tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92129315759798690052024-03-05T19:03:05.489-08:00The City That Always Eats: A New York City Food BlogAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-1772994269312987842015-01-25T12:20:00.001-08:002015-01-25T12:20:20.067-08:00BURGER MADNESS: The search for the best burger in East Village Burgers are a staple of American life; the classic American meal. I've always been on a passive search for the best burger near my East Village apartment, and it's possible I might have just found it. No, it's not from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/1900-series/big-time-bites.html">The Brindle Room</a>, which the classically unreliable Guy Fieri raved about on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. You also won't have to go uptown for it, like I irrationally thought I would as I made a trek up to the old-fashioned <a href="http://www.pjclarkes.com/">P.J Clarke's </a>in Lincoln Center for the great looking--but fairly average tasting and awfully expensive--swiss burger with a fried pickle on top, seen below.<br />
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In fact, my favorite burger is right in my own backyard: at <a href="http://whitmansnyc.com/">Whitman's</a>, on 9th st. between 1st Av. and Avenue A. Whitman's, a hole-in-the-wall burger bar with extra table seating downstairs, serves up a signature burger, called "The Juicy Lucy," which just can't be beat. Unlike traditional burgers, the Lucy has its cheese on the inside instead of on top. Although I had seen this done before, Whitman's executed it more effectively than I had seen before. The Juicy Lucy, seen below, is my favorite burger--that I've tasted so far--in the Village.<br />
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Additionally, Whitman's offers other delicious bites, such as their fried pickles! Fried pickles seem to be at every bar nowadays, once a novelty...now a staple. Whitman's may not have had the <i>absolute </i>best, but they were awfully tasty. Easily in my top three.<br />
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Next time you're looking for a classic, hearty burger, forget about the press and the chatter from Food Network and try out Whitman's. You will not be disappointed!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-92209576348094477972015-01-16T16:08:00.000-08:002015-01-21T08:17:02.021-08:00TheCityThatIPromiseWasEating: LATE NIGHT in the village!Dear Reader:<br />
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I know you're disappointed in me. I came out like a lightning bolt in October, promising that, with the changing of the TeenwithTaste name, there would also come new, exciting content. Well, if you've checked TheCityThatAlwaysEats, you've probably realized that such a promise wasn't kept. For that, I apologize, citing a busy first semester and other priorities that forced me to take a break from casual writing while I adjusted to being a college student for the first time. I hope that you all understand!<br />
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That being said....<a href="http://i.giphy.com/10UtqJNULHPfxe.gif">I'M BACK BABY</a>! And, for my first post, I'm going to go over a few places I discovered first semester that epitomize dining well... while on a budget...late at night!<br />
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Like most college students, I don't have endless money to blow at the finest restaurants in New York, despite the fact there are <i>many</i> to see. So, I often have to make do by finding new and interesting places that don't break the bank. Below, I've laid out some of my favorite spots for one specific food need: LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS!<br />
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Every so often, when my friends and I are exhausted from our classes, we like to kick back, relax, and have a low-key guys' night. The night usually starts with videogames, someone DJ'ing some slow jamz, and one of us getting a little too realistic on Tinder. However, at some point, late in every hangout, we always seem to mutually agree that we're starving.<br />
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<b>PIG OUT: </b><a href="http://www.crifdogs.com/">CRIF DOGS</a>, 113 St. Marks Place (St. Marks between Ave. A and 1st Ave.)<br />
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Crif Dogs is a go-to if you're looking to pig-out on...well...some piggies! Crif Dogs offers franks in nearly any way you can imagine. Served regularly or wrapped in bacon and deep fried, you can opt to either choose your toppings (from a heaping list of over 20) or order a predetermined dog. Below are two of the menu favorites, the Tsunami dog and the BLT. The Tsunami dog was absolutely delicious! The sweetness of the pineapples marries nicely with the saltiness of the bacon the dog was wrapped in!<br />
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If I have one criticism of Crif Dogs, it would be that they don't toast their buns. A quick fix, the toasted buns would really improve the overall experience. Nevertheless, you can't beat the price--most dogs are between $2-$5. Next time you're looking to pig out with your friends without emptying your wallet, give this spot a try. Also, in tune with the theme of the post, Crif Dogs is open till 2 AM Sunday-Thurs and 4 AM on Fridays and Saturdays--now THAT'S a late night eat!<br />
