Did you know Murray's Cheese shop offers $4 grilled cheeses (with add ons)?? AND did you know that if you get a melt between 3-6pm you can get a FREE scoop of ice cream (while supplies last)???
You know where I'll be on Monday.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Better Being Underground
Better Being Underground is true in some ways. It's a really cute little lunch shop that is literally underground. Parts of their menu changes daily such as the soups, “grain” and salads with rotating sandwiches every now and then. They also sell little plastic cartons of honey-based heart-shaped jellybeans. But that is where the cute ends. Being underground means not seeing the light of day... this shop should really not see the light of day with their poor excuses for a sandwich.
Their 10 or so sandwiches range from 7.50 to 10.99 (or if you go on tues-thurs, you can get the lobster roll for $14.99). I decided on the Madama Cristo which was described as Antibiotic Free Turkey w/Apple & Gouda on Pressed Raisin Sofitel. Nowhere in the description was there 2 tablespoons of spicy Dijon mustard, which is what I had to scrape off on BOTH sides of the sandwich- which 1) was cold despite the very obvious grill marks 2) was a little circle about 5” in diameter 3) came with a “Pickle Guys” pickle, except the “pickle” was about a spear 1/5 of the size of a normal one. But they do throw in a free bag of chips (whoo).
Still, when I order an $8 sandwich from a little shop, I expect one that I can’t eat in 5 bites. I also expect turkey to look more like turkey than ham, but maybe my standards are a little too high.
I don't think I will be going back here any time soon, especially with so many eateries in the neighborhood.
Their 10 or so sandwiches range from 7.50 to 10.99 (or if you go on tues-thurs, you can get the lobster roll for $14.99). I decided on the Madama Cristo which was described as Antibiotic Free Turkey w/Apple & Gouda on Pressed Raisin Sofitel. Nowhere in the description was there 2 tablespoons of spicy Dijon mustard, which is what I had to scrape off on BOTH sides of the sandwich- which 1) was cold despite the very obvious grill marks 2) was a little circle about 5” in diameter 3) came with a “Pickle Guys” pickle, except the “pickle” was about a spear 1/5 of the size of a normal one. But they do throw in a free bag of chips (whoo).
Still, when I order an $8 sandwich from a little shop, I expect one that I can’t eat in 5 bites. I also expect turkey to look more like turkey than ham, but maybe my standards are a little too high.
I don't think I will be going back here any time soon, especially with so many eateries in the neighborhood.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sailors Live the Good Life.
When the Village Lobster & Crabhouse started to build up downstairs from my office, jumping and a lot of patient waiting occurred. I work in SoHo/West Village where there are many great restaurants but sometimes, you just have a hankering for seafood. I’ve also always wanted to go to a restaurant opening for some reason. I know better now. I understand starting anything new in any regard takes time and there will be a lot of kinks, but the guy who opened this one also owns City Crab so you’d think he’d have his sh*t together. Don’t get me wrong, I met him and he is very nice and even showed me the new prix-fixe menu he was making up. Currently they have a $14.95 2-course prix-fixe that is available for lunch or dinner and boy does it sound yummy. For a $5 supplement fee you can get a lobster roll. They also have a bar menu ranging from $8-$12 which includes items such as fried calamari with chipotle lime dipping sauce, clam chowder, artichoke spinach and crab dip with old bay pita chips, 99c oysters, mozzarella sticks and of course crab cakes. Happy Hour is from 4-8pm with $10 pitchers, $4 bottles and draughts and $4 oyster shots.
But what really caught our eye was the $21.95 Lobster Bake special that includes a 1 ¼ lb maine lobster, 4 mussels, 3 clams, roasted potatoes, corn on the cop and a cup of clam chowder. How do you beat that??
My coworker and I each ordered that last night and it was certainly filling. Nothing like cracking into a whole lobster with juices squirting in your eye. My only complaint was that the mussels and clams were dry (though I later realized there was a pool of seafood juice under the lobster) and the small portion of potatoes got soggy but the corn was sweet and soft. I only wish there was some more carbs… like a baked potato or French fries. We also had to ask for the drawn butter which would not be a big deal, but how do you have lobster without a cup of melted butter?? I’m not complaining at the value of this meal. The clam chowder was served in a generous bowl and full of clams. I think this place has a lot of potential and I will probably visit it again especially for lunch during a cold winter day.
Photos to come later!
But what really caught our eye was the $21.95 Lobster Bake special that includes a 1 ¼ lb maine lobster, 4 mussels, 3 clams, roasted potatoes, corn on the cop and a cup of clam chowder. How do you beat that??
My coworker and I each ordered that last night and it was certainly filling. Nothing like cracking into a whole lobster with juices squirting in your eye. My only complaint was that the mussels and clams were dry (though I later realized there was a pool of seafood juice under the lobster) and the small portion of potatoes got soggy but the corn was sweet and soft. I only wish there was some more carbs… like a baked potato or French fries. We also had to ask for the drawn butter which would not be a big deal, but how do you have lobster without a cup of melted butter?? I’m not complaining at the value of this meal. The clam chowder was served in a generous bowl and full of clams. I think this place has a lot of potential and I will probably visit it again especially for lunch during a cold winter day.
Photos to come later!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
How to Burn Your Tongue
Make the easiest personal pan pizza ever and get too excited to let it cool down...
After my after-work run today, I headed over to Fairway to pick up some groceries. After scoffing at how much the loaves of bread were ($4!) I decided to pick up some wraps. I saw Aladdin Bakers made Sundried Tomato and Basil wraps which was something like $2.50. I read the packaging and it had a list of things to do with it such as various sandwiches but also... pizza. Intriguing, I thought. Even though I have had a lot of pizza recently (including today for lunch where I got 2 slices at Spunto), it was one of the few things that I craved as I was so sick of eating lentils, kale and quinoa that i needed something fatty, cheesy and/or meaty (nevermind the fact that is all I ate over the weekend). So I went to the cheese section, picked up a small ball of mozzarella ($3.99), some anchovies ($2.50) and a can of tomato puree ($1.60). When I got home I just HAD to make it so I found my circular pizza pan, put a piece of tin foil on it, laid out a sundried tomato & basil wrap, spread a tiny bit of tomato puree, cut up some mozz (ok...a lot of mozz), and 3 filets of anchovies, drizzled a tiny bit of Olive Oil and popped it in the oven at 400F. 15-20 minutes later I found the cheese bubbling and the wrap toasted. I pulled it out and it was PERFECT. Surprisingly the wrap held together nicely and crisped up to a SUPER thin-crust. the cheese melded together and the anchovies gave it a nice salty kick. I sprinkled basil, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes and one of the easiest tastiest AND cheapest meals was born. This will definitely be made again soon.
P.S. I went up to the Organic section and found Sprouted Multi-Grain loaves for only $2.50. Organic, gluten-free AND cheaper than the heavily-processed sugared bread downstairs.
After my after-work run today, I headed over to Fairway to pick up some groceries. After scoffing at how much the loaves of bread were ($4!) I decided to pick up some wraps. I saw Aladdin Bakers made Sundried Tomato and Basil wraps which was something like $2.50. I read the packaging and it had a list of things to do with it such as various sandwiches but also... pizza. Intriguing, I thought. Even though I have had a lot of pizza recently (including today for lunch where I got 2 slices at Spunto), it was one of the few things that I craved as I was so sick of eating lentils, kale and quinoa that i needed something fatty, cheesy and/or meaty (nevermind the fact that is all I ate over the weekend). So I went to the cheese section, picked up a small ball of mozzarella ($3.99), some anchovies ($2.50) and a can of tomato puree ($1.60). When I got home I just HAD to make it so I found my circular pizza pan, put a piece of tin foil on it, laid out a sundried tomato & basil wrap, spread a tiny bit of tomato puree, cut up some mozz (ok...a lot of mozz), and 3 filets of anchovies, drizzled a tiny bit of Olive Oil and popped it in the oven at 400F. 15-20 minutes later I found the cheese bubbling and the wrap toasted. I pulled it out and it was PERFECT. Surprisingly the wrap held together nicely and crisped up to a SUPER thin-crust. the cheese melded together and the anchovies gave it a nice salty kick. I sprinkled basil, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes and one of the easiest tastiest AND cheapest meals was born. This will definitely be made again soon.
P.S. I went up to the Organic section and found Sprouted Multi-Grain loaves for only $2.50. Organic, gluten-free AND cheaper than the heavily-processed sugared bread downstairs.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Eataly
I FINALLY got to go to Grimaldi’s. I don’t know what took me so long, but Tom and I had gone to Amorino (on Vanderbilt) for dinner on Saturday night and I satiated my lust and craving for anchovies (Tom hates them and opted for the white pizza special with onions, ricotta, sausage and basil). Mine was super salty with the fish, capers and olives. His eggplant caponata was nothing special so I won’t even bother discussing it. Apparently this little pizzeria is Zagat rated and he said if I liked this crust (thin, a little chewy) then I’d really love Grimaldi’s, so we finally made a date to go yesterday (Sunday). I also wanted to bring him to Eataly which I will talk about in a bit.
We got to Grimaldi’s in the dreary cloudy weather and of course there was a long line outside. This pizza better be good. They are very efficient in getting people in and out so we didn’t have to wait longer than half an hour but it is very cramped. We had this Asian guy behind us who kept trying to get Tom to tell the guy we were together with his wife/gf in case they called a table of 4. Turns out they were seated next to us anyway as he pointed out… For future reference: Please don’t talk to me when I’m about to eat and don’t appear too clingy.
We ordered a large margherita with half ricotta and Italian sausage. Delicioso! We actually managed to eat the entire pie between the two of us. I can now check off this NYC institution off my list with rave remarks.
After we paid the bill, we trekked off to Eataly in Chelsea. If you love Italian food, this market brought to NYC by Mario Batalli is the gastronomical paradise you’ve always dreamed of. It is very reminiscent of the indoor Italian markets in Italy which is where Batalli got the idea from. However, it is a complete zoo inside. I thought it was going to be more like Chelsea Market where it has one long corridor spanning across one block with various restaurants and shops along it. Eataly is just one massive maze of gelato, pastries, espresso, artisanal breads, chocolates, restaurants, cured meats, cheeses, seafood, pasta, paninis, and beverages; also kind of like Harrod’s of London if you’ve ever been. But it’s kind of great seeing people walk around with their European-inspired basket-shopping carts and a glass of wine in hand. The restaurants are literally in the middle of aisles and there are seating areas all over the place; really neat atmosphere. We ended up getting a tiramisu and a gelato to share. Both hitting the spot, but what I really had my eye on was the pastas, meats and cheeses. Unfortunately the crowd was a turn-off as was the long line to purchase items so we walked away empty-handed. I will have to give it another try during the week when it hopefully won’t be as busy.
We got to Grimaldi’s in the dreary cloudy weather and of course there was a long line outside. This pizza better be good. They are very efficient in getting people in and out so we didn’t have to wait longer than half an hour but it is very cramped. We had this Asian guy behind us who kept trying to get Tom to tell the guy we were together with his wife/gf in case they called a table of 4. Turns out they were seated next to us anyway as he pointed out… For future reference: Please don’t talk to me when I’m about to eat and don’t appear too clingy.
