Dining Desperado-The Good, The Bad and the YUMMY

Ethiopia...down and dirty with no silverware

2006-07-16T01:13:00.000-07:00

So it has been quite some time since I "crazy" dined. I figured I was way overdue to get my KC dining on. So I decided to hit up Ethiopian, on 39th St (is there anywhere else?). I dragged Sam along, like I have done the past few times. He has been quite nice, putting up with all of my madness. We walked up to Addis Abba ba. The host-waiter greeted us and I'm going to go ahead and say that he was from Ethiopia...and he sensed that we were not. What gave me away? Perhaps my jean shorts...blast, hoisted by my own baton! Sam decided to start with a Guava drink. Ah...smart move sam...well played. I thought it sounded good but an overwhelming coconut drink I had from the Dosa man in NY held me back.

So here is Sam's drink. Sideways, but no less lucious. It was thinker than an orange juice...but smooth with a nice lingering guava taste.

I decided to get a vegtable platter-cabbage, potatoes, greens, and a few other things thrown in the mix. Sam got beef, and I quote "tibbs". I laughed at this for quite a while. It's like when you go to IHOP and they make you say "I would like the rooty tooty fresh and fruity" and they won't give it to you unless you SAY IT ALL. So on to the food. The "bread" was like an unfinished pancake. It was simaltaneously bland....and flavorful. I kept trying to isolate the flavor but I couldn't compare it to anything. So I will have to just say that it is a fine vehicle for Ethiopian food for now..in its spongy and unleavened glory. The potatoes and cabbage were neon yellow, covered in a great curry flavor that was reminicent of indian spices. Next to that there were beans flavored with cardamom: it was like eating turkish coffee...so much cardamom! All in all it was quite a nice deviation from my french-Italian repertoire. I can't decide if I like the idea of having one fixed factor (i.e. the spongy bread) in every bite, but I would eat it again fo sho.

B&H extravaganza and MURRAY"S

2006-07-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

I may have to adjust my list of favorite amusement parks in NY from Chinatown to B & H Photography. There are really no words to describe it. You have to see it to belive it. The store is jam packed with STUUUUUUFF. All kinds of stuff. Imagine trying to fit 5 best buys in one store (There's so much stuff you wonder if you aren't actually looking at wall paper of stuff) And then imagine this war zone for electronics run by about 50 crazy little hasidic jews! It's possibly the strangest thing I will ever see. They all wear yamakas...and they all try to run everything as efficiently as possible. Upon talking with a guy (with a yamaka) about a camera lens I decided to buy it. He then took my credit card to ring up my reciept....but not to pay he instructed me..."go to the cashier to pay". I would my way to the cashier and found no line, but found enough stachions (sp?) set up to control a pack of wildebeasts. I was promptly called by the cashier (with a yamaka) to come up with my card ready and my id. Even though I was the only person in line...besides my friend Claire. He turned to Claire "Now watch what she does so you can do it to". His commands were quick and authoritative; plus he stood on some sort of platform which allowed him to tower over us despite his genetics. I fumbled for the recent and I could feel his eyes burning with disapproval. No time for fumbling, only time for precision and money transactions. I think the whole checkout took about 20 seconds. I couldn't think of any reason for going that fast when no one else was in line except for pride, maybe he was trying to break his personal record or something.

Well on with the story, it's not quite over. He gave me yet another reciept and pointed me to another line. This time there were little station numbered 1-7 (?) like the highly coveted roller coaster slots you wait in right before you get on the ride. Well again, I was the only person in line but the guy wanted my receipt so much I thought he might jump over the bar and get rip it from me. He glanced at it and turned around and handed me a bag....could this really be my stuff? It all happened so fast. I noticed this little moving tram overhead...then I realized that was the source of much magic! They were putting stuff people ordered on there, those tricky tricky tricksies! I felt like I had just been hustled or that I should at least feel dizzy. But I looked in the bag and there was my lens! Holy S! I got to give it to them. They are pretty damn awesome. I wish I could have taken pictures of them..but I wasn't sure if that was some sort of taboo. The last thing I wanted to do was be on the blacklist. So in any case I salute you crazy B & H yamaka wearing kids. 0-60 in 2.3 seconds.

MURRAY'S!!! Seaseme with strawberry cream cheese! Holy Bagel, Where art thou tonight?

Here's Claire's Multi-Grain Bagel. It was still warm! We're not worthy!!

Bouchon For Jenni :)

2006-07-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

Back to the old stomping grounds. It looks better than ever. Seriously, I'm not just saying that to bulster my self esteem. It is operating like a well operating machine. Its funny seeing tisserie open and remember what it was like to open Bouchon....oh goodness. Bouchon bakery. Well lets just say I would have eaten everything if I had enough money. The cases were packed with familiar things...and some NEW THINGS! Ooooo NEW THINGS! I NEW THINGS! They had the tuna sammich!!mmmm! And now they prominantly diplayed terraine of foie gras (with a cute little tag for $35) and salmon rillettes ($28 or something). And there was an s-load of new tarts!!! Including a banana!!! OH I wanted it! Too bad it wasn't breakfast. I probably should have gotten in anyway.

There are always two "seasonal" danishes. And of course this was summer...A new season! So I checked to see what the new danishes were. 1. Some apple type danish that looked pretty good. But...2. blueberry with creamy lemon curd. Yep. That's an easy decision. Plus, these are the only two pastries i haven't tried. I've had everything else. I'm glad I worked there. I think it would have tortured me if I didn't get to try everything. I don't know how other people live without trying everything, it would eat away at my soul, or maybe just my wallet.

MMMMmmmm that's bouchon consistency for ya. A dependable great everytime. This wasn't the best croissant from here I'd had but that's pretty picky because i've eaten double digit figures. The best ones I've had are always first thing in the morning...but thus is the nature of the croissant. The french would tell you it's sacrilidge to have a croissant at night (unless it was baked later that day) and they would scoff if you had milk with coffee past the afternoon (it's a breakfast thing). But when it comes to food I think we all have to surrender to the French (no pun intended, I wish I was French).

Here you can see a direct pastry comparison. Tisserie on the left and Bouchon on the right. There are different breeds of croissants, just like there are different breeds of dogs. When you make croissants you take a rich dough and you basically lay a block of butter on top of it. Then you fold the dough over the butter like an envelope and flatten it by rolling it or putting it through a machine. Then you repeat this until you have dispersed the butter into the dough in alternating levels. This process is called lamination, and the thing is that every chef does a different ratio of butter to dough, a different folding system, and a different number of times of rolling it out. So thus....that's why you find a adaptive radiation in the croissant species. There are definatley some mutants out there. Tisserie and Bouchon are both good, and it's also a little unfair to compare these two because the Tisserie's is filled before baking...which introduces all sorts of moisture issues into the equation. Right now, Bouchon is still better, but Tisserie is a good addition to Union Square fo sho. Tru dat.

Tisserie

2006-07-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Tisserie is a bakery I heard about through the grapevine. The bakery world in NY is pretty tight knit. So while I was at Bouchon I heard about 2 brothers from south america who were opening a bakery in Union Square. So of course...it was my patriotic duty to check it out. The scoop: It's pretty big. It has a sleek modern feel. The menus are big flat screen tv's. I would say they want to be in a league with bouchon. Let's see.
At the counter there was a lovely selection of pastries. Criossants...danishes....a few sandwiches. It was quite similar to Bouchon really. A mix of things but predominantly French inspired. So what should I get? Well the most unique thing of course...or the thing that looks the most delicious. So I browsed the counter for a while and settled on a croissant filled with ricotta and topped with parmesan. The pastry itself wasn't big and impressive but I would let taste have the final say. Claire and I wondered to the back of the store where we found an upstairs. Unfortunately we had to climb over some boxes to get to it. Everyone (the workers...and consequently the customers) and everything was a little confusing which is understandable since they hadn't even been open a week.

I took a bite...A Good Croissant....not as flakey and fluffy as Bouchon's....rather the layers were more tightly packed and the outside had a thin crisp shell...where bouchon has a soft pillow top. Anyway....on to the filling. The filling was awesome! Well it was ricotta and I LOVE cheese, so what's not to like? And topped off by even more cheese! The parm was a very nice compliment in texture and taste. The ricotta is a creamy, subtle cheese and the parm is a sharp cheese which was great lightly toasted in bits on top. So...would I got back? If I was in the area I would definatley go back BUT I would wait until they had a chance to get settled down first. I would say in a couple of months they will be a nicely oiled machine but until then expect oddities with gracious service.

Manhattan...NY

2006-07-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

If there is an apple heaven...I now know what it would look like. Heading to the new store in NY, I was expecting a clean and sleek store front that belittles its neighbors with its superior design prowess, but I wasn't ready for art work. I rounded the corner of 58th st and 5th ave and sun danced on the glass of a free stranding glass structure. What doth bring such pleasure to my eyes? The Louvre? No, the Apple Store. But for all practical purposes it could be the Lourve. The store doesn't dissappoint. They have about 20 models of every computer. It's a very happy place.

First Stop back in the city. I met Dan and his girfriend Sofia! Good times.

Manhattan...Kansas

2006-06-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

MY BABY ARRIVES!

Tracey and I got the idea to go to Manhattan...Kansas. This is the result of a silly idea we had. Of course, Austin, in the middle of it. We got a comfy chair and put it in the middle of a field. Yes, this is not photohoped. Just Kansas.

Cafe Rumi

2006-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and since it was a lovely night outside we sat under the awning!

Here is a fried appetizer platter. Fried califlour...eggplant, and Duck!!!!!! YUm...

Close up of the swirling and whirling platter. A variety of hummus and pita.

The Swirling and Whirling Platter!

Here is Cafe Rumi. It is also along 39th St..one of the great gems of Kansas City.

