Cafe Rakka Rocks My Socks!

I'm not the only one I know who likes good food, Adam is quite the foodie and I appreciate all the great places he's introduced me to over the last 5 years.  (wow, can't believe how time flies!)

One such place was introduced to him by a friend, I forget who though.  It was the go-to spot when he was working at an old bar that closed down in what seems like a past life.

Cafe Rakka, located at 81 St. Mark's Place near 1st Ave, serves just about the best gyro in NYC.  I've had a fair share of them over the years, but theirs is just too tasty for words and it keeps us coming back for more.



Their food is fresh, flavorful and really affordable.

I always go for their gyro sandwich ($5.50), which has a mix of chicken and lamb with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.  In the past I always opted for sauce on the side.

Looks like I've been missing out on their awesome tahini sauce, which is sesame based and has no dairy. 



 

My friend, Tommy, also got the gyro sandwich but had them put the sauce directly on it.  Looks so much tastier with sauce!

They also have a killer hot sauce that really enhances the flavor of the whole thing.

It's a messy but delicious meal.  But be prepared to eat this with a fork since it always falls apart.  They put the meat at the bottom and they really pack it!






Adam wanted to try something different, since he always gets the gyro.  He went for the shish kebab platter this time.

I warned him that it's huge, but I didn't think he was expecting this massive portion of food for just $12.

It came with a hearty portion of grilled meat, lamb I believe, with flavorful cous cous and a huge portion of hummus.  Cut pita bread was served on the side to enjoy with the hummus.

I thought this was a steal for $12.   I really liked each of the sides and thought they went together well.  I would totally order this the next time I came, but I'd probably end up taking most of it home as left overs.

What we didn't order, but is really good here, is the lentil soup - so check it out if you stop by.

I love me some Cafe Rakka! 

Rock, Rock, Rockaway Beach!

Considering how gross it is outside with NYC setting a record for most rainfall yesterday, I figured a little food porn and sunshine might brighten the day.

Over the last two months, I've made my way down to the Rockaways on my trusty bike on a number of occasions.  I know everyone is calling the Rockaways Hipster Beach or McCarren Beach - but its still a lot of fun and there are some really great eateries to check out.

We usually go for a nice swim before eating, but on occasion I'll have to spoil my appetite for an Italian ice, which vendors sell up and down the beach.

Zac is enjoying a rainbow ice, while I'm indulging in the coconut.  I'm a HUGE fan of anything coconut, yum!

Is there anything better than a sweet, cold icey on a super hot sunny day?  Perhaps a cold and good wheat beer... yes that is definitely better than an ice but alas I didn't have a bar nearby and I think there is a restriction on bringing alcohol on this particular beach.  Not that everyone wasn't doing it anyway.  But I sure as hell don't want a ticket...  

Recently discovered there was a plethora of tastiness to be had on the boardwalk through this article.  Also, this.

Adam enjoying some tasty food!

Sometimes it takes a while to get food.  We usually split up the purchases since there are multiple vendors and not everyone wants the same thing.  

I'm a sucker for anything fried, so I've been hitting up the Motorboat and the Big Banana, which has fresh fried seafood and apparently frozen bananas.  I hate bananas so I would never get one, but I trust they're good for those who like gross, long, mushy yellow phallic fruit.


After eating here a few times, the best thing to get is an order of french fries, since they're fresh cut and truly delicious, along with some sandwiches. 

Here we have the shrimp and fries platter ($7.50).  It's more fries than shrimp, but they're really good shrimp. 

I got the fish sandwich ($7.50), which is out of this world!  The bread is buttered and toasted, as all bread should be.  The slaw on it is fresh, sweet and crunchy.  The tarter they make has a nice kick to it.  Overall, its a superb fried fish sandwich.

Zac to the right is ready to take on this colossal meal!  They give you these fun tooth-pick forks to eat your fries with, which is what is in Zac's mouth over here...