We ordered a large margherita with half ricotta and Italian sausage. Delicioso! We actually managed to eat the entire pie between the two of us. I can now check off this NYC institution off my list with rave remarks.
After we paid the bill, we trekked off to Eataly in Chelsea. If you love Italian food, this market brought to NYC by Mario Batalli is the gastronomical paradise you’ve always dreamed of. It is very reminiscent of the indoor Italian markets in Italy which is where Batalli got the idea from. However, it is a complete zoo inside. I thought it was going to be more like Chelsea Market where it has one long corridor spanning across one block with various restaurants and shops along it. Eataly is just one massive maze of gelato, pastries, espresso, artisanal breads, chocolates, restaurants, cured meats, cheeses, seafood, pasta, paninis, and beverages; also kind of like Harrod’s of London if you’ve ever been. But it’s kind of great seeing people walk around with their European-inspired basket-shopping carts and a glass of wine in hand. The restaurants are literally in the middle of aisles and there are seating areas all over the place; really neat atmosphere. We ended up getting a tiramisu and a gelato to share. Both hitting the spot, but what I really had my eye on was the pastas, meats and cheeses. Unfortunately the crowd was a turn-off as was the long line to purchase items so we walked away empty-handed. I will have to give it another try during the week when it hopefully won’t be as busy.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Healthy Eats
Yes, I remember that the original purpose of this food blog was to chronicle healthy eating which somehow turned into how much bacon and fried chicken I was eating.
Well as I've announced before, I'm trying to start a new diet that is full of protein with less meat. My coworker and I somehow got on this health-kick with discovering kale and quinoa. My coworker T (who is vegetarian/pescatarian) has been bringing in a different Quinoa salad every week. First week had chickpeas and lemon juice. Second week was red quinoa with green beans, dried cranberries and walnuts. This week was red quinoa with apples and curry powder. Delish. I need to stock up pronto.
This was one of my lunches last week:
Can you guess what each thing is?
I also made a big batch of lentil soup (and sneaked in pancetta) which will be very welcoming to eat once it gets colder.
My goal by Sept 27 is to be able to run the 5K I booked in Disney World. Right now, I can probably do 2 easy. Hopefully eating healthier and losing some extra pounds will get me through the 3 miles. I believe I can do it, as last year when I tried to start running, I barely made half a mile without getting out of breath. Now, I wake up at 7 (sometimes) and run 1.2 miles. Wish me luck! Share any recipes in the comments as well.
Well as I've announced before, I'm trying to start a new diet that is full of protein with less meat. My coworker and I somehow got on this health-kick with discovering kale and quinoa. My coworker T (who is vegetarian/pescatarian) has been bringing in a different Quinoa salad every week. First week had chickpeas and lemon juice. Second week was red quinoa with green beans, dried cranberries and walnuts. This week was red quinoa with apples and curry powder. Delish. I need to stock up pronto.
This was one of my lunches last week:
Can you guess what each thing is?
I also made a big batch of lentil soup (and sneaked in pancetta) which will be very welcoming to eat once it gets colder.
My goal by Sept 27 is to be able to run the 5K I booked in Disney World. Right now, I can probably do 2 easy. Hopefully eating healthier and losing some extra pounds will get me through the 3 miles. I believe I can do it, as last year when I tried to start running, I barely made half a mile without getting out of breath. Now, I wake up at 7 (sometimes) and run 1.2 miles. Wish me luck! Share any recipes in the comments as well.
Weekend Feast
So much to update! As some of you may have heard, I lost my wallet (with years and years worth of irreplaceable things amongst the cash, credit cards and gift cards). I am trying to cope, but it is really hard to think all of that is gone.
But in better news: a BIG congratulations to Alice and Matt who got married this past weekend. I ate terribly and terribly well. Thursday, Tom and I drove down at 5:30am to get to Bowling Green, KY by 9pm their time. Kind of amazing and it was all Tom. The nice thing about driving on interstates is that you kind of HAVE to eat fast food since it's really all they offer. So naturally we got Wendy's. On Friday we got breakfast at Cracker Barrel. FINALLY. I've heard things from my southern folk and just the smell of Yankee candles in the "General Store" got me excited. I decided to go all out and get the southern fried chicken with grits, eggs, biscuits and lotsa gravy. I couldn't even finish my 2nd biscuit! Tom opted for the "healthier" option (yogurt, eggs, bran muffin) which was actually pretty delicious as well.
Then I finally got to see my best and oldest friend Alice at her then-fiance's family's home which was gorgeous. They had a 168 lb (gutted) pig roasting and Alice's adorable parents were busy burying delicious sweet potatoes underground. Seriously too spoiled. Saturday, we joined them at 8:30am for a yoga session in the backyard. Gorgeous day. Had breakfast there and then Tom and I got lunch at Sonic Burger- the drive-IN spot. I always saw the commercials and never really though much about them eating in their car. Little did I know that eating in your car was their schtick!
Love it. I got a cheeseburger and onion rings and an iced tea that was not what I ordered (the pains of ordering via intercom, I guess). The cheeseburger and onion rings were divine though. The batter for the onions was reminscent of zeppoles so if you can only imagine!
Saturday night was the wedding; a beautiful one at that. I got a little teary eyed when I finally hugged them post-vows. They are a cute couple and his family is so much fun and great hosts! Dinner included Korean beef (they forgot to serve our table but my grumbling stomach was not going to let us miss out on it). The servers also handed us a spring roll with peanut sauce. My only complaint was that it was actually a summer roll with fish sauce. Nevertheless, it was good... as was the perfectly-cooked medium rare steak.
Before our long drive home Sunday morning, we got breakfast at Waffle House- a dingy little place with a delicious Apple Oat Cinnamon waffle (Apparently we caught the first day of "National Waffle Week") and hashbrowns. Yay. We got Wendy's for lunch/dinner. Mmm Chili.
Because of my lack of funds now, I need to get creative with what I have in the pantry which is mostly carbs (rice and pasta) but I suppose that is better than nothing. Next post will be about the healthy attempts at eating my coworker and I are experimenting with!
But in better news: a BIG congratulations to Alice and Matt who got married this past weekend. I ate terribly and terribly well. Thursday, Tom and I drove down at 5:30am to get to Bowling Green, KY by 9pm their time. Kind of amazing and it was all Tom. The nice thing about driving on interstates is that you kind of HAVE to eat fast food since it's really all they offer. So naturally we got Wendy's. On Friday we got breakfast at Cracker Barrel. FINALLY. I've heard things from my southern folk and just the smell of Yankee candles in the "General Store" got me excited. I decided to go all out and get the southern fried chicken with grits, eggs, biscuits and lotsa gravy. I couldn't even finish my 2nd biscuit! Tom opted for the "healthier" option (yogurt, eggs, bran muffin) which was actually pretty delicious as well.
Then I finally got to see my best and oldest friend Alice at her then-fiance's family's home which was gorgeous. They had a 168 lb (gutted) pig roasting and Alice's adorable parents were busy burying delicious sweet potatoes underground. Seriously too spoiled. Saturday, we joined them at 8:30am for a yoga session in the backyard. Gorgeous day. Had breakfast there and then Tom and I got lunch at Sonic Burger- the drive-IN spot. I always saw the commercials and never really though much about them eating in their car. Little did I know that eating in your car was their schtick!
Love it. I got a cheeseburger and onion rings and an iced tea that was not what I ordered (the pains of ordering via intercom, I guess). The cheeseburger and onion rings were divine though. The batter for the onions was reminscent of zeppoles so if you can only imagine!
Saturday night was the wedding; a beautiful one at that. I got a little teary eyed when I finally hugged them post-vows. They are a cute couple and his family is so much fun and great hosts! Dinner included Korean beef (they forgot to serve our table but my grumbling stomach was not going to let us miss out on it). The servers also handed us a spring roll with peanut sauce. My only complaint was that it was actually a summer roll with fish sauce. Nevertheless, it was good... as was the perfectly-cooked medium rare steak.
Before our long drive home Sunday morning, we got breakfast at Waffle House- a dingy little place with a delicious Apple Oat Cinnamon waffle (Apparently we caught the first day of "National Waffle Week") and hashbrowns. Yay. We got Wendy's for lunch/dinner. Mmm Chili.
Because of my lack of funds now, I need to get creative with what I have in the pantry which is mostly carbs (rice and pasta) but I suppose that is better than nothing. Next post will be about the healthy attempts at eating my coworker and I are experimenting with!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Kale
Last week I went vegan… for lunch. I was skeptical at first since I do love steak, chicken, pork, duck, fish, etc… but I saw this restaurant nearby called Soy & Sake has a great lunch special. $6 gets you a choice of a cup of the soup of the day, salad, collard green roll or soy chicken teriyaki skewers and an entrée (either Chicken Pad Thai, Black Bean Ginger Stir Fry or Chicken Sandwich. There are other choices for a dollar or two extra). I went with Chicken Pad Thai. I’ve had mock chicken (or unchicken in some circles) and I’ve always been pleasantly surprised by it. This was no exception. I got the collard green roll which was actually really tasty (probably because it was a deep fried spring roll), and the chicken pad thai portion was huge. I could only eat half of it.
This got me (and my coworker) thinking… we should try to eat healthier as we are both trying to lose weight. I told her about Souen, a restaurant with only macrobiotic dishes. I went there once with L___ and this guy; and it was an interesting experience to say the least but that was more due to the company. The food was good, bland but good. I had a broiled salmon filet with burdock, hijiki, brown rice, squash, and who knows what else (the guy ordered). Anyway, I was really hankering for the chicken pad thai from the other place so my coworker got Souen and said it was really good.
She then looked up diets that included raw foods, macrobiotic, etc. and mentioned Kale. I always figured Kale was a seaweed and maybe had it once or twice but I wondered if Fairway had it. In actuality, it’s closer to the cabbage family and according to Wikipedia:
“Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium“
Sure enough, I went last night and a bunch was only $1.99. It was so big it could hardly fit in the plastic veggie bag. With my head sticking up, feeling pretty proud I had a head of lettuce and a huge thing of kale in my basket, I walked around, got milk, yogurt, iced tea, and some chicken apple sausage from the very nice butcher .
When I got home, I looked up kale recipes thinking I would probably just steam it and eat it with rice and some sausage but I saw a link that made them out to be like potato chips. Hmmm. Seemed simple enough. I tried it and 10 minutes later I was eating Kale and kind of loving it. Here’s the recipe:
Preheat oven to 350F Cut leaves off of center stem. Wash & dry. Tear up into bite sized pieces. Spread leaves over a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper). Drizzle a bit of olive oil over them. Season with kosher salt. Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are crisp. I sprinkled a bit more table salt while it was still hot. Let cool and enjoy.
SO EASY. I had a batch for breakfast this morning. I lightly fried up tofu for lunch. I also ran a 1.23 miles this morning at 7am. What have I become??