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<b>TRENDY MUNCHIES: </b><a href="http://www.baohausnyc.com/">BAOHAUS</a>, 238 E 14th St. (14th st. between 3rd and 2nd Ave)<br />
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Baohaus, the pork-bun-flinging hipster paradise adjacent to Union Square, is the creation of Taiwanese-American chef Eddie Huang. The restaurant is small but well-decorated, with an urban/industrial feel. The menu suits the restaurant (small) offering one simple decision: do you want buns or bowls? The answer is simple: buns!<br />
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Baohaus offers 5 different kinds of buns--or "baos" as they're properly titled-- the original pork, others with chicken, fish, tofu, and even <i>fried</i> chicken. All buns except those that are fried come well garnished and deliciously put together for under $5! Check out my original pork bun, cleverly dubbed the "Chaiman Bao," below.<br />
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Baohaus is open until 11:30 Sunday-Thursday and 3:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays for all your late-night bun fixes!</div>
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<b>INNOVATIVE EATS: </b><a href="http://stickysfingerjoint.com/locations/greenwich-village-location/">STICKY'S FINGER JOINT</a>, 31 W. 8th St. (@Macdougal, between 5th and 6th Ave)<br />
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One late night, my friends and I ran into one of our older friends as we were looking for something to eat. When our first few options were closed, he recommended Sticky's, where traditional chicken fingers are transformed into brilliant new creations with interesting new flavor combinations one wouldn't expect. Below is the Salted Caramel Finger, with, of course, delicious caramel sauce and some salty pretzel pieces.<br />
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If you don't have a sweet tooth after midnight like I do, Sticky's also has many savory combinations such as Wasabi, Fire Flame Curry, and Buffalo Balsamic Maple. Besides their menu fingers, they also serve bare fingers with 15 gourmet sauce options, from the "Mango Death Sauce" to the "<i>Sunny</i> Mustard." As long as you can stomach deliciously fried chicken fingers...well, I think you get the point. Sticky's is open 'till 11 Sunday-Wednesday, 1 AM on Thursdays, and 3 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. And, like most other eats I've mentioned, a fairly large finger goes for under $5.<br />
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I'll be back with more eats soon!<br />
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-Forever the TeenwithTaste<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-65165817615908142252014-10-14T10:56:00.003-07:002014-10-14T10:56:49.547-07:00Game Changing Name Change! Introducing...Hi Everyone!<br />
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I know I haven't posted in a while, and I know you're craving some TeenwithTaste. While that's all well and good, I need to let you in on two constant problems I've been having.<br />
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As of September, I haven't been living in my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. If you've been following my Instagram (now: thecitythatalwayseats), you know that I am now a Freshman at New York University, in New York City. Sadly, not only is it less practical for me to be posting recipes and cooking--because my kitchen space/cooking supplies/ingredients are so limited--it is also a shame that my time in the Philadelphia restaurant scene is sort of coming to a close. I.e: It's not wholly practical for me to commute to Philadelphia just to eat.<br />
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Secondly, my "Teen" years are also coming to a close. Thus, I figured it was time for...basically...a complete overhaul. If I was going to change the city focus, the content focus, etc., I might as well also change the name. So, without complicating things any further, I give you: THE CITY THAT ALWAYS EATS!<br />
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A cute play on a class phrase, my new name was submitted by a big fan, and it just stuck. Just like the people of New York are constantly moving and resisting sleep, they're also constantly eating. New York is home to limitless restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, and more. In fact, just this weekend I was casually walking near Madison Square Garden on the way to the Rangers game when I came upon this incredible pop up food festival below in Greeley Sq. Park (32-35th and Broadway) with ~20 gourmet vendors selling all kinds of savory foods, drinks, and desserts. Too bad we had to share the festival with Maple Leafs fans.<br />
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Additionally, in the past few weeks I've gotten to experience a ton of great food I'm excited to tell you all about! In the near future I'll be showing you the best places to find a New York bagel (with all my favorite shmears, of course), all my favorite brunch spots, where to take that girl you met at a bar (but decided you wanted to see again) on a classy first date, and more. Check back here for updates, friend me on Facebook (Andy Scolnic) to see when I post, or follow me on Instagram ("thecitythatalwayseats"). </div>