Saw hello to my not-so-little sandwich!! 

Adam didn't feel like eating fried shrimp or fish, so he opted for the thai joint, Ode to the Elephants, which might just be the best name ever for anything.  I super <3.

The only prob with this place was how long it took the kitchen to turn out everything.  Zac and I ordered our food, got our food, got a pitcher of beer and picked at our food longingly until Adam showed up with two items.  It was really ridiculous, but its sunny, warm and they don't serve whine with our food, so we were patient.

I asked him to order me the chicken satay skewers ($4) cause I was afraid my fish sangwich wasn't going to fill me up.  I sometimes have WAY bigger eyes than stomach, especially after biking 18 miles. 


My skewers were really good, actually cooked over a real fire and the peanut sauce was really tasty.  It was a mighty portion for $2 per skewer and more than enough to share.

Adam accidentally ordered the wrong thing.  He wanted to get the Shrimp Summer Rolls ($6) since they looks fresh and light for a hot day, but ordered the Shrimp and Chicken Spring Rolls ($6) which are these above.  They not so healthy but very tasty!


We all ended up sharing and enjoying the food and drinking a couple of pitchers.  I was so full that I could barely walk back to the ocean to beach myself on my towel.  Maybe not the best look in a bikini, oh well! 

On another occasion at the Rockaways, we had some Blue Bottle Coffee drinks, which were good.  I had their hot chocolate, which wasn't my fave since they use a more bitter chocolate than I'm used to.  Adam raved about the coffee though, so if that's your thang definitely try some of their special slow drip brew.

Overall, the food here keeps me coming back for me.  Sure I have my fill of Caracas Arepas Bar in Williamsburg and the East Village, but some of the other options are fun and different from the usual summer fare.  Plus, sitting by the beach is a major plus.   If only they had better beer/alcohol options.  The bar next to The Motorboat and the Big Banana is limited and expensive.  They raised their bud light pitcher from $12 (beginning on summer) to $15 (current price).  Sorry, but at no point is it okay to charge that much for carbonated pee-water that can't give a buzz to save its life.

There are only a few weeks left of summer, so get down to the Rockaways while you can! 

Savory Chicago

Two weekends ago, Adam and I ventured to Chicago to visit our lovely, amazing friends Danielle and Mark.  I went there for the first time in March, but this was Adam's first time to the Windy City.

Needless to say we spent Thursday morning until Monday night pigging out on the best food, drinking amazing cocktails and beer and just having oodles of fun.

We did a lot so I'm going to get right to it...


Toast

This was just about the cutest eatery in the world... with lots of toasters on display and toast-related art everywhere.

We caught the tail-end of brunch on Thursday and enjoyed a varied selection of great food.

Adam went with the stuffed french toast, in three different varieties: puréed fresh strawberry, mascarpone and Mexican chocolate ($9)



It was a HUGE portion and we all had to help Adam eat his delicious fluffy french toast.  I have no idea how they make this, but its great and the thickest I've ever had.  Apparently the mascarpone was out of this world, but I'll have to take Adam's word for it.




I ordered the Crabby Benedict ($13) but was surprised by how much fresh, real crab they used.  It was a might portion that I could barely finish.

Eggs were runny and magnificent as was the fresh English Muffin that tasted homemade. Everything about this screamed BRUNCH!





Mark ordered the breakfast burrito, which was a flavored tortilla stuffed w/ scrambled eggs, chihuahua cheese, diced jalapeños, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, accompanied with their house salsa and sour cream. ($9)

You can't really see what's inside, but it was a massive burrito that even the hearty Mark had trouble finishing.  Definitely worth every penny.



Danielle ordered the Crepe with apple, pear and brie with a drizzle of honey ($6).  It looked so pretty, I wish I could have taken a bite!

Everyone raved about how good the brie was, again makes me jealous but I'm used to it by now.  ::sigh::


Overall, Toast was fantastic with fresh, tasty food, a wide variety on their menu and great service.  No wonder Danielle and Mark are regulars!