This got me (and my coworker) thinking… we should try to eat healthier as we are both trying to lose weight. I told her about Souen, a restaurant with only macrobiotic dishes. I went there once with L___ and this guy; and it was an interesting experience to say the least but that was more due to the company. The food was good, bland but good. I had a broiled salmon filet with burdock, hijiki, brown rice, squash, and who knows what else (the guy ordered). Anyway, I was really hankering for the chicken pad thai from the other place so my coworker got Souen and said it was really good.
She then looked up diets that included raw foods, macrobiotic, etc. and mentioned Kale. I always figured Kale was a seaweed and maybe had it once or twice but I wondered if Fairway had it. In actuality, it’s closer to the cabbage family and according to Wikipedia:
“Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium“
Sure enough, I went last night and a bunch was only $1.99. It was so big it could hardly fit in the plastic veggie bag. With my head sticking up, feeling pretty proud I had a head of lettuce and a huge thing of kale in my basket, I walked around, got milk, yogurt, iced tea, and some chicken apple sausage from the very nice butcher .
When I got home, I looked up kale recipes thinking I would probably just steam it and eat it with rice and some sausage but I saw a link that made them out to be like potato chips. Hmmm. Seemed simple enough. I tried it and 10 minutes later I was eating Kale and kind of loving it. Here’s the recipe:
Preheat oven to 350F Cut leaves off of center stem. Wash & dry. Tear up into bite sized pieces. Spread leaves over a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper). Drizzle a bit of olive oil over them. Season with kosher salt. Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are crisp. I sprinkled a bit more table salt while it was still hot. Let cool and enjoy.
SO EASY. I had a batch for breakfast this morning. I lightly fried up tofu for lunch. I also ran a 1.23 miles this morning at 7am. What have I become??
Monday, August 9, 2010
Saratoga Springs
Easily one of my favorite bridges! From Albany to Saratoga
One of the most charming additions to my trip to Saratoga was trying the natural springs that pop up around town. I probably would've taken them as park decorations instead of fountains had Tom not pointed them out to me. Apparently there are about 20 different mineral springs that were thought to have healing powers back in the 1800s (which was then supplied to bath houses) We sampled 7- the first one being in the racetrack called Big Red Spring.
I grabbed a paper cup and went to the faucet. I took a sip and immediately spit it back out. It had a burning sensation to it that was not pleasant. A couple of kids came by and also spit it out. Not a good start. The next few were also rather unpleasant. One spelled like rotten eggs. Some like feet. Another was naturally carbonated and felt like your tongue was being attacked.
It was only til the last drive around town that I got to try a decent tasting water, which is actually the spring water they use to bottle and sell. However you can bring jugs and bottles to the site that is located in one of the very beautiful parks and fill up. I saw one guy with about 10 Poland Spring (for shame!) gallon jugs filled with the free water.
Anyway, on Saturday night we headed to town to have dinner at One Caroline which is also the address. They use locally grown produce and meat that is probably organic too. They have live music from 7:30pm onward. We arrived at 6pm and were determined to stay at least til they started. After getting through the specials recited by our very nervous waiter (perhaps it was his first day?), we decided to share an antipasti plate which was amazingly satisfying.
This was a huge plate of cheeses (provolone cubes and bleu cheese), prosciutto, salami, olives, figs, crostini topped with pate, caramelized onions and capers; bruschetta with fresh mozzarella drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinegar, roasted red peppers, artichokes and some fresh greens. We also shared a farmer's salad that had beets, feta and onions. For an entree, he got the sticky chicken & rice, I got jambalaya. Unfortunately I was so full from the appetizers (again!) and couldn't enjoy the jambalaya but it was still good despite it missing the advertised crawfish.
For dessert, we headed over to the Ben & Jerry's.
I got Chocolate Therapy (chocolate ice cream with chocolate cookies and swirls of chocolate pudding) which is an in-store only special.
We raced back to the hotel to try to go for a late-night swim but found out the pool closed at 9pm. It was 10:06. So I passed out. Still a great day/night.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Horsies & Hattie's
On Friday, I had accrued enough hours from earlier in the week to leave work at 2. It was a glorious feeling. At 4, Tom and I drove up to Saratoga Springs and got there around 8.
great sunset we saw
We booked a hotel in Albany since the rates in Saratoga were steep in the $400+/night range. Our room at the Holiday Inn was standard with 2 double beds, but we didn’t stay there long since we wanted to get into Saratoga Springs that night for dinner. We found a spot in one of the many public lots which happened to be down the street from Hattie's.
Hattie's, an institution in Saratoga since 1938, was featured on Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay for their fried chicken, and won. We put our name on the evergrowing list of names with the Hostess and was told we’d have to wait about 40 minutes. Yikes. We ended up walking around a bit and checked out some of the places a coworker recommended to me. Tom and I grabbed a drink in one of the bars that have an outdoor seating area but soon realized it was already 9pm. We went back to Hattie's and only had to wait about 5-10 minutes longer to be seated.
As we were starving, everything look amazing and we ended up getting 2 appetizers and 2 orders of the famed Fried Chicken. They brought out a basket of mini buttery and flaky biscuits that came right out of the oven and corn bread. We inhaled those in 5 minutes.
So mad there was not enough lighting to show off the deliciousness of their fried chicken!
We started off with a some Southern Style shrimp, which in my opinion was nothing too spectacular. 5 medium-sized pieces of shrimp over a bed of greens for $12 was not exactly worth it. We also got an order of $9 chicken wings (which in retrospect was silly of us because it came with 8 generous pieces and we only had more chicken to go) that was smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce (that I enhanced by dousing it with Hattie’s hot sauce- also known as Red Devils) and was so full I could barely enjoy the fried chicken. I could definitely appreciate it though; the skin was light and super crispy. Plus, at $16 a plate, you get 4 pieces (half a chicken) and 2 sides. I ordered the sweet corn on the cob and mashed potatoes with a side of gravy and Tom got collard greens (which were sweet and fresh) and mash. I couldn’t finish all the chicken nor the mash, which is unheard of and it wasn’t like we could take it home with us :(.
We literally waddled out of there, so sick but satiated. You know, the same feeling you have when you say, "I'm never eating again!"
The next day we got to the racetrack pretty early. I was decked out in my new dress and funeral hat ready to go. It was my first time at one where I was old enough to be cognizant of what to look for in betting. The last time I remember being at the horserace was when I was around 3 or 4 years old, with my dad and grandparents and possibly cousin Richie at Belmont. They sat me down with a box of Bugles (the corn chip that looked like a bugle) and I happily stared at the back of the box that had pictures of what you can do with Bugles such as put them on your fingertips and pretend they’re nails which was always my favorite. I don’t remember seeing horses at all actually. Anyway, Tom showed me how to read the programs with all the races and horses and jockeys. It was a lot of little numbers and letters to decipher but I got the hang of it after awhile. The first race was posted at 1pm. We had gotten a large freshly squeezed lemonade and placed a joint trifecta bet. It was actually pretty exciting seeing the horses race by towards the finish line. Everyone was shouting but we didn’t win. The next race we decided to place separate bets. I feel like betting is a pretty serious thing there and you don’t want to look like an amateur or ask the attendants what to do so I was freaking out asking Tom what to say as I completely forgot everything he told me. “Just choose Exacta, Trifecta, or Super… or box them.” ” UM THANKS, TOM, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS!”. So I stumbled and said “$1 Exactabox bet on horses __, __ and __ ” Then I thought I had done something wrong and was pretty upset over it but Tom looked at it and said it was fine. (for those of you who don’t know, exacta means naming 2 of the horses in the top 3 places, and boxing them means it could be in either order. Betting on more than 2 horses ups your chances but also increases the bet total) Well turns out I had a winning ticket and got $25. Of course Tom had to remind me that if I had made a $2 bet, I would’ve gotten $50.
my winning ticket!
Ah well. I attribute it to beginners luck because I think I only won once more after that. We did horribly the next day and could’ve won $200, but we won’t talk about it. I didn’t get to eat there since I bought a ginormous soda at Nathan’s which I won’t be doing again.
In the next post, I will talk about the various natural spring waters we tried, and OneCaroline.
me and tom
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Spunto Pizza
shroomtown
The company I work for moved offices from midtown to SoHo. My commute stayed the same but the selection of eateries multiplied by 3. Sure there are a ton of places to grab a bite near Times Square, but most of it is for tourists which means 1) it's overpriced and 2) it's not nearly great quality.
On the first day we moved in, our boss treated us to some pies from Spunto. Super thin crust pizza. Wow was it good!
Besides the fact we were starving and it was a rare free lunch, the pizza was legitimately tasty.
We got the Classica which is Marinara Sauce, Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil; Salsiccia Dolce which has Marinara sauce and cheese, sweet Italian sausage, caramelized onions, fresh basil; Shroomtown that has Marinara Sauce & Cheese, Portobello, Shitake, Button Mushrooms, White Truffle Oil; and The Big Pineapple- Marinara Sauce & Cheese, Fresh Pineapple, Smoked Bacon, Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Basil
Salsiccia Dolge
Seriously amazing. I got to try every single slice. The plain was nothing to write home about (though I probably shouldn't have had that one last). Shroomtown has the truffle oil which makes it a step above the others. The Big Pineapple was a great twist on the Hawaiian- and really, how can one go wrong with bacon? And the sausage was unusual because it wasn't large chunks of sausage like I usually see on pizza. It was more of a chili-consistency.
This is not for Chicago-style lovers!! The crust is super thin, crispy but still soft. If you're around for lunch, there is an outdoor patio and a special... 2 plain slices and a beverage for $5, or $6 if you want a topping such as mushrooms. Not bad, not bad.
May 15, 2010
I love duck. If duck is offered on a prix-fixe, it will most likely be what I choose to order. Something about the flavor of the meat, the crispy fatty skin and sweet glaze that makes it melt in your mouth.
So when I went to my 2nd cousin's wedding back in May, I of course had to order the duck.
Everything except the frutti di mare was delectable. I actually didn't even have a bite of the seafood salad because the waiters were really rude and took away our plates really fast without asking us.
Luckily I had tons to eat at the marvelous cocktail hour beforehand. Seriously, what a display! I think the only thing missing was a caviar bar (which I will undoubtedly have at my own wedding someday). There was a whole roast pig, an extravagant antipasta display, pasta station, beef, chicken, seafood, salads, the works.
All in all a great day spent with family I hadn't seen in 6-10 years, and yummy food.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Grandaisy Bakery
Firstly, if you've never heard of Groupon, go sign up for their daily emails for awesome deals that are offered by your location. They have deals like 50% off restaurants ($25 for $50 worth of food), spas, dance classes, sailing classes, etc. Please sign up using my link so I can get credits if you purchase something (Remember, Karma is the best!).
Now that you're acquainted, I will tell you how my first Groupon purchase went. A few months ago a deal for Grandaisy Bakery was offering $15 worth of food for $7. I had gotten menus from here before and always wanted to try it, so this was the perfect opportunity. I got 2.