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I hope you all are excited to see what I'm eating in the future! TeenwithTaste was just the appetizer, now we're on to the MAIN COURSE. </div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-79028991894631456422014-08-08T22:23:00.003-07:002014-08-08T22:23:41.563-07:00Tw/T Exclusive Review: MAD MEX, Wynnewood, PAI'm going to keep this review semi-short because I'm still pretty burnt out from writing my lengthy last post on <a href="http://teenwithtaste.blogspot.com/2014/08/scarfing-down-summer-peach-loaf-cake.html">peach cake</a>! This coming Monday (August 11th), famous tex-mex chain "Mad Mex" from Pittsburgh, PA, will officially open a brand new location in our very own Wynnewood shopping center. <b>Last night</b>, I was lucky enough to dine at the restaurant early at the soft opening with my good family friends the Russells (hi George!)!<br />
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Arguably the most exciting part of Mad Mex is the decor--the restaurant looks <i>BEAUTIFUL</i>. Decked out in not-too-cheesy Mexican dolls, masks, and pieces of artwork, the restaurant's colors are vibrant, the layout of the restaurant is physically appealing to walk through, and the central bar appeared well-stocked, showcasing colorful bottles and margarita machines extravagantly. Additionally, the restaurant is just <i>spacious. </i>Currently, it has seating for up to 300 people, including what appeared to be multiple sizes of private rooms set apart from the general dining room. Overall, the appearance of the restaurant was incredible; it just looked great.<br />
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Addressing drinks and the aforementioned bar, margaritas are churned out by the barrel here...as they should be at any Mexican joint. The menu offers a plethora of flavors, like the three seen below that are (L to R) classic, mango, and peach. The drinks weren't exceptionally strong, but that may be a small issue to be worked out for future dinners. The salt rimmed onto my glass was stylishly dyed blue and the general flavor of the drinks was otherwise superior, disregarding liquor content.<br />
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Appetizers were, for the most part, tasty. Guacamole was a tad spicy for my liking, but the habanero-pineapple salsa was deliciously fierce and the tomatillo blend salsa was a perfectly cool medium. All three dips are below.<br />
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I also sampled the San Francisco Wings (below) and the Potato Taquitos. The sauce on the wings was sweet and spicy; I could've lapped it up by the bowlful. The wings themselves were fairly average--they had no fry on them (they were just seared/baked) the mark of a good--but not perfect-- wing. Sadly, the Taquitos were forgettable. The texture of the mashed potatoes, cheese, and the tortilla melded together in a less than ideal way.<br />
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Entreés came out looking great--plating was obviously stressed, with colorful purple radishes and milky white queso fresco galore. I had the Barbacoa Tacos, shown below. The tacos themselves were delicious: the meat was cooked well, the queso fresco blended nicely, and the tortilla was neither tough nor doughy. However, the sides lost me a little bit. Each plate came with a flat square of regular ol' rice and beans. My rice seemed a little overcooked and my beans were just kind of underwhelming. They had no frills, no "wow," they were just black beans. That being said, when I put both with my tacos they still played their parts adequately. Overall, the entreé was good--just good.<br />
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My mother ordered the Mole Enchilada seen below. The dish tasted fine, again, it was just missing a little bit of the strong flavor expected from a mole. A mole is generally a darker sauce than Mex's, packing a strong chocolate flavor but also hinting at the classic Mexican combination of spicy-sweet through some sort of pepper which counteracts the chocolate. Mex's mole was more of a one note feel--it didn't raise my eyebrows sweetly or spicily and I didn't get enough strong flavors. However, if you aren't expecting a classic mole, the dish is still worth ordering. All the flavors worked together even if they weren't strong enough and the meat was well cooked. Other dishes, like the steak fajitas (farther) below, were also hits with diners.<br />
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If you're curled up in a ball wondering if Wynnewood will ever get a good new restaurant at this point--stop worrying! To be clear, most of the problems I've recounted so far are small problems with easy fixes. Adding a few things here and there to jazz up plates, tossing another ounce of liquor into the drinks, etc. Mad Mex showed well for a restaurant still in its pre-opening stage. What's more, it still has some points to win in the dessert category...which it definitely won! Below is the dessert burrito, followed by the brownie sundae. The dessert burrito was as yummy as it was cute and definitely a nice way to end the meal.<br />