Room 39

2006-05-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

So now that I'm back in the K...I have a few choices. I can go bowling, watch the royals, or go eating. Since the two former items are pretty unfortunate I choose a hobby which is fairly obscure in Kansas City. But that's okay with me. It's time that the people of Kansas City started caring about food. We need to put our feet down and say NO to cheese processed beyond recognition. We have a farmers market. We have a small community of innovative restauranteers and we need to support them by jove.
So this Tuesday I ventured 'downtown' to 39th street. This street retains a big city feel. It has historic buildings and a diverse restaurant scene. Undoubtedly it will be the source of a lot of my fooding adventures this summer. My first stop is a relatively new place. It opened its doors in 2004 and one of the chefs trained at Union Square Cafe (tid bit for the NY buffs).
The inside is cozy and eclectic with a classy-casual vibe.
Even though its a new space they let the buildings personality bleed through: bricks peek through spots on the wall, and local art work adorns the walls.
First off, they brought us super delicous bread that was warm and crusty. A nice soft interior of the Italian Variety. MMMMM..
For lunch my dad got the Grilled Chicken Salad. This features free range chicken breast with dried cranberries, roasted runts, Grana Padaro and Sherry rosemary vinaigrette. Holy M! The Chicken was slighty blackened and it had a subtley burnt taste. The dried cherries, walnuts, and almonds complimented the salad perfect. You know it's summer when the Joe factor gets a salad.

I thought what the hey? I'll get a salad too. It is officially summer. I got the Duck Salad. My little dish featured pan roasted duck breast on baby spinach with local strawberries, pecans, red onions, and balsalmic vinaigrette. Needless to say mine was delectable. The balsalmic complimented the tendor flavor of the duck. Dad's salad had an overall citrusy zest while mine had spicy-tangy undernotes. Dessert? We decided we were too full. It was a shame. However, we would not be defeated so easily. Dad and I decided to get a dessert to go for my sister. We picked a Strawberry Napolean Remix. It featured brioche toasted in Cinnamon butter, lavender whipped cream and strawberries. Of course I brought it home and my sister didn't even want to try it...because she isn't very adventurous...what pleasures she robs the tummy makes me want to cry!!! It's complete insanity, but whatev, because I ATE IT HAHAHAH. Unfortunately it wasn't as supremely delicious as it sounds. The strawberry puree was the best part. I would like to go back and try some of their other dishes and desserts. I really wanted the coffee creme brulee but...you can't get that to go. So watch yourself brulee I'll be back for you. Nicely Done Room 39.

Eating with Giants

2006-05-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

The restaurant scene in New York is strange. At first you are blown away by all of the choices and you want to eat everything at once and you can't imagine how you will even conquer one block in the city and you wander how you could ever settle for anything less than the mind boggling display of cuisine packed into every crevice...Yet, what is not readily apparent is that there is as much bad food in New York as there is good food and there is a whole lot of mediocre food in between. The mystique and granduer of the city trick you into thinking that everything you eat is better and more delicious than anywhere else in the country. Sometimes this is true. For instance, the bagels are unstoppable and the china buns are nothing short of a miracle. However, looking back on my culinary adventures...I ate a lot of average food. I really wanted to believe that everything in New York is amazing. I wanted to believe that everything I put into my mouth would be some sort of ambroisia only accessible to the citizens which inhabited Manhatten. Yet, this is far far far from the truth. Fooding in New York is amazing. It never gets old or dull no matter how many dissappointments and meal mishaps you encouter. But I think fooding here is funner here than it is anywhere else for these very faults. It is the ultimate challenge. It requires time, effort, and meticulous planning. I have labored and deliberated over meals with unbreakable concentration and more attention to detail and precision than I would give to a calculus derivative problem. After some thought, I have decided that this is because in New York the combinations and possibilities are infinite. So much food exists...so much food exists that you don't know about...right at your finger tips. The chance for the exact proportions, the right mix, sublime flavor, in essence-the perfect meal always seems to be within reach. This proximity to greatness can stimulate even the most mildly interested people, while simultaneouly driving the food obsessed to the brink of insanity. In this way, eating in New York is an extreme sport. The good meals are savored and enhanced by the city's thumping pulse, while the bad meals are cursed and analyzed. It is a constant challenge of triumph and defeat, which makes eating unlike anywhere else. However, finding a good meal takes time, skill, and cultivation of taste buds. New York could not be conquered in a lifetime, let alone five months. I will be back, when, and for how long I can not say. With that, I introduce a new chapter in my life and in my blog. Xtreme eating in Kansas City. I'm now back on my home turf and with that said...let the eating begin.

uhhh...Thanks UPS

2006-05-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Seriously, could you hand someone a box that looked like this? Maybe I didn't use the greatest boxes, and perhaps I need to hone my box packing skills, but honestly. It looks like somebody dropkicked this box into a sea of raging piranas. Fortunately, nothing is missing but I don't think this box would have made it any further than my living room. It's like the messenger who ran 26.2 miles to tell people about the battle of Marathon...and then died. This box commemorates the journey of all boxes. Let us salute you noble card board box for traveling 1,000 miles between my apartment in New York and my home base in Kansas via some sort of pirana infested tank that UPS uses to transport their boxes.

Hizzah, Back to the Midwest

2006-05-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so New York might have a few more people than Kansas, and it has been said that the public transportation system is a tad bit better. Sure they have a 24 hour Apple Store and hundreds of more cool shops where we have wheat...and there's no denying that there are more diverse restaurants in New York than there are in the entire Midewest combined...Hell even their baseball team puts KC to shame. And I'm not saying that I don't miss the indefatiguable selection of cupcakes..and bagels...and chinese buns (oh god help me..where in Kansas are the Chinese buns!!!)...and the old school deli's...and the Japanese desserts...and the plethera of top dollar premiere restaurants...and the smell of crispy falafel, fresh mozzerella, and toasted baguette all comingling on the same block...BUT...there is something to be said for Kansas. On the flight back home I wasn't quite sure what that was. I could feel my soul deflating, and the rush of New York's nervous excitement dissolving into oblivion. However, when I got back I was practically blinded. My eyes were taken aback by the unfamiliar forms and colors which literally scorched my eyes with their exoticism. What were these new forms...foreign to my eyes? Well, space, for starters. Just as the sky scrappers loomed on the streets of New York, and pierced the sky, I felt the weight of space..and nothingness. Conversely, the array of colors which collided into every breath in the city were absent. Completely diminished, yet not diluted. Instead, color rallied together and poured their effort into fewer colors. Blue and Green dominated the landscape and seemed more vibrant than all the flashing lights of Times Square. Kansas may yearn for a 24 hour genius bar, and a 5 minute subway ride which will undoubtedly satisfy any food craving one could possibly have, but there is also something here which NY can not possibly touch. It would not suffice to say that there is simply more open country and more tranquility. There's something which can't be described by the five senses, and it is because of this thing, that I am happy to be home.

Clinton St. Baking CO.

2006-05-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Blue Berry pancakes with MAPLE BUTTER!!!!!!! Robyn and I have had our eye on Clinton St. Baking Co. for obvious reasons, apparent on the left. So basically this is pancake bliss, but the real star is the little cup of HOLY-BUTTERDOM. This is what the Clinton Baking co. uses instead of syrup. So why is this not in pitchers like syrup or a jar? Because you would eat all of it and probably die. It is amazing. No wait. A-M-A-Z-I-I-I-N-G.

Otto's Again Again

2006-05-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

I hope this looks super tasty because it was. Honey Ricotta, Pistachio and ....OLIVE OIL

Once Upon a Tart

2006-05-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

I didn't eat these but they are damn cute. Would you eat one?

Alright. Muffins. One of the many happy forms of carbohydrates. If my stomach would not violently protest, I would totally eat 6 muffins a day. Specifically THIS muffin. It was so freaking good I'm happy looking at this picture of it...mmmmm. Well here's the break down. I was tempted to try a "crazy" flavor such as pear-ginger, pumpkin-praline, or lemon-poppy seed" But something said...no...no Sarah...get the blueberry. Just do it. And so I listened to the voice..which is sometimes very wrong...but this time it was right. The muffin was beyond good, it was so awesome I got another one the next day. That's right, the very next day. Ouch. Sorry stomach, be strong. This muffin has a crust that's almost like a cookie! A cookie by jove! How do they do it? Magic, me thinks. The outside has a delicate, sweet crisp and the inside is a soft cake with whole pieces of fruit that have a juicy bite. I'm not done with you yet muffins...pipe down stomach, it's for your own good.

Murray's Bagels

2006-04-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Cafe au lait with Strawberry cream cheese and a seaseme bagel. Period. Not period in the way that ends a sentence...but period in the sense that this is all there is to breakfast. I have conducted a set of experiments and in the vicinity of the village and I have reevaluated the bagel situation. After making charts, running a few gels, and doing some extensive statisical analysis I have decided to retract my previous statement which claimed that any other bagel was better than Murray's. I was 156.43% wrong. Results have concluded that Murray's bagel is the most superior bagel that exists in the village...and possibly the world. The inside of the bagel is absolutely perfect. I can find no flaw in the taste, texture, or appearence of the bagel. It is spongy but bready, soft but resiliant, chewy but dissolvable, in essence the perfect bagel. Beyond that it has a super human (?) crust, which is slightly crisp but not crunchy. this enables the bagel to taste amazing without....being...TOASTED. It's freaking amazing. I myself marvel at its majesty. Because everyone knows bagels are twice as good warm but five times as bad cold. Murray's bagel defies physics because it is good in its natural state. It's still baffaling to me when I eat it. The cream cheese is also fabulous. There are chunks of strawberry swirled in and I eat every inch of it with no shame. So in conclusion, Murray's bagel dominates all other bagels and makes a completely awesome breakfast. Honestly if you can't eat a good breakfast what can you do?

Crosby Connection

2006-04-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

Nothing prepared me fore how small this place was. I could tell you that this place is literally a guy making sandwiches in a closet and it still wouldn't really prepare you. I'm talking small like....a hummer limo trying to fit into a hamster cage. There are no chairs. No tables. No place to sit. In fact you never enter the restaurant. It's not an option. It is one guy making the sandwiches and one handling the money. They are without a doubt 100% New Yorkers. And the people that know about this place are 'people in the know'. This is definately off the beaten path. But they are so nice and their sandwiches are really creative. The following is black forrest hma with gouda cheese, green apples drizzled with balsalmic and honey dijon. Can you say "Yeah, I'd like one" Mmmmm me too. Right not... (well maybe when I am not so full of Bouchon Pate a Choux dough...why did you make me eat you Riliguese?!?!?). Anyhoo the sandwich is pressed and a great deal for $5. Rock on.