After work today, I headed to the movie theater to get Tom and myself tickets to see Iron Man 2 this weekend at the Lincoln Center IMAX. Aghast from spending $19 PER ticket, I headed into Bacchus Wines after seeing signs advertising "Wines under $10". I bought 2 bottles totaling $18.95 (STILL Less than a movie ticket!). Then I passed by Gray's Papaya, and after resisting the smell of the hotdogs, I thought I'd stop by Grandaisy and pick up dinner. I heard they had flat pizzas. They only had 3 kinds left: Pomodoro, Funghi and 1 Potato left (with gruyere and onions). I got one of each, plus a Chocolate torte, and Lumaca. It came out to $15.50. Ah, so close. I gave the cashier my groupon and 2 quarters and headed home.
I put the pizzas into the toaster oven to reheat. Sadly, that didn't do anything for the pieces of cardboard. The Pomodoro was so bland and the sauce was barely existent. I added basil and crushed red pepper flakes to try to revive it but even that couldn't fix the dry tasteless crust. I had higher hopes for the mushroom but again, bland. What the heck Grandaisy? You sell these pieces of paper for $3-$3.50 each?? I drizzled a little bit of olive oil and it helped a tad, as did the basil I dusted on. Surprisingly, the potato slice had the best flavor. It was very reminiscent of the potatoes au gratin my mom makes. Again, I had to drizzle a little bit of Olive oil since it was very dry, but I enjoyed it.
Grandaisy: -10 points
Then again, it's a bakery, not a pizzeria. I tried the Lumaca.
WOW. Packs a lot of flavor, is dense but still light and flakey, not too sweet; reminded me of baklava. Ok, Grandaisy, you get +8 points.
Chocolate torte. WOW. Such wonderful chocolate flavor and it was so amazingly light! It tasted like the best brownie you ever got with the consistency of a moist chocolate cake. The outside has a bit of a crunch but inside... angel food. +10 points.
Ok, so you redeemed yourself with your pastries. I would like to try the pear tart next and the various cookies stacked on your wall. Good thing I have another Groupon!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Cel-Ray
After 25 years and a handful of weeks of living, I was offered my first can of Dr Brown's Cel-Ray soda.
Actually, I had never even heard of celery-flavored soda up until this past Easter. Tom and I had gone to his dad's girlfriend, Louise's lovely brownstone in Park Slope for dinner. Apparently this pop is big in the Jewish delicatessens in New York City (been around for a long long time) and parts of Florida (??). And whattayaknow, it tasted like carbonated celery.
Photo by flickr user yvespaul
Luckily I like celery, but would I drink a whole can again? Maybe if you gave me a Katz's Pastrami sandwich too. Just sayin'.
Oh and Easter dinner was pretty delicious. 2 different kinds of salads; Manicotti, ravioli and meatballs from Lenny's, a yummy spiral ham which I had the honor of doling out to everyone, and lots of desserts. I rolled out of there feeling just right.
Actually, I had never even heard of celery-flavored soda up until this past Easter. Tom and I had gone to his dad's girlfriend, Louise's lovely brownstone in Park Slope for dinner. Apparently this pop is big in the Jewish delicatessens in New York City (been around for a long long time) and parts of Florida (??). And whattayaknow, it tasted like carbonated celery.
Photo by flickr user yvespaul
Luckily I like celery, but would I drink a whole can again? Maybe if you gave me a Katz's Pastrami sandwich too. Just sayin'.
Oh and Easter dinner was pretty delicious. 2 different kinds of salads; Manicotti, ravioli and meatballs from Lenny's, a yummy spiral ham which I had the honor of doling out to everyone, and lots of desserts. I rolled out of there feeling just right.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
PB Shake & Bacon Burger
SHAKE. AND. BACON.
A couple of days ago, my friend had sent me this link.
tl;dr: Shake Shack on the UWS had introduced a bacon peanut butter hamburger last week and they were going to offer it again, for $5.50. FOR ONE DAY ONLY.
Naturally, loving exclusivity and food, I decided to make a pilgrimage to the popular burger spot that was, for you non-New Yorkers, originally opened in Madison Sq Park, and up until recently in business only during spring/summer months. Now it's yearlong. They have a webcam on their site to let you know how long the lines are (they get pretty long).
It's pretty much the In-n-Out to California as it is to New York City. However, there are only 3 locations (in NY): Madison Square Park, W 77th and Columbus; and Citi Field (aka new Shea Stadium). Another is in Miami Beach. Each one has its' own menu. I happen to live a few blocks from the one that offered the special burger and I tried to recruit brave souls to join me.
Luckily I have a fellow Foodie friend, J.P. (the one who introduced me to Phở), and a friend who lives 2 stops away from me on the UWS, another J.P.
So today, I had gotten there a quarter to 2, and there was the unsurprisingly long line around the corner. J.P. Squared met me at around 2:15pm. I ordered for them so we could just sit down to eat once they got there.
The burger:
That is not cheese oozing out; that is peanut butter.
I think we had all agreed that it wasn't as bad as we imagined it to be. The peanut butter wasn't overpowering in any way, and it wasn't as messy as the article claimed. Plus, there wasn't lettuce or tomato (though I think lettuce would've helped cut the saltiness). Everything melded together in-between the soft bun so well it really just felt like eating your average burger. I had an Arnold Palmer (1/2 lemonade 1/2 Iced Tea) to go with it. JP1 got another cheeseburger in addition to his PB&Bacon Burger and a Mr Pibb with a splash of Root beer (due to a misunderstanding of his text message), and JP2 got the PB&B with a side of fries & a coke.
But oh no; we were not done yet. I really wanted to try their custard because the special flavor of the day was Pancake and Bacon. Gluttonous? Of course. Delicious? Naturally.
It really did taste like pancakes with bacon. JP1 got a Natural History "Crunch-stellation" (Custard, malt, Valrhona chocolate crunchies, and chocolate toffee). JP2 got a black & white shake.
The we went to Central Park and made fun of the rowers. Great Saturday, guys.
A couple of days ago, my friend had sent me this link.
tl;dr: Shake Shack on the UWS had introduced a bacon peanut butter hamburger last week and they were going to offer it again, for $5.50. FOR ONE DAY ONLY.
Naturally, loving exclusivity and food, I decided to make a pilgrimage to the popular burger spot that was, for you non-New Yorkers, originally opened in Madison Sq Park, and up until recently in business only during spring/summer months. Now it's yearlong. They have a webcam on their site to let you know how long the lines are (they get pretty long).
It's pretty much the In-n-Out to California as it is to New York City. However, there are only 3 locations (in NY): Madison Square Park, W 77th and Columbus; and Citi Field (aka new Shea Stadium). Another is in Miami Beach. Each one has its' own menu. I happen to live a few blocks from the one that offered the special burger and I tried to recruit brave souls to join me.
Luckily I have a fellow Foodie friend, J.P. (the one who introduced me to Phở), and a friend who lives 2 stops away from me on the UWS, another J.P.
So today, I had gotten there a quarter to 2, and there was the unsurprisingly long line around the corner. J.P. Squared met me at around 2:15pm. I ordered for them so we could just sit down to eat once they got there.
The burger:
That is not cheese oozing out; that is peanut butter.
I think we had all agreed that it wasn't as bad as we imagined it to be. The peanut butter wasn't overpowering in any way, and it wasn't as messy as the article claimed. Plus, there wasn't lettuce or tomato (though I think lettuce would've helped cut the saltiness). Everything melded together in-between the soft bun so well it really just felt like eating your average burger. I had an Arnold Palmer (1/2 lemonade 1/2 Iced Tea) to go with it. JP1 got another cheeseburger in addition to his PB&Bacon Burger and a Mr Pibb with a splash of Root beer (due to a misunderstanding of his text message), and JP2 got the PB&B with a side of fries & a coke.
But oh no; we were not done yet. I really wanted to try their custard because the special flavor of the day was Pancake and Bacon. Gluttonous? Of course. Delicious? Naturally.
It really did taste like pancakes with bacon. JP1 got a Natural History "Crunch-stellation" (Custard, malt, Valrhona chocolate crunchies, and chocolate toffee). JP2 got a black & white shake.
The we went to Central Park and made fun of the rowers. Great Saturday, guys.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
homemade popcorn!
Ladies and gents, I have made my first (and subsequently second and third) pot of popcorn tonight. I've always been a fan of the microwaveable kind since I could chew... I've tried 'em all - Orville Redenbacher, Act II, Jolly Time, Newman's Own, Pop Secret, Butter, 94% Fat Free Butter, Butter Lovers, Kettlecorn, Movie Theater Butter, Cheddar, Natural, etc. (My personal favorite would be Newman's Own Butter).
However, popping your own has been more appealing to me for several reasons:
-Recently, I put in a bag of popcorn, only to find 3 minutes later, an unpopped burnt bag of kernels. I blame it on my microwave more than the popcorn, but who knows. It happened twice with the same brand. I've found this to be a universal problem- you never know how long you should actually keep a bag in there.
-At $2.50-4.99 per box, it gets pricey and unless you're sharing it with people, you inevitably eat the entire bag like me (and regret it right after) or throw half of it out because microwaved popcorn, for some reason, cannot be saved. Does anyone else notice that after awhile, they get kind of chewy?
-It either has too much butter, or not enough.
-It sometimes has a weird chemical-y taste. ick.
-Plus, on Monday night, I went to Cinereach's Reach Out Film Fellowship screening at the Sunshine Cinema to take photographs and they had little bags of popcorn for guests to take. I had saved half and had it the next day at work. It was the perfect snack: Salty, crunchy and light.
So today, I got a bag of Jolly Time yellow corn kernels for $1.69. Not bad.
I poured a little vegetable oil in a medium-sized pot and accidentally poured too many kernels in. The instructions said there shouldn't be a layer more than one kernel high. Oops. I spooned some out and covered the pot... except it wasn't the right lid so it didn't fit properly and i was shaking the pot over a medium-high heat, trying to let steam out without too many kernels popping out. Soon, I heard that fantastic sizzle and POP! They popped pretty quickly after that and soon the pot was full of beautiful fluffy white popcorn. I spooned it out into another bowl but saw there were still alot of unpopped kernels left. so I heated it up a second time and hoped it wouldn't burn. They popped once more and I put down the pot but the lid fell off so I had popcorn popping EVERYWHERE. It was definitely like some cheesy scene out of a movie, but it was actually my life. I think this goes right up with that time I froze sparking wine and had the bottle explode all over my freezer with a white wine slush over everything. Whoops.
Anyway, the second batch had more of a burnt taste to them, but the first was great. I sprinkled a little salt and it was perfect. The one and maybe only time I ever had homemade popcorn was back when I was about 8 years old, at my friend Elizabeth's house upstate where they had an automatic popcorn maker. It was exciting at the time, but I wasn't used to just having salt on it. I have come a long way from the girl who got excited to pump her own butter at the movie theater. (by "girl", I mean when I was like 19 and got a free large bag of popcorn at the East Village movie theater because it was a student special; and a friend and I poured butter all over til it soaked through the bag but I digress...)