Handlebar (which I went to last time)


After a long, brutally hot day, we wanted something easy for dinner.  We went back to Handlebar, which was good the last time I visited Chicago.

We started with some fried pickles, a new favorite of ours.

These were cornmeal battered with a side of home made vegan ranch dressing.  However, I had NO idea this dressing was vegan until now.  I totally missed out :(



I didn't want anything too heavy since we were going out drinking, so I opted for the fish tacos.  There was a little too much red cabbage, but that's easily remedied by taking some off.  The fish was really tasty and perfectly flacky.  I wasn't feeling the vegetarian chili that it came with, but loved the black beans Adam got by accident with his dinner.  I threw that on my tacos and went to town.

A super tasty dinner!



Danielle felt the same as me and ordered the Handlebar Salad, which has arugula, pears, walnuts and Parmesan with champagne honey mustard dressing.  Ohhh so fancy!

She also ordered a side of the smoked Gouda mac n' cheese.

Apparently its out of this world, but super rich so Adam helped out the best he could.  Needless to say I did not try this dish.

Adam ordered the blacked catfish filet, which was a surprise to me since he never eats catfish.

He was really surprised at how good it was.  It was such a huge portion that he had trouble finishing his fish, let alone the massive sides that came with it.

Handlebar is the place for hungry people!






The next day we ate breakfast at home then went for a walk around downtown Chicago.  After a while we were really hungry, but there are so few choices in the "Times Square" of Chicago near Michigan Ave.  We decided to be true tourists and hit up P.F. Cheng's right off the main area.

It was nice and air conditioned, so a welcomed brake from the 90 degrees outside.  It was HOT!
I had no idea what to expect... I don't normally eat in chain restaurants. 

We did family style and ordered three main dishes as well as the Chicken Lettuce Wraps (which I apparently didn't take a photo of, but swore I did... strange).  Here's what we got:

• Singapore Street Noodles: Shrimp, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles stir-fried in a curry sauce - this was okay.  I didn't like the curry flavor on this.  I like all the veggies and meat, but this was only good when mixed with the other food.
• Orange Peel Chicken: Tossed with a mild chili sauce and fresh orange peel - this was actually really tasty.  The chicken was all white meat and perfectly cooked.  It didn't taste like the orange peel chicken I get at a Chinese restaurant, but it was still good. It had a bit of a sweet and sour tang to it. 
• Coconut Curry Vegetables: Stir-fried vegetables, crispy silken tofu and peanuts in a mild curry powder and coconut milk sauce - This was by far the best meal.  Adam didn't like the tofu (which I thought was fantastic), but the sauce and veggies in this were unbelievable.  We kept throwing this sauce on the noodles, which was so good.  Definitely the best dish and of course Danielle picked this one out.  She rocks!!! Always, always trust Danielle (especially with wine).

Overall I had a fun time at P.F. Cheng's.  It was definitely touristy, but this is what your supposed to do on vacation, right?  Hey - we had tasty food at a good price in a pricey part of town on a super hot day.  We were hungry and it was there.  I think of it as a win-win!

Later on, we ventured to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building, which is the perfect place to get a good view of Chicago.  It's a wonderful place to sit back in awe of this great city and sip an overpriced beer or cocktail.  You're paying for the view, so we don't care that everyday is $9 beer day.  

 
We ordered some drinks and some desserts.  I got the White and Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with mixed berry coulis, which was really amazing.  I didn't expect this place to have any good food since they suck at drinks.  What a nice surprise!

Danielle and Mark ordered the Nutella Bread Pudding with caramel sauce and toasted hazelnuts.  Although it doesn't look that appetizing, it was actually really good.  It was a warm cake with an ooegy gooey center.

We had the best seat in the house and saw an electrical storm in the distance over Lake Michigan.  A magical second night in this grand city!


