Easter Weekend Eats

Hopefully everyone enjoyed a very lovely Passover and Easter Holiday!

I'm a fan of the food involved with each holiday and do my best to take full advantage.  Although I have no record of my digestive involvement, I assure you it was delicious!

I had a really lovely weekend, and enjoyed a number of tasty delights with Mel, Adam and my MOMMIE!  She is a miraculous woman who appreciates food as much as I do.  She also happens to come from a long line of incredible cooks - so I do my best to watch her cook.  She's one of those natural cooks that doesn't really measure... so its particularly difficult to figure out what she's doing and replicate.  Anyhoo, here's the food...

To start, I had brunch twice this weekend with Mel.  She has the whole weekend off, so we took full advantage!  After some Total Body Conditioning (I'm gonna have me some sexy legs and arms this summer), we headed over to The Bedford for brunch.  Unfortunately, their menu wasn't so good for me this time, with lots of cheese in everything.  Mel, being the good sister and understanding my dilemma, encouraged me to go elsewhere for brunch.  I felt terrible getting up and leaving, but they had a very limited selection and I didn't want a single thing on their menu.
We went to Cafe Colette instead and had a deliciously good time!

Cafe Colette (please note that their menu is not updated fully on their website)

We were fortunate to get a table right away.  This place is usually busy for brunch, but the weather was terrible, so that played in our favor.  Mel comes here all the time and rightfully so since its fantastic.

They had a lot of interesting options on their menu, most of which sounded like the healthier version of common brunch dishes.  There were two poached egg dishes to choose from, so I went with the spicier variation, even though the other sounded just as good!


This dish came with two perfectly poached eggs laying neatly atop pureed chickpeas and braised kale.  The bread was a type of sourdough that had a bit of kick to it.  Not sure what it was, but it was delicious.

The dish was a little spicy, but nothing too crazy.  It was delicious, not greasy at all.  I loved every bite.

I would definitely order this again, but will probably try the other poached egg dish since it looked fantastic (person next to me ordered it and I pretty much salivated all over him)


I thought that I needed something a little unhealthy to even my meal out, so I went with their homemade sage sausage patties.  Wow those were good.

They were perfectly grilled and juicy.  I definitely recommend these if you want a side of meat.  It's a shame Mel doesn't really eat meat, because she totally missed out on these.

Oh well, more for me!





Mel ordered one of the sweet crepes on their menu.  I love crepes, but most have filling that will make my body cry out in pain.

I definitely had a taste of these though, so I can honestly say they were incredibly delicious.

These are creme fraiche, honey and walnut cremes.  I guess Mel went the opposite with me and thought these were too unhealthy, so ordered a healthy side...

Here's the happy half grapefruit that we both enjoyed during our meal.

Grapefruits are quite possibly one of the most challenging and messy fruits to eat with a spoon.  This thing was splashing all over the place.

I ate one almost every day for breakfast, so I'm starting to get the hang of it, but its still a splash-fest!

So overall, the meal was really lovely.  Staff was nice and quick to serve.  The food was fresh and flavorful.  Great option if you want a healthier brunch - definitely going to come back in the next couple of weeks to check out that other poached egg dish.

After Adam was done with work in the late afternoon, we decided on our activities for Saturday night... which involved going into the city and enjoying some delicious imported beer.  Adam is a serious beer connoisseur, so we venture to really great bars that offer a wide variety of excellent beer.

But first, we needed to eat something so that the beer didn't kill us.  I opted for something a little healthier (shocked, aren't you!) and went to Dojo near NYU.

Dojo Restaurant

I've actually been coming here for so many years.  I think as long as 10 years if that's possible.  It was and still is a really affordable restaurant with a wide range of tasty items.  It was particularly convenient when I knew friends attending NYU, since it was right near them.

Dojo is still a great place to hit up if you're in the area.  I was shocked to learn I'd never taken Adam here, so it was a totally new experience for him.

It was particularly dead on a Saturday night.  Usually this place is buzzing with activity, but I guess the weather and holiday weekend made the city less lively.


I usually ordered the same dishes here.  Their fried chicken cutlet with Japanese BBQ sauce is always a winner.  I also like their grilled chicken salad.

The other dish I'll order here is their Salmon Teriyaki - which is not only delicious, but surprisingly inexpensive for what you get.

This dish used to be about $8.95, and keeps going up every time I go back. I know times are tough and food prices are increasing.  This time, the dinner was $12.95 - but I still think its a good deal.
You get a large piece of fish, that's always cooked perfectly with a nice portion of steamed vegetables and brown rice.  Talk about a healthy dinner!  Sure the glaze isn't that healthy, but I end up scrapping it aside anyway.  The veggies are always crisp and fresh.

Each dinner entree also comes with a lovely little side salad with the greatest carrot ginger dressing I've ever had.  I can practically eat this dressing with a spoon - believe me, I have.
The salad is a lot bigger than this - I was just so hungry that I forgot to take a photo while it was a full bowl.


Adam ordered the Grilled Salmon Steak with ginger dressing.  Our waitress was helpful and allowed Adam to swap out his broccoli for cauliflower.

He was a little sad that mine was better, but his was far healthier and he was saving himself for the tasty beer ahead.

We both enjoyed our salmon and agreed that although the price wasn't what it used to be, it was still worth it.  We'll definitely be back!  Also try their fried calamari, which comes with this amazing sweet and sour tarter sauce.  Their cold sesame noodles are also yummy!

The following morning, Mel and I met up for brunch at Brooklyn Label - which I've highlighted before, so I'll go through this quickly.  I had a ScoutMob, so it made brunch a super affordable treat.




