Lauren Loves to Eat

Happy Lunar New Year!

2012-01-25T21:29:00.001-05:00

The best thing about being home last month was enjoying home-cooked meals! Every morning I started the day with vegetable congee for breakfast.

Congee toppings including tofu & egg, 油條 (fried chinese donut)，鹹蛋 (salty egg)，紫菜花生 (seaweed with peanuts), spicy beancurd

Tofu mixed with 皮蛋（thousand year old egg and soy sauce)

My grandma wraps these pot stickers! Love the crunchy bottoms.

粉蒸排骨. The most tender steamed pork ribs with yam underneath.

大閘蟹 Hairy crab! The most delicious, flavorful crab. It's only in season in the winter months.

Delicious... :)

Hong Kong: Dinner at Crystal Jade, 翡翠

2012-01-19T08:07:00.002-05:00

翡翠 is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants to sit down for a quick meal in Hong Kong. The restaurant chain is mainly known for its dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. My grandma treated my sister and me to this lovely meal, and we went to the World Trade Centre branch because this one has the best view!

Harbour and freeway view from the restaurant. We were lucky to get the last available booth by the window.

雞絲粉皮, HK$45 (USD 5.80): Noodles with shredded chicken, sliced cucumbers, and peanut sauce. Love the chewy texture of these bean-made noodles. Also, peanut sauce makes anything taste even better!

乾扁四季豆, HK$56 (USD 7.21): Green beans with preserved vegetables and green onions. So flavorful! Chinese vegetables are so addictive.

蟹粉小籠包, HK$78 (USD 10): Crab meat & pork dumplings. Really juicy, and this restaurant gets the thickness of the dumpling skin just right!

紅油抄手, HK$36 (USD 4.64): Shrimp & pork dumplings in chili oil. The sauce is so spicy I only dab a bit on each dumpling. My grandma like to roll the dumpling all around first (she's hardcore like that).

菜包, HK$23 (USD 2.96): Vegetable buns. These are my favorite vegetable buns in Hong Kong. The bun is so soft and fresh, and the vegetables inside are steaming and flavorful.

Shop P209B, 2nd Floor, World Trade Centre
280 Gloucester Street, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Phone number: 2915-6988

Other locations: http://www.crystaljade.com/hongkong.htm

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Bangkok: Pad Thai at Black Canyon Coffee

2012-01-15T10:41:00.000-05:00

While my mom and grandma shopped, my dad, sister and I walked around the mall to look for something to eat. Although there was a food court with many appealing options, it didn't look very clean and we worried about getting food poisoning. We later walked past this coffee shop and decided to sit down here instead.

Thai Iced Tea, 55 baht (USD 1.73). Because Thai iced tea is so sweet (the recipe includes condensed milk), I try not to have it very often. This one was very strong and delicious. Couldn't believe how cheap it was either!

Tom Yum Seafood Soup: This was as deathly spicy as it looks. I could only handle a few spoonfuls. It was certainly very tasty and had just the right amount of seafood and vegetables inside.

Pad Thai: Something I noticed after eating a ton of pad thai on this trip is that pad thai in Bangkok is generally on the moist side compared to the ones served in New York and Hong Kong. I liked it better this way.

I'm not sure where the shopping mall was, but there are several branches of Black Canyon Coffee around the city and also past security in the Bangkok International Airport. Prices at the airport's Black Canyon Coffee are marked up substantially compared to the location we visited, but it's still not very expensive.

Chinatown and Fruit Shopping in Bangkok

2012-01-11T08:23:00.000-05:00

On our third day in Bangkok we drove through Chinatown and headed pretty far out to visit a fruit market.

The streets were filled with pink taxis. So bright! I would have more love for them if we hadn't been cheated multiple times by different taxi drivers.

The fruit market was still affected by the flooding from a few months prior.

The sweetest young coconuts for 10 baht each (USD 30 cents).

Yum.

Bangkok: Next2 Cafe at Shangri-La

2012-01-10T08:38:00.001-05:00

Breakfast buffets are one of the best things about hotels in Asia. Next2 Cafe at Shangri-La offers a wonderful variety of food choices, both Asian and Western.

The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating.

Beautifully carved watermelon.

Made-to-order hand-pulled noodles, 拉麵.

Mango, dragon fruit, and papaya. Asian fruits are the best!

Freshly baked pastries.

Homemade honey!

Congee toppings.

The buffet also includes freshly made smoothies, made-to-order omelets, curry, and dim sum.

Breakfast buffet is USD 25 per person, or if you book a hotel room, it is usually included with each night of stay.

Shangri-La, Ground Floor
89 Soi Wat Suan Plu
New Road, Bangrak
Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Phone number: (66 2)236-7777

Website: www.shangri-la.com/en/property/bangkok/shangrila/dining/restaurant/next2

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T07:36:00.001-05:00

I'm battling jet lag but wanted to write a quick post to wish you all a very happy new year! I just returned to New York from a quick trip home to Hong Kong & a lovely Christmas spent in Bangkok.

Highlights of the trip included:

A tram ride birthday party hosted by my best friends:

Playing with Molly:

A relative's beautiful engagement party at Mandarin Oriental:

Enjoying the hotel & pool with my family at Shangri-La:

And of course, eating & eating...

I have around 700 photos from this trip and can't wait to weed through them so I can post some on here!

A Sad Brunch at Open Door Gastropub

2011-12-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

This brunch was quite disappointing. Overall the food and drinks were subpar, and even though the service was great and the restaurant had a comfortable atmosphere, when the food doesn't cut it, I see the visit as a failed/wasted meal.

The bar is in the front of the restaurant.

And there's more booth seating and tables in the back area.

A free cocktail or juice is served with any brunch menu item. Unfortunately, my mimosa was forgettable, and my friend's bloody mary had too much horseradish and tabasco, making it far too spicy.

Crab Cake Benedict with home fries, $14. The crab cakes were too dense and did not taste fresh. The fruits looked canned and unappealing, so I didn't try them at all. The one decent part of this dish was the home fries, but I think they were ready on the plate before the crab cake benedict was, and therefore barely lukewarm by the time it arrived.

9 oz NY Strip Steak & Eggs with home fries, $17. The steak was very bland, and my friend found that the eggs were the only enjoyable part of the order. It is a sad thing when the eggs are the best part of Steak & Eggs.

Mac & Cheese with truffle, gruyere, and truffle oil, $14. Thank God we ordered this to share. It was a little on the bland side, but after sprinkling some salt over it, the dish really came alive! The truffle was strong and the gruyere was a nice addition.

I definitely don't plan on re-visiting Open Door Gastropub for brunch, but perhaps I'll make it back to try the dinner items at some point.

Address:
110 John Street (between Cliff Street & Pearl Street)
New York, NY 10038
Phone number: (212)608-0200

www.opendoornyc.com

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Pizza at Artichoke Basille

2011-12-14T08:22:00.000-05:00

Since living in New York, I've heard many friends rave about the Spinach Artichoke pizza at Artichoke. All of them said that they'd enjoyed the pizza after clubbing or bar-hopping. I figured I'd try it because I do love spinach artichoke and pizza. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed.

The East Village branch only offers takeout. There's a bench outside the store that we sat at to eat though.

Artichoke's menu:

Spinach Artichoke Pizza, $4.50: A giant slice of very rich and creamy pizza. The first few bites were delightful, but the the richness was too much after that. Even though it's a thick crust pizza, I feel like such an intense flavor needs to have a higher ratio of crust to topping. I think I'll stick to California Pizza Kitchen's spinach artichoke dip and chips for now.

Artichoke Basille's is open very late. It's probably a great joint after a night out, but not so much for a mid-day meal.

Address:
328 East 14th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues)
New York, NY 10003
Phone number: (212)228-2004

The other locations:
111 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012
Phone number: (646)278-6100

(Offers dining-in option)
114 10th Avenue (between Avenue of the Americas & 17th Street)
New York, NY
Phone number: (212)792-9200

www.artichokepizza.com

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Calle Ocho Brunch Revisited

2011-12-12T07:44:00.000-05:00

After celebrating my birthday brunch at Calle Ocho back in September, I kind of forgot about the restaurant until my friend recently mentioned that we should go back. With no reservations available on Open Table, I tried my luck again and managed to get a reservation by tweeting at Calle Ocho. They pulled through and gave us a reservation for Saturday at 12:30pm!

The bread basket full of warm blueberry & raspberry muffins, cornbread, and cheese breads. Delicious!

Every brunch entree is served with unlimited sangrias. Our mojitos were good and not too sweet.

Frita Cubana, $15: Cuban style burger with seasoned beef & pork patty, red onions, chimichurri fries.

Cuban Sandwich, $15, roasted pork, ham & swiss cheese swiss, pickles, chimichurri fries. A great combination of salty and sour flavors with the ham and pickles in the sandwich. The garlic and cheese seasoning made the fries irresistible.

Address:
Excelsior Hotel
45 West 81st Street
New York, NY 10024
Phone number: (212)873-5025

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Totto Ramen

2011-12-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

I'm still on the hunt for a superb ramen joint in New York, but I have to say I still have yet to find one. I'd heard quite a few friends insist that Totto Ramen serves better ramen than Ippudo, and was excited to check it out. A month ago, two friends and I visited the restaurant on a Sunday night and waited a little over 2 hours for a table.

The small restaurant has less than 20 seats, with half being bar seating.

Side orders:

Totto Miso Ramen with pork, $10.75. You can stir in as much or little miso you want. I only mixed in about half of it because I didn't want the soup to get too salty. The portion of noodles was a good size. They were nice and chewy, but the pork wasn't tender enough.

Totto Spicy Ramen with pork, $10.75. I stole a few spoonfuls of the soup from my friend's bowl, and this was definitely very tasty.