Lessons learned:
Do not put in too many kernels. Once that pot is full, any remaining popping kernels will end up on your stove and/or floor.
Salt when it is still hot.
A little oil goes a long way.
It is best shared with friends.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Aliseo Osteria del Borgo
Tom had been wanting to go to, what he kept calling "Aiello", which is actually Aliseo Osteria del Borgo in Prospect Heights for awhile now, and I am glad we finally got to get dinner there last night.
It is a cute albeit rustic brick-walled restaurant with empty wine bottles lining the wall. A charming old black & white photo of what I assumed was a family of 100 and pig figurines adorned the mantle of the (faux?) fire place next to our table.
It was a modest menu, but the items were listed in Italian with English descriptions beneath, and actually to my disappointment- a few items were not available, but there were still several left for us to choose from.
To start, we were served a bowl of Ricotta and olive oil with warm and soft foccacia and very thin melba toast-like pieces of bread that were addicting speckled with coarse salt around the edges.
We ended up sharing an appetizer (mini sesame seed-crusted meatballs served over a line of very basil-y pesto sauce and an orange-colored sauce that has yet to be determined (apricot-based? peach? I couldn't tell as the sesame seeds overpowered most of the flavors, but the meatballs tasted like meat.)
Then we shared a pasta and meat dish. I started with the homemade fettucini with beef ragu. and he started with the pork loin in a red cherry reduction with apples. The meat was cooked perfectly and tender and the fruit was a great addition to the saltiness of the pork- which can be attributed to what Tom calls, "An Italian Pinch of Salt". The pasta definitely had that pinch, but luckily we like salt.
For dessert, he ordered a chocolate tart that was very reminiscent of the chocolate ganache i've made that went wrong (but this was made right). I really liked the crust.
Plus he enjoyed his glasses of wine so overall rating? A+
It is a cute albeit rustic brick-walled restaurant with empty wine bottles lining the wall. A charming old black & white photo of what I assumed was a family of 100 and pig figurines adorned the mantle of the (faux?) fire place next to our table.
It was a modest menu, but the items were listed in Italian with English descriptions beneath, and actually to my disappointment- a few items were not available, but there were still several left for us to choose from.
To start, we were served a bowl of Ricotta and olive oil with warm and soft foccacia and very thin melba toast-like pieces of bread that were addicting speckled with coarse salt around the edges.
We ended up sharing an appetizer (mini sesame seed-crusted meatballs served over a line of very basil-y pesto sauce and an orange-colored sauce that has yet to be determined (apricot-based? peach? I couldn't tell as the sesame seeds overpowered most of the flavors, but the meatballs tasted like meat.)
Then we shared a pasta and meat dish. I started with the homemade fettucini with beef ragu. and he started with the pork loin in a red cherry reduction with apples. The meat was cooked perfectly and tender and the fruit was a great addition to the saltiness of the pork- which can be attributed to what Tom calls, "An Italian Pinch of Salt". The pasta definitely had that pinch, but luckily we like salt.
For dessert, he ordered a chocolate tart that was very reminiscent of the chocolate ganache i've made that went wrong (but this was made right). I really liked the crust.
Plus he enjoyed his glasses of wine so overall rating? A+
Friday, April 9, 2010
Snap
Here is an interesting article from the NY Times about people taking photos of their meal before eating it. As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting pictures of meals I've ordered/made and that is because I don't take pictures of them anymore. It is more common than you know, and now that I don't feel silly taking pictures of a cheeseburger in mixed company because everyone else does it, I've all of a sudden lost interest.
However, since I have a new camera I might as well get some practice in. Perhaps I will carry it around with me more often as soon as I get a smaller bag to tote it around. Plus, there is a great quote in the article:
In 1825, the French philosopher and gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”
I would love to hear what people think of me after seeing pictures of what I eat: a fast food junkie? a picky eater? a sweet tooth? "bacon girl"?
However, since I have a new camera I might as well get some practice in. Perhaps I will carry it around with me more often as soon as I get a smaller bag to tote it around. Plus, there is a great quote in the article:
In 1825, the French philosopher and gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”
I would love to hear what people think of me after seeing pictures of what I eat: a fast food junkie? a picky eater? a sweet tooth? "bacon girl"?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Hundred Acres
Come here if you like pretty-looking restaurants (and places that serve free-range beef from the fingerlake region).
Do not come here if you expect good food.
Tom and I ate there Friday night and while everything on the menu sounded good, the lasagnette tasted weird and fell apart easily (it is not meant to be shared), his fish and chips were more chips than fish (Stick with Chip Shop!), and my $17 "Pasture-fed" burger was dry and tasted a little charred. The Vermont Cheddar did nothing for it! It seems to me that the chefs here know how small the portions are/bad the main course is and tries to offer an olive branch of a plateful of French Fries. We did actually like the french fries a lot, but how hard is it to fry potatoes?
Memo to self: stick with Shake Shack/Paul's/Fanelli's/Dumont/Stand/Blue 9, or really a hundred other places not Hundred Acres.
I know what you're asking, why did I order a $17 burger in the first place? 1) I like burgers. And honestly, if a restaurant can't get a burger right, I'm glad I didn't order any of the more expensive items on the menu.
Update: I saw this burger as one of the 82 Most Notable Burgers in NYC... suspect.
Also, we had a creeper as a waiter. I don't mean creepy (he was actually very nice), I mean, he snuck up behind Tom without him knowing until he started talking. As Tom said, he needs to carry a box of tic-tacs around (a la Seinfeld).
Do not come here if you expect good food.
Tom and I ate there Friday night and while everything on the menu sounded good, the lasagnette tasted weird and fell apart easily (it is not meant to be shared), his fish and chips were more chips than fish (Stick with Chip Shop!), and my $17 "Pasture-fed" burger was dry and tasted a little charred. The Vermont Cheddar did nothing for it! It seems to me that the chefs here know how small the portions are/bad the main course is and tries to offer an olive branch of a plateful of French Fries. We did actually like the french fries a lot, but how hard is it to fry potatoes?
Memo to self: stick with Shake Shack/Paul's/Fanelli's/Dumont/Stand/Blue 9, or really a hundred other places not Hundred Acres.
I know what you're asking, why did I order a $17 burger in the first place? 1) I like burgers. And honestly, if a restaurant can't get a burger right, I'm glad I didn't order any of the more expensive items on the menu.
Update: I saw this burger as one of the 82 Most Notable Burgers in NYC... suspect.
Also, we had a creeper as a waiter. I don't mean creepy (he was actually very nice), I mean, he snuck up behind Tom without him knowing until he started talking. As Tom said, he needs to carry a box of tic-tacs around (a la Seinfeld).
Friday, April 2, 2010
Cook Books!
I guess my friends know me pretty well because for my birthday, I got a great book from Lela called "Jam it, Pickle It, Cure It". It has a lot of fun food projects that I am dying to try out. (Including Make your own Bacon!)
I also got Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan from Saela which I am SUPER DUPER excited about. I started reading it on the train and I guess I will have to raise money somehow because damn, am I hungry.
I happened to see both books recently at a totally awesome store in Brooklyn called powerHouse, and I really wanted to get them so thank you dear kismet! and thank you dear friends!
I also got Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan from Saela which I am SUPER DUPER excited about. I started reading it on the train and I guess I will have to raise money somehow because damn, am I hungry.
I happened to see both books recently at a totally awesome store in Brooklyn called powerHouse, and I really wanted to get them so thank you dear kismet! and thank you dear friends!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Meager Times
If you've ever played the widely-popular computer game of the early 90's, Oregon Trail, you'd understand me when I say you had to choose the food rations you'd be feeding your cart of people: Filling, Meager, or Bare-Bones.
Chooisng "Filling" would burn through your food supply and money a lot quicker; Bare Bones would make your people frail and weak, but at least your food would last longer. The downside? It could spoil/be stolen easier.
I'm sure many people chose meager, like I did. And whattayaknow, I can now apply it to real life!
Apparently I owe a LOT in taxes from last year; more than I would like to admit. Since coming to that conclusion, I've been trying to be more careful with spending. I haven't stepped foot inside a grocery store in a week, and I am living off of cheddar cheese (I bought a 2 lb block from Costco), pasta (got 15 boxes 1 lb at Costco) and rice- which in retrospect isn't a good diet, (with the carbs and sugar and all). But sadly, we live in a country where the cheapest food is often the unhealthiest, and good food is a luxury. I recently read an article about how a city was trying to limit the amount of fast food places in a certain area which I think is fair. In Brooklyn, I once saw 2 McDonalds on the same block- just around the corner from each other, with a KFC across the street. What happened to good ol fashioned cooking?
Ever since the summer of 2007 when I babysat for this family that ate gluten-free, low-sugar, all organic and healthy, I took on this No-Fast Food, no processed foods diet. It got to be expensive but I actually felt better and I think I ever lost some weight because of it. With a Fairway 3 blocks away, it is really easy to get carried away on the 2nd floor where their Organics are surprisingly reasonably priced (compared to Whole Foods). But I know a huge chunk of my expenditures go towards food and that has to stop.
I admit the other day I was starving and the cheapest thing around was a McDonald's. I ended up getting a big mac meal (which wasnt as big as I remembered it to be) for the first time in about 6 years (the McDonald's across the street from NYU had a 2 for 1 deal that we just couldn't pass up). It's terrible. I can't wait to start building up my savings so I can eat like a normal person again.
Chooisng "Filling" would burn through your food supply and money a lot quicker; Bare Bones would make your people frail and weak, but at least your food would last longer. The downside? It could spoil/be stolen easier.
I'm sure many people chose meager, like I did. And whattayaknow, I can now apply it to real life!
Apparently I owe a LOT in taxes from last year; more than I would like to admit. Since coming to that conclusion, I've been trying to be more careful with spending. I haven't stepped foot inside a grocery store in a week, and I am living off of cheddar cheese (I bought a 2 lb block from Costco), pasta (got 15 boxes 1 lb at Costco) and rice- which in retrospect isn't a good diet, (with the carbs and sugar and all). But sadly, we live in a country where the cheapest food is often the unhealthiest, and good food is a luxury. I recently read an article about how a city was trying to limit the amount of fast food places in a certain area which I think is fair. In Brooklyn, I once saw 2 McDonalds on the same block- just around the corner from each other, with a KFC across the street. What happened to good ol fashioned cooking?
Ever since the summer of 2007 when I babysat for this family that ate gluten-free, low-sugar, all organic and healthy, I took on this No-Fast Food, no processed foods diet. It got to be expensive but I actually felt better and I think I ever lost some weight because of it. With a Fairway 3 blocks away, it is really easy to get carried away on the 2nd floor where their Organics are surprisingly reasonably priced (compared to Whole Foods). But I know a huge chunk of my expenditures go towards food and that has to stop.
I admit the other day I was starving and the cheapest thing around was a McDonald's. I ended up getting a big mac meal (which wasnt as big as I remembered it to be) for the first time in about 6 years (the McDonald's across the street from NYU had a 2 for 1 deal that we just couldn't pass up). It's terrible. I can't wait to start building up my savings so I can eat like a normal person again.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Nigella says Indulge!