I was craving their Borderline Benedict, which is always a winner here.  The bluecorn muffin was tasty, their chorizo was good, but perhaps a little under done.  Although sometimes they burnt it, so I'd rather it this way than burnt!

The eggs were cooked perfectly - my only complaint was not enough hollandaise sause, although this was probably best for me.

Also their hash browns are probably the best I've had anywhere.  It's always amazing and worth getting.

Mel was indecisive and ordered their special eggs benedict that had a cheddar biscuit with pastrami, but she swapped out the pastrami for smoked salmon.

She liked the dish, but wasn't all that impressed.  She had a lot of trouble cutting the biscuit that looked more like a slice of bread.  Oh well - what can you do.

At least I enjoyed brunch?

We then ventured into the city to meet up with Mama Maria (our mom).  It was Easter after all, and so we took her out for a movie and dinner.  We enjoyed The Good Life playing at the Tribeca Film Festival (definitely check out that movie, it was great), and then went to a nearby restaurant that sounded appetizing online.

Westville Restaurant - Chelsea

I called before heading over and they reported that business was slow so it was a good time to go and get a table.  Rumor is that they get busy and since they don't take reservations you need to wait outside - something I didn't want to make my mom do.

The place was really  pleasant with helpful staff and an extensive menu.  They feature plenty of market fresh sides, I counted at least 15 of them.


Mama Maria is very particular about her food.  She has a very severe cheese allergy, so we always have to be careful about the dishes that she orders.

She also hates sauces, so the grilled salmon (minus the sauce that they featured on their menu) was best for her.  It came with her choice of side and mixed greens.  She chose the lemon grilled asparagus, which was delicious.  It was beautifully cooked and she enjoyed it a great deal.



Mel wasn't feeling particularly hungry and went with two market fresh sides, which cost $5 each.

We were all very surprised with how large they were and Mel ended up with a hefty doggie bag.

She chose the roasted beets with goat cheese and the roasted fennel with Parmesan cheese. Both looked nice, but I'm a fan of neither.  I did try the beets and I guess they were okay.  I don't care for beets.  They kind of freak me out actually.

I'm also not a fan of fennel.  I hate that liquorish flavor and so don't care for fennel at all.

Mel enjoyed both very much.  They looked good, but the cheese sprinkled on top was really my final straw - so Mel got to eat in peace without me pestering her for another bite.

My dish, however, was truly amazing and would gladly come back to have it again.  I was initially going to get the roasted trout with pears, avocados and other tasty items.  The waitress mentioned it was a very light tasting meal, which could have been good had I not been so hungry.

She recommended the Macadamia nut encrusted tilapia with coconut rice, mixed veggies and a small salad.  It didn't sound very good, but she said it was really tasty.  So I thought "what the hell, I'll get it" and I couldn't have been happier with the recommendation.


I was surprised to discover that there was a sauce with my dish.  That was my main worry - it being too dry.  Fish and rice can be so dry together, but this was perfection.

The fish was large, flakey and delicious.  Roasted macadamia nuts were sprinkled throughout and added a tasty crunch.

The sauce was sweet and creamy, adding a light macadamia nut flavor to everything.  The fluffy coconut rice was hiding under the fillet with little morsels of vegetables hidden throughout the rice.  Every bite was heaven!  I barely had room for dessert, barely.


Mel and I were hoping to get the strawberry rhubarb pie, but Mama Maria had her heart set on the special Chocolate Pecan Pie.  The only reason I ordered this was because my mom wanted it, but it was sinfully delicious.

It was made with cane syrup instead of corn syrup, or so claimed the waitress.  It was oogey-googey goodness with a prefect crust and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.  I tried not to eat too much, which was good cause my mom finished everything without issue.  Nothing like something a little sweet after a perfect dinner.

Overall, Westville Restaurant was nice, offering fresh food and a lovely atmosphere.  The food was a bit pricy, but it was good quality.  I would come back to try some of their cheaper fare, like the hamburgers, which looked really good.

Well it was a long tasty weekend, not back to reality and my diet.  ::sigh::

Badass Burgers

I caved...  I knew it had to happen eventually.  I officially went 18 days straight with my diet, which meant that I only ate healthy options and watched every calorie I put in my body.  It SUCKED!

Although I feel pretty good and I dropped a few pounds (probably water weight, whatever that means).  Do you know how hard it is going every day without enjoying the one thing I live for - good food.  That's not to say that I didn't enjoy good food that also happened to be good for me.

Okay, so maybe I cheated a little with my Eggs Benedict, but I always ate a light dinner and ensured that I was only eating within my caloric limit for the day and I exercise (does walking count?)

I had a long day yesterday and I was to redeem myself at the Brokelyn Country Club Spring Gala hosted at Public Assembly.  It sounded like a lot of fun with an open bar, lots of prizes and some fun music to dance to (see I would have exercised!).  But when my lovely friend Breonna, sister Mel and I showed up 15 minutes after the doors opened, the line was down the block.  Frack this shit, I'm not waiting in the cold to eat some street truck tacos and fight my way to the free open bar.

We wandered around in desperation for some tasty delight to brighten our gloomy disposition. Then we decided that Manhattan Inn was the solution to this horrid situation.  We were obviously really hangry and tired from work.

So off to the Manhattan Inn we went!  Please don't think I eat the same thing over and over again, because I don't.  We were restricted by the time, since lots of the places we could have eaten close early in Greenpoint, like the Polish restaurants.   We also didn't want to spend a ton of money, or we would have ventured to The Bedford or Cafe Colette.  Initially we tried to get into Teddy's but they were packed.  So Manhattan Inn it was and it was fabulous.