Overall, Totto Ramen had decent noodles and soup, but I really prefer to have such tender pork that it basically melts in your mouth.

Address:
366 West 52nd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10019
Phone number: (212)582-0052
*No reservations
*Cash only

www.tottoramen.com

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Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-29T08:06:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a lovely long weekend! Mine was filled with lots of naps, family time, and of course feasts & leftovers!

I spent Thanksgiving day in Long Island, and during the early afternoon we stepped out into my uncle's backyard to look around. It's so strange to think that beautiful suburbs exist just a short train ride away from New York City.
Shortly after taking a few pictures of this backyard, we started taking dozens of pictures of ourselves (ANTM-style). Yep, we're a little bit crazy. I'll spare you our self-portraits though, and just leave you with this:

Now onto the stars of the Thanksgiving feast:

Lobster bisque.

Candied yams topped with pecans.

Crab cakes.

Brussel sprouts with pine nuts.

And everything else:

Greek salad.

The 16 pound turkey!

We ended the night by drinking hot toddies (is that the plural for "toddy"?) by the bonfire.

And now the countdown to next year's feast begins...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:20:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I've posted this photo before, but I always think of my beloved pup Molly when it comes to Thanksgiving...

I'm looking forward to spending the day feasting at my uncle's house in Long Island again. Yum.

Final New Orleans Post: Cochon Butcher

2011-11-22T08:06:00.001-05:00

I saved the best for last!

I'd gotten so many recommendations from friends to visit Cochon during my weekend in New Orleans. I decided to save it for Saturday lunch, and unfortunately when I checked the hours on Saturday morning, I found out the restaurant only serves dinner on Saturdays. I was devastated to put it mildly. Luckily I found out Cochon Butcher, a less formal sandwich shop next door to Cochon would be open for lunch.

Cochon is a sandwich shop, meat shop, and wine bar all in one. There are only a few tables and some stools and bar seating, but because the turnover is pretty fast we were able to get a table for the 5 of us.

Meats counter.

Sandwich preparation station.

My amazing meal of mac 'n cheese, bbq pork sandwich, and root beer.

Bbq Pork Sandwich, $10: Carolina style pulled pork with slaw and side of potato salad. The softest bread, the most tender and tasty pulled pork, slightly sweet slaw, and horseradish potato salad. This is now my favorite sandwich of all time. Every bite was out of this world. As I look at this picture my mouth is actually watering. I miss this sandwich so.

Pancetta Mac 'n Cheese, $6: I don't remember tasting much pancetta in this. Although it was a decent mac 'n cheese, it was definitely overshadowed by my delicious bbq pork sandwich.

Pork Belly Sandwich, $10: on white bread with mint, cucumber, and chili lime aioli. (Served with homemade chips).

Give yourself enough time to wait in line to order and then wait a while for your food! Be patient, it's definitely worth it! Oh, and don't mind the people hovering next to you waiting to take over your table.

Address:
930 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70310
Phone number: (504)588-7675
*No reservations

www.cochonbutcher.com

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New Orleans: Chargrilled Oysters at Acme Oyster House

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Similar to Cafe du Monde, there was also a line already formed outside Acme Oyster House by the time we arrived for lunch. Luckily because it was just two of us, the wait was only around 10 minutes.

The restaurant is divided into two dining rooms. We were seated in the back room.

Chargrilled oysters 1/2 dozen, $11.50. The most amazing grilled oysters I've ever tasted. Mainly because there was cheese melted on top of each oyster! The french bread was great for dipping into the buttery cheese at the end.

Boo fries (regularly $4.99): fries with roast beef gravy and cheese. Delicious! The fries were slightly crispy and there was more than enough gravy and cheese to go around.

Fried soft shell crab po-boy, $15.99. Po-boy is a name used in Louisiana to refer to a sandwich served on French bread. We split one order, so this is my half of the portion. (Yes, it's huge.) The sandwich is served with french fries, which we switched for boo fries for an additional $2. I'd never had soft shell crab in a sandwich before, and even though there was lettuce, mayo, and tomato in the sandwich, it was still a little dry to me. The soft shell crab was a very generous size though.

Address:
724 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone number: (504)522-5973
*No reservations

www.acmeoyster.com

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First Stop in New Orleans: Cafe du Monde

2011-11-15T07:58:00.001-05:00

What an amazing weekend. It was mainly spent eating and killing time between meals either with naps or drinks. The food was incredible! Everyone must take a trip to New Orleans at some point in their lives.

For breakfast on Friday morning in Nola we walked the few blocks from our hotel over to Cafe du Monde. There was already a line of around 15 to 20 people deep by the time we got there at 10:45am.

Two orders of beignets (One order is $2.42 for 3 beignets). From left to right, cafe au lait $2.42, black coffee $2.42, hot chocolate $2.42.
I loved how dense the beignets were, and that they were covered with so much powdered sugar. Unfortunately these weren't hot enough, but we went again later that night and they were perfect!

I'm not a big fan of regular coffee, so I got a hot chocolate. It was very rich and sweet, just the way I like my hot chocolate!

Address:
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone number: (504)525-4544
*No reservations
*Cash only

www.cafedumonde.com

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Happy Early Weekend!

2011-11-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

I'm off tonight for a short trip to New Orleans with my best friends. Ever since my sister brought me a box of Beignet Mix from her visit to NOLA, I'd been dying to try the real thing at Cafe du Monde. My flight arrives late, but I checked, and Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours a day. Perfect.

Image via Man Seeking Coffee.

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park

2011-11-08T08:29:00.002-05:00

Even though New York's weather has been quite cool for the past few weeks, after attending the blogger gathering of The Holiday Shops Opening at Bryant Park, it really hit me that Christmas is only a little over a month away! The event was a lot of fun. We browsed some of the jewelry stores, and enjoyed the free food offered by several food vendors to event attendees.

A fun display of live tweets at the event.

Some of the shops and seating surrounding a fountain. Not as pretty as the fountain at The Grove in LA, but still nice nonetheless.

Our first stop was at Wafels & Dinges. I've passed the food truck several times in Chelsea, but never had the opportunity to try it.

The waffle on the left is topped with whipped cream. The one on the right is covered with spekuloos spread and strawberries. The waffles were SO perfect-- hot and fluffy. The Spekuloos spread can be described as a cross between chocolate fudge and peanut butter. It wasn't too sweet and really just the most perfect topping for a waffle (or pancake, or bread, or anything really...)

Crepe Cafe:

Sugar & Lemon crepe. Kind of boring but it really is my favorite flavor for a crepe. Sweet, sour, and not too overpowering.

As we left the event we stopped to watch the rink being smoothed over. This year I want to go skating at one of the many rinks in the city. Such a New York winter thing to do, I think it'd be quite fun!

Steak Nights are the Best Nights

2011-11-03T09:40:00.000-04:00

Mmm steak... One of my favorite foods in life. My family used to frequent the L'Entrecote in Hong Kong (before it closed down), and we also visited the Paris location one year. The restaurant only serves a prix fixe menu of salad and steak frites for $25.95. There are a number of dessert and wine options.

Colorful tablecloths and lots of booth seating.

Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette. The chopped walnuts were a great addition to the salad, and the mustard dressing was delicious.

Steak Frites. Midway through the meal, the server brings over a second helping of sliced steak so that it's nice and warm. The steak was very tender but didn't have much flavor on its own. Combined with the rich, buttery herb sauce however, makes it amazing. The fries are slightly crispy and SO good with the herb sauce!

Chocolate Profiteroles, $7.25. Phenomenal! The puff pastries had the perfect texture and there was enough vanilla ice cream to enjoy with every bite of pastry.

Address:
590 Lexington Avenue (between 51st & 52nd Streets)
New York, NY 10022
Phone number: (212)758-3989

www.relaisdevenise.com

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DC: Seafood Lunch at Chart House

2011-10-31T22:25:00.000-04:00

And this post concludes my mid-month visit to DC. The posts are very spread out and I haven't been posting lately because I was busy packing/moving and stupidly leaving my beloved macbook at my old apartment. I picked it up yesterday and am happily back to blogging.

On my last day in DC Natalie's parents took me out to a lovely lunch in Old Town Alexandria. The food was great and we sat by the windows, enjoying a view of the pier and water.

Clam Chowder: Thick with lots of clams!

Spinach Salad: Natalie's sister got a vegetarian version of this with egg, radishes and mushrooms (without the bacon and bacon dressing).

Crab Cake Sandwich: The bun was so soft and there was a generous portion of flavorful crab cake.

Hot Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream: Tastes as amazing as it looks.

Address:
1 Cameron Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone number: (703)684-5080

www.chart-house.com

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DC: Filet Mignon at Ray's the Steaks

2011-10-21T08:07:00.000-04:00

I loooove steak and had been wanting to check out Ray's the Steaks during my previous visit to DC but there hadn't been enough time. This time I was excited to find that Natalie also really wanted to visit this restaurant as well!

The decor is not really worth mentioning... Basically simple and no frills.

Sherried Crab Bisque (bowl), $8.99. Beyond delicious. Rich and creamy with chunks of crab meat. The two of us shared this and were both scraping at the bowl with our spoons at the end.

Filet Mignon, $31.99 for 9 ounces. Seared Foie Gras with Truffle Oil, $10. The foie gras was seared nicely with a pink tinge in the middle. The steak was very tender but a little too rare for a medium; there were parts that were very red.

Complimentary sides to share: homemade mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. There are unlimited refills for these sides!

Complimentary pieces of peanut butter fudge. Divine. There was a slightly crispiness within the lovely little dessert.

Such good value for the food here. It wasn't the best steak I'd ever had, but the crab bisque and peanut fudge are worth returning for!