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As I said, Mad Mex only has a few kinks to work out for it to become a truly great spot. Hopefully all goes well when it opens on Monday. I wish all the best to Mad Mex and I'm sure I'll be back soon to see how things are coming along!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-77643773890763838712014-08-06T14:38:00.002-07:002014-08-06T14:38:49.688-07:00Scarfing Down Summer: Peach Loaf Cake with Brown Sugar Spice FillingWhen I told my mom I was considering making devil's food cupcakes in our 80 degree household the other day, she basically barfed. I could hear the complaining coming a mile away. She pleaded with me, "Use the fruit in the fridge! Make cookies! Anything but chocolate cake!" I walked downstairs and caved--we had a few medium-fresh peaches from our CSA fruit-share we joined this summer that caught my eye. I started fishing through the internet for a recipe I could play with; adapt to my taste.<br />
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The recipe below is my own version of a recipe from "Taste of Home," an old magazine my mom used to get. I don't like to mess with baking (it really is a science) but I always have a hard time holding myself back...thus, a few changes were made to the batter and, of course, the filling was a creation of my own.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/3 cup butter, softened</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 cup sugar</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2 eggs</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/3 cup water</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 cup cubed/diced peeled peaches (Peel them as thoroughly as you want and dice them into a quite small cube to ensure your batter can cook through--too many big chunks will make your cake impossible to cook. Obviously you must mostly peel them because you don't want skin floating around your cake, but you also may enjoy some of the tart flavor the skin of a peach gives, like I do!)</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A few shakes of cinnamon</li>
<li style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.640000343322754px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/4 cup chopped walnuts (Don't worry about this only being a small amount, you'll see walnuts again in the filling!) </li>
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Heat your oven to 350 degrees. </span></span><div>
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In terms of the process, this isn't a difficult recipe. Simply cream the butter and sugar together, add in the eggs one by one, and then add in the other wet ingredients (water/vanilla/peaches). Next, combine the dry ingredients separately (everything except the nuts) and stir that into the wet ingredients. Incorporate it all together but try your best not to overmix. Finally, add in the walnuts and your batter is ready. Toss it into a greased/oiled loaf pan and let it settle for a few minutes while you prepare your filling! Doesn't that peachy color look delicious?</div>
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The filling, like many culinary inventions, came to me by accident. What I really wanted was a delicious caramel-like <i>topping</i>...but my cooking process led me to a filling instead. Looking back, I'm glad this cake had a filling--it's what it really needed! The filling allows each bit of the cake to be moist, warm, and delicious. It adds a sweetness that the cake would've been disappointingly missing without it. </div>
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For the filling you'll need:</div>
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2/3 cup of brown sugar (my blend wasn't too light, but you probably don't want the darkest of the dark)</div>
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3.5 tablespoons of butter</div>
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1/4 cup of your diced peaches (if you have some left over like I did...if not, not a huge deal)</div>
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1/4 cup of chopped walnuts</div>
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6 <a href="http://static.caloriecount.about.com/images/medium/sweetzels-spiced-wafers-92520.jpg">spiced wafer</a> cookies, beaten to a rough grind in a Ziploc bag!</div>
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I created the filling step by step--mistakes made followed with me trying to fix them! I first melted together the butter and brown sugar in a bowl in the microwave for only about 30 seconds (use a double boiler/stovetop if you want, you're just making it harder for yourself). Let everything just get soft and then stir it together, fully melting the butter. Then, before the sugary mixture solidifies, add the peaches and walnuts. </div>
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Finally, you get to use one of my favorite techniques. Place 6 spiced wafers in a sealed plastic bag and just smash them against the counter, beat them with your hand, etc, until you have a pretty solid grind of the cookie. A few pieces of wafer left in the mix aren't a problem, just as long as they aren't inedibly large. Dump this grind in with the wet brown sugar mix, stir together, and your filling is done! The spiced wafer will soak up all the delicious sugar mixture, making for a delicious center in your cake. </div>