I read this great article about Nigella Lawson's interview with Steven Inskeep on NPR saying how she indulges in some foods every now and then, but the trick to it, is to not feel guilty afterward.
How many times have you had something and completely regretted it? Everytime I pop a bag of popcorn, I get down to the last kernel and feel completely gross and disgusted with myself that I just ate an entire bag; but people go to the movies and finish their medium bags (which is probably close to 2 bags of the microwaved stuff) and walk out as if it is no big deal. So what's the problem? I did promise myself that I wouldn't purchase microwaveable bags anymore and start popping corn from scratch, in a pot over the stove. That way, I can add the amount of butter/salt/whathaveyou in amounts that I can keep track of.
I still get annoyed when people remind me of that time my doctor told me I had "borderline high cholesterol". Yes, I should be eating healthier, but my motto is, you never know if the food you love will be around tomorrow. Heck, you may not even be around tomorrow so why not enjoy life while you can, even if that means eating a bunch of Coconut Cremes from the Doughnut Plant, or a hamburger and toasted marshmallow milkshake from Stand?
I am happy Nigella defends indulgences as much as I do, because 1) she is a food writer/cook herself and 2) she is beautiful. And I agree with her statement that eating buttery, fried or cheesy foods does make it easier (and necessary) to eat veggies and fruits. Sometimes you just gotta balance it all out.
Read the article: here
How many times have you had something and completely regretted it? Everytime I pop a bag of popcorn, I get down to the last kernel and feel completely gross and disgusted with myself that I just ate an entire bag; but people go to the movies and finish their medium bags (which is probably close to 2 bags of the microwaved stuff) and walk out as if it is no big deal. So what's the problem? I did promise myself that I wouldn't purchase microwaveable bags anymore and start popping corn from scratch, in a pot over the stove. That way, I can add the amount of butter/salt/whathaveyou in amounts that I can keep track of.
I still get annoyed when people remind me of that time my doctor told me I had "borderline high cholesterol". Yes, I should be eating healthier, but my motto is, you never know if the food you love will be around tomorrow. Heck, you may not even be around tomorrow so why not enjoy life while you can, even if that means eating a bunch of Coconut Cremes from the Doughnut Plant, or a hamburger and toasted marshmallow milkshake from Stand?
I am happy Nigella defends indulgences as much as I do, because 1) she is a food writer/cook herself and 2) she is beautiful. And I agree with her statement that eating buttery, fried or cheesy foods does make it easier (and necessary) to eat veggies and fruits. Sometimes you just gotta balance it all out.
Read the article: here
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Peter Luger's Steakhouse
I recently celebrated my birthday, and the thing I was looking forward to most about the big 2-5 was the dinner. Tom made reservations at Peter Luger's Steakhouse. The name was always tossed around, and raved about (including from my coworker who talked excitedly about everything from the service to the sides), but I had never actually researched its whereabouts. However, I did have their number stored on my cellphone for the past few years because I once got a call from them asking to confirm my reservation for 8. Wrong number. But I saved it for the off-chance that someday, someone might talk to me about making a reservation and I could impress them by saying "oh, let me make one right now, as Peter and I are like this" and I'd cross my fingers and people might think "Wow, she is so cool!". Of course, this has never happened, probably will never happen; Tom made the rez without me.
Because my birthday falls on St Patrick's Day, it is annoying to try to reserve any bar or restaurant. And according to one experiment in which someone tried to make a reservation for 2, 8pm, at some of Brooklyn's most sought-after restaurants, Peter Lugers was the only one that didn't have any available that night (which could be any night). But luckily, Tom had found one for 5:45 and another for 9:45. We opted for 5:45 so we'd still have the rest of the day to recuperate.
Sadly, we have been notorious for doing things last minute, and we rushed to Brooklyn from the UWS, and from his apt, rushed to the restaurant, thus making me forget to bring my purse and... my camera. I cannot show the size of the amazing porterhouse for 2, nor the creamed spinach, french fries, or more importantly the slice of bacon that could pass for a steak.
Instead, I will have to describe it: A basket of onion rolls and sea salt and fennel seed rolls were brought out with a gravy boat of Peter Luger's own steak sauce and 2 large pats of butter for each of us (yikes, how could they think we'd eat that much butter with our bread?). I ordered slice of bacon which I guess they consider an appetizer because it was brought out before the rest of the food. It was about the length of your average bacon slice, but it was cut thick (about a 1/2")and 3" wide and came in at $3. Totally worth it. The creamed spinach was actually too buttery for me and I had only a spoonful or two during dinner. The french fries were extra crispy and hot, but we could've easily ordered it for 1, instead of 2 as we barely made a dent in it. The Porterhouse for 2 is not a cheap eat ringing in at $85. Then again, it was the most tender, buttery, rare and largest steak I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Our waiter served it on a trivet so that the oil and presumably butter (which I'll just refer to as "sauce") made a little pool on one side of the place and using two big silver spoons, served each of us a huge slice of steak on our plates, drizzled a bit of the sauce on the meat and left. I grabbed my fork and knife.
The first bite was as if I were laying in a field of soft green grass on a 65°F Spring's day, with the sun warming me from above and butterflies dancing around my cheek, feeding me a steak while getting a massage from [insert someone very attractive]. As we made our way through the steak, I knew that I was getting full because I noticed I was chewing it more and more. The 20th bite was not as good as the first, but I could still appreciate it. Actually, I was amazed the waiter pointed out we had left a piece left; I thought it was part of the bone.
According to Tom (and the subsequent research I did), the steaks are dry-aged for over 21 days in their very own dry-aging boxes which means... it grows mold on them (which they cut off, of course). Ack. But hey, if it results in tender meat, then by all means, mold away. I love cheese which is moldy so what do I have to really complain about?
I felt like I had to be rolled out of there after we were done eating. The waiter put the bone into a doggie bag along with the french fries and spinach. Tom didn't let me gnaw on the bone when we got home. Alas, but all in all, a fantastic meal to a fantastic birthday.
Because my birthday falls on St Patrick's Day, it is annoying to try to reserve any bar or restaurant. And according to one experiment in which someone tried to make a reservation for 2, 8pm, at some of Brooklyn's most sought-after restaurants, Peter Lugers was the only one that didn't have any available that night (which could be any night). But luckily, Tom had found one for 5:45 and another for 9:45. We opted for 5:45 so we'd still have the rest of the day to recuperate.
Sadly, we have been notorious for doing things last minute, and we rushed to Brooklyn from the UWS, and from his apt, rushed to the restaurant, thus making me forget to bring my purse and... my camera. I cannot show the size of the amazing porterhouse for 2, nor the creamed spinach, french fries, or more importantly the slice of bacon that could pass for a steak.
Instead, I will have to describe it: A basket of onion rolls and sea salt and fennel seed rolls were brought out with a gravy boat of Peter Luger's own steak sauce and 2 large pats of butter for each of us (yikes, how could they think we'd eat that much butter with our bread?). I ordered slice of bacon which I guess they consider an appetizer because it was brought out before the rest of the food. It was about the length of your average bacon slice, but it was cut thick (about a 1/2")and 3" wide and came in at $3. Totally worth it. The creamed spinach was actually too buttery for me and I had only a spoonful or two during dinner. The french fries were extra crispy and hot, but we could've easily ordered it for 1, instead of 2 as we barely made a dent in it. The Porterhouse for 2 is not a cheap eat ringing in at $85. Then again, it was the most tender, buttery, rare and largest steak I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Our waiter served it on a trivet so that the oil and presumably butter (which I'll just refer to as "sauce") made a little pool on one side of the place and using two big silver spoons, served each of us a huge slice of steak on our plates, drizzled a bit of the sauce on the meat and left. I grabbed my fork and knife.
The first bite was as if I were laying in a field of soft green grass on a 65°F Spring's day, with the sun warming me from above and butterflies dancing around my cheek, feeding me a steak while getting a massage from [insert someone very attractive]. As we made our way through the steak, I knew that I was getting full because I noticed I was chewing it more and more. The 20th bite was not as good as the first, but I could still appreciate it. Actually, I was amazed the waiter pointed out we had left a piece left; I thought it was part of the bone.
According to Tom (and the subsequent research I did), the steaks are dry-aged for over 21 days in their very own dry-aging boxes which means... it grows mold on them (which they cut off, of course). Ack. But hey, if it results in tender meat, then by all means, mold away. I love cheese which is moldy so what do I have to really complain about?
I felt like I had to be rolled out of there after we were done eating. The waiter put the bone into a doggie bag along with the french fries and spinach. Tom didn't let me gnaw on the bone when we got home. Alas, but all in all, a fantastic meal to a fantastic birthday.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Olives
For whatever reason, Restaurant Week gets people in a fury. I guess the idea of dining in a what would otherwise be an expensive and barely affordable restaurant for only $35 is pretty enticing. I've been to a couple of places and haven't really been disappointed (except by Butter). I wanted to try a classic like the Russian Tea Room but no one got back to me in time. However my dear mum suggested Todd English's Olives at the Union Sq W hotel.
I would always pass by this place on my way to the SVA dorms back in college and always said I'd go here when I made it big. While I haven't made it "big" per se, I found myself being led to a table and to a spectacular prix-fixe menu.
That's another thing, Restaurant Week may sound like a good deal, but their menus and service usually aren't as good as a normal dining experience. However, this one seemed pretty delicious:
Appetizers
Charred Octopus Flatbread
almond romesco, preserved lemon, toasted garlic
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
chestnut polenta, truffle vinaigrette, parmesan
Cured Duck Proscuitto
rye panzanella, celery, mustard dressing
Entrée
Veal Short Ribs
parmesan grits, honey glazed carrots
Pan Roasted Salmon
chorizo basmati, raisins , curry cream
Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle
whipped ricotta, thyme, parmesan
Dessert
Apple Semifreddo
creme friache custard, cinnamon apple compote, olive oil-walnut granola
Hazelnut Semifreddo
crispy hazelnut mousse, coffee cream, cocoa puffs
They brought out an impressive bread basket: foccacia, and crispy seasoned flatbread with green and black olive tapenade.
My mom got the duck, veal (delicious), and hazelnut semifreddo. I got the grilled octopus flatbread. Ok, so when they said "Flatbread", i pictured a 3"x5" piece of bread or something. But no; it was like a 10"x20" pizza brought out on a huge wooden board. Why do I always order THAT dish? (see The Modern) Honestly, I don't see what the big deal was. The octopus was good, but it got lost with the bread and sauce and everything.
My salmon was cooked perfectly and I liked the touch of golden raisins to an otherwise salty dish, but I wish I had gotten the veal. The flavor was so intoxicating and the grits were satisfying.
The apple semifreddo was a perfect way to end the meal. I wish I could've gotten a cappucino but I would've regretted it as caffeine hits me pretty hard. But they did serve us two mini cupcakes at the end. All in all, a wonderful dinner with a wonderful mom.