Address:
2300 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone number: (703)841-7297

Other location:
3905 Dix Street NE
Washington DC, 20019

www.raysthesteaks.com

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Homemade Goodness in DC

2011-10-18T08:05:00.000-04:00

A Friday night dinner of lasagna:

Natalie uses a lasagna recipe from www.allrecipes.com, specifically this one.

We then woke up to a beautiful Saturday breakfast of fresh fruits and pancakes! :)

And some more empanadas (munster & feta cheese).

I really can't wait to visit again...

DC: Greek Dishes at Zaytinya

2011-10-14T20:28:00.000-04:00

Natalie brought me to Zaytinya for a post-brunch snack (we never stop eating) and it was delicious! The dining space is large and comprised of two floors. There are big floor to ceiling windows letting in lots of sunlight. The restaurant serves Greek & Turkish food, and is great for sharing.

The comfortable airy and bright interior.

Warm pita bread with olive oil and vinegar.

Htipiti, $7.50: marinated roasted red peppers, feta, thyme. Delicious! Love anything with feta cheese.

Falafel, $8: traditional chickpea fritters, tahini sauce. Perfectly crunchy and tasty.

Octopus Santorini, $12: grilled mediterranean octopus, marinated onions, capers, yellow split pea puree. This was a favorite for both of us. The octopus was nicely grilled with a nice charred flavor, and the pea puree was a lovely slightly sweet complement.

Kolokithokeftedes, $7.50: zucchini and cheese patties, caper-yoghurt sauce. This was a little too salty.

Address:
701 9th Street NW (at N G Street)
Washington, DC 20001
Phone number: (202)638-0800

www.zaytinya.com

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A Weekend in Washington DC

2011-10-11T21:54:00.000-04:00

I had one of the most fun weekends that it has been that much harder to get back into the daily grind of things. I visited Natalie, one of my favorite people of all time, this past weekend. I'd met her mother and sister before when they visited Hong Kong last year, but this time around I met the whole family and fell in love with them.
Natalie is so full of life and endless funny stories. We can't stop giggling when we're together. She lets me tease her about looking like Erkel from Family Matters during her awkward adolescent years, and she introduces me to cool things like Zumba and scrapbooking. I love her to death.

This was at our stop for gelato at Dolcezza in Georgetown.

This was how we started our sleepover after I arrived. Natalie's sister brought out homemade empanadas and got us manchego cheesecake with pistachio from Estadio. Soo delightful.

Norma's: Best Mac 'n Cheese

2011-10-06T08:32:00.002-04:00

I know I talked about Norma's only a few months ago, but I went again recently and ordered the mac and cheese which is so superb I must talk about it.

Lobster Mac and Cheese, $28. Definitely does not taste like a simple homemade mac and cheese; there are big pieces of lobster inside, and a thick lovely layer of of cheese on top. Mmm...

Address:
Le Parker Meridien
119 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone number: (212)708-7460

www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

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Birthday Brunch Celebration at Calle Ocho

2011-09-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

I know I titled my last post "birthday lunch", but the day after my actual birthday I also celebrated with friends at brunch. I haven't really explored many restaurants that serve bottomless drinks with brunch because I feel like the few places I have tried or heard about usually don't serve as great food, and if I must choose between quality food or drink, I'm definitely going for the food.
A few months ago my sister attended a friend's birthday at Calle Ocho and after the meal she came back and raved about the drinks and food. When I called the restaurant to make a reservation a week before my birthday, all I'd said was "Hi, can I make a brunch reservation for next weekend?" And without asking me about the size of my party or what time I wanted, the hostess replied "Everything's full. We recommend making bookings at least 6 weeks in advance." Devastated, I tweeted that I needed to find a plan B. Calle Ocho then replied to my twitter and asked how many people I wanted to reserve for and for what date. Magically they made it happen! Via Twitter! I was thoroughly impressed.

Okay now onto the restaurant experience...

I definitely did not take enough pictures. The bread basket-- AMAZING. It was filled with warm cheese bread, corn bread, blueberry muffins and other scrumptious carbs. The basket was also accompanied by strawberry butter!

Our server was very accommodating and fun. He checked back on us often throughout the meal.

The brunch entrees come with a variety of unlimited sangrias (for no additional charge).

Cuban Sandwich, $14: roasted pork, panela basted ham, swiss cheese, pickles, chimichurri fries. The bread for this sandwich really tasted like Chinese biscuits/ 燒餅. The fries were very crispy and deliciously seasoned.

Vaca Frita, $18: cuban skirt steak, rice, tomato escabeche, avocado, fried eggs. I ordered this dish and really enjoyed it. The beef was tender and tasty, and the eggs were perfectly runny.

Other dishes my friends ordered:

Frita Cubana, $15: cuban style burger, seasoned beef and pork patty, red onions, chimichurri fries, chipotle ketchup.

Tortilla Espanola, $16: spinach frittata with asparagus, potatoes, piquillo peppers and wild mushrooms over a crab enchilada.

Calle Ocho Omelet, $14: country omelet with tomato and manchego cheese.

Quesadillas del Salvador, $14: soft tortillas, chipotle chicken, asadero cheese, curtido, avocado, crema nata.

Address:
Excelsior Hotel
45 West 81st Street
New York, NY 10024
Phone number: (212)873-5025

www.calleochonyc.com

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Birthday Lunch at The Spotted Pig

2011-09-27T20:18:00.002-04:00

I'd been craving a burger for weeks, so after a lot of research, I decided to go to The Spotted Pig to try the roquefort burger. The British style pub is small and welcoming, with colorful and vintage decor.

The restaurant's quite small, so be prepared to wait!

The walls were covered in pictures of pigs.

The menu with my birthday on it :)

Chicken Liver Toast, $6. Looks questionable in the picture but omg this was divine. So rich and flavorful!

Beets and Greens, $8. We figured we needed to order at least one healthier dish. This was a little too salty though.

Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese and Shoestrings, $17. The roquefort cheese was strong and delicious, and the beef patties superb. The shoestring fries are sprinkled with rosemary and there are small pieces of thin garlic chips scattered amongst the fries. Mmm...

Address:
314 West 11th Street (between Hudson Street & Greenwich Street)
New York, NY 10014
Phone number: (212)620-0393
*No reservations

www.thespottedpig.com

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Atlanta: 4th and Swift

2011-09-20T08:04:00.001-04:00

Dinner at 4th and Swift was a great experience. The industrial space still managed to give off a somewhat cozy atmostphere and the food was fantastic! The restaurant serves a farm-to-table menu based on seasonal ingredients from local and regional purveyors. Oh, I also found my new favorite dessert ever. The sticky toffee pudding is to die for.

The interesting industrial interior.

From one end of the dining room, you could peek into the kitchen.

Salad of Local Heirloom Tomatoes with balsamic-lemon sorbet, micro basil, himalayan pink salt, ricotta salata, $10. The tomatoes were deliciously fresh and naturally sweet.

Lamb and Ricotta Meatballs with creamy polenta, wilted spinach, candied garlic jus, parmesan melba, $12. Many heavy flavors in this. I liked it because the lamb wasn't too gamey.

Bramlett Farms Trout with herbed potato gnocchi, fava beans, pea shoots, warm vinaigrette of fines herbs, $26. Simple enough that one could really enjoy the natural flavors of the fish, but prepared in a way that was still tasty.

My cousin and I shared an order of the restaurant week dinner ($35 for 3 courses).

Sweet Corn Soup with crispy fried okra and basil creme fraiche.

Pan Seared Blue Ridge Trout with summer legumes, sweet peppers, spring onions, and golden potatoes with buttermilk chive dressing.

English Sticky Toffee Pudding with Sweetened Vanilla Cream. Highlight of the entire meal. Mouth-watering and absolutely outstanding. I would go back to Atlanta just for this dessert.

Dessert from a friend's 3 course restaurant week order:

Chocolate Tart with buttermilk ice cream, macerated strawberries. Extremely dense and slightly bitter.

Address:
621 North Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone number: (678)904-0160

www.4thandswift.com

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Atlanta: Barbeque at Fat Matt's Rib Shack

2011-09-15T08:05:00.000-04:00

My cousin brought us to Fat Matt's for one last amazing meal to wrap up our trip. It was raining hard when we got there and there was still a line that snaked out the door. People were actually holding umbrellas while standing out in the rain. That's how good this barbeque is.

Inside the small restaurant.

The hand-written menu.

Ordering window with the kitchen behind it.

Half Slab of Ribs, $10.95. So incredibly tasty and the meat fell right off the bone.

Chopped Pork Sandwich with Chips, $4.10. Sides: Mac 'n Cheese, $2, Potato Salad, $1.30. Everything was so delicious. The pork was slightly spicy, prepared with a lot of sauce, and sandwiched between a very soft bun.

Address:
1811 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
Phone number: (404)607-1622

www.fatmattsribshack.com

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Atlanta: Fried Chicken at South City Kitchen

2011-09-13T09:49:00.001-04:00

The best biscuits we had all weekend. Buttery, hot, and just broke apart when picked up.

My cousin ordered from the restaurant week menu, $25 for 3 courses:

Fried Green Tomatoes with goat cheese and red pepper coulis.

Shrimp & Grits with poblanos, tasso ham, smoked tomato gravy. Heavier flavors than the one at JCT Kitchen, but I preferred the simpler and creamier style at JCT.

Banana Pudding. Delicious. Not enough pieces of bread in there but still so amazing.

Our a la carte orders:

Green Eggs and Ham, $10: farm egg, cheddar polenta grits, seared pork belly, chimichurri. Such a great combination of foods. The pork belly was so tender and fatty, nicely complemented by the polenta.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Mac 'n Cheese (substituted for garlic collards), bliss potatoes, honey-thyme jus, $17.