At night, the Manhattan Inn is a little romantic with dim lighting and the fabulous piano player serenading patrons with fun jazzy type music.  I like to refer to this music as "old-timey" because I'm not all that smart when it comes to music genres.

After being seated promptly in the back at a lovely four person table, we reviewed the menu and quickly decided on dinner.  We were starving and delirious at the thought of eating good wholesome food.  Breonna and I went for the burger, which sounded really good and Mel went the healthier route with their fresh pasta.

The burgers came out first, after about 10 to 15 minutes of waiting.  Our server apologized for the pasta's delay, which was thoughtful.

They were served on wooden cutting boards with the burger on one side, a wooden bowl with taro chips on the other side and two porcelain spoons, containing spicy mayo and pickle chips.  It was adorable!


Breonna loves her cheese, and had far better lighting near her burger, so her's looks a heck of a lot better, to the right.





Here's a full description of the dish:
Manhattan Inn Burger, with Aged Cheddar & Braised Bacon on a Brioche Bun
Served w/ Homemade Taro Chips & Spicy Mayo ($14)

It was FANTASTIC!!! 


I ordered mine without the cheese, for fear of death.  Both burgers looked incredible, but they tasted even better than they look - trust me.

They were cooked perfectly, with Breonna's a little more rare than mine, per her specifications.  I like mine medium, just a little pink the middle.  It was really done perfectly and it was definitely good quality meat.  It was juicy and overflowing with flavor.

You could taste a hint of bacon and the alfafa sprouts and grilled tomato were a lovely touch.  The brioche bun was slightly toasted and held the burger well.  It was soft and butter and soaked up all the juiciness.

It was pure HEAVEN!!!

The taro chips were tasty too.  They weren't as starchy as potato chips, but has a nice crunch to them.  The spicy mayo went well with both the burger and the chips.  Breonna didn't like the pickles, they were somewhere between sweet, dill and sour.  I liked them and thought they were a nice touch to the entire meal.  I ate every single bite!

Mel ordered the Fresh Pasta
w/ Wild Mushroom, Grape Tomato Confit, Artichoke Puree, Fried Capers, Parmesan, Sunny Side Up Egg ($17) you could also order it vegan, without the egg and cheese for a dollar less. 

It was a really vibrant dish, although I couldn't try it due to the cheese shavings.  It looked gorgeous though and Mel loved it.  The egg yolk spread throughout the dish and gave it this creaminess that enhanced the cheese and fresh veggies.  The noodles were a little difficult to handle since they were long and wide.  I might try this next time with the cheese.  It smelled so good and I love all the fun veggies that it comes with.  It's nice that they make the pasta in-house, so it must be so delicious.  Mel couldn't finish the dish and even Breonna had a taste.  A mighty meal to satisfy even the largest of appetites - so if you're hungry, try this one!

Overall it was a lovely, wonderful meal.  I know a lot of people complain that the atmosphere is the only reason to come here and the food isn't that good, but I beg to differ.  As time goes on, the service and the food is getting better and better.  In the past, my only complaint was that the food wasn't always as piping hot as I would like it - but the last few times have been perfectly fine.  

I love the Manhattan Inn and recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone looking for good food and a nice, relaxing time.  The music is great, the decor is adorable and service is impeccable.

Nothing is Better than Brunch

BRUNCH!!!  It is my absolute favorite meal.  There is something so satisfying about combining the sweet and the savory while breaking your fast.  It is the greatest meal ever and I will stick to that statement.

I'm not even kidding when I say that I'll go with 2 hours sleep, entirely hung over and without showering if someone text/calls me on a Saturday or Sunday asking me to go to brunch.  Rain or shine, I will venture anywhere reasonable to enjoy delicious, succulent BRUNCH!!  I am that dedicated to my favorite meal.

I've been fortunate enough to have brunch buddies lately to enjoy this meal with.  It doesn't always work out that I have someone to go with and I'm not ready yet to go alone, yet is the keyword here.  That might change this summer, but we shall see.

My sister, Mel, recently changed her work schedule (she's an amazing hair stylist!) and now has Saturdays off.  Horray for me because she loves brunch too!  I mean, we're sisters, we should both love brunch.

The other weekend we woke up early and walked over together to The Manhattan Inn on, you guessed it, Manhattan Ave right near Nassau Ave in Greenpoint.  I was in a very happy mood considering I only had 4 hours of sleep with even fewer the night before and I was sufficiently dehydrated from too many delicious wheat beers the night before.  But I was going to brunch and we had a reservation, which meant awesome food in my belly stat.

The Manhattan Inn

Organic Steak & Eggs w/ baked beans + hash browns

I'm a huge fan of this recent addition to my hood.  Not only is it adorable, cozy and welcoming, I also heard through the grapevine that most of their materials were salvaged from one of my fabulous clients, BIG!NYC. 

It was fairly empty at noon on a Saturday, so we got our pick of seats, right in the front near the open window.  It was such a gorgeous day out and took in all the sunshine we could handle.  We eventually had to close the window due to the wind, but it was nice for a while.

The staff was very nice about us taking so long to order.  Our party was VERY late, so Mel and I patiently sipped our drinks and re-read the menu over and over again.  I was salivating over some steak, which is just what I ordered.  It's not all that easy to find organic steak, so I knew it would be a special treat.  Even Mel ordered the steak and eggs!  She rarely eats red meat, and in fact hadn't since her trip to Buenos Aires in January.  Lucky girl, I know.  