I would always pass by this place on my way to the SVA dorms back in college and always said I'd go here when I made it big. While I haven't made it "big" per se, I found myself being led to a table and to a spectacular prix-fixe menu.
That's another thing, Restaurant Week may sound like a good deal, but their menus and service usually aren't as good as a normal dining experience. However, this one seemed pretty delicious:
Appetizers
Charred Octopus Flatbread
almond romesco, preserved lemon, toasted garlic
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
chestnut polenta, truffle vinaigrette, parmesan
Cured Duck Proscuitto
rye panzanella, celery, mustard dressing
Entrée
Veal Short Ribs
parmesan grits, honey glazed carrots
Pan Roasted Salmon
chorizo basmati, raisins , curry cream
Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle
whipped ricotta, thyme, parmesan
Dessert
Apple Semifreddo
creme friache custard, cinnamon apple compote, olive oil-walnut granola
Hazelnut Semifreddo
crispy hazelnut mousse, coffee cream, cocoa puffs
They brought out an impressive bread basket: foccacia, and crispy seasoned flatbread with green and black olive tapenade.
My mom got the duck, veal (delicious), and hazelnut semifreddo. I got the grilled octopus flatbread. Ok, so when they said "Flatbread", i pictured a 3"x5" piece of bread or something. But no; it was like a 10"x20" pizza brought out on a huge wooden board. Why do I always order THAT dish? (see The Modern) Honestly, I don't see what the big deal was. The octopus was good, but it got lost with the bread and sauce and everything.
My salmon was cooked perfectly and I liked the touch of golden raisins to an otherwise salty dish, but I wish I had gotten the veal. The flavor was so intoxicating and the grits were satisfying.
The apple semifreddo was a perfect way to end the meal. I wish I could've gotten a cappucino but I would've regretted it as caffeine hits me pretty hard. But they did serve us two mini cupcakes at the end. All in all, a wonderful dinner with a wonderful mom.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Black Truffles
I had the honor and pleasure of being my friend's guest to the $50 3-course Locanda Verde Black Truffle Tasting event by chef Andrew Carmellini. Also, 25% of the proceeds went to the Doctors Without Borders aid for Haiti.
It was an extremely last minute invite (I was literally in bed at 10pm ready to watch Lost or some other show on Hulu) when my friend, Mark, who I see 2-3 times a year at the most, asked what I was doing (nothing) and he said he was going to take me out to dinner to a place with hard-to-get-reservations. Immediately I thought Waverly Inn or The Little Owl. This was so much better.
I probably wouldn't have gone out but lately, I've been feeling like I haven't been spontaneous enough, and I definitely do not go out during the week nearly as often as I used to. Second, I love surprises. Third, I love food.
So we met up and at this point I still had no idea where we were going, I just knew that it was off the 1 line. But we finally got off at Franklin St. and he explained how they had a white truffle tasting and it was a huge success, so this was their sequel, so to speak.
It was amazing. I wish I wrote down the menu/took pictures, but my memory will be the best thing for now. I know I am going to butcher it but here it goes...
First they brought out Foccacia brushed with black truffle oil.
For an appetizer, I got the Truffle Salad. It had a fried breaded cutlet of veal with an egg on top, along side a salad with a thin slice of an Italian ham.
He ordered the Crotinis which I would have preferred. There was one with a butternut squash truffle puree, another with ricotta and truffle honey (our fav), and a wild mushroom with black truffle.
For an entree, he got the squab and I ordered the scallops and lentils and shaved truffles. I thought the scallops were slightly overcooked, but the squab was cooked perfectly and it was so juicy and tender. There was also a grilled slice of squash and a duck meatball. I wasn't a fan of the meatball and thought it was too heavy to be a side of the squab, but it did remind me of a childhood memory that I can't quite put my finger on.
For dessert, there was a truffle vanilla ice cream with shaved truffles over a bed of chocolate cookie crumbs (not a fan of the crumbs, but the ice cream grew on me). At first the taste was so pungent and complex, but in reality the cream just enhances the truffle taste even more. Still, I preferred the walnut tart with what I think was truffled whipped cream. The sweet and nuttiness complemented the truffles really well and neither was overpowering.
I felt like a judge on Iron Chef (one of my dreams!) and I would give it high marks all around. I'm sad I missed the white trufflepalooza but I am so happy to have been a part of "Back in Black".
Also, the ladies room was beautiful. You know you're in a classy place when the restrooms are tolerable and nicer than your own bathroom.
It was an extremely last minute invite (I was literally in bed at 10pm ready to watch Lost or some other show on Hulu) when my friend, Mark, who I see 2-3 times a year at the most, asked what I was doing (nothing) and he said he was going to take me out to dinner to a place with hard-to-get-reservations. Immediately I thought Waverly Inn or The Little Owl. This was so much better.
I probably wouldn't have gone out but lately, I've been feeling like I haven't been spontaneous enough, and I definitely do not go out during the week nearly as often as I used to. Second, I love surprises. Third, I love food.
So we met up and at this point I still had no idea where we were going, I just knew that it was off the 1 line. But we finally got off at Franklin St. and he explained how they had a white truffle tasting and it was a huge success, so this was their sequel, so to speak.
It was amazing. I wish I wrote down the menu/took pictures, but my memory will be the best thing for now. I know I am going to butcher it but here it goes...
First they brought out Foccacia brushed with black truffle oil.
For an appetizer, I got the Truffle Salad. It had a fried breaded cutlet of veal with an egg on top, along side a salad with a thin slice of an Italian ham.
He ordered the Crotinis which I would have preferred. There was one with a butternut squash truffle puree, another with ricotta and truffle honey (our fav), and a wild mushroom with black truffle.
For an entree, he got the squab and I ordered the scallops and lentils and shaved truffles. I thought the scallops were slightly overcooked, but the squab was cooked perfectly and it was so juicy and tender. There was also a grilled slice of squash and a duck meatball. I wasn't a fan of the meatball and thought it was too heavy to be a side of the squab, but it did remind me of a childhood memory that I can't quite put my finger on.
For dessert, there was a truffle vanilla ice cream with shaved truffles over a bed of chocolate cookie crumbs (not a fan of the crumbs, but the ice cream grew on me). At first the taste was so pungent and complex, but in reality the cream just enhances the truffle taste even more. Still, I preferred the walnut tart with what I think was truffled whipped cream. The sweet and nuttiness complemented the truffles really well and neither was overpowering.
I felt like a judge on Iron Chef (one of my dreams!) and I would give it high marks all around. I'm sad I missed the white trufflepalooza but I am so happy to have been a part of "Back in Black".
Also, the ladies room was beautiful. You know you're in a classy place when the restrooms are tolerable and nicer than your own bathroom.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Vanderbilt
Tom and I have walked up and down the streets of his neighborhood of Prospect Heights many times. On one of our walks, we saw a restaurant that was being built called The Vanderbilt. Aptly named, it is on Vanderbilt Ave and Bergen, and it has been written up with rave reviews from nearly every local New York City publication.
After passing by several times, seeing if it had opened yet, we finally got dinner there in the beginning of December. Armed with a Michelin-starred chef, all of the dishes on the menu are small, and moderately priced. Like a tapas bar, a table is meant to order many dishes to share. Tom and I decided on Blistered Shishito peppers for an appetizer. I think these could have been really good had we not gotten insanely spicy peppers. We are known to handle our spicy foods rather well, but these were burning for some reason. Sprinkled with pimenton salt and lemon juice, the peppers were conquered not without a fight. This was about the time I wished my water glass was just a tad bit larger. Incidentally, these peppers were also served at Phil's New Years Party but we were more careful with those.
I also got Crispy Pork Belly with lentils du puy and Tom ordered the butternut squash soup. The pork belly was so tender, perfectly-seasoned, and super fatty with some parts super crispy. I could've eaten 3 portions of this. The soup was velvety, creamy and can certainly warm you up on a cold winter's evening.
For the main course, I ordered the Hangar Steak, again cooked perfectly with a side of pont neuf potatoes and romaine. I think Tom got the Grilled Pork Loin or perhaps one of the specials.
For dessert, we shared Warm Spiced Doughnuts pistachio ice cream, brandied cherries, apricot orange blossom coulis.
A perfect dinner.
I apologize for the poor quality of photos. The lighting was dim and until I actually get a nice DSLR, this point and shoot will have to do.
1. Shishito peppers, afire
2. Crispy Pork Belly, melt in your mouth
3. Hangar Steak, medium rare
4. Doughnuts.
After passing by several times, seeing if it had opened yet, we finally got dinner there in the beginning of December. Armed with a Michelin-starred chef, all of the dishes on the menu are small, and moderately priced. Like a tapas bar, a table is meant to order many dishes to share. Tom and I decided on Blistered Shishito peppers for an appetizer. I think these could have been really good had we not gotten insanely spicy peppers. We are known to handle our spicy foods rather well, but these were burning for some reason. Sprinkled with pimenton salt and lemon juice, the peppers were conquered not without a fight. This was about the time I wished my water glass was just a tad bit larger. Incidentally, these peppers were also served at Phil's New Years Party but we were more careful with those.
I also got Crispy Pork Belly with lentils du puy and Tom ordered the butternut squash soup. The pork belly was so tender, perfectly-seasoned, and super fatty with some parts super crispy. I could've eaten 3 portions of this. The soup was velvety, creamy and can certainly warm you up on a cold winter's evening.
For the main course, I ordered the Hangar Steak, again cooked perfectly with a side of pont neuf potatoes and romaine. I think Tom got the Grilled Pork Loin or perhaps one of the specials.
For dessert, we shared Warm Spiced Doughnuts pistachio ice cream, brandied cherries, apricot orange blossom coulis.
A perfect dinner.
I apologize for the poor quality of photos. The lighting was dim and until I actually get a nice DSLR, this point and shoot will have to do.
1. Shishito peppers, afire
2. Crispy Pork Belly, melt in your mouth
3. Hangar Steak, medium rare
4. Doughnuts.
New Years Eve Feast
Phil had a fabulous dinner party for 20-30 people in his new fabulous apartment.
SO MUCH FOOD!
But really, am I surprised? He loves good food as much as the next, except he bumps it up a few notches. Here was the menu he had sent to me prior to the party:
Appetizers/hors d'oeuvres:
Plums with Bacon
Brushcetta
Crackers with: cheese / cucumber and dill /
Olives
Guacamole and Chips and Salsa
Baked Brie with shishito peppers (Lela and Brad will bring all ingredients)
....
Ben/Kristina bringing (already bought groceries):
- shrimp cocktail
- feta mushroom puff pastries
- deviled eggs
- artichokes
- prosciutto wrapped asparagus
- blue cheese stuffed olives
Mains:
Veg Lasagna
Beef Tenderloin
side of Rosemary Potatoes
side of Green Beans
side of butter carrots
side of Broc w/ cheese
big Salad
Desert:
Saelas Crepe Cake
Vanilla Ice Cream?