Afterwards we were hanging out at a few cool bars in Wicker Park, when the Tamales guy showed up selling his oh-so-delicious fare.  I ordered a bag and we pigged out on fresh, hot, chicken tamales.  The perfect drunk food... it was so good we were licking our fingers as we made a mess everywhere!









The following day we hit up an amazing brunch place and enjoyed oodles of organic beef.

Flying Saucer is just about the cutest, coziest diner in Humboldt Park offering fresh, organic fare with a bit of a Southern Comfort style to it.

Danielle, although disappointed that they didn't offer the special she fell in love with during a previous visit, went for the organic sirloin steak and eggs ($12.25), which included an organic heartland farms sirloin steak served with two eggs , toast and one side.

It was a really nice sized steak that was just too damn hard to finish.  It was a might meal for the price!














I was a real pig and went for something I don't usually eat since I could and I'm on vacation therefore calories and dairy restrictions don't count.

Yup, this (above) is chicken fried steak with sausage gravy, a homemade buttermilk biscuit and two eggs over medium with a side of home fries.  I ate all I could eat and there was still half of my food on the plate.  I tried though, oh how I tried to finish this beautiful dish.

I love sausage gravy and yes I am very aware of how dangerous this is for me to eat.  I DON'T CARE - it's freaking delicious! Although I didn't get hives since I was really careful about not eating all the gravy, just enough to add some flavor to the fried goodness of the steak.  If only I could transport this place back home... yes, that would be very nice indeed!

The boys ordered the special steak bowls, which were HUGE.  I think they came with eggs, cheese, beans, grilled steak, sour cream and avocado with a few tortillas.  It is totally possible there was more to this, but they seemed really happy with it.

Adam got the avocado on the side for me since he's not a fan.  I loves it!

They looked really good, but the whole cheese and sour cream would have killed me.  Plus I was dealing with my own artery clogging goodness.

I love that we all got steak for brunch.  We're all fairly healthy people, some more than others in our group - you guys know who you are - so it was a real treat having steak and knowing that it was organic so they tasted extra good from happy cows.  I mean, I know they're not happy cause they're dead, but I'm a carnivore girl, and do my best to eat meat that's sustainable and humanely raised.  I do what I can, and just think how the world would be if everyone did that too... happy cows = happy people = happy world.  Yup... this is how I rationalize it.  Now off to other foods...

We were so full for so long that we had a late dinner at a really cute sushi place, Butterfly.  Oddly enough we were all craving sushi since we visited the Shedd Aquarium on Thursday... we're so barbaric!  On a side note, the Shedd Aquarium was awesome and totally loved the Jellies exhibit, so check it out!


Butterfly is BYOB, so we went across the street and bought a lovely bottle of white wine for me and Danielle to share, the boys opted for some fancy beer.  I, of course, let Danielle pick the wine since I officially SUCK at wine selection.  She picked a real winner if you ask me.

We started with the seaweed salad ($4.50) and edamame ($4).  The seaweed salad had a touch of citrous flavor to it, but couldn't figure out why it was SO amazing. Best I ever had.   


We also ordered the Shrimp Pot-stickers ($5.50), which were really good.  It's a shame it only came with 5, which is the usual amount, but they tasted so good I could have eaten these all myself.

Me and dumplings make a happy couple, so much so I'll probably turn into a dumpling when I get older. Yum!





Above is an order of the small assorted sashimi ($17) which included salmon, tuna and yellowtail.  Fresh and delicious!








Since Danielle and Mark tried pretty much all their special Maki Rolls, we let them decide what was best for the table.

We're glad they did cause they picked the best rolls ever!

The one on the left is the Ninja Maki, Snow crab meat, asparagus, avacoda wrapped with seared super white tuna, wasabi n black tobiko, scallions n spicy-honey mayo.  It was by far the best roll I've ever had in my life.  I don't think sushi rolls will ever be the same after this.  Seriously, it was that good.  Light and sweet with a hint of honey.  The crab was so delicate and blended perfectly with the crunch of the asparagus.  