Alta

2006-04-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

I've been reading about this restaurant for a long time on Chowhound.com. People always say....Tapas=Alta. And as usual, the hounds speak the truth. The entrance of the restaurant may be discreet, tucked into the basement in the mist of brownstones, but the inside has a wonderful aura. There are two levels of seating with a square atrium in the middle. Our waiter informed us that the inside rafters have been untouched since the mid 1800's, which is totally sweet, and perhaps the echo of the past contributes greatly to the warm atmosphere. But let's not forget why we are here. The food. The food is awesome. It is small. Tapas are by nature small, and these are no exception. But each dish is exquisitely composed with flavors.
I don't have pictures of the main dishes so I won't torture you with the details (becuase descriptions without pictures are just painful, there's no way around that).
So here is the dessert I...consumed...no savored. "Rice Krispie Treats-coconut foam, chocolate dust & peanut croquant". Woah. This was the best "rice krispie treat" I HAVE HAD. If the kebler elves had thought of this, they would be sitting on a gold mine. I'm sure they are kicking themselves. The puffs were lighter than ice cream and gelato....they erred more on the side of a meringue..in fact I'm sure they were some form it. The center pieces were little peanut cookies. Light, full of flavor, sweet with a delicate crisp. Woah, so good. Must go back!!!

Otto's......and the acclaimed Olive Oil Gelato

2006-04-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

So I finally found an excuse to make it to Otto's. My family called and said "Hey we are coming" I said "Hot dog, then....I just might make a reservation...and by might I mean Otto's Sunday at 7:45 pm" So on Sunday I found myself in the perfect mood for a hearty meal (to be capped off with gelato of course). We started with a caprese salad (which was perhaps the best tomato/mozz. salad I have consumed), a round of warm olives, and a typical ceaser. Then we got several types of pizzas..which I will have to look up for specifics. Basically, a quatro Stagioni (olives, procuitto, peppers, mushrooms and mozzerella), pepporoni (with a sweet atypical spice), and a pizza bianca (nicely garlicly. We also got a penne pasta with a great tomoto sauce but the pasta itself I found to be too al dente (something I also experienced at Lupa. For Dessert.. a cup of gelato of COURSE. I wasn't hungry for dessert at all. Somehow, without really eating that much, I had eaten too much. But sometimes the body must be sacrificed for the greater good of knowledge. And olive oil gelato was a more than worthy cause. People have been cooing over it for so long, I wasn't about to leave without seeing what all the fuss was about. I ordered a trio of flavors: parmagiano, hazelnut stracciatella, and olive oil. I haven't tried many gelatos in the city yet, but after the first bite I was convinced. This was REAL gelato. Gelato that Don Corleone would have someone get for him if he wanted gelato. Gelato that can be found off the main piazzas in every Italian city. Gelato that you imagine some old Italian woman sneaking the recipie over to America in a lock box. All the qualifications were met: light creamy, and intense flavor per square bite. The hazelnut was good but not my favorite just because hazelnut has never been my favorite. The parm. was fairly intriguing. It tasted exactly like parm..but ice cream at the same time. It was awesome. And the olive oil...I knew it as soon as it hit my tongue. A strange tangy sweet-salty, buttery-dissolving flavor. I kept eating it and trying to pin point it's flavor. It was familiar, yet it fell into no category. I kept trying to liken it to something...but the only thing it tastes like is itself...olive oil. I don't know why this is so surprising, but it is. You hear the name you try to imagine what it tastes like...and you can't. Even now, I'm having trouble recalling the flavor. It is so strange to taste something that is in and of itself. I think it will get better each time I have it. I also think that is why chowhounds rave about it...because it is a surprising and challenging flavor. It keeps you on your toes. It's complex and simple at the same time: the first dessert paradox I have encoutered. I have to go back.

Grandma's Hooooome Cookin

2006-04-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

So I knew my grandma was the master of peanut butter candy but apparently she is the master of breakfast casseroles too. Here there is a vegtable casserole featuring asparagus, a ham and potato casserole, and last, but my favorite a spicy sausage and bread pudding conncoction. Grandma please live with me.

The Capital Grill

2006-04-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Capital Grill...everybody's like..."Hey I don't know that.." And that's correct you do not unless you are from Kansas city. What, you thought we just nibbled on wheat stocks....no no no...that's not how we DO. This is how we do. Filet Mignon with a Bearnaise sauce, asparagus with hollaindaise, creamy garlic potates, crisp veggies....and oh..right..dessert.
Dessert platter cosisting of Strawberry cheesecake, key lime pie, crum brulee, and a flourless chocolate espresso cake. Yeah that's basically how we roll. Mmmmm. Tasty. Thanks Joe.

Cooking Lab 9

2006-04-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

Cooking Class. Egg Bread Rolls and Multigrain Bread Rolls. And by Multigrain I mean sesame seeds, flax seeds, millet, and quinoa, and honey and deliciousness. My group didn't actually make either of these but they were so cute I had to put them up. I can assure you I ate both and they are picture worthy.

Space Market

2006-04-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am currently recovering from bringing my camera with me...but with no batteries. Thus there are no pictures for my lunch at Gray Dog Coffee house, second outing at Doma, and Murray's bagels foray. Forgive me for my sins, but today I begin a new. Lunch today was Space Market Sushi. My little snack here was $2.75. Space Market is cheap and dependable for a nice little bite, and most importantly its close proximity is key. It was so lovely out (if you don't count the wind) that I ate out in washington square park. Everything is turning such pretty colors.
And to sooth my stomach...I wandered into Tasti-Delight, a frozen yogurt chain in the city, where I sampled the 'Baby Ruth' flavor. It had a nice light chocolate nut flavor...I asked the girl working what her favorite flavor was. She looked me straight in the eye "no comment"...what's that supposed to mean I thought....then it hit me. The after taste from the Baby Ruth that is. It tasted like some wierd metallic medicine. It left a wierd film in my mouth...She said "I don't like any of our flavors, I just work here" Holy crap...I can see what she means. These aren't just bad, they are Trick Nasty (I just invented that to describe the displeasure they caused me)! Their only salvation is the toppings which mask the yogurt flavors, which defeats teh point of their business. What are they trying to pull? This must be for people who haven't eaten real dessert in so long that they forgot what it tastes like. I see lots of skinny girls go in...they must be thinking "Oh god, I'm going to pay for this on the treadmill"...no NO...if I live 30 years longer because I'm eating "healthy" stuff like that, than maybe I don't want to live 30 years longer. Hand me a Sticky Bun and a death slip, I'm checkin out of this backward place. Besides that stuff tastes like it causes cancer anyway.

After my dance with whacked fro-yo I headed next door to Oren's Coffee. Hot Chocolate it's gotta be. "Do you use powder?" I asked. "No it's our homemade syrup" Then count me in I say! The Chocolate was almost exactly what I expected. Not super thick-city bakery style-nothing like that. Just a nice rich chocolate taste complimented by a thick milk. Give me calories or give me death!

Midwest Express

2006-04-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

So if you have never flown Midwest Express (which is very probable if you are from NY and refer to everything outside of Manhatten as...over there) then get a load of this. Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies! That is sheer marketing genius! Everytime you fly Midwest you recieve not one...but two...TWO WARM CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. As you sit on the plane the smell of chocolate fills the cabin. First the drink cart comes...and then the COOKIES. The stewardess hands you two cookies in a napkin. Did I mention they are warm? I can see the chocolate physically melting. It's a glorious thing. The cookie is soft and I don't know how good the cookie actually is but at 3,500 feet in the air I'm used to recieveing pretzel bags with 2 and a half pretzels or being subject to unsalted dry roasted peanuts (i.e. the worst idea ever) or just a baby screaming so loud that I don't even remember what measley snack was thrust into my cramped sitting area. So given the alternatives this is either one of the best cookies I've had in comparison or food just tastes better at higher altitude. Regardless, Midwest has no fear of ever going under. If a Midwest flight is $50 dollars more...how can you put a price on warm cookies?

Ode to Doma

2006-04-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

Didn't Bob Dylan and Kerouac and basically everyone cool pass through the west village at one point or another? So my quesiton is...why haven't I BEEN here before?!?!? I basically walk the skirts of the blue and green lines...but there is so much more...could it be that I have a new favorite neighborhood? The West Village might have just overtaken the East Village in coolness...well maybe not coolness so much as cleanliness. Anyhoo I will shun the West Village no more! This is DOMA. Doma is Czech for home, and it is without a doubt my new home, my new casa, my new maison, my new crib. Looking at menupages can only tell you so much about a restaurant. The restaurant can only be fully judged in the flesh. You have to see it, stand next to it, and feel it to percieve the atmosphere. Doma is the perfect combination. It might be my soulmate restaurant...yeah that's right...who needs men? I got NY and Doma. hehe oh no... but if I were the kind of person that put up ads on craigs list looking for a hubbie, then this would totally come it. There's a gorgeous facade of windows, window sills, a steady stream of people (the perfect stream of noise and sense of community with a place to sit), warn wooden floors, hand painted dog charictures on the wall, and pardon my french but DAMN good food.
I could describe the entire mouthwatering menu but...everyone would just slobber, and no one wants to clean that up. So I'll just give you what I had and hopefully you can keep your salivation in check. First. The chai latte. This is a small cup, and it's the perfect small cup because it is BIG. The chai was great. It met all of my standards. Extra hot, Steamed Milk, Steamed tea lots of foam, and a cute plate (which is totally key).

Next the Sandwich. Balthazar's ciabatta with tomato, mozzarella (from Joe's Dairy), and basil served warm panino style. So basically.....so basically....this was AMAZING. I say a lot of things are amazing but i'll back track the chai was so so. I've had better. The pasta at Lupa was good but I've had better. But this was the BEST Panino I've had. I have to give props to Balthazar because the bread was....unsurpassable in crisp delicate yet substantial deliciousness! The cheese was scrumculescent as well. It was warm and stretchy and fresh and everything the Italians would be proud of. The sandwich also came with a side salad of mesclun tossed in Doma's lemon vinagrette. All this for $7.00...DOMA IS IN THE HOOOOUSE. Yeah yeah yeah...(insert rap song here). So...am I going back? Suckah pleeeeaaaase. I'm a gonna liiiive there.