Half portion of fried chicken with garlic collards, bliss potatoes, honey-thyme jus. (My sister and I split a full portion). The fried chicken wasn't as greasy as I'd hoped, but the skin was still very crispy and tasty.

Address:
1144 Crescent Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone number: (404)873-7358

www.southcitykitchen.com

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Atlanta: JCT Kitchen & Bar

2011-09-09T09:16:00.001-04:00

On our first night in Atlanta my cousin took us to JCT Kitchen for dinner. It's a beautiful spacious restaurant with outdoor seating and live music in the bar area. The restaurant serves sophisticated Southern food and is famous for its fried chicken. Unfortunately when we tried to order it we were told it had sold out at 7:30pm. Luckily everything else we had was terrific, but next time I visit Atlanta I plan to get to JCT at 6:00pm just to be on the safe side.

Outdoor seating.

A modern decor with a rustic table for bread baskets and flowers.

Deviled Eggs with Benton's Country Ham and extra virgin olive oil, $7. Spectacular! So creamy and flavorful.

Shrimp & Grits "summer version": red mule grits, deep fried soft poached egg, crispy country ham, candied lemon, $18. The grits was creamy and the shrimp perfectly cooked. The egg was runny inside and it was a great addition to the dish.

Chicken & Dumplings: slow cooked chicken leg, sheep's milk ricotta dumplings, local vegetables, $19. The chicken was deliciously tender and the vegetables were very fresh, but the shrimp & grits definitely overshadowed this dish.

Georgia Peach Fried Pie with bourbon vanilla ice cream, $8. There was no peach cobbler on the menu, so we ordered this instead. It was superb! The peaches were so hot and the juice came spilling out after cutting into the crust.

Address:
1198 Howell Mill Road, Ste 18
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone number: (404)355-2252

www.jctkitchen.com

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Labor Day Getaway

2011-09-08T08:05:00.001-04:00

I had the most amazing weekend in Atlanta. Family bonding, tanning by the pool, and of course, so much Southern food!

Ribs at Fat Matt's.

Corn bread at every meal. If only these were given in bread baskets in New York too.

Beluga whale at the Georgia Aquarium.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

2011-09-02T07:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not even sure if it's still peach season, but I'm looking forward to finding the perfect peach dessert this weekend in Atlanta. Have a happy holiday!

(Image via here)

Birthday Lunch at Jean Georges

2011-08-29T09:46:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday we celebrated my sister's birthday at Jean Georges. It was my second time at the restaurant and it was as spectacular as my first experience there in January. I can't stress enough how wonderful this meal was. The service, the value, the tastes, and the ambiance. It's no surprise it was awarded three Michelin stars. If I could only spend one day in New York, I would insist on eating here for lunch.

The prix fixe lunch was $32 for 2 courses, but on September 6 it will increase to $38.

The elegant dining room has windows on three sides.

Shortly after we ordered, the amuse bouche was brought to our table. A hot miso soup with organic popcorn; watermelon with roquefort (the watermelon was so sweet and went beautifully with the strong cheese); and cucumber.

For the first course:

Foie Gras Terrine, Slow-Roasted Strawberries, and 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar. ($5 supplement). This dish was incredible. There was a thin and crispy layer on the top of the foie gras, and with each bite you could taste the sweetness of the strawberries.

Parmesan Risotto with Mushroom and Herbs. A lovely risotto with strong parmesan flavors and a good ratio of mushrooms to risotto.

For the second course:

Parmesan Crusted Confit Leg of Chicken, Artichoke, Basil and Lemon Butter. The crunch from the parmesan crust highlighted just how tender the chicken was, and the lemon butter brought a satisfying richness to the dish.

Caramelized Beef Tenderloin, Goldbar Squash with Parmesan Cheese and Buttery Hot Sauce. The beef was absolutely divine. This plate (well, along with the chicken and foie gras) captured my full attention. The hot sauce was an unexpected addition to the beef and made it even more enjoyable.

At the end of the meal, chocolates, lavender macarons and homemade marshmallows were brought to the table.

We were too full to order dessert at this point, but since I'd told the restaurant ahead of time that we were celebrating a birthday, the server brought us this plate of chocolate covered orange peels! A lovely little surprise.

Address:
1 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
Phone number: (212)299-3900
*Reservations strongly recommended. The restaurant accepts advance reservations 30 days prior to the date.

www.jean-georges.com

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Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel at Ess-a-Bagel

2011-08-26T09:43:00.000-04:00

Since living in New York this past year I really haven't taken advantage of the wealth of good bagel places in the city. A few weeks ago I finally went to try Ess-a-Bagel and it was amazing.

The wait was around 20 minutes at 12pm on a Saturday. The servers behind the counter were impatient and expected people to know what they wanted by the time they got to the front. It makes perfect sense though, since the line was long.

Lox and Cream Cheese on an Everything bagel, $12.75. The Everything bagel with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion and garlic is definitely the way to go. The bagel was a very generous size, toasted (per my request) and nicely crisp on the exterior and so thick and chewy inside. The salmon was fresh and tasty with some kosher salt lightly sprinkled on it. I ended up having to scoop out a lot of the insides of the bagel because it was just too big a portion for me but it was still delicious nonetheless!

There are around 13 small tables in the eatery and people were pretty good about giving up their tables as soon as they were done eating, so the wait wasn't too bad.

Address:
831 3rd Avenue (between 50th Street & 51st Street)
New York, NY 10022
Phone number: (212)980-1010

Other location:
359 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10010

www.ess-a-bagel.com

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Indian Take-out from Seva

2011-08-23T07:48:00.001-04:00

I finally satisfied my Indian food craving! Seva is a cozy little Indian restaurant in Astoria that I popped into the other night to try out. The restaurant offers an amazing all day delivery (or take out) special of an appetizer, entree, basmati rice, and dessert for $13.50. I was pleasantly surprised at how generous the portions were when I got home and opened everything up.

Vegetable Samosas. Crunchy, hot, and lots of potatoes inside!

Chicken Tikka Masala: clay oven cooked, light cream tomato sauce. The cashier told me this is their most popular dish. The chicken was tender and the sauce was rich and spicy.

Basmati Rice.

Mango Lassi, conveniently packaged in a dessert cup. So thick and delicious.

Such a fantastic deal and such good food! I just visited the restaurant's website and found that there's a weekend all you can eat buffet brunch for $10! I've never really craved Indian for brunch since I'm all about pancakes and eggs benedict, but I definitely want to try it sometime.

Address:
30-07 34th Street
Astoria, NY 11103
Phone number: (718)626-4440

www.sevaindianrestaurant.com

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Happy Happy Birthday!

2011-08-20T09:34:00.000-04:00

Today is a very special day! It's my dearest big sister's birthday, as well as my best friend Summer's birthday.

My sister was able to understand and relay my babbling to our parents from the day I started talking. Jahsca is my confidante and lovely roommate who puts up with my non-stop chattering (although with much eye rolling), makes me laugh until I cry, and will taste whatever I make, even if it ends up a total disaster (chocolate souffle circa 2008). Oh, and she helped me start this blog two years ago! (She just interrupted me while writing this and demanded that I make her a grilled cheese sandwich. So actually she's the one who's very lucky to have me as a sister.)

Summer is my best friend from college, placed in the room next door to mine freshman year. After I got over thinking she was a snob for the first 4 months I knew her, I fell in love with her (as a friend!). She is so extremely kind, down-to-earth, and understanding. Sumaire is just such a good person. Oh, and she is always up for trips I plan or restaurants I want to try. She's the best.

(Top image via Call me Cupcake)

NYC Restaurant Week 2011: David Burke Kitchen

2011-08-19T08:13:00.000-04:00

I had a lovely restaurant week lunch with one of my best friends last week. Overall we weren't blown away with David Burke Kitchen, but there were some parts of the meal that we really did enjoy.

The restaurant is located in the James Hotel, but has its own separate entrance.

The below-ground level restaurant does manage to soak in a good amount of sunlight from the windows that line the restaurant wall.

For our first course:
Lobster Soup: lobster dumpling with coconut fennel creme and red watercress. The soup was fantastic and had a very strong lobster taste, but the dumpling was too starchy.

Pastrami Salmon with horseradish, mustard seeds, capers. The salmon was fresh and the pastrami tasted like beef carpaccio. The creamy sauce was a nice addition.

For the second course:
Herbed Mac N' Cheese with spicy sausage and prosciutto wrapped egg. I was expecting the mac n' cheese to be creamier and have a layer of cheese on top, so I was a little disappointed when this dish came out looking like a regular pasta. The sausage pieces were so tiny I don't remember them being spicy, and the dish was quite bland overall.

Kitchen Burger with bacon, cheddar, and jalapeno french fries. Delicious! The burger was juicy, the meat was very flavorful, and the jalapeno on the french fries gave it a nice kick.

Third Course:
Superb apple tart with vanilla ice cream. This is hands down the best apple tart I've ever had. The pastry was perfectly flaky, the apple flavors just strong enough. Incredible. Order this even if you're full by dessert.

Chocolate Caramel Fudge Cake. Terrific dessert as well, but we were so blown away by the apple tart that this was overshadowed. The cake was very thick and fudge-like. Definitely an ultimate comfort food dessert.

Address:
23 Grand Street (between Avenue of the Americas & Thompson Street)
New York, NY 10013
Phone number: (212)201-9119

www.davidburkekitchen.com

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Brunch at Norma's

2011-08-15T07:57:00.001-04:00

Brunch at Norma's is always such a treat. Especially when we managed to snag a reservation time of 11:30am on the morning of! I know I've said this before, but one of the best things about being an early riser is beating the New York brunch crowds. Norma's was buzzing and full when we got there, but we only had to wait a few minutes after checking in with the hostess.

A lovely brunch crowd of tourists and New Yorkers. My only small complaint is the lack of natural sunlight in the restaurant. This may be easily ignored when the food arrives though.