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Here comes the last trick: place your loaf pan of batter in the oven WITHOUT the filling inside for about ten minutes. It's imperative that you let your batter get a head start on cooking or your filling might just fall out of the bottom of your cake. After ten minutes, open the oven and dump your filling atop the loaf batter that should start to be taking form. No need to push it into the batter, it will fall in on its own. </div>
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Cook the cake for about another 20-30 minutes, or until you can push a toothpick into the cake (the batter-filled part, not a filling filled area) and pull it out clean.</div>
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At the end, hopefully your cake looks and tastes as good as mine did! This cake was refreshing and decadent at the same time--definitely a keeper in my recipe book. Happy baking!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-44946779539963505592014-07-10T18:08:00.003-07:002014-07-10T18:08:42.227-07:00Fuji Mountain or Mt. Fuji? Try BOTH!Let it be clear upon reading these two reviews that sushi is <i>not</i> my thing. If you've read my blog before, you'll know I'm no sushi aficionado: I can't tell you half of what you'd need to know about it to be an expert and I really only eat it a few times a month. That being said, I know the difference between a good piece of fish and a bad one, and a great piece of unagi (eel) really warms my heart. After eating more sushi lately than I usually do, I've found that Philadelphia and Ardmore present two winning restaurants that sound and serve alike!<br />
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<b>Fuji Mountain (<a href="http://www.fujimt.com/">Website</a>, 2030 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA)</b> is a hidden gem amongst the high end restaurants scattered throughout nearby streets. Though it doesn't look similar to others of fame from the outside, the food inside is just as high quality. The menu is extensive, with an insane amount of appetizers to start. From classics like agedashi tofu (gently fried tofu found in nearly every Japanese restaurant) and edamame, to innovative dishes and entreés like <i>onzukuri</i>, a torch seared fish plate, and even a Japanese version of Mexican ceviche, Fuji Mountain knows how to begin a meal.<br />
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From there, the fun escalates. Fuji Mountain has over a full page of what you really crave: Maki (the traditional white girl "sushi roll") and duos of sushi (single pieces of rice with fish sliced atop). Everything you could ask for, Fuji Mountain delivers. From more than a few kinds of everyone's favorite tuna to crab thrown at you 3 ways--only two of which are actual crab (one is just for the vegetarians to feel like they're eating crab without the misguided guilt)! Two pieces of hamachi sushi are shown in front of my father's specialty "pumpkin" maki roll below. How delicate, beautiful, and elegant do they look?<br />
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In addition to the specials, like the pumpkin roll (check out that classy orange tint) above, the maki list is endless. In front of another special (the Inferno roll) seen below is one of their general maki selections, the crazy roll. While the crazy roll was delicious, the Inferno roll really crushed it. As you can see in the picture, the Inferno roll had a scrumptious spicy sauce coating it which added a completely different element to roll that the crazy roll really could have used too. So, sadly, I suppose you could say that, while all the rolls at Fuji Mountain are delicious, the specials are those worth devoting most of your stomach space to.<br />
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But let's say you want this same quality of sushi at home in the 610...where do you go? I was told by a good friend a while back that there was a new restaurant in Ardmore called<b> Mt. Fuji (36 Greenfield Ave, Ardmore PA, </b>no website for the ardmore location yet, visit their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MtFujiPA">Facebook page</a>)...and I just laughed. Is there a hat that gets picked out of when restauranteurs are deciding on names for Japanese restaurants? Wondering if it could possibly top my enjoyable meal at its palindromic (sort of :/) cousin, I visited Mt. Fuji recently with my family.<br />
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For Ardmore, Mt. Fuji is pretty darn classy. A BYOB nestled in next to a cut-rate modeling salon and a state liquor store, beyond the walls, the ownership has created quite an enticing ambiance...and the food matches the atmosphere. Food at Mt. Fuji is even more luxuriously presented than at Fuji Mountain. As you can see below, seemingly average foods (like grilled asparagus) are presented as if they're worth millions of dollars. This sort of precision and care not only makes the customer feel as though <i style="font-weight: bold;">they're </i>worth those millions too, but I truly believe it makes the food taste better. The asparagus below tasted like gold...it was soft yet crunch, sweet yet natural. It glowed on the plate.<br />
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But once again, nothing could distract me from the true purpose of my visit: the fish. Another appetizer, the tuna salmon tower, was tasty but didn't wow me. The rice seemed a little too dry, and the fish stuck together in a rather awkward way. Nevertheless, it was seasoned well, tasted fair, and looked great--check it out below.<br />