Here's a close up of my meal.  The eggs are from free range chickens, which explains why the yolks were so bright orange and tasty.  The beans were good too - although I didn't really feel like eating a ton of beans for fear of the windy situation that might result.

The steak was AMAZING!  It was such a hearty portion of steak that was cooked to perfection.  I rarely leave steak on my plate, but I just couldn't finish it all.

The hash browns (in the middle of the two dishes above) were SO CUTE and tasty.  They were like giant homemade tater tots.  The spicy mayo sauce that it came with was also very good.

The Mighty Lumberjack

Our friend, Riona, couldn't decide what to order, so it was wise of her to get The Lumberjack, which offers a taste of everything.

This was the first dish I ever ordered at The Manhattan Inn, and loved every bite.  I can't really eat the grits since they have dairy and a sprinkle of cheese, but they're great.  The bacon and keilbasa are also tasty.

It is a might meal that few can handle - Riona happens to be one of them, which is why we think she's so freaking rad!

Definitely recommend this dish if you are indecisive... you really can't go wrong with a bit of everything that's delicious.  Look how cute that hash brown is... don't you just want to eat it up?!  Why yes, yes I do.





One of the lovely ladies that accompanied us, Zanab, wasn't very hungry.  She ordered the Baguette with butter and jam, which looked absolutely lovely.

She seemed to enjoy every bite and helped us eat some of our food - which was a good thing because we over ordered.

Mel ordered an extra side of grits, which was not conquered.  I was trying to pawn off some of steak too... this was a might brunch that left us stuffed!!!

What's nice about the Manhattan Inn is that they have a live piano player in the back!  That's right, you get to listen to fun music while eating amazing food.  The back is also really cute, with a giant skylight and you sit in these theater-type chairs.  Love it here!

Also important to note that they have a great happy hour here and dinner is really nice too.  Loved their hanger steak with mashed potatoes... yum!

This past Saturday, I met up with my lovely friend, Chiara, for a late brunch before heading to a Red Bulls soccer game.  My go-to place in the city for a late brunch is Essex.  They have brunch till 4:30pm on Saturday and 8pm on Sunday.  I know, its ridiculous.

Essex Restaurant

I have a love/hate relationship with Essex.  For years now, I've been coming here and almost have a reasonably good time.  Brunch is always a good deal due to the 3 drinks that comes with the special for $20.  You get either 3 mimosas, bloody marys or screw drivers.  The thing is, they don't count.  They refill your glasses from pitchers (the mimosas anyway), so your guaranteed to get your fill of booze while eating some pretty decent food.

The problem I have with Essex is the crowd and noise.  It's a zoo here, especially downstairs when you first enter.  You have to fight your way through really annoying groups, people who, like you, desperately need some hair of the dog as much as you do.  The hosts are usually pissed off because they're dealing with all this chaotic bullshit, so you end up waiting a year and a day for a table that you pray is upstairs away from the insanity.  Even with a reservation, and yes you can book a table on opentable for even two people (which I highly recommend), you will wait at least 30 minutes. 

However, once you do sit down, the staff here is usually fantastic and very sympathetic to the ordeal you just experienced to be sitting there in the first place.  Honestly, sometimes my server is so nice that I end up getting a little too tipsy and make very stupid decisions... i.e. I woke up the next day with a tattoo on my shoulder.  WTF was I thinking?  So be careful.  :)

Chiara and I were very distracted once seated by what the women next to use were eating.  It looked so good!  Perhaps we were that hungry... but Chiara just had to order it as well.

It was the Mexican Matzo Brei with was essentially scrambled eggs
with tortilla crisps, avocado, black beans & pico de gallo.  She went for the spicy chorizo as well, which was slightly disappointing since it was just a bit of chopped sausage on top and it cost and extra $3.  Total rip off if you ask me.  She enjoyed the meal and practically licked her plate clean (okay, not really, but it was pretty damn clean).  I took a taste and thought it was nice and light with a lovely crunch from the fresh veggies.

Guess what I had... yup, that's right, the Eggs Benedict.  God, I've become so predictable.  ::sigh::


It wasn't just ANY eggs benedict, it was the Crabcake Benedict, which the waitress explained was her favorite.  I thought "SOLD!" and couldn't wait to dig in.

It was really tasty!  Not the best I've had, but definitely a delicious brunch.  I actually expected the crabcake to be the starch portion of the dish, but there was still that damn english muffin there.  Honestly, it was a small crabcake, but still very tasty.  The eggs were cooked perfectly and the hollandaise was thick and delicious.  The home fries were also really tasty with a bit of spice from who knows what, perhaps paprika?  I ate most of the meal and enjoyed glass after glass of mimosa.  What's nice here is that the mimosas aren't too watery, they actually taste of sparkling wine and orange juice.

Since it took so long to get seated and they were already starting to clean up by the time our food came out, we were a little rushed to finish and move along.  Our waitress was SUPER nice though and gave us two drink tickets each to enjoy more free drinks at the bar.  I thought this was a nice extra touch and even saved a ticket to enjoy next time. Hopefully that works out.

So, yeah, this was brunch at Essex.  The food is good, the drinks are great, but watch out for the wait.  It's a nightmare dealing with the wait and the crowds, but its a good place to get your drink on for brunch at a great price.  Again, make reservations if you can and perhaps have some caffeine before taking it on.

Cheap and Naughty

I've been going on and on lately about eating healthy, but let's face it - food that's terrible for you usually TASTES SO GOOD!!

Recently I went to two delicious eateries to enjoy a few guilty pleasures of mine.  Both also happen to be super cheap eats, so the wallet is happy, but your arteries not so much.  It's a game of give and take, I guess.