Free shots of the smoothie of the day. It was tempting to order a regular sized smoothie after a taste of it, but we had to prepare ourselves for our insanely rich and wonderful entrees.

Waz-Za: waffle with fruit inside, outside, and a crackly brulee top, $24. One of Norma's specialties, and for a darn good reason. So memorable and without a doubt worth the calories and sugar intake. Perfect for a special occasion or just a regular Sunday morning brunch if you're ready for it.

Artychoked Benedict: eggs benedict with artichoke hearts, potato, and truffle porcini sauce, $25. An intense benedict that's covered with enough truffle oil to guarantee the beautifully overpowering flavor in every single bite.

Yes, we finished all our food. Yes, we walked for 3 straight hours afterwards before we finally felt like normal human beings again. And yes, a food coma swept over us eventually.

Address:
Le Parker Meridien
119 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone number: (212)708-7460

www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

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Caracas Arepa Bar at Rockaway Boardwalk

2011-08-10T19:35:00.003-04:00

This was my first and definitely not last time trying an arepa, a popular Venezuelan dish made of corn dough.

The menu, handwritten on the wall.

The cashier told me the most popular order is the Arepa de Pabellon: shredded beef, beans, sweet plantains, and cheese ($7.50), so I got this and really did love it. The arepa was spongy and so strong in corn flavors that it reminded me of polenta. The beef was sweet, tender, and very flavorful.

Address:
Beach 106th Street
Rockaway, NY 11694
Phone number: (718)474-1709

Other locations:
93 1/2 East 7th Street
New York, NY 10009

291 Grand Street (between Roebling Street & Havemeyer Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11211

www.caracasarepabar.com

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Rockaway Fish Tacos

2011-08-09T07:44:00.005-04:00

Incredible freshly made fish tacos at Rockaway Taco. A must try.

Deluxe fish taco, $4. (Without guacamole it's $3). A generous portion of perfectly battered fish. There was a mild salsa that you could add on top.

Sweet fried plantains, $3. Mmm... A great combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Address:
95-19 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Queens, NY 11693
(Conveniently located right next to Veggie Island)
Phone number: (347)213-7466
*Cash only

www.rockawaytaco.com

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Veggie Island at Far Rockaway

2011-08-08T09:57:00.001-04:00

I spent a beautiful day at Far Rockaway Beach this past weekend visiting various food and drink stands. The boardwalk was filled with good eats and the weather was perfect for roaming around. One of the last stops we made before heading home was at Veggie Island. We got our drinks at Veggie Island's concession stand on the boardwalk, but also passed by the shop at their other location next to Rockaway Taco.

Veggie Island sells organic and mostly local produce, as well as sandwiches and non-dairy fresh juices.

Veggie Island on the boardwalk:

Tropical Smoothie: papaya and mango, $5. The perfect beach day drink.

Address:
95-19 Rockaway Beach Boulevard,
Queens, NY 11693

Phone number: (347)213-7466
*Cash only

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Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Indian Food...

2011-08-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

This past week's Keeping Up with the Kardashians episode really had me craving Indian food. The Kardashians visit an Indian restaurant, and obviously that is not the interesting part of the episode, but as the server brought out the food, I could not tear my eyes away from the tandoori chicken, naan and curry.
So I now have a very strong craving for Indian food and would like to satisfy that. Any suggestions on authentic Indian restaurants in New York?

For the time being, I'll just have to stare at this picture I took at my favorite Indian restaurant Gaylord in Hong Kong:

Sharing a delicious meal with my pops.

Address:
1/F 23-25 Ashley Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Phone number: 2376-1001

HaChi Restaurant & Lounge Opening

2011-08-01T09:06:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday I attended the opening party for HaChi Restaurant and Lounge. The trendy dual-level space is situated in the Lower East Side and offers an interesting French-Asian fusion menu. The opening celebration was a lot of fun, and I got to meet some great people including the owner, who's from Hong Kong, too!

A lovely cherry blossom tree next to the hostess desk at the entrance of the restaurant.

A simple decor

with touches of Asian influence.

Rock Shrimp: Spicy Tuna, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Serano Pepper. Mouthwatering sushi. So fresh and just the right amount of spiciness.

Tuna Hand roll.

Great food, and it looks like this will be a fun place for after-work drinks or dinner.

Address:
185 Orchard Street (between Houston Street & Stanton Street)
New York, NY 10002
Phone number: (212)228-0880

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Happy Weekend!

2011-07-29T12:59:00.000-04:00

It's Friday! It's Friday! I'm finishing off the week with seeing Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows tonight. Yes, 2 weeks behind, but better late than never!
On another note, I'm also hoping to satisfy my cupcake craving. Have you been to Buttercup Bake Shop? It's probably my favorite cupcake place in New York. Moist, perfectly sweet, and not ridiculously expensive!

Image from here.

NYC Restaurant Week 2011: Union Square Cafe

2011-07-27T08:05:00.001-04:00

While skimming through the list of restaurant week participants, Union Square Cafe was one of the first restaurants to catch my eye. I've walked by it countless times, and have read great reviews. The Danny Meyer restaurant changes the menu often, incorporating seasonal and many locally sourced ingredients.

The food and service did not disappoint.

The bar near the entrance of the restaurant.

For the three-course restaurant week lunch menu at $24.07 (excluding tax and tip), we both started off with the three onion risotto. Absolutely superb. The texture of the risotto was perfect, and the onion flavors managed to not be too pungent or overwhelming. After polishing this off, I was confident it would be my favorite dish of the meal.

Grilled trout with green bean salad, crispy salt-baked potatoes, and seasoning pepper vinaigrette. The trout had the slightly charred taste that I love, and the vinaigrette was a wonderful complement to the fish, as it brought out an additional light citrus flavor that was simple but refreshing.

Peach tarte tartin with creme fraiche ice cream. My friend and I couldn't quite figure out what ice cream it was (we didn't read the menu description all the way). Nevertheless, the tart managed to hold together well while also being flaky.

Raspberry crumb cake with raspberry-lime sherbert. Slightly tart and deliciously moist with plenty of crumbs to enjoy (that's the best part!).

And after writing this post, I'm ready to go back to Union Square Cafe and try something else. Or have all of these dishes again.

Address:
21 East 16th Street (between 5th Avenue & West Union Square)
New York, NY 10003
Phone number: (212)243-4020

www.unionsquarecafe.com

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Over 200 restaurants extended their restaurant week menu offerings ($24.07 for lunch, $35 for dinner) through September 5th. Although Union Square Cafe is not part of this group, check out the others: www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek

All-American Weekend in Phoenicia, NY

2011-07-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

I finally got the all-American barbeque I'd been wanting since before July 4th, and it was truly wonderful. My boss and his wife kindly invited us to their weekend house upstate, and we had a great time cooling off in the creek, eating hamburgers and many other things, as well as taking turns on the zip line (where I got stuck twice).

The food was amazing.

Chicken skewers.

Mango salsa with avocado chunks.

Crudites with hummus.

I really wouldn't mind having a backyard like this...

Or a beautiful den like this one...

Here's Jibby, who ran into the creek and started swimming

and reminds me very much of my not-so-little puppy at home:

On another note, is the last week of July really here already?!

Happy Weekend!

2011-07-22T07:59:00.003-04:00

TGIF. Thanks to the recent heat wave in New York, doing anything outdoors has become truly unbearable. Aside from a company barbeque on Saturday, I think I'll be hiding in the safe haven of my air conditioned apartment for the rest of the weekend.

I'll also be busy wishing I could crash my parents' romantic getaway in Malaysia. This is the pool at their hotel. Yup, I could go for a dip right now...

My dad likes to remind me that if I move home he'll take me everywhere and buy a new car (aw... love my dad).

So...why did I leave home again?

Image from here.

Green Curry at Sea Thai!

2011-07-21T07:25:00.000-04:00

After a very long meeting in Brooklyn, my sister and I stopped by Williamsburg for dinner. She brought me to Sea Thai and I loved it. The dining room was very spacious and the decor was interesting. In each bathroom stall there were small tv screens displaying different parts of the restaurant in real time.

The large dining room with more tables and a bar on the other side of the screen.

The menu was like a book of postcards with different pictures of Thailand on every page.

Tup Tim Fritters: crispy chicken and shrimp dumplings with sweet & sour sauce, $5. One of the restaurant's signature dishes.

Patpong Green Curry with shrimp, eggplant and bamboo shoot, $10. (You can also order the curry with chicken/beef/tofu/vegetable for $9). Our very favorite green curry in life is found at Sweet Basil in Hong Kong. Since moving to New York I haven't found anything as impressive, but this one came pretty darn close.

Drunk Man's Noodle with Chicken, shrimp and squid stir-fried with spicy basil chili and eggs, $10. Noodles are my favorite comfort food, and this sweet, spicy and flavorful dish is now one of my favorites.

Address:
114 N 6th Street (between Wythe Avenue & Berry Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone number: (718)384-8850

Other location:
835 Washington Street
New York, NY 10014

www.seathainyc.com/sea

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Dreaming of Mussels at Flex Mussels

2011-07-19T08:16:00.001-04:00

I really wanted to try the $20 all you can eat mussels at Flex Mussels, but when we arrived at 6pm on a Friday night, the bar area where the deal is valid was already full. The special is from Monday to Saturdays 5:30 to 7:30pm and Sundays 4 to 7:30pm and includes a beer, fries and mussels (Fra Diavolo, Dijon, or Classic). We went ahead and sat in the dining room to order off the regular menu instead. It worked out for the best because the mussels we ended up ordering were not included in the all you can eat.

A pretty and cozy dining room. No natural sunlight inside though.

Bread served in a cute little tin. We probably ended up finishing 4 or 5 tins of bread. It was so good with the mussel broths.