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The meal shot up from there. We ordered a few rolls, but the two winners, the "Three Musketeers" (Tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, and tobiko) and the "Out of Control" (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, asparagus sprouts, and mayo miso eel sauce) are pictured below. Though the presentation of the Three Musketeers is obviously more delicate looking and more beautiful, both rolls were absolutely delightful. What the Out of Control lacked in presentation it won back in taste--it was soft yet its crunchy sprouts were pronounced and textured in a very different way.<br />
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Overall, my dinners at both Fuji Mountain and Mt. Fuji were spectacular. Both restaurants served food with passion and grace, and are definitely deserving of a visit from any sushi lover. Hope you can all visit soon!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-53793243811910701632014-06-21T20:25:00.000-07:002014-06-21T20:25:45.550-07:00Out of Wynnewood and into winning cuisine: Finding good eats semi-closeby! (The Kettle and Teresa's Next Door) Lately, I've gotten tired of settling for the same few restaurants within a few miles of my house. Everything feels boring and old; I can't find a menu I haven't already picked through at some point in my 18 year food marathon. Sadly, I'm also super lazy-- going all the way into the city is a pain. This post is a double feature (one brunch, one dinner) of restaurants I found in areas just a few minutes outside my bubble. <div>
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BRUNCH: <a href="http://www.kettlehavertown.com/">The Kettle</a>, (1 Brookline Boulevard, Havertown, PA)</div>
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The Kettle has quickly risen through the ranks of my favorite places to eat on weekend mornings for a few reasons. Firstly, the menu really does accommodate those who want a true brunch. If you're caught in between wanting breakfast and lunch, you can scan the menu and find a fair array of omelettes and griddle offerings sitting next to soups and sandwiches. The menu isn't huge, but, as far as I know, everything printed is done well--and that's what counts. As far as breakfast, the corned beef hash and eggs never fails, as seen below with the eggs presented over easy (you pick your preparation) on top. </div>
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If you're leaning more towards the lunch side of things, the burgers and sandwiches can't be beat. Seen below, The Kettle Burger is a simple angus burger that can then be customized with a selection of cheese and toppings. Mine below had cheddar and fried onions--definitely a winning combination. Sandwiches also rotate on the menu, and there are usually a few specials. Farther below is the regular reuben sandwich, which always shows admirably. </div>
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If I have a complaint with The Kettle it would be that the service is often spotty. It's not really their fault, sometimes, the place is just packed and the staff kind of scrambles around doing their best to keep things moving. But, last breakfast, I sat on outdoor seating to skip the lengthy line of those waiting for the indoors tables...and I walked into a wall of said poor service. Our coffees were never refilled, it took a while to get our order taken, and getting water mid-meal was a pain. We were basically forgotten about. Nevertheless, if you can avoid sitting outside and still deal with the mediocre service, The Kettle can really put out some great meals. </div>
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DINNER: <a href="http://www.teresas-cafe.com/">Teresa's Next Door</a>, 124 N. Wayne Ave, Wayne, PA</div>
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Teresa's is a large restaurant that's been effectively split into two smaller ones. Upon entering the front door, you're asked to choose between the higher end "Teresa's Cafe" (it's not really a cafe, it's a serious restaurant) and "Teresa's Next Door," which is cutely dubbed a bar, fits the billing of the trendy brewpub that is blowing up all over America. Don't think too hard--just walk into <i>Next Door</i>...you'll be happier in the slightly more casual setting. </div>
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Teresa's is the most elegant "bar" you'll see these days. With a humongous, elegant, and well stocked actual bar accompanied by booths and stand-alone tables, Next Door offers classic pub food (burgers, sandwiches, steaks, etc.) but with some outliers in between. Things like summer scallops and frenched pork chops elevate what would be a regular pub to the next level. Next Door even prides itself on having quite a few cheese offerings, allowing customers to create a cheese plate all their own. </div>
