawaiian pizza, curly fries, mushroom pizza, falafel, …to name a few!!!!

    Reply

  142. I love the shredded beef tacos from reserve cut!
    I follow you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest :).
    Pick me!!

    Reply

  144. Love a good burger from Amsterdam burgers and I personally think their fries are the best I’ve ever had…better than the famous basil fries. I follow you on Instagram, twitter, Pinterest and Facebook! Love your work!

    Reply

  145. My favorite dish is the bacon ice cream from Nobo Wine & Grill in Teaneck NJ.
    PS I follow you on facebook, instagram, and pinterest.

    Reply

  162. Really difficult to think of something that can top all the recipes that we’ve made from Busy in Brooklyn; but the roasted vegetables at Trattoria in Jerusalem and the lentil salad at SIMA in Jerusalem are at the top of our lists.

    Reply

  164. In a town of few kosher restaurants (St. Louis), anything from a kosher restaurant would be welcome.
    I follow you on Facebook and Pinterest.

    Reply

  165. I love the Barn Salad from Blue Star Kosher in Maryland. Its got pulled BBQ chicken, corn kernels, black beans, homemade crispy tortilla strips, sliced cucumbers and diced tomatoes. I follow you on pinterest and instagram (toecoe94) Thanks for this great opportunity to win! you are awesome!

    Reply

  168. I know there are recipes out there for replicas of Dougie’s hot poppers, it’s never the same when I make it myself. I don’t have the deep, satisfying crunch (that I guess owes to a deep fryer)

    Reply

  169. I love the way they used to make the veggie tempura at Dougie’s years ago, they used to use many different types of vegetables with lots of cauliflower and mushrooms, and I think even some double-fried eggplant. Now they seem to be 80% sweet potatoes, no longer interesting. And they used to be so moist you could eat them without dipping….. now too dry to nobble without the dipping sauce

    Reply

  172. I absolutely love to cook and I’m having a wonderful time finding new and exciting dishes to make all the time. This cookbook looks like it would be the ultimate one for me and my family. We love to eat out and I would love it if I could make some of our favorite restaurant dishes.

    Reply

  175. I follow you on instagram, love your recipes! Going out to eat is my favorite thing to do!! Love Basil,Mikes Bistro,Nobo,Reserve Cut,The Loft…..u name it..lol

    Reply

  176. Holy guacamole, Chanie! That Eggplant Chicken in Garlic Sauce recipe looks delicious! I’m always interested in trying restaurant copy-cat recipes. I try cooking for my family weekly, so I’ll be sure to move this recipe to the top of the list. Do you think I could use powdered garlic instead of chopped? Thanks for sharing. :)

    Reply

    1. Thanks Lily! It’s not my recipe (it’s from the cookbook) but I actually did a cooking demonstration alongside the author and it smelled INCREDIBLE! I would definitely recommend fresh garlic in this recipe.

      Reply

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