The roll in the middle is the Sunset Maki, shrimp tempura, cucumber, mayo wrapped with salmon and mango.  It was the second best roll since the mango made it fun and sweet.  I also love salmon so it was a super win for me.

The roll on the right is the Red Dragon Maki, spicy shrimp, cucumber wrapped with tuna and avocado.  On its own, this roll is great, but next to these other rolls it wasn't as good in comparison.  I liked it, but the others were just too good!  

We did our best to finish this massive quantity of deliciousness.  I think only one of the Red Dragon pieces was left.  

Truly fresh, good and well-priced sushi and the BYOB make this place even kinder on the wallet.

That night, we went out pretty hard and needed a quick bite to eat to hold us over until we enjoyed the great culinary experience of our lives, the Girl and the Goat, which we were hitting up on Sunday night.  

The boys stayed in to sleep and work, so Danielle and I hit up Milk and Honey Cafe for what should have been a quick brunch.  However, the way they're set up tends to take longer than if you had table service.  You essentially wait in a long ass line to order food at a counter.  While waiting, a very nice woman will give you a number for a table that you then give to the counter when you order, so the runners know where to bring your food.  So everyone just stands in a long line for 20 minutes while people order... its really annoying. 
 
 I (above) ordered the crabcake sandwich, which came with homemade potato chips.  It was really amazing. with HUGE crabcakes on the softest french bread and a tangy tarter sauce.  I never should have ordered something so large since I tried to finish it and we were supposed to get ready and eat in just a couple of hours.  Oops!





 
Danielle ordered the salad special which had arugula, watermelon, pine nuts and feta and some grilled bread.  It looked light and tasty, perfect for a hot day and in anticipation for the feast that was before us.

Danielle needed something a little heavier to accompany the salad and ordered the vegetable strata, which she said was delicious.  It did look really good with lots of lovely layers of veggies and cheese.


I also ordered a strawberry frosted cookie, which wasn't as good as I hoped it would be.  I wanted something really soft and chewy, but it was hard cookies with some super sweet frosting in the middle... not the great thing I've ever eaten. 

After brunch, we did a little shopping at Penelope's, my fave store in Chicago, and got ready for "the" dinner of a lifetime.  I'll be writing a separate blog post just on that - so stayed tuned.




We went straight to Map Room after our epic dinner.  Adam has been wanting to hit this place up for some time since its considered one of the best beer bars in American.

One thing I don't really talk about in this blog is my love for good beer.  Adam and I have even ventured to Belgium just to drink some of the best beers in the world.






Needless to say we like our beers large and in charge.  Westmalle is one of the best out there and recommend trying it and enjoying this fabulous trappist beer.   Map Room has a great selection of imported and domestic beer.  I love me a place where I can try something new and expand my palette.  We had such a great time here and stayed until closing.  So check it out if you're in the area.






We weren't feeling so hot in the morning, for obvious reasons, but wanted to take advantage of the ONE nice day we had while in Chicago to check out the beach.  So we picked up some sandwiches at Jimmy John's, Chicago's better version of Subway, and ate on the beach.   I don't like crappy sandwiches since I grew up in NYC the home of awesome delis (Katz's) and even bodegas that can make a mean sandwich 24 hours a day on the cheap ($3.50, yes I'm spoiled on cheap food).  But Jimmy John's was actually really tasty.  I liked their bread and the put more meat and fun veggies to spice things up.  I ate the entire sandwich, surprisingly!

Adam gives Jimmy John's a thumbs up!

I ordered the Beach Club, which was fresh baked turkey breast, provolone cheese, avocado spread, sliced cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.  I got it without the cheese, and I believe everyone except Mark got this.  