Salmon grilled with a hoisin, ginger and garlic glaze, sauteed pea shoots, scallion garnish, $28. My friend orders salmon at every seafood restaurant we go to and she said this was the best one she's ever had.

There are 23 different mussel choices on the menu including one special of the day that the server tells you about. They range from $18 to $21 and there are around 20 mussels in each serving.
Thai mussels: curry coconut broth, lemongrass, coriander, lime, garlic, ginger, $19. The mussels were big and so fresh.

Maine mussels: lobster, smoked bacon, corn, white chowder, parsley, $21. There was a lot of lobster in this!

Parma: parmigiano cream, meyer lemon, scallions, toasted garlic and shallots, $21.

Truffle fries, $8. Quite a lot of truffle sauce on this, but too small a portion of fries. There was a small dipping bowl of olive oil with garlic on the side.

Our server informed us that the restaurant's dessert chef Zac Young, a runner up from Top Chef Desserts, was in for that night so we decided we had to order something. We chose the Flex donut collection.
There are 10 different flavors to choose from. We selected 2 flutternutters (marshmallow & peanut butter), a raspberry and Georgia peach, 4 for $9. They were chewy, hot and delicious.

Address:
154 West 13th Street (between 6th Avenue & 7th Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
Phone number: (212)229-0222

Other location:
174 East 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028

www.flexmusselsny.com

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Summer in Soho at Delicatessen

2011-07-15T08:07:00.000-04:00

It has gotten so unbearably hot in the past week and a half that I am still unsure how people enjoy summers in the city. The Summer in Soho event hosted by Satisfaction Vodka turned out to be a great example of how a restaurant can offer a setting for enjoying the long daylight hours of summer while sitting in cool and controlled temperatures.

I'd visited Delicatessen before, but never noticed the "courtyard" found below a flight of stairs in the back of the restaurant. There are skylights over an enclosed space and great air conditioning so that you can feel like you're outdoors while not having to sweat profusely.

Delicatessen serves comfort foods such as fish & chips, mac & cheese and burgers, so I was surprised that the new menu introduced items such as sweet sesame chicken lettuce wraps and the most amazing pork mole tacos.

I didn't manage to take pictures of the food because as soon as a tray of food was brought out, people (including myself) attacked it like vultures. (There just wasn't enough time to eat and snap photos at the same time...)

I did, however, take a picture of the little gift bag of assorted cookies!

Address:
54 Prince Street
New York, NY 10079
Phone number: (212)226-0211

www.delicatessennyc.com

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DC: French Goodness at Bistrot du Coin

2011-07-14T08:05:00.000-04:00

After a long and seemingly never-ending drive from New York to DC, we went to Bistrot du Coin for a late dinner. This was such a great meal because I love French food and I also love unpretentious French restaurants. Bistrot du Coin was casual, had quite an extensive menu, and very fair prices.

Much larger than expected once we got inside. View of the restaurant from the second floor.

French Onion Soup, $7.50.

Tartine with black olive puree, prosciutto, swiss gruyere, $6.95. A little on the salty side, but that's to be expected with olive and prosciutto. Delicious salad on the side; the dressing was light but tasty.

Croziflette: Gratin of buckwheat pasta, French ham, bacon, onion, reblochon cheese, $9.25. Basically like mac 'n cheese but even better because of the bacon and onion.

Steamed Mussels in white wine with onions, shallots, garlic, $8.50. While walking through the restaurant to be seated, we noticed that almost table had at least one order of mussels. There were 9 different mussel broths to choose from and each one came in two sizes. I ordered the small one and there were around 20 pieces. So fresh and I loved the broth, which I wished there was more of.

Grilled Rib Eye, French fries, bearnaise sauce, $21.95. The steak was very well seasoned.

Address:
1738 Connecticut Avenue NW (between N R Street & N S Street)
Washington, DC 20009
Phone number: (202)234-6969

www.bistrotducoin.com

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DC: Afternoon Tea at Leopold's Kafe

2011-07-12T08:07:00.000-04:00

I had the best lemon pancakes of my life when I dined at Leopold's Kafe before, so I figured it warranted another visit during my July 4th trip to DC. After a wonderful afternoon of shopping in Georgetown, we stopped in Leopold's Kafe for afternoon tea.

The cakes are a tad expensive, but each one we ordered was quite unique and beautifully made.

Outdoor seating

Beautiful cakes-- made it very hard to choose.

Zitrusfrucht Dobosh: almond cake with orange infused chocolate butter cream topped with almond brittle, $7. Didn't even try to pronounce these German names. I loved the crunch of the almond brittle combined with the spongey layers in the cake.

Fraisier: almond cake layered with pistachio mousse & fresh strawberries, $7.50.

Karamell-Grey: Belgian dark chocolate cake layered with earl grey tea, caramel chocolate ganache, $7.25.

Papillotte: Praline meringue & creamy almond hazelnut mousse in a milk chocolate shell, $6.50.

Sorbet of the day: Lychee-Rose Sorbet, $6.50. I love all lychee-related foods, and this was refreshing and not too sweet... perfect for a very hot afternoon.

Trio of Sandwiches $13.

Address:
3318 M Street NW (between N 33rd & N Bank street)
Washington, DC 20007
Phone number: (202)965-6005

www.kafeleopolds.com

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DC: Mexican Dinner at Haydee's

2011-07-11T07:57:00.001-04:00

It's been so long since I've had Mexican food. I've been on a half-hearted search for it in NYC and find that authentic Mexican food is greatly lacking from this metropolitan city! Haydee's probably comes closest to bringing me the joy I experienced when eating in Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Although it was blazing hot and none of us were actually hungry, upon my friend's recommendation we ventured over to Columbia Heights to check out this restaurant.

The Latin American restaurant is comprised of two floors and has a stage on the ground floor along with several flat screen TVs playing sports channels. It's quite casual, but definitely looks like a lively night spot.

Cheese Pupusa, $2.25. Pupusa is a traditional Salvadorian dish made of thick flat bread usually stuffed with cheese and/or meat.

Chicken Enchiladas, $7.50. I couldn't believe this enormous dish was only $7.50. The chicken was so tender!

Nachos with chicken, cheese and jalapenos, $6.50.

Tilapia Fish Tacos, $11.99. The fish was seasoned so well and along with the grilled onions this was heavenly.

The side that came with the fish tacos. I think every dish here could easily be split into two meals.

Address:
3102 Mount Pleasant Street NW (between N Irving Street & N Kenyon Street)
Washington, DC 20010
Phone number: (202)483-9199

Other location:
6303 Georgia Avenue NW (between N Sheridan Street & N Tuckerman Street)
Washington, DC 20011

www.haydees.us

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$28 Prix Fixe Lunch at Nougatine

2011-07-08T07:59:00.001-04:00

After reading Mark Bittman's article on Nougatine in the Delta Sky magazine a few months ago, I added the restaurant to my ever-growing list of places I want to try and made the reservation for the end of June.

Time Warner, steps away from Trump International Hotel, where Nougatine is located.

The picture is quite dark, but the dining area is a bright and airy space. Nougatine is the informal dining room for Jean Georges and has a separate menu that is slightly less expensive.

The pretty open kitchen.

$28 for a prix fixe lunch menu of two plates and one dessert.

Tuna Tartare with avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade. A truly beautiful dish with great flavors.

My friend started with the Sweet Pea Soup with croutons, brie and dill. When the bowl first arrived it looked like this and she got confused and said "it looks kind of dehydrated..."

Then the broth came.

Another friend's starter: Warm Beets & Fresh Yogurt, field mache and lemon oil.

My main course: Sauteed Black Sea Bass with asparagus, shitakes, sesame vinaigrette. A fusion dish done very well. The skin on the sea bass was perfectly crispy. The vinaigrette and shitakes brought a lovely twist to a traditional fish dish.

My friend's entree: Skate with black beans, avocado, ginger and truffle juice. Decent but not spectacular.

Warm Chocolate Cake with vanilla bean ice cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb Linzer Tart with blueberry compote and Thai basil ice cream.

My friend and I visited Jean Georges in February and both agreed it was a much more refined meal than the one we experienced at Nougatine. Nougatine was decent but the service was lacking in comparison and the food was not as exciting. At times when we tried to catch our server's attention, he was busy talking to another server and not as attentive as you'd expect from a restaurant of this class.

Address:
1 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
Phone number: (212)299-3900

www.jean-georges.com

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DC: A Tipsy Brunch at Vinoteca

2011-07-06T08:19:00.001-04:00

My friend suggested meeting for brunch at Vinoteca to enjoy eggs benedict (her favorite brunch dish too) and some drinks. The restaurant offers $5 mimosas, bellinis and kir royales, or unlimited cocktails for $10. With the bottomless order you have the choice of ordering a different drink each time.

The prices are reasonable (practically cheap), the drinks are strong and the food was great. Definitely coming back here next time I'm in DC!

The restaurant is in a town home and has some outdoor seating which would have been enjoyable if it wasn't for the 30+ celsius weather.

French Toast, $8. This was nice and fluffy and exactly how french toast should taste!

Eggs Benedict Vinoteca on gruyere toast, frisee salad with pulled pork and roasted garlic vinaigrette, $10. Gruyere is one of my favorite cheeses and the thick bread was a nice change from english muffin that usually comes with eggs benedict. The best part of this dish though was definitely the pulled pork in the salad. It was full of flavor and just the right amount to enhance the salad.

Address:
1940 11th Street (between N T Street & U N Street)
Washington, DC 20001
Phone number: (202)332-9463

www.vinotecadc.com

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Happy 4th of July Weekend!