Yeah. It was quite the spread. Personally, my favorite dish that surprised me? Plums and Bacon. So simple, yet so delicious! and the beef tenderloin, which was cared for by Caleb, the male version of Paula Deen, was perfect.
1. Caleb tending to the beef, Mike cutting into the veggie lasagna
2. Gorgeous food on a gorgeous kitchen counter top.
3. Caleb and the beef
4. Bacon and Plums
5. Spinach dip and guacamole (my two favorite dips ever)
6. No caption necessary. but my mouth is watering; i want this for my birthday.
Everything was amazing. I wish I hadn't gotten sick during the evening so I could've had more food, but what I did have was amazing. Also Saela's crepe cake was magnifique.
SO MUCH FOOD!
But really, am I surprised? He loves good food as much as the next, except he bumps it up a few notches. Here was the menu he had sent to me prior to the party:
Appetizers/hors d'oeuvres:
Plums with Bacon
Brushcetta
Crackers with: cheese / cucumber and dill /
Olives
Guacamole and Chips and Salsa
Baked Brie with shishito peppers (Lela and Brad will bring all ingredients)
....
Ben/Kristina bringing (already bought groceries):
- shrimp cocktail
- feta mushroom puff pastries
- deviled eggs
- artichokes
- prosciutto wrapped asparagus
- blue cheese stuffed olives
Mains:
Veg Lasagna
Beef Tenderloin
side of Rosemary Potatoes
side of Green Beans
side of butter carrots
side of Broc w/ cheese
big Salad
Desert:
Saelas Crepe Cake
Vanilla Ice Cream?
Yeah. It was quite the spread. Personally, my favorite dish that surprised me? Plums and Bacon. So simple, yet so delicious! and the beef tenderloin, which was cared for by Caleb, the male version of Paula Deen, was perfect.
1. Caleb tending to the beef, Mike cutting into the veggie lasagna
2. Gorgeous food on a gorgeous kitchen counter top.
3. Caleb and the beef
4. Bacon and Plums
5. Spinach dip and guacamole (my two favorite dips ever)
6. No caption necessary. but my mouth is watering; i want this for my birthday.
Everything was amazing. I wish I hadn't gotten sick during the evening so I could've had more food, but what I did have was amazing. Also Saela's crepe cake was magnifique.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Spot
After Halloween, a lot of people stumble out of their houses/apts to cure their hangover. Since I don't really drink, I stumble out to get brunch, plain and simple.
This past Halloween, Tom, his roommate Jason and I went to a place a few blocks from their apt. The Spot American Bistro is a corner joint that has outdoor seating. Since it was a mild autumn day and inside was packed, we sat outside, bundled up.
I was not going to partake in their all-you-can-drink deal (jason did) but I did get eggs benedict. my favorite.
Not bad.
My only complaint, which isn't really a complaint, is that the waitresses were sooooooo perky for a Sunday morning. I also didn't like the fact they kept trying to convince Tom to drink. But one of them warmed up to me when we realized we share the same birthday and commiserated over the fact that people never go out for your birthday since they're out already drunk from st patrick's day.
This past Halloween, Tom, his roommate Jason and I went to a place a few blocks from their apt. The Spot American Bistro is a corner joint that has outdoor seating. Since it was a mild autumn day and inside was packed, we sat outside, bundled up.
I was not going to partake in their all-you-can-drink deal (jason did) but I did get eggs benedict. my favorite.
Not bad.
My only complaint, which isn't really a complaint, is that the waitresses were sooooooo perky for a Sunday morning. I also didn't like the fact they kept trying to convince Tom to drink. But one of them warmed up to me when we realized we share the same birthday and commiserated over the fact that people never go out for your birthday since they're out already drunk from st patrick's day.
Mike's Birthday Lunch/Dinner - Basta Pasta & Soju City
I'm 2 months overdue, but I definitely wanted to write about my friend/former coworker's birthday in November. For lunch, the office took him out to Basta Pasta- an Asian infused Italian restaurant on 17th St btwn 5th and 6th Ave. Completely run by Asian people, you have a hard time telling if you're there for Udon or Spaghetti.
I believe I ordered the Spaghetti con Uova di Pesce -- Spaghetti with tobiko (flying fish roe) and Shiso. I thought I'd try something I normally wouldn't find anywhere else.
It was good albeit a little too fishy for even me. It was reminiscent of a linguini with clam sauce. But it had a very interesting texture with the tobiko.
My coworker asked the waitress how large the Ceasar Salad was and she said a head of Romaine Lettuce. Little did we know she actually meant a head of Romaine Lettuce!
Oh then there was this...
What is she doing you ask? She is scooping out Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano (Spaghetti with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parma Prosciutto served in half a wheel of Parmesan cheese at the table). AMAZING.
The asparagus appetizer (with a golden parmesan crust) was delicious and highly recommended.
The atmosphere is nice, odd chachkas, art and such on the wall.
For dinner that night, Mike, our friends and I went to Soju City, a Korean restaurant on St Mark's Place & 2nd Ave. One word: BIBIMBAP!
This, plus little appetizers (including kimchi) and dumplings are enough to bring me back again and again.
I believe I ordered the Spaghetti con Uova di Pesce -- Spaghetti with tobiko (flying fish roe) and Shiso. I thought I'd try something I normally wouldn't find anywhere else.
It was good albeit a little too fishy for even me. It was reminiscent of a linguini with clam sauce. But it had a very interesting texture with the tobiko.
My coworker asked the waitress how large the Ceasar Salad was and she said a head of Romaine Lettuce. Little did we know she actually meant a head of Romaine Lettuce!
Oh then there was this...
What is she doing you ask? She is scooping out Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano (Spaghetti with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parma Prosciutto served in half a wheel of Parmesan cheese at the table). AMAZING.
The asparagus appetizer (with a golden parmesan crust) was delicious and highly recommended.
The atmosphere is nice, odd chachkas, art and such on the wall.
For dinner that night, Mike, our friends and I went to Soju City, a Korean restaurant on St Mark's Place & 2nd Ave. One word: BIBIMBAP!
This, plus little appetizers (including kimchi) and dumplings are enough to bring me back again and again.
Tom's Birthday Cake
After mulling it around in my head for at least 5 months now, the time had finally come to make the cake Tom, my boyfriend, had asked for- a dinosaur cake. I received a box of Wilton Fondant for Christmas, had designed the cake only to realize how hard it was to 1) work with fondant... more specifically, mold it into shapes and figures you so desire and 2) transporting a fondant cake and hiding it from the guest of honor for a day or two.
The layout was pretty much the same as I drew in my plans, but the coloring and the volcano and don't even get me started on the dinosaurs. They did not exactly come to fruition the way I wanted them to so I went to Party City and bought a bag of little plastic dinos for about 3 bucks.
I had originally wanted to bake him a homemade [not Pillsbury] Funfetti cake, but as luck would have it, the two grocery stores nearby did not have a large container of the long rainbow sprinkles. They didn't even have the boxed Pillsbury mix. However, at Westside Market, they had Duncan Hines "Confetti" cake mix. I bought two boxes since I figured there were going to be at least 20+ people.
NEVER BUY CAKE MIX IN A BOX!!
I knew going into it that I could come out with an artificial-tasting, preservative-filled cake, which is exactly what happened. I was so mad. 1 cake and 12 cupcakes (6 eggs!) gone to waste. I thought about serving it only because people might be drunk enough not to notice, but deep down, I'd know and I couldn't ruin my reputation as a budding baker. (I kept the cupcakes thinking they were still edible, but the fondant i had covered them with got too soft and came off because I stacked them on top of one another. Long story short- Tom's roommate Jason told me not to throw them out and ate them, so I guess it wasn't a total waste)
The next day, I found a basic white cake recipe:
* 1-1/2 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup butter
* 3 eggs
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
I set aside 6 little bowls for a cup of batter each and dyed each one a different color: blue, green, red, yellow, orange, purple and I had a little white batter left over. I mixed well and layered each color over each other (I'd double the recipe to get more colored batter and bigger layers) in a 13" x 9" pan.
It looked like this. not the most appetizing but....
when baked, it looks like
When cut in half and layered with vanilla pudding then covered in fondant by yours truly?
It was pretty good if I do say so myself! It tastes just like a regular white cake. Moist, dense, not too sweet (I used less sugar in the recipe because I knew the fondant would be pretty sweet). People complimented me on it so I will definitely save this for a future occasion.
Things I've learned from this experience:
Fondant dries out if not kept wrapped up.
Fondant will stiffen when kept in your fridge, and will get super gooey when brought back to room temperature. Make sure it's not touching anything else if you want to keep your fondant smooth!!
Wear plastic gloves when dying Fondant. Your hands WILL turn whatever color you are using.
I am going to make another cake for his actual birthday on the 16th. Maybe.
Happy 25th Birthday, Tom!! <3
The layout was pretty much the same as I drew in my plans, but the coloring and the volcano and don't even get me started on the dinosaurs. They did not exactly come to fruition the way I wanted them to so I went to Party City and bought a bag of little plastic dinos for about 3 bucks.
I had originally wanted to bake him a homemade [not Pillsbury] Funfetti cake, but as luck would have it, the two grocery stores nearby did not have a large container of the long rainbow sprinkles. They didn't even have the boxed Pillsbury mix. However, at Westside Market, they had Duncan Hines "Confetti" cake mix. I bought two boxes since I figured there were going to be at least 20+ people.
NEVER BUY CAKE MIX IN A BOX!!
I knew going into it that I could come out with an artificial-tasting, preservative-filled cake, which is exactly what happened. I was so mad. 1 cake and 12 cupcakes (6 eggs!) gone to waste. I thought about serving it only because people might be drunk enough not to notice, but deep down, I'd know and I couldn't ruin my reputation as a budding baker. (I kept the cupcakes thinking they were still edible, but the fondant i had covered them with got too soft and came off because I stacked them on top of one another. Long story short- Tom's roommate Jason told me not to throw them out and ate them, so I guess it wasn't a total waste)
The next day, I found a basic white cake recipe:
* 1-1/2 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup butter
* 3 eggs
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
I set aside 6 little bowls for a cup of batter each and dyed each one a different color: blue, green, red, yellow, orange, purple and I had a little white batter left over. I mixed well and layered each color over each other (I'd double the recipe to get more colored batter and bigger layers) in a 13" x 9" pan.
It looked like this. not the most appetizing but....
when baked, it looks like
When cut in half and layered with vanilla pudding then covered in fondant by yours truly?
It was pretty good if I do say so myself! It tastes just like a regular white cake. Moist, dense, not too sweet (I used less sugar in the recipe because I knew the fondant would be pretty sweet). People complimented me on it so I will definitely save this for a future occasion.
Things I've learned from this experience:
Fondant dries out if not kept wrapped up.
Fondant will stiffen when kept in your fridge, and will get super gooey when brought back to room temperature. Make sure it's not touching anything else if you want to keep your fondant smooth!!
Wear plastic gloves when dying Fondant. Your hands WILL turn whatever color you are using.
I am going to make another cake for his actual birthday on the 16th. Maybe.
Happy 25th Birthday, Tom!! <3
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