They also have really good potato chips to go with it.  Not the cheapest sandwich but perfect for the beach and a hot day when your head may or may not be pounding from the night before.

Sadly, our last meal in Chicago was the least exciting for me, since it was the deep dish pizza Adam just HAD to get.  I promised I would tag along and try a bite.  

We passed The Art of Pizza on the way to the beach, so figured it was fate and checked it out on the way home.  


Adam's lovely friend recommended this place from when she lived in Chicago.  Turns out that when you go there, you can get pizza by the slice, which was awesome for me since I didn't have to order a slice myself.   It was a Monday and the place was super slow, so the pizza looks like it may have been sitting there for a bit. Our big mistake was not ordering a fresh pie, which would have been amazing, or as Danielle would put it - "hot and melty!"   This place had great reviews and funky decor, so we'll have to go there more prepared next time.



The slices weren't hot and so you didn't get that gooey factor with the cheese that is so essential.

Next time we're doing the whole pie and going to town with the toppings.

I had a happy little garden salad which was a bargain at only $4.50 and it was gigantic...




Sorry Chicago, didn't have time to really enjoy some deep dish in all its glory.  We were rushing to get home to pack and hit up the airport, so pizza by the slice was all we could do.  Just got us curious for a fresh pie which we'll definitely eat the next we go.









So that was our gluttonous adventure together in Chicago.  I always eat well with my food friends, leaving me hungry for more.


Thank you Danielle and Mark for being the greatest of hosts while we were visiting.  Adam and I had an amazing time and can't wait to visit again.  I already have a list of places to take you guys when you visit.  So come hungry!

Gut Bustin' Weekend

I'm a big fan of eating healthy during the week and then indulging in moderation on the weekends.  Weekends (or one's days off) are meant for pure enjoyment and I do my best to appease my cravings.

Adam dragged my ass via bike to the Rockaways and I figured that after 24 miles of bike riding on Saturday I might as well eat whatever the hell I wanted.  I earned it!!

Sadly, my first meal at a really cute Greek diner, Teddy's, 7 miles into our journey could not be documented.  I was on the verge of heat stroke and couldn't find the energy to take photos of our breakfast.  I definitely recommend a stop at Teddy's if your in the mood for some good, classic diner fare. We split an order of scrambled eggs with rye toast and home fries, which were cooked perfectly.  The potatoes were really tasty with a bit of crunch.  We also shared the homemade challah french toast which was out of this world!  I was able to recuperate and continue on our epic journey to Fort Tilden.

This beach ROCKS!

We also shared some deliciously crappy beach food at the snack bar in Riis Park.  For a whopping $23, we got two Corona tall boys (classy, I know), one hotdog, chicken fingers and some crappy french fries.  Although it was totally frozen food that was deep fried in old grease, there was something very satisfying about sitting at a beach, downing cold beer and eating crappy food.

Btw, as far as the beach is concerned - its fantastic.  Clean with fun waves to jump around in.  The sand is so fine and white, really a lovely beach to hit up.  Be careful of the rip current cause people can drown here!!

While we were in the Rockaways, we figured it was a good idea to eat some seafood for dinner.  Adam wanted to check out the Rockaway Seafood Company since he's worked on their ads at his newspaper for awhile now and they're really great to work with.

We had to wait about 15 minutes, but it was a pleasant wait at the bar with a nice cold beer.  The decor was really cute with a bit of a beach theme with lovely wood everywhere.  It was a mixed crowd of young and old with everyone enjoying delicious seafood!  

Our server was fantastic, offering his thoughts on a number of entrees.  He was attentive but not overly so.

Adam and I started with the California Green Salad since we wanted something fresh and tasty. 
The salad came with Candied Pecans, Fried Goat Cheese (which we asked for on the side), Roasted Pears, Honey Dijon Vinaigrette ($10).  It was heavenly!!
Although it was a really simple salad, the big, fresh leafy greens with the vinaigrette and candied pecans went together so well it was hard to stop eating!