The Habitat Brooklyn

This is one of my most favorite bars in my neighborhood.  Not only is it really cute and cozy, like sitting on someone's back porch eating some great pub grub and drinking delicious beer, but the staff is ALWAYS so friendly.  I'm seriously serious (ha!) that they are always so welcoming, helpful and patient.  They also don't serve crap beer, only delicious craft beer.  There is little worse than walking into a bar and realizing everything they have on tap is gross and from a major beer company (i.e. Bud, Miller) These bastards buy up the little guys, fuck with their recipes and then serve it to the dumb masses that don't know better.  I digress...

So back to The Habitat - which is positively lovely - and they have really great deals on weekdays.

Tuesday might be my most favorite of their specials, 35 hot wings!!!! (Note that it used to be 25 cent wings, but times are a changing).  Although they have other great specials such as $5 mac n' cheese night (which I will never partake in), $8 burger night (which happens to be tonight's deal) and really good brunch on the weekends.

Every so often, my fabulous lil sister will drag me (okay, she doesn't drag, its more like she just says "hot wings" and I skip happily over) to The Habitat to enjoy some cheap, spicy, crispy, perfect hot wings.

They really are perfect in every sense of the word.  Some places offer crappier versions during their cheap wing night, but not here.  You get premium wings and they're just spicy enough to add a little zing to your step.  They're covered in just enough sauce to be finger-licking good, and they don't care if you just enjoy a ton of wings with a glass of water.  They're super nice regardless of how much you spend there.

We usually order a ton to share with extra veggies.  Mel likes the carrots and I like the celery.  It's a win, win situation.  To prevent a heart attack, I usually get a side salad, which is large and lovely for only $5.  

Here is the fabulous deal in all its glory!  They come out fast, fresh and hot.  I have no idea how their blue cheese dip is, but it must be good since I've witnessed friends use the wing as a utensil for eating the dip.  Gross, but to each his own.  If it were up to me, it would be okay to lick one's plate clean.  Adam hates when I do this at home, so I do it alone, when only my cat can judge me, and I don't care what Icarus thinks of me, he licks his balls.

Anyhoo, this place is great, their food is fantastic and I recommend checking it out even for a cold beer and a fun place to hang out.

Next on my list of guilty pleasures is...


The Stagg's Head

This is pretty much the only cool pub near where I work in Midtown East.  I don't want to say I hate this area, because there is plenty to eat and drink.  I just hate most of the people in it.  I hate douche frat boys who need to grow up and the skanky-ass bitches that tag along for the ride and complain about everything.  Thanks, but no thanks.  If you're with me on this one, stay way from Turtle Bay, the beehive of douche-bagery.

The Stagg's Head and its staff are fabulous.  I've had the pleasure of witnessing one bartender literally laugh at someone's request for a Heineken, by saying "we don't serve shit beer, go somewhere else."  LOVE IT!  So yeah, they also serve only craft beer and usually have fun tasting events.

They also have a lovely lunch special that I enjoy once in a blue moon.  (The actual moon, not the shit wheat beer).  For $10 you get a choice between a burger and fries, fish and chips, a chicken pot pie and a shepherds pie accompanied with a half pint o' beer.

It is a lovely lunch special and I've enjoyed the burger/fries, which is delicious as well as the fish and chips which is equally delicious.

Recently I tried their shepherds pie and it was by far the best I've ever had!!

It was enormous enough to satisfy the largest of appetites.  It was cooked perfectly with lots of ground beef, carrots and peas with creamy mashed potatoes on top.  Each bite was heavenly and every sip of my mini beer to wash down this masterpiece was magnificent.  The only issue with this lunch is the severe itis you will endure at work afterward.  If only I could enjoy a short man nap under my desk, but alas work needs to get done.

The other nice thing about The Stagg's Head is they have a lovely little back area to enjoy a drink or some grub outdoors on a nice day.  Its super cozy and lets you forget you have work or a life to get back to.

If you come here for a drink, definitely try their hot wings and their mini burgers which are fantastic!

A Healthy, Tasty weekend!

I've been trying to watch what I eat and stay within my 1800 calories-per-day regiment as I get in shape for the warmer months.  I'm usually not that successful, but at least I'm trying.
As I get older, I realize that what I put into my body is so much more important.  Your metabolism slows down and I know that what I eat can have a huge effect on fertility.  I want to be a mom someday, so I better be careful now while I can.  There is no rewind button on life, so be careful what you do with the body that you have.  (Aren't you proud, mom?)

So this weekend I did attempt to eat healthier, with the help of Adam who have been on a real health-kick lately.  He's lost some weight, is working out and generally look damn sexy.  I'm a lucky girl, what can I say?

I've been craving sushi ever since Chicago and Adam decided it was okay for our diets, so to sushi we went!

When it comes to sushi, there is only one place we go to in our area - Sapporo Haru Japanese.
My friend, Erika, recommended this place to me ages ago and its so great that I refuse to try anywhere else. Honestly, Erika did extensive research (as in she literally tried every single one in the area) as to which Japanese restaurant was the best, so why would I bother with somewhere else?

At one point Sapporo has bad service because they became busy and didn't have enough staff, but they remedied that situation and now its fantastic all around. My only word of precaution is ordering delivery from them on the weekend.  They're so busy it'll take over an hour, so just get off your rump and walk over there instead.

They were super busy, so we were offered seats at the sushi bar.  I was really excited because I never had a chance to sit here and watch the magic happen.  Unfortunately I'm too damn short and couldn't see over the fish fridge they have on display.  We did get to see all their amazing sushi creations dressed up on pretty plates before the waitresses swept them away to their tables.