Intro to Food Sciences

2006-04-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

For anyone who has no idea what goes on in a food sciences class...live in confusion no more. This is food sciences lab. We get a list of recipies for the week dealing with a category of food. Then different groups in the class prepare variations of cooking methods. The lesson here was stocks and soups. My group did the French Onion Soup with Swiss on a baguette. MMMMmmm.

Pandas with faces

2006-03-30T20:14:00.000-08:00

From my sister via Washington D.C. I love Asian packaging...and i'll go you one further. I love asian sweets. Look closely at the pandas and you will love them too. They have faces, and not just one face. Oh no! Asia recognizes that the cookie panda can not be reduced to one emotion. The cookie panda smiles, cries, gasps, laughs, and he's DELICIOUS. A white creamy coating with a rich milk chocolate and a nice shortbread cookie underneath. Why don't american cookies use chocolate this good? And why do american gold fish and animal crackers have one expression. Let me tell you...it aiiiiin't riiiiiight.

Whole Foods and Bouchon Bakery

2006-03-30T20:07:00.000-08:00

Whole Foods buffet, can you go wrong? Only if you put nothing in your box. I tend to overdue it on my mixtures. Here we have some vegatables...pretty standard, with sweet potato-apple-walnut salad. I liked everything but I totally need to get stuff without the dressings. It looks healthy...but deep down I know it's not.
Speaking of healthy I also got a whole milk chai latte and this seasonal fruit Danish from Bouchon. I feel like the picture does a better job of describing here than I could do...but here it goes. A mixed berry croissant with a black berry jam. The croissant and jam were very separate...much to my dismay. Each was good but a fusion of the two would have been much better. Spreading the berries around manually was not a sufficient solution. But isn't it gorgeous anyway?

Bagel Bob's

2006-03-30T20:03:00.000-08:00

Bagel Bob's is a default place because they are close. Their bagels are definately not as good as Murray's which are an extra 4 blocks up. Yet, sometimes I just can't make it up there and so I go to Bob's. One good thing is they have a strawberry cream cheese which is particulary delicious because it is incredibly sweet. I get it spread on an egg bagel which has been toasted. If I got here this is what I will get. No ands, ifs, or buts. egg. strawberry. toasted. nuff said.

Good Enough to Eat

2006-03-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

The line was.....as in the words of Al Gore on SNL...staaagggering. But it went suprisingly fast, about a 40 min wait. I went with Tracey and Lindsey, my friends from kansas city who were hardcore representin' this past week in the NYC. I had been wanting to go here for a while and so here I was. Tracey and Lindsey both got omelettes. I would rate them as 'good enough to eat' (hey, they started it). Sarabeth's omelettes are completely superior. I'm not really an omelette person and I love their omelettes. Anyhoo, I got the pumpkin french toast. It was also just racking the fense between good and par. It was too soggy and the pumpkin flavor wasn't strong enough. boooooo. The best part was the muffins that came with the omelettes and teh strawberry butter. yeah, tru dat butter, darn good. However, this is not a go to place. I need to check out jane, clinton st baking co, and Deborah next.

Levain Bakery

2006-03-25T19:43:00.000-08:00

Gather round. This is the story of the chocolate chip-walnut cookie from Levain Bakery. First of all it must be said that while Levain Bakery is a whole in the wall that is no excuse for native New Yorkers to know nothing about it. I was eating at the Pop over cafe on the Upper West side when it immediately occured to me that we were within blocks of the Levain Bakery..not that I had ever been, but I knew it was in this region. So I did what any logical person would do in my position, find the Levain Bakery. Yet, to my utter amazement my friend, who lived in the upperwest side his whole life, had never heard of it....Then to my utter complete bafflement the people working in the Popover hadn't heard of it. But I KNEW it was here. I remember the vicinities of important things, such as bakeries. Long story short, the Yellow pages eventually came to the rescue and we located Levain 74th st just off of amsterdam. When we arrived it was smaller than even I could have imagined. A little counter but HUGE cookies. In fact The HUGEST cookies in height and diameter I've ever witnessed. Just for scientific proof note the cookie next to the iPod: Cookie totally dominates 20Gb iPod.

Next note the cross section of the cookie. The chocolate chips are.......everywhere. How do they bake the cookies so perfectly?!?! They are huge and tall.....but soft inside...my first bite....soft...chewy...walnuts....a slightly bitter chocolate...the perrrrrFECT chewy inside! The walnuts almost made it taste like a banana walnut bread...for a minute and then just when you are like hey? what am I eating...the sugar kicks in and it's like 'oh right a delicious cookie!!!' I think it is one of the best cookies in the city but I don't know if it is my FAVorite. The city bakery is just too too too good. I think at this level of deliciousness it's just personal preference because each are superior in their own way.

Lupa

2006-03-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

Warm olives. So good. Why didn't I think of that. Seriously though they were a great appetizer. I wish I knew the names of the olives...but alas I don't. I really liked the small mauve colored one, but they don't sell it at Zeytuna, so I will have to look at Whole foods. Next onto the pasta. If I may quote another person "In the beginning Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus and Mario Batali". But those of you who like cream pasta sauce, as I do, be warned. Cream pasta sauce doesn't exist here. I know, I know. I don't understand. Is there something about pasta that I don't understand? Have I been living a lie every time I've enjoyed a creamy alfredo? I don't know....So basically this was the best Gnocchi I believe I've had. Soft little plump bite sized ricotta filled pasta and a spicy tomato sauce.
This was the pasta of the day. A chicken pasta in a spicy tomato sauce. The noodles were a little too al dente for my taste and the gnocci was much better. Next a side of Potatoes...with lots of oil and chives. So good, if only they were good for me.
Next: Post Dinner. The best meal. The first dish is coffee gelato. A nice smooth texture but lacking in a concentrated flavor that bursts in your mouth the way real gelato does. But then again we are in america, so i'll say it was pretty good. Next the Tartufo. Cherry Ice Cream covered in Chocolate and Hazelnuts. It was awful. Just kidding, how can you put those things together and have them be bad? It's impossible. Tasty little hazelnuts really go well with the cherry, no wander it is a standard dessert. The atmosphere at Lupa was loud, dark, friendly, truly in the vien of an Italian trattoria. A good place for having a good time, but not neccessarily hearing everything the person(s) you are sitting with says.

Financier Patisserie..5

2006-03-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

If that doesn't look amazing than my name is James Collingsworth Pinkerton the Third. Oh man...Gruyere cheese on a brioche bread encasing a lovely ham. Wow, now that's a good idea....what comes to mind when describing it? I'm lovin it. That's right McDonald's I'm lovin it and its not deep fried. In your face. And the side salad was also quite tasty. Financier, you can do no wrong. Let me preface this by saying these were not all mine. Which is really too bad for me, because they were all fab-tastic. So good they needed their own word. The left is a chestnut mousse tirimisu. Light outer shell and smooth and creamy inside. Well done. The right is the perfect richness of chocolate raspberry tart. Not too heavy. Not too bitter. Not to creamy. Just a nice maluable chocolate that offers a sweet flavor and delicate crust with a citrus rim. And finally since the one in the front is blurred and it is my favorite....commence food fantasy. The banana giner coconut tart...uhhh Yes Please. So this was the tart I've had my eye on for about a month but it is usually sold out. Finally I got my show down. High noon. The plate are set. The forks are still...draw. The middle consists of sliced banans and the top is a soft banana cream, toped with a caramelized banana. And if it couldn't get any better toasted coconut and dried ginger ring the edge. So basically a tart of my favorite fruit. Conclusion: Yum.

Le Pain Quotidien

2006-03-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

This was from a while ago, but I'm in hyper catch up mode right now. Here is one of Le Pain's open faced tartine sandwiches. Good fresh ingredients that are a real treat but not mind blowing. This sandwich is grilled chicken, smoked mozzerella, arugala, and pesto. Accompanied by a small chunk of melon and cornichons which I am beginning to grow quite fond of.

On Living in New York

2006-03-12T17:37:00.000-08:00

I have just realized something about living in New York...you will inevitably get calls from people you know, people you sort of know, and people you faintly remember at completely random times. Some of these people you've told that you moved to New York, but some of these people you haven't spoken to in months...years. But they find out. They know. New York is a magnet, and it sucks everyone and everything to it. Today I was minding my own business when out of nowhere a friend called..."Hey what's up I'm in the city". Then 20 minutes later a friend called "Hey my train gets in Penn at 5:45". Then another call "Guess where I am?" Now I'm no astrophysicist, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say New York. It's literally astonishing. Even if you feel like you left quietly, left no trail in the sand...you will be found.

Bouchon Bakery

2006-03-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

I had this a while ago, but I just found the picture, and had to post it immediately. This is the Pecan Sticky Bun. This changed my life. It's one of those things...that you eat one bite of and it's so delicous that you stop. You stop and think about what you just ate. Then you take another bite. Then you stop and think about what you just ate. Then you look at what you are eating really hard and try to comprehend what is causing this sensation of supreme deliciousness. Then you look over your shoulder to make sure that no one is trying to steal it from you. Surely someone must see you and want this. How can people not know?! How can people not know about something this delicious? Then you wonder how you ever lived without knowing something this delicious. Then you realize that your life has changed because your standards for deliciousness have been irreversibly altered. It is at this point that you have known the pecan sticky bun.

Buenos Aires Bakery/La Nueva Bakery

2006-03-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

After eating the calorie intense meal we headed to the bakeries...yeah we're tough. Each country takes the essential bakery items-breads and pastries- and incoorporates its own twists. Each has its own specialties, but at the core they share universal happiness:calories and sugar. Both bakeries we went to, Buenos Aires and La Nueva, had a massive of array of things that I would definately like to consume. At Buenos Aires I learned that Columbian desserts are known for using caramel. So it was decided I would get something with caramel. So explain that chocolate thing, you ask. Well let me tell you a secret. The inside is caramel! It doesn't get stuck in your teeth, its not that kind. It doesn't have a strong flavor, its not that kind. It's filled with silky smooth caramel that twists and bends with the pace of your fork. The bottom is a traditional white sugar cookie that is more or less a vehicle for the caramel. At first I wasn't too impressed with the tart but slowly I started to appreciate the subtlety of the caramel. I would like to go back and try other desserts with the caramel (which trust me, there is no lack in options). The sweet bread with vanilla frosting on the left I actually preferred to the tart. It was dense and sweet like a cinnamon roll, and boy do I love cinnamon rolls. I must consume for of those. No wonder they were made in rows, its because people buy five of them at once. I feel stupid, I should have bought 5 or 20...damn, but then again Columbia is only 20 min away.