Adam said if I could eat cheese, this would be the one I'd fall in love with.  Sweet, creamy with a bit of crunch from the fried bread crumbs.  He enjoyed it so much I was tempted to try it.  But the idea of going boom-boom in a nice seafood restaurant and then a 2 hour ride home prevented me from doing so.


For entrees, Adam ordered the Crab Stuffed Fillet of Sole, which came with green beans and rice, smothered in a lemon caper beurre blanc ($23).  I was shocked to learn that Adam never had stuffed filet of sole, one of my all time fave dishes when I was growing up.  (I was a weird child, don't ask)  I almost ordered this myself, but Adam knows by now I always order the best dish so stole this from me!  Alas, I warned him I was planning on eating from his plate if he didn't share.

It was a HUGE portion that neither of us could finish.  I don't even think Adam touched the rice and sort of nibbles the green beans.  It was a might meal and well worth the $23 price tag.  The stuffing was really delicious with lots of seasoning and crab meat.  You could definitely taste the fresh crab... always an issue in some places.  The fish itself was light and perfectly cooked.


I really liked the lemon caper and thought it greatly enhanced the lovely flavor of the fish.  It was a really good stuffed filet of sole - I don't recall having tried a better version of this in a long, long time.

As for my dish, I ordered one of the specials, which our server was very enthusiastic about!  It was called Angry Shrimp ($22) and it was really good.

The shrimp had a spicy rub and were grilled to perfection.  They were placed on a giant mound of creamy, delicious garlic mashed potatoes.  The grilled asparagus were cooked perfectly, blackened a bit on the ends from being grilled on charcoal!


The sauce was similar to Adam's lemon caper but mine also had bits of basil and a hit of broth.  It was good and rich, adding a tartness to the shrimp and a bit of tang to the mashed potatoes.  This entree was far too much for me to handle.  Adam took one or two of my shrimp and I'm could barely finished eating the rest of mine.  I guess we shouldn't have ordered the salad, oh well!


The meal was a little pricey after we ordered another round of beers and some coffees - but who cares after having such a magnificent day!  I would come back here in a heartbeat for some more fresh seafood!

flickr: joeymanley

On Sunday, I hit up Coney Island with my oldest friend Edmund and of course I needed the breakfast of champions - a Nathan's Hotdog.  I only ate ONE hotdog, but this photo (which I found on flickr) give you an idea of how amazingly delicious they are.  I like mine with a little mustard and ketchup.

Then we walked along the beach until we found a patch of sand that was clean enough to sit on and without screaming children running about.  Kind of hard to do on a Sunday here... plus this beach is kind of gross.  I don't swim here, ever, since its one of the dirtiest beaches in NYC (I don't have a report to prove this, but believe me its gross).

After basking in the sun for a while, we ventured to an old outpost of ours from way back when - Roll N Roaster.  My fellow Brooklynites, and other cool people, are familiar with this Sheespheads Bay gem. 

I've been coming here since my family moved to Sheepshead Bay in 1987.  Gosh that makes me feel old.  It literally hasn't changed except for the prices, which they claim have stayed the same for years. 

I always order the roast beef sandwich with extra gravy and gravy on the side.  It's a hot sandwich and the gravy is AMAZING!  It is one of the most magical sandwiches you could ever eat - trust me!



I also order their fabulous fresh brewed iced tea (sweetened) to help wash down one of my most favorite things in the whole world. 

If you're interested in sides, try the onion rings, which are great, as well as the mashed potatoes w/ gravy. 

Ed and I went for the chicken tenders instead as a side.  Their sweet/sour sauce rocks my world, so it was a serious win w/ my sandwich.  Needless to say I didn't eat for the rest of the day.  My bikini could barely handle the gut I was rockin'.  Aren't I sexy?

I'll be eating healthy for the rest of the week to make up for this gut bustin' weekend, but it was SO worth it!

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.