Over the last year, I've come to love sashimi instead of sushi.  I just want the fish, nothing else.  No rice, no fancy veggies or fruit or spicy mayo.  Just give me a perfect, fresh slice of succulent fish.  Sure all those fancy rolls can be a lot of fun and can make sushi exciting, but its a lot of filler distracting you from the main reason you're going there - the fish!

Adam and I sat contently at the bar, ordered two miso soups (a first for Adam), seaweed salad and a large platter of sashimi.

I LOVE miso soup.  It's so warm and comforting, especially on a cold day.  The tofu is so creamy that it melts in your mouth.  The seaweed is fun to eat and the scallions add a little crunch to the whole thing.

I was always worried that there was a lot of sodium in it, or that it was unhealthy but apparently its really good for you!  Go ahead, google "miso soup health benefits" and you'll see a ton on it.

Not all miso soup is created equal though, as Sapporo's is particularly delicious.

I never tried their seaweed salad, but it looked gorgeous when someone else ordered it.  Even Adam asked in excitement, "what is that!?"

We ordered it and were very pleased with the results.  It was crunchy with a nice sesame flavor.  Also a very healthy dish to order.

If it were up to me, we would have gone with the pork gyoza, which is why I suck at diets.  I need Adam there to go "No Jaci, think about how unhealthy that is" and make me feel bad.  I need someone to guilt trip me into healthy submission!!!

Finally the main event happened and were couldn't have been happier.  We specifically asked for not octopus or mackerel.  I like octopus, but prefer mine cooked.  Mackerel is just too fishy for me, which is saying a lot since I grew up on sardines.

The fish was fresh and delicious.  They were fantastic for giving us extra salmon.  I love me some salmon, its my favorite fish ever.  The white tuna was great and the yellowtail is just too yummy.  We ate it all with smiles on our faces.

Adam wasn't entirely full and ordered himself a scope of green tea ice-cream.  I did have myself a teeny, tiny taste of his ice cream, just enough to make me immensely jealous that he can eat dairy without issue.

The great thing about Sapporo Haru Japanese is that its really inexpensive for the quality that you're getting.  Our total bill came out to about $30.  They also have free hot green tea and free hot sake if you order over $10 per person.  We skipped drinking since we were heading to a Anniversary Party in the UES.  The night was young and my liver could do without some pre-gaming.  I'm not a spring chicken anymore, ya know.

The following day, my friend Zac Attack and I hit up some brunch.  There are these new brunch places I haven't tried out, so on a nice day we figured it was about time we explored other options in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint area.

We decided on meeting at The Bedford, located on - you guessed it - Bedford Ave.  We met at about 1pm and were surprised there were tables available.  They even had outdoor seating and plopped our tired selves down at an empty table.  No one else was outside, so it took a while before someone came over to take our order.

The menu was short, but interesting.  They focused on farm-to-table foods that were seasonal.  Something I liked very much, since eating seasonal means your most likely eating local.

I was immediately drawn to their fried chicken, but was disappointed to discover they didn't have that available.  However, they did have an Eggs Benedict special, featuring crab hollandaise sauce.  I know what you're thinking - that is NOT healthy.  But I did walk there and walk home and walked all around the area, so I figured I would just walk off the fat from brunch.  LET ME LIVE A LITTLE!  P.S. Adam wasn't there to stop me, now was he?

We both ordered the special as well as a tea and coffee.  Tea for me, coffee for him.  I don't drink coffee, unless its espresso and I don't like American espresso beans.  Sorry, I'm picky.

Anyhoo, it took a little while for it to come out but it was SO worth the wait. 

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life?  Okay, I know that's a serious statement to make, but at the time I could have cried I was so happy.  

It was absolutely fantastic. Might have been the best brunch ever.  Again another bold statement that I'll probably regret, but I loved this dish.  I would eat this every day if I could.

To start, the english muffin was fresh baked and softer that a store bought one.  It was perfectly toasted and did a great job of soaking up the liquid yolk from the eggs.

Next there was pan-fried ham, which was delicious.  It had little bits that were crispy and added a little crunch to the meal.   The eggs were perfectly poached with cooked white and a gooey center.

The best part, of course, was the hollandaise sauce which had little bits of fresh crab meat.  They really provided a great portion of crab throughout the dish.  It wasn't too fishy, just enough to make this a Surf and Turf Benedict.  Every bite was PERFECTION.

Zac and I couldn't stop talking about how good this was and practically licked our plates clean.  At one point we weren't even talking to each other, just savoring every bite.

Our server was apparently new to the job, so another serve came over to clean up and bring us our check.  They apologized for the delay and ended up not charging us for the drinks.  I love this place!  I hope no one else finds out about it so I can keep it a secret and have it all to myself. Bwahahah!  I know that will never work, but will find a way to come back here again very soon.  Perhaps even for dinner!

The only other amazing meal I had over the weekend what a very special peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Adam makes me at the cafe he works at part-time on the weekends.

Lately I've been a hungry hippo looking for a healthy snack, so he made this for me to satisfy my hangry side.  (Note: hangry = hungry + angry)

It's natural peanut butter with no sugar/salt added with raspberry jam on toasted pumpernickel.

To wash this deliciousness down, a grapefruit Fizzy Lizzy.  If you haven't experienced the awesomeness that is a Fizzy Lizzy, definitely check it out.  It's just real fruit juice and soda water, only 100 calories per bottle!

Thank you Adam for the delicious snack!  I loved every bite.