La Pequena Colombia

2006-03-11T18:44:00.000-08:00

Woah...so apparently my geography is a little off...because it turns out Columbia is a 20 minute ride subway ride away. After a tip from Chowhound I had my eye set on Roosevelt Avenue and it ethnic goodness. But who would make a ridiculous day trip out of food? Who would take the 'E' train to the ends of the earth with me? ...Robyn OF COURSE! So we got of the subway and like I said, we were IN Columbia. No English signs, no english overheard anywhere.

Dragon Land (or something)

2006-03-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Coconut Bun. Coconut delicousness. I still like the cream bun the best, but the coconut bun deserves honorable mention. Next goal: pinneapple.

Fa Da Bakery

2006-03-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Walnut Bun. I had to go for it. Chocolate is a rare find in a Chinese Bakery. So I saw this and it seduced me. It was one dollar. Note to self: You know you have been to too many chinese bakery when you start feeling ripped off when things cost a dollar. "Well I never!" But one dollar is actually a good deal considering anywhere else in the city it would be two dollars. The chocolate on this bun was like a cocoa powder, not a cream. Although I prefer denser and more caloric chocolates (seriously) I liked this and would totally buy it again. The dough was soft and fresh the way that it is only in Chinese bakeries where they make buns that are soft and delicous.

Bouchon Bakery

2006-03-09T21:35:00.000-08:00

The best spice for food is hunger but the second best is gratis, complimentary, on the house, or in other words FREE. Someone has smiled down on me this week. I started my meal with the roasted beets and garden mache salad. The most amazing part of Bouchon food, I have come to understand, is that somehow it always tastes better than it looks. I always think "WOW, when I see it and when I taste it... I stop, I concentrate, and I think HOT DAMN that was AMAZING. So tonight I started with my favorite salad which is composed of roasted red and yellow beets, leafy greens, aged GOAT CHEESE, and toasted hazelnuts. Everything has a light sheen from the prefect coating of sheey vinaigrette. YUM in my TUM everytime.
Next, although I really wanted to get the Cashew Butter and Jam, or Ham and Cheese I had to be strong and forge ahead into unchartered and untried menu item waters. There isn't a whole lot that I haven't tried, but the QUICHE! The quiche was something that most people hadn't tried so I had to take one for the team. I ordered the quiche lorraine, but to my utter deliiiiiight I got the Quiche florentine instead (they were out of the other-which is bacon and onions). This was Spinach and roquefort cheese swirled into a creamy egg mixture. Normally I'm not a huge fan of eggs. We say our hello's...but it's noramlly a "heeello eggs" in the same way Jerry Seinfeld would sneer "hello Newman". But this was eggs the way I like them. Adding texture and flavor but not providing the main taste. The piece was light and delicate. The eggs and spinach cut easily and were smooth and creamy. The crust was light and delicate and buttery deliciousness. I would totally get this again for breakfast if I could get fruit with it.

And last, but never least: Dessert. OR rather the real reason for eating. Low on pastries, the choice was between the nutter butter or the oatmeal raisin cookie. Is that a choice? I haven't had my daily helping of peanut butter and I'm starting to get shaky. I love desserts. Everyone tries to make pleasent conversation but everyone's eyes are darting across the room hoping to catch sight of the waiter caring the dessert. Tonight, a surpries from the kitchen. A little dish of ice cream! Right on! One bite of the ice cream and I knew....vanilla beans...from madagascar (our very expensive and wonderful beans that infuse flavor into the macorons and various amazing dishes). And on top a wonderful chocolate drizzle. The ice cream was wonderful but I can't forget the nutter butter. It was at the top of its game tonight. It was soft, pliable, chewy, tender, and chalked full of virginia peanuts. And the peanut butter filling was perfectly ribboned on the sides. Everything combined equals an amazing dessert, even as a cookie. The best peanut butter cookie i've ever had, hands down.

Tisch Cart

2006-03-09T21:23:00.000-08:00

Banana Nut Muffin from the Tisch Cart. I always see the muffins in the cart. They are plump and tender looking pressed up against the glass. I always want one. Or five, or however many there are! But I never get one. There's something about the vendors and I. I'm not sure what our relationship is. I like the fact that they are they. I'm generally looking for something a little more creative and with a little more ambiance, so I don't eat there, but I would be upset if they left. I like the fact that they are there. So today, I felt happy to be participating in ensuring his existence, and sustaining his abiltity to be. I got this banana nut muffin. It can be described as 'a cake muffin'. A muffin that tastes like cake. And you know what, sometimes that's what you need. It had a nice cakey consistency but would have been better with nuts inside instead of merely on top. It wasn't the greatest muffin, I knew it wouldn't be. But I know I will buy from him again, to facilitate this...this relationship that's hard to describe.

Bouchon Bakery

2006-03-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

Do not adjust your computer screens. This is real. I ate this sandwich for dinner tonight. I know, I know. Life is unfair, but what is this visual delight you ask? Let me introduce you to my friend named "Tartine" of Tuna Nicoise on Pain de Campagne. Do I like tuna? Well, I like anything that's done well. And this my comrades...this was done well. A wonderfully rich oil packed tuna mixed with aioli, fines herbs, and topped with buttery bibb lettece and laid out on a wholesome country bread. Can we say Par-tay, in your MOUTH. Yes, I think we can, and we must.

And when you don't have chocolate, what's the next best thing? CHEESE. Here we have a mild Italian cheddar a hybrid of Goat and brie, and finally a pungent blue cheese. And to accompany them, a dollop of syrupy honeycomb and candied walnuts-which are in one word 'perfection' ( I could write a book about the marvelous marriage between the crisp smooth flavor of the shell melded with the buttery walnut...but i'll spare you for now). And in the back row, no strangers to deliciousness, the cranberry-currant bread, and the walnut bread. Lot's of good things going on here as you can see. My favorite was the mild cheddar because I've been eating a goat-brie all week in my room. Ahhh behold the power of cheese.

Ceci Cela

2006-03-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

The best Cherry Cheese Danish I have ever consumed. The best part is that the store is 10 ft from the Spring St stop on the 6. This Danish is the standard by which all other danishes now must live up to...tis the golden standard. Perfectly flaky crust and creamy perfection in the center.

Bouchon Bakery

2006-02-24T18:28:00.000-08:00

This would be the Lemon Sabayon Tart. A fresh and sharp meyer lemon custard with a powerful zing, but delicate texture. It is sealed with a a perfectly crisp pine nut crust that matches the custards light elegance. It's topped with a drop of whipped cream. What's my favorite thing at Bouchon Bakery? The last thing I've eaten there of course. Silly me, and I thought that perfection was a concept...but I have since learned that it is quite edible. I've learned that anything Sebastian or Richard touch is the best food you've ever had. period. I find myself wishing they would make ravioli because I know it would be the best ravioli I could ever hope to consume. Hmph..."pears poached in savignon blanc"...i do that in my sleep. Seriously these guyss. What a load of genius. I just want to give them hugs. The pecan sticky bun changed my life.

Panya Bakery

2006-02-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Chip Melon Pan. Okay, this was dissapointing. I thought this was going to be like a muffin or a yummy bun or something incredibly moist. However, the moist outer coat is decieving. This is a rather bland roll inside and the chocolates don't mesh well. They are bittersweet and are just plopped on the surface. Boo. I will fo sho not repeat.

Blue Ribbon Bakery

2006-02-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

I always ask people what their favorite restaurants are (naturally, it's the thing to do) and sometimes there are ones that really stick with me. Someone told me "I like the Blue Ribbon Bakery because they aren't trying to be more than they are. They know what they do, and they do it well." So naturally I had to go. Me and Joe. A hungry Thursday after the Daily Show (I LOVE JON THIS MUCH ------>) It's late so I'm not going to get crazy with details. First. Cream of Tomato Soup. Now imagine if you will a perfectly viscous soup with a richly satisfying sweet tomato flavor. That is this soup. A fabulous tomato soup. I just don't see how tomato soup gets better than this.

Baby artichoke hearts were a modest vegetable side but nothing to write home about. Not a whole lot of flavor going on, but a nice compliment to the creamy soup.
If you love goat cheese, like I DOOO, then this salad owns you. A fresh pile of fresh, citrus lettuce piled with WARM goat cheese. I repeat WARM goat cheese. Blissful.

The real star of the evening was the Mushroom ravioli. I believe it was something like $14.50 for 3 raviolis that aren't that big. When they brought out the plate I was like what a rip. But after one bite....I was like I would pay 14.50 for ONE. I would do 50 push ups for one bite (well I would try) . Holy cow!! The flavors and textures are dead on in this dish. Listen. The pumpkin cream sauce falls over soft homemade ravioli and melts into the feathery mushrooms. Like WOAH. Woah. I'm so going back, but I don't it will ever be as good as that first bite. Sometimes it just all comes together and catches you off guard. Those are the great moments.
Lastly the much anticipated bread pudding. There are two: chocolate chip and banana walnut with caramel sauce. I got the banana because Joe and I were curious about this lesser known dish. First of all I must say that I have been spoiled because I've had the 'best bread pudding in st. louis' and it's stunning. (Cyranno's...near Wash U). This bread pudding was not 'individually' prepared. Instead it was a slice with a crispy crust. This struck me as rustic and fitting for the restaurant. The bread pudding was really quite a big portion with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream so I would say you get your moneys worth. I found the bread pudding to by very good for bread pudding but not the best i've ever had. The caramel sauce was delicous but there is no doubt that the ravioli was superior.

The Daily Show

2006-02-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

I heart Jon Stewart

Anh

2006-02-24T17:54:00.000-08:00

Grabbing lunch before the Daily Show

Peanut Butter Company 2

2006-02-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

Yes, twice in two days.