2011-07-01T07:59:00.000-04:00

I am so looking forward to spending the weekend in DC. I'm trying some new restaurants but also definitely planning to consume copious amounts of food at Founding Farmers (best eggs benedict ever), hoping to attend a barbeque, enjoy some sunshine by the pool and most importantly, play with my favorite people there!

Image from here

Brunch at Cafeteria (again and again)

2011-06-30T07:49:00.000-04:00

Cafeteria has become a go-to brunch spot for me mainly because the food is consistent, there is a nice variety, the prices are reasonable, it's in a convenient location and the host once referred to my roomie as "the cute halfsie". I've written about the lovely waffle I had there before, and since then I've also tried the eggs benedict, lemon ricotta pancakes, and most recently the monterey eggs. Totally worth writing home about.

Monterey Eggs: warm cheese tortilla, black eye peas, avocado, jack cheese, cherry tomato salsa, $10. Quite a comforting and hearty dish with rich flavors and many different textures.

Fried Chicken N Waffles: buttermilk chicken, roasted garlic herb wood herbs, homestyle gravy, $16. Chicken and waffle dishes seem really strange but I found this surprisingly delightful. The fried chicken was crispy and the the waffle was as good as the last time.

Croissant Breakfast Sandwich: soft scrambled eggs, ham, white cheddar, plum tomato, avocado, $12. Another great comfort dish. I had a bite of this and the croissant was so buttery, it was absolutely perfect (along with everything else in it).

Outdoor seating available! Should definitely take advantage of that although for some reason we always seem to visit Cafeteria on rainy days.

Address:
119 7th Ave,
New York, NY 10021
Phone number: (212)414-1717
(Open 24 hours)

Website: www.cafeteriagroup.com

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Sarabeth's West: Hello Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich

2011-06-28T08:03:00.002-04:00

You know that moment when you order something very standard, do not expect it to be amazing and then you experience a most wonderful first bite that makes you want to sing out loud and snap your fingers?

Meet the chicken ciabatta sandwich with mozzarella, arugula, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, maple-mustard mayonnaise and french fries, $17. Oh my lord. Such fresh ingredients, moist and tender pieces of chicken, and onions perfectly grilled to bring out sweet and spicy flavors.

The decor reminded me of an old hotel restaurant with its print and fabric upholstery and green and white walls.

Didn't try anything else here and wouldn't ever feel obliged to...

Address:
423 Amsterdam Avenue (between 80th Street & 81st Street)
New York, NY 10024
Phone number: (212)496-6280

Other location:
1295 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10128

Website: www.sarabethswest.com

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Orlando: Emeril's Tchoup Chop

2011-06-25T09:56:00.003-04:00

I skimmed over the Zagat guide for America's Best Restaurants and found Emeril's Tchoup Chop in the Orlando section. I made a note of it and when I looked it up online, found it was right in Lowes Royal Pacific Resort, the hotel we were staying at. How very convenient.

A unique interior with a very large pond in the middle of the room.

Watermelon Brulee with Bacon. Sounds very strange, but it was definitely interesting, the top of the watermelon had been torched and therefore had a thin layer of crispiness.

Hickory Smoked Australian Lamb Shank with sweet potatoes and barbeque sauce, $22. I had one bite of this and it was tender and didn't have that game-y taste that often comes with lamb.

Mongolian Glazed Slow Roasted Pork Belly in Steamed Buns, $9. I loved the pork belly at Ippudo in New York, but this one just blew me away; it was exciting and flavorful, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy.

Next time we go back I definitely want to try the banana cream pie. We were looking forward to it but were all so full by the end of the meal we couldn't do it.

Address:
6300 Hollywood Way
Orlando, FL 32819
Phone number: (407)503-2467

Website: www.emerils.com/restaurant/7/Emerils-Tchoup-Chop

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NYC Cocktail Week 2011

2011-06-22T08:13:00.001-04:00

There is still a week left to take advantage of NYC Cocktail Week! Through June 29th, 17 participating bars and lounges are offering a separate menu with choices of two cocktails and an appetizer for $20.11.

A portion of the proceeds from the event support City Harvest's fight against hunger and The Museum of the American Cocktail.

Of the establishments, I'd really like to visit Pegu Club, Death & Company, and Lani Kai. For a full list and more information, visit liquor.com.

Image from here.

Orlando: Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios in 48 hours

2011-06-20T21:56:00.000-04:00

This weekend was hectic but as spectacular as could be. Despite our 5 hour flight delay to Orlando on Friday night and getting a total of 3 hours of sleep, we made it to Islands of Adventure at 8am and kept busy

drinking butterbeer (tasted like cream soda but with a lovely butterscotch flavored foam on top),

roaming around Hogsmeade,

admiring Hogwarts,

getting transported between the hotel and park by boat,

and of course riding on the Forbidden Journey numerous times.

I am now utterly exhausted, slightly sunburnt and attempting to re-read the Harry Potter series. Good night.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios!

2011-06-17T09:33:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! This weekend I'm heading to Orlando to wander around Hogsmeade, take a ride through the Forbidden Journey, drink butterbeer, and basically act like a giddy 10 year old.

Are there any restaurants I should definitely check out that are in or near Universal Studios?

Image via mugglenet.com

Yummy Shabu Shabu at Shabu-Tatsu

2011-06-15T08:18:00.003-04:00

I love shabu shabu/hot pot. A combination of meats, sauces, and soup... it really doesn't get much better than that. I brought my family to Shabu-Tatsu when they were visiting because I figured my grandma would get sick of eating western food. Bad idea though, throughout the entire meal she complained that the restaurant wasn't as good as Orange Shabu Shabu in Taiwan. Well, of course not! But Shabu-Tatsu is pretty darn good for New York.

I usually love the salads at Japanese restaurants because of the sesame dressings. This salad dressing had too much ginger and no sesame in it.

Eel bib bim bap $13. This came in a stone bowl, and the server mixed it up and divided it into four bowls for us. There was so much eel in this and there were quite a few crispy rice parts due to the stone pot... so delicious.

Rib-Eye Beef set $24. The set includes assorted vegetables (shitake mushroom, tofu, cabbage, etc), salad, dipping sauces, rice, and ice cream.

Prime Rib-Eye Beef set $26. Noticeably more tender than the regular rib-eye. For $2 more, go for this one!

Peanut sauce on the left, soy sauce with spring onions and garlic on the right. I like to dip the meats and vegetables in both.

Pork Gyoza $6. There is a lot of garlic in these.

Red bean and green tea ice cream (included in the sets). I'm not really a fan of red bean anything, but I loved the green tea ice cream. Very strong tea flavor and not too creamy.

Address:
216 East 10th Street (between 2nd Ave & 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10003
Phone number: (212)477-2972
*Reservations only taken for 4 or more. Definitely try to reserve ahead of time because there are only around 10 tables on the main floor. There's also a ground floor but I'm not sure how many it seats.

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San Francisco: Oyster Heaven at Hog Island Oyster Co.

2011-06-13T09:17:00.003-04:00

Where to even begin... Hog Island Oyster Co. was one of the best best meals we had during our San Fran trip. The restaurant is located inside the Ferry Building, and while walking through to look for the restaurant, I couldn't help but get distracted by the numerous stores selling pastries, chocolates, breads, cheeses, and much more. I could probably spend two full days here exploring and tasting things.

There are many stands in front of the Ferry Building selling jewelry, handmade goods, and fruits.

I definitely did not spend enough time inside.

We waited in line for 45 minutes on a Saturday at 12:30pm. By the time we sat down, the line had doubled.

Bar seating. You could watch the chefs schucking oysters behind the bar.

Outdoor tables where we sat.

12 Hog Island Sweetwater (pacific) oysters $27. Half crab $12. The oysters were sweet, briny, and truly incredible. We ordered another 12 after we polished these off.

Steamers $14. Manila clams, beans, and chorizo cooked with garlic and a white wine broth. This dish had a light broth with a simple but great combination of flavors.

Oyster Stew $12. Oysters, butter and cream. There were lots of oysters in the stew, but the broth was too rich for my liking.

Clam Chowder $14. Not your typical creamy clam chowder, but just as good and probably slightly healthier. Manila clams with vegetables, bacon, potatoes and cream. All clam chowders should have this many clams swimming in them!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with gruyere and fromage blanc $12. Definitely the most memorable grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had. The bread was so fresh and the cheese was strong.

Beautiful view of the bay bridge from where we sat.

Hog Island Oyster Co. has 4 locations, all listed on their website.

Address:
1 Ferry Building #11A
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone number: (415)391-7117

www.hogislandoysters.com

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Happy Weekend!

2011-06-10T20:40:00.001-04:00

Just got home from having a really good time getting drinks with co-workers at 230 Fifth. Have I mentioned how much I love the people I work with?

San Francisco: Feast at R&G Lounge/嶺南小館

2011-06-10T07:32:00.001-04:00

I was ecstatic when I found out my cousin's wedding rehearsal dinner would be held at R&G Lounge in San Francisco. It's one of my favorite restaurants, and their salt & pepper crab is to-die-for.
(I'm not sure about the prices because everything had been ordered and arranged ahead of time. Dishes just magically appeared on the table. Thanks, Frank & Carolyn!)

If the salt & pepper crab at R&G Lounge is not already on one of those lists of things you must eat before you die, it really should be.

Shrimp & walnuts.

Pigeon.

Pepper beef & scallops. The beef was so tender!

Fried rice. Hard to ever go wrong with fried rice.

Vegetarian (tofu-made) abalone on bak choi.

Address:
631 Kearny Street (between Commercial Street & Sacramento Street)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone number: (415)982-7877

Website: www.rnglounge.com

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Preview of Milk Street Cafe!

2011-06-08T08:11:00.003-04:00

*Update: Closed as of December 2011.