A Little Southern Hospitality

A few of my favorite lady friends, Laura and Stephanie, and I go about once a month to an unhealthy eatery to try something different.  Lately we've been on a BBQ state-of-mind and have already tried a few places with mixed reviews including Blue Smoke BBQ, Virgil's Real Barbeque, and RUB (Righteous Urban Barbeque) BBQ.  Personally I thought Blue Smoke was the best of the three, but they all have something tasty to offer.
Friday, we hit up Southern Hospitality's BBQ on Second Ave, not to be confused with the one on 9th Ave.  There was a ScoutMob coupon, so naturally it was a perfect fit to satisfy our craving for meat slathered in sauce.

They don't take reservations, so we just showed up at 7pm.  I actually walked there from my job in midtown as a way to burn off calories before the big game.  Hey - every little bit helps, ya know.

We were seated without issue and proceeded to order a few menu items to share.  We got a full rack of baby back ribs, the chicken dinner plate and I went for a side of fried shrimp.  We decided not to order too many dishes for fear of leftovers, which is something we always end up doing.

By the time the food came out, which wasn't very long, we just pigged out. 

The poor BBQ Ribs didn't stand a chance.  We went at them before I had a chance to take a photo.

They were so pretty too, alas, I got what I could but it doesn't look all that good.

The ribs were actually really good.  They were falling off the bone and the bbq sauce wasn't too sweet.  I could have eaten these all night!



There was something wrong with the fried chicken.  It looked good, but when I went to pick a piece off, it was hard as a rock!  It was the driest fried chicken in world.

We ended up not eating it at all, but enjoyed the sides.

The mashed potatoes were great and the cole slaw was sweet and crunch.  It's a shame about the fried chicken.  It was weird that the neck of the chicken was battered and stuck to the breast.  It looked like someone just threw a whole chicken into the batter and fried it up.  Clearly something was very wrong, but they were nice enough to not charge us for this dish.


The fried shrimp, however, were FANTASTIC!  I had already started digging into them before I realized "Oh no, I didn't take a photo!"

I was too excited, so one shrimp is already bitten into and one is already in my belly!

I would come back just for the fried shrimp.  Perfectly batters, with fresh sweet shrimp on the inside.  Also a good tarter sauce.  A total win for Jaci's belly!
Also note that the menu said 4 shrimp for $5.99, but instead got 6 or 7 shrimp. Yay!

Our entrees came with a few sides, so we decided to split everything.

We ordered the cornbread (pictured to the right) which was overdone in certain spots.  I didn't bother wasting calories on it.

It's a shame that they actually charge you a little extra to order this with your meal.  It was SO not worth it.  Oh well!

Laura and Stephanie are cheese eaters, especially Miss Mouse (my endearing nickname for Stephanie), so naturally we had to order the Mac n' Cheese.  It was only until recently that Stephanie discovered the joys that is macaroni mixed with lots of ooey gooey cheese.  The sight of it makes me gag, but to each her own.

I can see the grease in this thing and am SO glad I can't touch it for fear of death.  But they loved the hell out of it.  Except Stephanie was ill from it before she made it to the train station.  (Sorry to hear you were sick, sweetie!)



Due to the fried chicken situation, Laura ordered the pulled pork sliders to ensure full gluttony was achieved during this engagement.

We each enjoyed one and it was really good!  They were served on a perfectly mini potato bun (the best kinds of buns) with a little dollop of cole slaw.

All were topped with thin fried onions.  Total yum fest!

Dessert was not an option as our guts hung over the table a few inches.  It was a good meal and I as sufficiently satisfied with our ridiculous caloric intake.  I should have walked home.... but the food coma hit and I was done for.

Overall Southern Hospitality is nothing special.  It's a decent BBQ joint with all the types of food you can expect to get.  I think the quality was above average but nothing amazing.  The staff was fine and the decor was underwhelming.  I don't know why everyone talks about this place.  It really is just another BBQ place in the city.  But I enjoyed it and was happy to do so with ScoutMob which made our meal unbelievably affordable.  All this food for about $30.  Thank you ScoutMob!

Getting My Hands Dirty in Chicago

Things have been SO busy with life and work, so I haven't had a chance to fully describe how wonderful my trip was to Chicago.  I got to the only a third of my food adventures there, so now on to Part 2... my cooking class!!

As it turns out,  the platonic love of my life and soul-mate, Danielle, also happens to be a lover of food and cooking.  Go figure, right?

So when my plans to visit were solidified, she surprised me by booking a cooking class!  I couldn't have been more excited, seriously I think I had to run to the bathroom and pee immediately.  I have the bladder of a cocker spaniel.

She originally wanted to book a class at the Wooden Spoon, where her and Mark took a class and loved every minute of it.  Unfortunately it was too last minute and nothing was available.

We ended up taking the "Totally Hands On: Vegetarian Thai" Class at The Chopping Block.

I never took a hands on cooking class before and couldn't wait.  So far my cooking classes have been mostly demonstrative only, except for the Knife Skills Class at Brooklyn Kitchen, which I highly recommend since I was apparently holding my knife incorrectly until I took this class.  

We arrived just in time, so we got a little lost and GPS on my phone has to rescue us, and were delighted at the idea of ordering a bottle of wine.  That's right, you can order a bottle of wine off a menu and drink while you're cooking.  I don't even really do that at home - but I like the idea!!

Of course I went straight for the Riesling, which turned out to be a bad choice.  Danielle is too nice of a lady to object when I'm like "Oh a sweet wine, yes!"  It was kind of gross, and have officially forfeited my right to order wine and giving Danielle full rights to pick.  She knows wine far better than I do.  Sorry Danielle!!