Financier 4

2006-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is my ideal breakfast. Coffee and something so covered in nuts and sugar you aren't even sure what it is. Oh or the little muffinskypoo in the back that is stout and plump at the same time. Check out how insanely long my hair is.

The Magnolia Bakery

2006-02-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

Lots of pictures for one dessert.

Calcutta 2

2006-02-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

Back again!!!

Peanut Butter and Company

2006-02-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

Claire's Favorite Restaurant...to come.

Brooklyn-Muffin Sighting

2006-02-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Claire and I went to Williamsburg to go to Beacon's Closet (pretty close to amazing vintage shop). I want muffins from here, but I didn't have the capacity. I'll be back.

Tai Pan Bakery

2006-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Back to Tai Pan to take advantage of their seats, unsurpassed in sweetness chai's, and to drool over buns.

Lung Moon 2

2006-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

We stopped into the Lung Moon and I got my favorite and Claire was attracted by the fluffy angel food cakes for fiftey cents!

Caravan of Dreams

2006-02-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Caravan recommended by Daveo. To come...

Whole Foods Cheese party with myself!

2006-02-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

Details to come

Once Upon a Tart

2006-02-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Definately in the running for cutest name EVER. Seriously...Once Upon a Tart...if all bedtime stories started that way they would all be SUPREMELY DELICIOUS! I've passed this place many a time, but today was my first gastronomic tour. The store is small, cute and comfortably crowded.

Breakfast by me

2006-02-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

Orange Mano Peach Tropicana juice. mmmmmm. Toast with Smooth Operator Peanut Butter from Peanut Butter Company, and Vanilla Creme Wheaties (the sugary milk is so wonderous).

City Bakery

2006-02-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

City Bakery, Hot Chocolate. My first experience with the ginger was quite shocking.

Caracas Arepas

2006-02-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

Bouchon Bakery

2006-02-18T11:44:00.000-08:00

My New Home! Isn't it so cute?!?! I want them to open now so I can eat there...oh god I'm going to be incredibly spoiled. Oh and pictured also is the Big Papa, per se.

Bagel Bob's

2006-02-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

Bagel Bob's is pretty much a standard bagel dive. They have two things that are key. 1) Provide a varity of cream cheeses 2) TOAST the bagels. For my bagel consumption, toasting is very necessary. It's like when you list your basic needs in health class: food, water, shelter, clothing...and TOAST (all around the coutry from coast to coast, people always ask me what do I like most, I don't wanna brag, I don't wanna boast, I just tell'em I like TOAST, YEAHAHAH TOAST!) This is my third time going to Bagel Bob's. The first time I got an egg bagel toasted with strawberry cream cheese, the second time was a toasted egg bagel with walnut raisin cream cheese (because they were out of strawberry). Let me say that the strawberry cream cheese is SUPREMELY delicious. It's super sweet and smooth, the way us out in Kansas are trained to like it. The cinnamon walnut cream cheese is firm and not very sweet. It's literally walnut and raisins stuck in regular cream cheese. I'm not really down with that. Anyhoo, today I craved PEANUT BUTTER. This usually happens about twice a day. So I got PEANUT BUTTER and the guy at the counter looked at me funny...."Peanut Butter...?" he repeated with in some sort of hazy disbelief. Yes, PEANUT BUTTER. And so I chose cinnamon raisin as the partner...which is good for smooth PEANUT BUTTER, but not good for crunchy. Anyhoo, the bagel is pretty good but not as good as the egg. The cinnamon raisin is a bit firmer, like the walnut cream cheese. I think I have had Peanut butter on a bagel so many times my body recreates each bite before I have it. It's like deja vu times one million, but I keep eating it!! PEANUT BUTTER TOAST...ahhhhh

Mud

2006-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is my first encounter with cinnamon roll yogurt! Because I like anything sweet, I was willing to try this, even though it is not in it's natural habitat. And what better brand than La Yogurt. This brand dominates life. Well, at yeast all that was and ever will be yogurt. So this yogurt is silky smooth with a strong cinnamon overtone. It's yummy, like all of its brothers and sisters of flavor. Next MUD. I was hesitant of of the Mud truck. The mud truck are where the "hipsters" go if you know what I mean ("let's go drink imported beer and start condescending and name dropping"). I had a vanilla latte their prior to my website and I was thoroughly unimpressed. The vanilla sugar was way sweet and overwhelmed every essence of coffee that ever wanted to be! However, I had to try MUD, for fair evaluation. The findings: MUD=AWESOME. I don't know about the other drinks, but I will stand here, with my hipster coat and cds and wait in line with the other hipsters because MUD is awesome! It's a full bodied dark roast that is good black for the bold, brave, Decemberist toting hipster. But if you are more the arcade fire kinda hipster like me than the creme and sugar is delicious!!!! MMMMMMMMM!

Panya Bakery

2006-02-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

I decided to start off the day with something healthy. Yogurt. Then I happened to...go purposely out of my way...to Panya Bakery for something more my style....PASTRIES. I am totally in the mood for a cream bun, but that seems to be a Chinese Bakery feature...and not Japanese. I peer into the case and see what their starting line up is. Some fruit tarts that look good, but I'm in the market for something with more bread per square inch. They have a VERY tempting muffin of the week: Chocolate Banana with Almond Sprinkles...am I really that obcessed with nuts...huh? There are a lot of choices and so I have to really concentrate. I look at everything twice, I lick my finger and hold it to the air to check the breeze, and then I think about what my taste buds and stomach are in the mood for. It's an elaborate ritual, pastry shopping.
The almond danish stood out to me; most likely because it has the most sugar, so I got one.
I also ordered a green tea au lait, although I really love the chai from here. First bite...the dough is lighter and flakier than a traditional croissant. It also lacks the lingering decadent butter taste that the French have perfected. However, it has a delightful little almond paste inside! The icing was just a plain mix of powdered sugar and water...a vanilla or butter or lemon would have been nice. Oh pastry you look so lucious in your photo. Oh and the green tea! The green tea was off the hook. For real. I love all the hot drinks here. They are sweet and delicious necter of the gods! Ahh Panya bakery hot drinksssssssssssss....soooooo goooooood.

The star of the dinner was left over onion kulcha from calcutta. I recessitated it on the grill and I think it retained 90% of its deliciousness. Ohhhhh goooood, that bread was so suprememly delicious. Having it again has only revitalized my quest to have an 'ALL OUT BREAD FEAST'. That's right. You heard me. Robyn. Me. Bread. Calcutta. That's it. We are going to do what everyone only dreams of doing. Go to Calcutta and order every bread on the menu. We are going to feast on swollen glutens, of the indian variety, like sultans under the sultry yellow light of Calcutta's dining room by the sitar player, while the archetypal bread man cooks our breads in the tandoori oven with intensity the world has never seen because the only things he knows in life are sweat and perfection. It will be glorious. Anyhoo, dinner was a helping of Tomato Basil Hummus that I am addicted to plus a mix of Greek and French olives. Oh, and the obligitory carrots and some Spanish Robusto Cheese (which is excellent with dried fruit and melted over pasta or in grilled cheese).
I recieved this package earlier today. Hmmmmmm. After close examination of the box I knew it was one of two things. Some sort of edible confection...or a baby panda bear that had a fancy for berries.
Well there's only one way to find out....

So I opened the box and I was greeted by this....That's right Strawberries enrobed in white and dark chocolate with friends...AHHAHA..."You ALL loook soooo nice and dressed up! Look at you in your little chocolate suits...and you brought your Sweet Friends-Cookie Quadruplets!
Nice to meet you all, but I gotta warn you...I'm a superstitious man. And if some unlucky accident should befall - If I should get hungry, or if I just feel like stuffing myself with chocolate - then I'm going to blame some of the people in this box, and that I do not forgive. But, that aside, let me say that I swear, on the souls of Lung Moon Cake Rolls, that I will not be the one to break the peace we've made here today.

"I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart."

I checked the box, these little guys were all the way from Rosedale California. That's a long way. Too long for fruit I previously thought. However, the fruit was very red, plump, and juicy! The chocolate, as always, was a fine and necessary addition. I have yet to work my way through the cookies. More to come. P.S. they are from my parents, not my secret lover, damn.

Anonymous

2006-02-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

Calcutta

2006-02-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

Calcutta Indian restaurant with Robyn...to come.

Did it snow, or is it just me

2006-02-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

I looked outside today and I saw...well I saw nothing. No front half of the Brooklyn Bridge! No back half of the Brooklyn Bridge! And no dumb cursed buiness office blocking the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge! No...it was just a blinding white. I hurried to the roof to get a better look. Turns out the roof was no better, white, white everywhere! I went down to the lobby to see what the snow pile up looked like in inches. Say WHAT!? There was about 12 inches of snow....on everything and it was still coming. There was more snow in the courtyard of our building then I wanted to see all winter. Dang, that's a lot of snow! What should I do? PLAAaaay in it of course! oooo virgin wonderland, everyone will want to stay snuggled up at home! I headed out to find there were...more people taking the subway then usual. "Crazy people,"I muttered "who would want to actually go out in THIS!"

So I went up to Times Square where the wind was blowing hard and the tourists are still a dime a dozen lugging their suitcases in the snow. I promtly stepped in a huge puddle and soaked my feet and the better portion of my pants..okay cold.

I'll jump on the subway and take a picture of the park and then jump back on. But when I got to the park I had to stay! It was gorgeous. I should have known, it is the rich people's playground after all. There were foreign accents, designer coats, small children being pulled in sleds with designer coats, cross country skiiers, and of course, dogs with designer coats. For some reason I didn't expect this little snow globe of joy...I thought it would be deserted and serene. The snow was still coming down, so it retained a beautiful and untainted coat of white, even as people played.

I wound my way through the park, following snips of laughter that broke through the snow laden branches. Kids and parents were carrying sleds and then whizzing down the hills. And I use the term "hill" loosely because it was more like an ant hill or blemish in the ground. Yet, these little bumps in the earth produced perpetual fun for all ages!! Haha...you people don't know hills..haha...but I guess I don't really know snow like this...so we're even. I walked across the park to the East side and realized I had no feet, or atleast not that I could feel. So I decided to call it quits.