I am definitely a fan of the new food halls that are popping up around the city. Eataly, the Plaza Hotel food hall, and now Milk Street Cafe all introduce gourmet, classy, and healthier fast food options.
I had so much fun attending the Milk Street Cafe food hall press preview event this past Monday. There was a great variety of foods offered (all based off the menu)-- sushi, bruschetta, risotto, and Chinese noodles, and if the preview is any indication, the food hall should be quite a hit!

Milk Street Cafe is located in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street.

Salmon & California Rolls. The california rolls were superb, with generous chunks of avocado in each piece.

More sushi.

From left to right: chocolate chip mocha frappe, strawberry-banana smoothie, vanilla bean creme. I tried the strawberry-banana smoothie and it was delicious.

Entering the main food hall area, one is first greeted with the sushi station.

We got to take a tour of the kitchen...

where we bumped into the executive chef, Steven Mettle.

Comfortable booth seating.

Apparently there's some bungee spring in the tables that prevent the table from tipping over. I was going to test this out by putting a lot of weight on a corner of my table, but forgot. Next time!

Milk Street Cafe officially opens on Thursday, June 23rd. There will be free cookies and coffee from 10 to 11am. Be sure to check it out!

Address:
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005

Website: www.milkstreetcafe.com

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Prix Fixe Brunch at Pranna

2011-06-07T10:45:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I was kindly invited to experience the MAD Brunch at Pranna, a $28 prix fixe brunch that includes an entree and choice of 3 cocktails (bellini, mimosa, bloody mary, screwdriver).

Interesting lights.

Pranna takes their cocktails seriously, they were served in standard sized wine glasses, not slim champagne flutes. We hadn't eaten anything and because the food took quite a long time to arrive, we quickly became tipsy from finishing one and a half cocktails.

Home-made double stack waffles with sliced fruit compote & sweet cream. This didn't look too appealing, and unfortunately it wasn't very good. It tasted like frozen waffles from a box, and the fruit quite possibly came from a can.

Lobster benedict. The curry potatoes were slightly spicy and full of flavor, but the eggs benedict lacked hollandaise sauce (the best part of eggs benedict) and the chunks of lobster were too chewy.

We ordered a side of fries, and sadly it came lukewarm and lacked enough salt.

The venue is great-- I liked the high ceilings and the floor to ceiling windows, but the service was painfully slow and the food mediocre. It's definitely a great restaurant to visit if your focus is on getting tipsy at brunch for a reasonable price, though.

Address:
79 Madison Avenue (between 28th Street & 29th Street)
New York, NY 10016
Phone number: (212)696-5700

Website:
www.prannarestaurant.com

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San Francisco: Fantastic Lunch at Rotunda in Neiman Marcus

2011-06-06T11:04:00.002-04:00

Rotunda is such a beautiful restaurant and the food is consistently delicious. The menu includes calorie counts on all items, which is helpful.

Rotunda is on the 4th floor of Neiman Marcus, one of the best department stores in the city!

Gorgeous skylight in the restaurant.

The view of union square from our table.

Lobster bisque $9. Quite thick and creamy.

Grilled lemon shrimp and romaine hearts with quinoa, goat cheese, asparagus, pine nuts, and pomegranite vinaigrette $24. Such a great salad with so many interesting additions to it.

Roast turkey Italian melt: one-half foccacia, roast turkey, mozzarella, grilled pepper, arugula, pesto, with a small green salad $17. The most tender turkey meat you can imagine on the freshest foccacia. I could easily eat this everyday.

Afternoon tea set $35. The scone was buttery and fresh. I don't think I tried anything else from the set.

Address:
150 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone number: (415)249-2720

Website: www.neimanmarcus.com

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Happy Friday!

2011-06-03T21:09:00.000-04:00

So relieved the weather finally cooled down... I was so ready to head back to San Fran.

Above is a picture of some red velvet cupcakes I made last summer. I miss baking and really want to get into it again.

San Francisco: Breakfast & a Quick Bite at La Boulange

2011-06-03T07:54:00.002-04:00

La Boulange is located right next to the Palace Hotel, where we stayed for four nights. The atmosphere was really friendly, with the staff greeting regular customers by name.

Salmon egg frittata with greens $6.75. Similar to a quiche, but without the crust. So much salmon in this... mmm.

Almond croissant $2.95. My grandma loves almond croissants and always orders it at bakeries. She said this one had the most almonds she's ever seen on a croissant. I took a bite of it and I liked that the inside wasn't airy at all.

Egg & cheese sandwich with fresh fruit $7.25. There's a choice of avocado or salmon for this sandwich and I chose avocado since we already had salmon in the egg frittata. There were nice chunks of avocado in this, otherwise it was quite a standard egg sandwich.

Orange blossom shortbread $5.75. Very milky and so fresh it crumbles in your mouth.

Addison salon, where my mom, sister and I got haircuts and were therefore stuck there for 3 and a half hours waiting for each other. Addison gives a wonderful haircut by the way, I definitely recommend him.

Luckily, we found another La Boulange right next door!

This one had a bakery inside.

Ham & cheese sandwich $4.75. This tied me over for a good 2 hours. The bread was so good and I still can't believe the sandwich was under $5. Darn you, New York City and your expensive prices!

Address:
685 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94199
Phone number: (415)512-7610

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The one near Addison Salon:
2300 Polk Street (between Green Street & Union Street)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone number: (415)345-1107

A full list of locations are on the website: www.laboulangebakery.com.

Bay Area: Having it All at In-N-Out

2011-06-01T21:36:00.002-04:00

I love In-N-Out so much. Months before this San Francisco trip I was already very much looking forward to having a cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate shake. I figured I might as well go all out...

Cheeseburger $2.15, chocolate shake $1.95. As much as I like Shake Shack's cheeseburger, I think In-N-Out's is better. The meat is so juicy and full of flavor. I wish I'd requested grilled onions instead of raw onions though, as I felt sorry for the people I talked to for the rest of the day. The milkshake-- made of 100% ice cream and thus thick and very chocolate-y... delicious.

Animal-Style Fries from the not-so-secret menu (fries with thousand island sauce, chopped up grilled onions, cheese)

Address:
9188 East Stockton Boulevard,
Elk Grove, CA 95624
Phone number: 800-786-1000

Website: www.in-n-out.com

Full list of the many, many locations (all West Coast).

I'm impatiently waiting for the day In-N-Out comes to New York.

LOVE for San Francisco

2011-05-30T23:49:00.000-04:00

Just got back to humid New York after a whirlwind 4-day trip to SF where we reunited with family, attended my cousin's beautiful wedding, played with the most adorable babies, saw old friends, and ate and ate and ate. Here are a few snapshots; I'll be posting more in detail later on this week.

Missing San Francisco very much. Good night.

San Francisco, Here I come!

2011-05-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

And... I'm off to San Francisco, my hometown and one of my favorite cities in the world. I'm there for my cousin's wedding, but I am definitely trying to squeeze in too many meals into this short trip-- In n Out (healthy fast food...), Swan Oyster Depot (omg the smoked salmon), Hog Island Oyster Co. ($1 oysters, anyone?), 5A5 Steakhouse (happy hour!), R&G Lounge (perfect rehearsal dinner spot for foodies), Tartine (you need to go here right now if you haven't tried their bread pudding), and many more. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to satiate all of these cravings because of both time and clothing restraints (although thankfully I chose a rather stretchy dress for the wedding), but I will try my best!

Beautiful Palace of Fine Arts, where my sister and I used to feed bread to the ducks and where a pigeon once sat on my sister's head.

Thin Crust Heaven at Michael Angelo's Pizzeria

2011-05-24T23:11:00.001-04:00

There are great places to eat if you're willing to venture out of Manhattan. Michael Angelo's Pizzeria is such a cozy little neighborhood restaurant with amazing thin crust pizza.
There was only one other table with guests while we ate dinner, but a never-ending flow of people came in to pick up pizzas throughout the hour we were there.

Portobello mushrooms sauteed with asparagus and red bell peppers $11.95. A simple appetizer with a little too much balsamic vinegar.

Small margherita pizza $12.75. Really fresh mozzarella and thin, crunchy crust.

There's a nice patio in the back that will be great for the summertime. Definitely coming back here.

Address:
29-11 23rd Ave
Astoria, NY 11105
Phone number: (718)932-2096

Website: www.michaelangelospizzeriaastoria.com

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Dinner at Beauty & Essex

2011-05-23T08:20:00.003-04:00

Had a lovely dinner at Beauty & Essex on Friday night with my sister. A really beautiful restaurant, and a server in the ladies' restroom serves free champagne. It seems strange to drink champagne in a bathroom, but it's still an interesting attraction.

A cute pawn shop to walk through before entering the restaurant.

Incredibly high ceilings and a skylight.

Free appetizer of beet chutney on papadums.

Chicken Fried Oysters $16. A new love in my life. Crunchy on the outside, a huge oyster inside, and some spinach on the shell.

Oven Braised Chicken Meatballs with ricotta, wild mushroom and truffle $16. Not enough truffle oil, but definitely the most tender meatballs I've ever tried.

Burger with spicy roasted garlic aioli, beefsteak tomato, goat feta and herb fries $17. The beef was so juicy it kept running down my wrists.

Blueberry Crisp with buttermilk thyme ice cream and candied lemon $10. A surprisingly large serving. We only made it halfway through this. The blueberries under the crust continued to burst while we worked on it.

Note that the restaurant plays pretty loud music, so be prepared to shout a little bit to be heard.

Address:
146 Essex Street (between Rivington & Stanton Streets)
New York, NY 10002
Phone number: (212)614-0146

Website: www.beautyandessex.com

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Happy Weekend!

2011-05-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

I took this picture a few summers ago when my friend and I were eating our way through Europe. I thought it was quite fitting since it was just announced that a Laduree is opening in the Upper East Side this July. Very exciting!