Because we got there a little late, we were stuck at a table with 3 other women.  The set-up was a little strange as it was a large kitchen with stoves along the left and right side of the room.  Then there were islands that people stood around in the middle of the room.  The instructor was stuck in the middle, so from where we were, we couldn't see all that much.  There was one main instructor, Ethan Pikas, and two assistants.  It was a little chaotic when it came to cooking and we had to figure out who did what at our table.

We cooked the following items:

• Tofu Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Tom Kha Gai, or mushroom and coconut milk soup
• Vegetarian Pad Thai
• Sweet Potato and Eggplant Curry with Steamed Jasmine Rice

Ethan introduced himself and started by preparing the Spicy Peanut Sauce and the Roasted Chili Paste from scratch.  He did all of it at once to save time so we didn't have to do it ourselves.  Danielle and I squeezed up front to get the best view and watch him carefully.  Everything seemed easy enough.  The only issue I had was the lack of ventilation when he roasted the hot chili peppers in a saute pan.  Everyone kept coughing, it was like pepper spray.  The more you inhaled, the more it got stuck in your throat and caused you to cough.  I felt uncomfortable for about 15 or 20 minutes, but eventually everything aired out when the opened a window.  Note to self: be careful when roasting hot peppers!

I did enjoy the whole experience, but found it strange to be sharing my time with the three women at our table.  One was middle aged and the two other women were younger, perhaps her teenage daughters.  They were drinking wine and looked very unamused by the whole situation.  The mother was friendly and easy to work with but the girls clearly didn't want to be there.  I took charge and cooked most of the food at the stove.  We all chopped the veggies according to Ethan's instruction.  Danielle, being the hotness at the table, chopped the jalapenos and ginger for the dishes.  I did a giant eggplant and the lemongrass.  It was fun working with ingredients I don't normally cook with.

Danielle is ready to rock out in the kitchen!

The equipment was so nice.  They were only using Le Creuset cookware, which was a real delight.  I want the whole set!!  Maybe one day when I get married, that will be the only thing on my gift registry.  Yes, this is the plan!

Here I am cooking up a storm!!

At any point while we were cooking, Ethan would yell "now add the eggplant," so we were constantly figuring out what was going on. We wanted to make sure we were preparing things properly and adding them in at the right time and keeping pace with everyone else.

Everything went well.  The only issue we really had was with the Pad Thai.  I know Pad Thai, although I've never had the chance to make it at home.  All the ingredients for the sauce were measured out for us, so we just added it all together in the pan.  It was TOO sweet.  I understand that this is vegetarian thai, but I knew things weren't going to come out well when I started tasting this sauce before we added the noodles in.  It was a mess!  I actually relieved myself of cooking duties and let the other ladies take over.  I wanted no part in a dish that was going to be a disaster.  Perhaps that's selfish of me, but whatever!

After everything was ready, we all sat down to eat at communal tables.

It's hard to look this good while cooking...

Here we are, sitting down ready to enjoy our meal.  There was definitely a lot of food and we were eager to eat after sipping crappy white wine (my fault!) and cooking for over an hour. 



This is the Tom Kha Gai, which actually was a really nice dish.  It was easy to make and might try this at home.

It was a light and tasty with a tangy flavor from the lime and a bit of spice from red pepper flakes.

I never ordered this in a restaurant so I have no idea how it compares to the "real" thing.





At the top left, you have the Tofu Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce.  This was actually really good.  Although tofu has no taste on its own, the sauce was yummy.  I never had a peanut sauce that looked like this.  Perhaps its just the "homemade" variation that makes it look so whitish.

Next to that on the right is the Vegetarian Pad Thai.  We didn't take all that much of this for a reason.  Not only did it look gross, but I knew the sauce was too sweet for good Pad Thai.

On the bottom, covering most of the plate, is the Sweet Potato and Eggplant Curry (with Jasmine Rice hiding underneath).  This was actually the best part of the meal.  I would definitely add more spice if and when I make this at home, but it was a tasty vegetarian dish.

 

Here's a better view of everything...

This is the Vegetarian Pad Thai up close and personal.  It was GROSS!

Everyone was eating theirs up at the tables, but Danielle and I have been spoiled with really good Pad Thai.

What we realize now is that there is NO fish sauce in this dish.  It's vegetarian, so I'm assuming they have to alter the dish in a way that it comes close, but it really is no cigar.

We agree that a cooking school shouldn't teach anyone a dish if in the end its gross.  Sure its healthy and great that they're offering vegetarian options, but my vegetarian and vegan friends would have been seriously disappointed if they ordered this in a restaurant.  If you wouldn't serve it at home, don't teach me how to cook it!

Overall it was a really fun experience.  I definitely want to take more cooking classes.  Danielle explained that the setup at the Wooden Spoon was far better.  It's setup in a large U shape with the instructor in the middle and everyone has their own cooking section.  It was also more intimate with only 12 people per class.  Our class had 20 and it was a bit of a zoo at some points.  They're making a lot of money at The Chopping Block, since it cost us $65 per person and everyone bought wine (ranged in price, $12 and up).

Chicago is full of cooking schools, so take advantage when you're visiting or if you're lucky enough to live there.  NYC doesn't have much like this.  Brooklyn Kitchen is great, but a lot are demos.  I'm going to try some of their more hands on type cooking classes to see how it compares.  I LOVE Brooklyn Kitchen, so I have a feeling it would be far better than The Chopping Block.

And to get you excited for Part 3 of my Chicago Adventures... I'll be telling you about the FamilyFarmed Expo I went to at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  FUN!