Subway back to this plate of food. Juicy Gala apple from Jubilee. Sourdough toast with cinnamon raisin walnut cream cheese from zabar's, and the smooth operator peanut butter from peanut butter and co. Also, but hard to tell, plantains with mozzerella from the roomie's mom. Thank god for good mommy dominican food cookers! Also, handfuls of vanilla creme mini-wheats...but not pictured. Sorry not an exciting food day, but peanut butter is always a tummy pleaser.

Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop

2006-02-12T17:28:00.000-08:00

This was my first dining experience with a fellow NYC chowhound, Robyn, aka The Girl Who Ate Everything. Robyn is crazy into food and so we were bound to meet eventually, if not sharing food stories, then scraping through the yard sale bins at the polka dot bakery closing sale or bump into each other trying to steal extra marshmellows at the city bakery. Robyn had her eye on this sandwich shop in the East Village/LES at 129 Rivington. It was started to snow but we decided a little cold for a lot of food was shibby. As I stepped into Tiny's shop I was immediately happy, and not just because I was pumped about regaining circulation in my fingers. The shop has rich earthy colors on the walls that are very cozy and it has the perfect amount of seating (about 8 tables, big enough to breathe, small enough to be quaint). If I had to describe it in two words I would say "bear hug".

As for the food, we were presented with a two-sided menu. One side=salads, the other side=sandwiches. Robyn and I both quickly put down the salad side...it's cold and we want REAL food! The sandwiches all come with chips and in either half sizes or big sizes. The half sizes are about $3.75 and big are about $7.00. Turns out the half sizes don't jip you at all! They are just a ridiculously good value. We both got half sizes. I got the Silly Philly Cheese Steak Vegetarian Twist On a Classic made w/ Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Sauteed Onions & Swiss On a Hero. And Robyn got the Buffalo Chicken Chicken Cutlet w/ Lettuce, Tomato, Tangy Red Devil Sauce & Blue Cheese Dressing On a Hero. Robyn is the best kind of eater, A SHARER. I totally have beef with people that don't share...you know who you are. Food is meant to be tried, sampled, and SHARED. So give someone a bite of your chicken marsala! DO IT! So we swapped halves to heighten the complexity and variety of our meal. First bite...of the silly philly...there are three distinct flavors: the melted swiss is soft, stringy and coats the caramelized onions and sweet portabella mushrooms. The bun is a good comforter for the melted trio, which is good until the last bite. Robyn's sandwich doesn't have as sharp of flavors but it is yummy in its own tangy way. The chicken is slightly breaded for extra goodness, but not greasy, and the buffalo sauce isn't spicy hot but has a nice 'tang' if you will. The mayo, lettece, and tomato are typical, but neccessary dance parties. And the bill...We left a $10 for both of us and that's leaving a generous tip. Rock on Tiny Giant. Touche Robyn. Another good day's work.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine

2006-02-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

And what should happen to be across the street from Tiny's Giant Sandwich shop? Hmmmm...how coincidental....The Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery...how convenient and not carefully plotted and premeditated at all....Okay so it was the reason Robyn and I chose the Sandwich shop. There it's out. But just look! The cup cakes have names! My favortie name was Bob-a yellow cake with chocolate almond buttercream. So as you can see decisions here do not come easy. You have to walk around the case, press your face up against the glass and see what dessert is at the top of its game. I was debating between the Sexy Red Velvet-Red velvet cake with "the moose" (chocolate frosting) and the pumpkin pudding with some sort of egg nogg deliciousness. I went with the red velvet because it was so red and velvety, and it had a phat chocolate hat! Robyn decided on a yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting (the cake being sliced below). My cupcake was beautiful. It also had little hearts!!!!! (Which I will temporarily over look their intended connotation of Feb. 14th, the impending reminder of singledom). First bite... a sugary chocolate frosting pierces my taste buds! HELLO! I am probably 95% sugar and 20% more sugar! The chocolate flavor was good, but not as rich and chocolate cream based as I would have liked. I kept eating and contemplating the frosting when it occured to me that I didn't know what the cup cake tasted like. I grabbed a virgin piece of the cake....it tasted like....like....nothing! It tasted like white cake! It is such a trick to the eye! The cake is a rich red and I want it to taste like red, almost to the point where I think it does, but no! It tastes like white cake! Not that this is bad. It is still good, but not what I had in mind, and not something I would order again. What's the hype about the red velvet, someone tell me!!!??!? I don't get it! Is the red velvet supposed to have a strong flavor, or are you velvet fanatics really digging the plain cake-red color magic trick?
Robyn's on the otherhand was simple...yet very impressive. The cake wasn't greasy but moist and the frosting...oh the frosting...it wasn't overly sugary, like mine...it had a little bit heavier texture with a smooth vanilla finish. It has something to order again! MMMmmm...it's something you lick out of the bowl, and off the plate....I mean no. No one does that, namely not me. Anyhooo, it was getting late and they were closing so we left. Question of the day: What happens to all of those cupcakes?

Pick a Bagel

2006-02-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

I somehow found myself in the mist of a long hair cut wait, in the mist of an oncoming storm, in the mist of hunger. But I decided to brave the snow bullets in order to combat hunger and I stumbled into...Pick-a-Bagel. What a goofy name...pick a bagel...I smirked and giggled to myself inside. But when I went inside I understood...this was not a silly name. This was an irrefutable, undenibale, profound, glorious, and perfectly accurate name. All of the bagels congregated in their respecitve bins just above eye level behind the counter. They were all plump and doughy...and the first thing I thought was..."I want to PICK one." Unfortunately the workers pick them for you, but I pointed to the exact one I wanted, even if I didn't get to physically extract it. I chose a sourdough bagel because it looked DELICICICICICIOUS. and IT WAS.
Now let me say, I have been to H &H-on the upper west side, Murray's Bagel's, and Bagel Bob's and I declare this my favorite bagel of the bunch (but I haven't had Murray's toasted yet, and I think that might totally rock). But for eating without toating this is by far the superior bagel. There is a slight crisp as you pierce the outside and then you are greeted by a plush and pillowy center. I am totally riding the subway up here before class just to get one of these toasted. And their muffins are bigger than most small dogs, and look equally delicious (as the bagels, not the dogs, I am not a canine-ivore...I love puppies). I will have to sample those thoroughly and report back. This is the New York Bagel I longed for!!!

Financier Patisserie

2006-02-11T20:43:00.000-08:00

.....Guilty. I had to go back! I love it! And it is in my neighborhood. You would go if it were a 5 minutes walk from you...or you would be a crazy gufferpuff. So today I had a small mochaccino, which I have since decided, is not the way to go. The way to go is to get a large coffee with milk and sugar because they are virtually the same. They steam the milk in the regular coffees.
Anyhoo, this was my first morning experience here. When I walked in the wicker baskets were piled high with all sorts of sugar sprinkled breakfast delight! Oh LORD! This was the time to go! I peeked around to the pastry case...stacked to the brim! I need to be here when the doors open in the morning...I imagine it is equivalent to the flood gates of paradise. So naturally I had a tough time chooseing. The powdered sugared items looked so amazing, but I have heard very good things about the scones and there are only three left....I got a scone.
As you see the scone is very cute. It's squat, pudgy, and in some sort of mid curtsey. mmmmmmmm...swollen glute granules. First bite. Very interesting. The outside layer is golden and slightly crisp, but not an inhibiting or separate crisp. Financier has a way of cooking thier scones, and also muffins, in a way where the outside layer is extremely delicate and delicious. It has a wonderful texture that is harmonious with the interior and enhances its taste. I really had to concentrate to appreciate the goodness of the scone. It has a very subtle flavor of a plain biscuit with nuts, and the lingering flavor of butter. Of course, I added more butter, like I do to most carbohydrates. If I wanted it again I would bring Sarabeth jam with me. It needs a flavor partner to tango with if you know what I mean.

Visionaire and Soho Galleries

2006-02-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, at this point you are thinking. a) I have a stomach of steel b) I eat polar bears c) I have no money and I have resorted to digging in trash bins....

But no, I digress from food for a bit to talk about my Soho Gallery adventure (there is some eating involved I promise).

Okay, so the polar bear needs explaination. Unfortunately, I can't provide it. I can only confuse you more by saying that there was a bin next to the bear with combs in it...and I combed the polar bear...and it was actually pretty satisfying. I don't know why the bear has his head in a box, and I don't know why I felt so compelled to groom him, but it was awesome. I would have tried to put him in my purse if there wasn't a 146.9% chance he wouldn't fit.

As for the trashcans. This was the very spot that the movie...i'm just making this up. There is absolutely no importance attached except that they are on Broome St. Which is a good street to be on if you like to eat good food (Balthazar=close vicinity, rest easy tummy).

The exhibit at the bottom is a gallery that makes edible scents...okay...intriguing. The people there inform us their product is like those listorine sheets you dissolve in your mouth. hmm. Of course I'll try some!! The first....entitled orgasm...is described as chocolate truffles...HELL YES...and the taste...something NOT right about chocolate film strips!! But I keep going ...maybe the flavor art is more my style as I pop it in...BAD TASTE...the description...adhesive! Wait, that is for sure NOT a food group. What are these?...strips of treachery?!?! :( But I eat about 3 more before I'm fully convinced that they taste really really bad. I promptly proceed to Dean and Deluca's to clense my palate with multiple samples of raisin nut bread. If you want to face the devil stripes go for it. Tell me how you handle Life (tastes like the earth's soil) 11 Mercer St or check it out from a distance at www.visionaireworld.com...

McDonalds

2006-02-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'll just go into this cute little resta-wait.......
AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! You don't fool me! You can't hide behind your forbidden city front McDonald's Dynasty from McHell. I will not eat your greasy and untastey morsels in the mist of authentic spring rolls and a plethera of peking duck that is so fresh and choice. And no, no, NO I did not eat there. The only reason I would go to McDonald's is to use the ATM, only 99 Cent sur charge, I know, sweet right?

The Tai Pan Bakery

2006-02-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

I've been to the Tai Pan Bakery several times. Mostly because it has a huge sign, and it is on Canal street and so you really don't have a choice. I like it because it has a seating area, and because the buns in the back aren't being suffocated by plastic wrap. Instead they just fluff up and pile on top of each other and smile at you. I have had the bean curd bun and the cream. They are both delicous, but I like the sweet cream better than the savory bean. This little guy is a "danish cream pastry". It is basically a thick croissant with cream in the middle. This plasce also makes yum yum yummy chai with milk and sugar. The Chinese know the proper amount of cream to put in and on pastries, whereas Americans do not. Americans are like "oh you like cream?? Well here's enough to make you not want to eat it ever again in your entire life. And you eat a cream donut and you can't remember why you ever liked cream in the first place. BLAHAHAH. But the moral of the story is Chinese pastries are nice.

Lung Moon Bakery

2006-02-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

You are looking at my new favorite food. It is made out of carrots, beans, strawberries and soy. It counts for 1 weightwatchers point and exists in all of the food pyramid categories simultaneously. It defies gravity. It is none other than a cake roll from the Lung Moon Bakery. And while all of the above may be false it is unsurpassed in deliciousness! It's actually a delicate white cake with a thin cream frosting and a peanut armor. It also comes in an almond version which is quite possibly more delicous. One bite and your eyes will pop and the heavens will open and you will be infinitely happier than you were one minute ago. You will wonder why this holy roll costs .60 cents. And then you will wonder if the people that make these are somehow related to the Dosa man in magical food producing abilities.

Panya Bakery

2006-02-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

My test drive of the Chowhound Manuel. "the sweet potato mousse" was the suggested dish, and so I went verbetum. First of all, God Bless Asian Bakeries. Do you know what the mousse came in? A clear baby cylinder with a little panya sticker! They package food cuter than babies. Seriously if everything in the world was packaged this cute, the world would probably just explode. Seriously, though, I'm totally keeping this to keep jewelery in. Alright, I knew this wasn't going to be a traditional mousse...but I wasn't really prepared for the taste. It was subtle. It tasted slightly like the mousse in tirimisu with a smooth custard texture, for lack of a better comparison, but a little bit of a vanilla-rum flavor. And of course chunks of sweet potato in the pudding and grapes on top. The flavor is hard to recall, perhaps because I've never met anything quite like it. I think it's one of those foods you don't think about until you are crazy hungry. You get a mad craving for it and instantly remember what it tastes like. Alot of foods are like that for me. Did someone say Ginger Hot Chocolate. Yeah I didn't like it at first, but now I crave it every 5, no make that 2 minutes. P.S. I got a Chai, and they are DE-Licious!!Peace out.

Dosa Cart, Washington Square

2006-02-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Street Vendor or dosa demi-God?

I was headed to St. Mark's to check out the Dumpling Man when a small line forming around the cart caught my eye. It's smack dab in the middle of W 4th St, and it occured to me that there was no good reason why I hadn't tried it. So I got in line and looked at the menu. It was a pretty long list of different Asian dishes..dosa with potato, pepper, onion, samosas...and cheap. I watched the Dosa man work. "What are you having" he asked. "uhh...A dosa." I said. "With onions, or potatoes" he asked. "No" I said. I stook back and tried to comprehend his process. He had a large tub..of dosa batter..and an assortment of other tubs crowded in to specific places. He spread out a dosa and then he begin piling on bright colors...woah woah WOAH..I want that! So when he started making mine I ordered potatoes and veggies. "Spicey?" he asked. "Yes SIR" And nodded and handed me a white foam take out box that held my dosa. I hurried to Kimmel cradling my treasure box. What is this going to look like? I have NO idea! Alright, I'm going to cut to the chase. I opened the box to find that puppy up there on the left. I took a bite and thought........WHERE...where..is the Dosa man!? I must go thank him! I must go tip him! I understand Jim Leff's Sainted Arepa Lady! The potatoes were amazing! The dosa was a perfectly crisp pancake which complimented the veggies inside. In the top left there was some sort of coconut mash which was excellent. In the two tubs there were south asian spices which rocked the hizzy. But really let's be honest. How much did I like it you ask? THIS MUCH.

Seriously, why isn't this in restaurants. This man is a miracle worker.

Financier Patisserie 2

2006-02-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

The only good thing about Indian Bread Co. is that there wasn't very much of it, so I had ample room for dessert. Visions of sugar plum fairies danced through my head and I skipped to the subway. Oh what place is worthy of my calories? I decided it was time for the Financier show down. I headed down to Financier right away. There were fire trucks in the street. My heart stopped, oh god...don't let it be...not my new best friend! A little closer...phew...it wasn't. I whispered a little hail mary on my way past for whatever the real reason was and thanked the heavens my little shop was safe.

I walked inside. I got that feeling I always do when I walk inside (or that is the last time I did). A warm happy feeling. The lights are soft, and it exudes a slow tumbling energy, like all the good shops do. You know the ones that will be good before you take a bite, they resonate with deliciousness. And so there I was. The banana bandit pastry I had my eye on was gone! The scoundrel, he must have heard I was coming and got out of town. That's okay, it just means i'll have to come back. So now, I put on my game face and contemplated the new situation. The tables had turned and I had to replan my strategy. I chose the Ambre, because 1) it had chocolate 2) it had three distinct tiers-possibilities for complexity 3) the texture looked soft and it was pretty. I figured I was safe with anything because if the desserts tasted even half as good as they looked I would break even with satisfaction.

I also got a decaf coffee which comes with...yep a baby madeline, soooo cute (and a little Financier Sticker awww). Alright, the top layer=heaven. It was a walnut mousse with a continually intriguing flavor, and thin glaze of something...possibly vanilla syrup on top. The middle layer was a brownie-like, and the bottom something a little thicker than mousse but a chocolately flavor. Together = mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Not woah woah woah coffee cake muffin I'm in love good, but darn good. Plus the people that work there are so nice!

Indian Bread Co

2006-02-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here is the inside of the Indian Bread Co. Shop. This is the best part about this store. If you would like an expensive dissappointing Naan bread snack this is the place for you. Seriously. I got a Paneer Naanwich. Now first of all it was $5.50, so I envisioned a hearty sandwich. And if nothing else a thick fluffy piece of naan...but no...that would not be. The naan was thin, and the sandwich had strange temperature issues. The paneer (which was good) was hot, but the peppers and lettece were cold, along with parts of the naan. I just wanted a puffy harmonious sandwich...boo. Boo boo boo. If anyone can defend this place go right ahead, but until someone can convince me otherwise I'm fo sho not going back.

Financier Patisserie

2006-02-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

Good food in the financial district...c'est impossible! As I walked down there, I imagined some little shop stuffed into the bottom of some corporate office. But no! Stone street (a few blocks south of wall street) is a cobblestone street like a freaking excerpt from the wizard of oz, or a transplant from Europe! I practically ran to the window, oh please, oh please, oh please, let it be good! I opened the door and I was flooded with cinnamon, couples sipping coffee, banana chocolate tarts ( I pointed and narrowed by gaze, I will be back for you). I was overwhelmed and I got the coffee cake because it was bigger than the muffins. $2.00 way better prices than Balthazar or The City Bakery. I got it to go. As I walked down the street I pinched a bit off, took a bite, and froze. Could this be love? Two bites. Yes. I was certain at this moment I would fight someone for this coffee cake which was most definately the best I have ever had. A slightly crisp exterior, not dry or moist inside but just cakey goodness. A light wonderful coffee taste and yes nuts. If you don't like nuts...then get some religion. Nuts make the world go round. I can't wait to go back and face their pastries...it is going to be a show down. I'm so glad somehting in the F.D. is good, we are the laughing stock of Manhattan, it is about time someone represents.

Rocco's

2006-02-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

Now...if you haven't been here go immediately. For those of you who haven't, let's just say it's one of those places you imagine at the North Pole in Santa's crib. Different colored cookies with different colored sprinkles, and mousses, and cheesecakes, all lit up (and protected from me) by a thick glass which makes everything look more shiny and lucious. I cite the North Pole because with a place that looks this good, it's hard to imagine Mrs. Claus isn't somehow behind this...how can all of this be done without magic? I do not know.

Anyhoo, I love this place. I love the Italians working there, and I love concentration of the top of the food pyramid in such a small space. They have so many good things, it offends me as a person. How can I go on living when I haven't tried these. It's a threat and a challenge to me, and so I am slowly hacking away at it. Tonight I got three items. 1. A coconut macaroon, half dipped in chocolate. 2. mini cake with cannoli cream (star of the picture) 3. a cream pastry bar (stage right). The coconut macaroon tasted like the center of an almond joy, which isn't bad but I wanted it to be more like a cookie, less greasy. The mini cake was excellent. These are so far my favorite at this shop. The cake is a good dry/moist balance and the cream is sweet but not too sweet, and there are little chocolate chips hiding inside. The cream bar wasn't as sweet as the cannoli cream but its flavor grew on me the more I ate it. A good nights work. Say hello to my little friends.

Abbondanza's-joyous yummy

2006-02-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

Wandering around the village...looking for fast but good eats. You know those times when are looking for somewhere to eat and you are naturally excited to get some delicious food in your stomach...but you keep walking by these average looking places and pretty soon the excitement hunger turns to pain and frustration? This was one of those times. I was about to break down when I spotted Abbondanza's. Small little storefront but an enticing menu board outside. About five bread selections, and a wild variety of toppings. They had good looking salads too, but this was not a salad time if you know what I mean.
I had a Procuitto Sandwich, with mozzerella, goat cheese, and black olives on a French Baguette with a balsamic vinigerette. The guys at the counters were pretty tight and I immediately felt iniatiated because they said "my friend what else would you like?". Freaking Friendly people...working, I know, I know, it is almost to good to come true. And if that wasn't enough they took my sandwich and slid it into their mammoth oven and handed me my sandwich in melted perfection. The was the perfectly toasted-plush pillowy inside with a light crisp exterior, making the sandwich a chorus of joyous yummy. My only regret is that I was only hungry enough to eat one (and that's pretty hungry because they are huge!)

2006-02-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to New York City. Wollensky's Grill right up in here.

Day One

2006-02-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to give in and create a blog. But I didn't think I would find myself living in New York City either.