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Favorites can be found all across the menu, from the special game burger that rotates occasionally (when I dined it was the goat burger seen below) to the to die for thai-ginger wings farther below. All meats were cooked to perfection, and the pomme frites served alongside them are some of the best fries anywhere. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally, if you aren't full from all your cheese, pubby starters, and killer sandwiches or fancy plates, you can sample from the most surprisingly delicious section of the menu: the desserts! Below, a mini apple pie with ice cream wowed us all. How can Teresa's cover so many bases? By showing the ability to show restraint in appearance yet variety in flavor, Teresa's shoved it in my face that it is way more than a pub or bar--it's a whole new type of restaurant...and one that I'll need to go back to!</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-85475307153345598492014-05-22T07:19:00.000-07:002014-05-22T07:25:53.080-07:00TeenwithTaste on Tour?--Senior Project ExtravaganzaYou may have seen me out of school--in early May nonetheless--and wondered: what is he doing with all his time? Well, when I'm not making pizzas at Snap Custom Pizza in Ardmore, PA, I'm working on my Senior Project! The Senior Project is a required study that each senior at LM has to do before he or she graduates. It's super open ended and has allowed for me to take on a project where I make most of the rules.<br />
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For my project, I'm trying to create a picture of what I think "dining out" in America will be like in the future. In the 60s and 70s when McDonald's began appearing everywhere, fast food was on the horizon for America. Now, the scene has changed. My job in a fast-casual style restaurant has caused me to think about what kind of <i>restaurant</i> will succeed in the future of America. Americans want food quickly--but with a level of quality. The environment one gets from Snap, for instance, offers food quickly without compromising quality. But Snap is not the entire answer to my question--what about those who want luxurious food? Or food even more on-the-go than fast-casual can offer?<br />
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Today, I spent time exploring one path I see food walking in the future: the food truck. Food trucks are becoming a staple in cities across America. A good food truck offers high quality food served up on the go, in whatever relaxing environment it's parked in. Today, I visited three trucks parked in LOVE Park, in Philadelphia.<br />
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First, I visited the "Foo Truck," an Asian sandwich truck that--while it didn't look gorgeous on the outside--seemed to pack a flavorful punch into every sandwich it put out and draw a huge crowd--see below! The concept of the Foo Truck is that they take what would be traditional Asian dishes (Lemongrass Chicken, Thai Chicken Curry) and serve them up ready-to-go in a tortilla wrap or "Foowich." When I finally made it through the mob waiting for their food, I ordered Saigon Pork-Belly Foowich Special. Pictured below, it was a succulent combination I just couldn't get enough of! A cool and creamy carrot-daikon slaw (think fancy coleslaw) paired insanely well with the rich, sweet pork belly. I'll definitely have to catch up with The Foo Truck again in the future...and you should too! See what's happening at <a href="http://www.footruck.com/">www.footruck.com</a>.<br />
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Next, I visited the Vernalicious truck. A cleaner design than Foo Truck, but, confusingly, it didn't have the crowd. To make things worse, I realized that I couldn't figure out what kind of food the truck specialized in. The name "Vernalicious" didn't lend itself to any region or type of cuisine. The menu, shown below, confused me further. The top billed item was a pulled pork sandwich, but the next three items were greek specialties! I spoke with an older woman named Claudia who had dined at Vernalicious before, but she couldn't seem to do anything other than rave about the pulled pork sandwich.<br />
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I tried the Spanakopita because it's not only one of my favorite dishes to eat but one of my favorites to prepare as well. I was excited--and kind of nervous--to see how the chefs would serve what is usually known as a delicate dish in such a raucous setting, passing it out of a glorified car onto a street corner. Not only was I disappointed with their presentation--the phyllo wasn't flaky, it all seemed uncomfortably doughy--but I was also uncomfortable with the taste. Spanakopita is generally pure: spinach and feta is required; <i>nothing </i>else can take the front seat. With Vernalicious' spanakopita, there was some overwhelming flavor I couldn't place that absolutely soiled the taste I was hoping for from the spinach and feta. Finally, my piece was slightly burned on the bottom. If you want to catch up with Vernalicious later, check <a href="http://www.vernalicious.com/">www.vernalicious.com</a>, but I can't promise you'll like it. The plate of spanakopita is shown below.<br />
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The final truck I went to was the "Cupcake Carnivale" truck. The truck didn't have any sort of crowd, so I decided to strike up a conversation with the only employee in the truck, a nice young lady named Christine. Christine explained she wasn't worried about the fall in sales because she had been at a festival all weekend over a thousand cupcakes each day. After talking about her truck for a few minutes, Christine sold me the signature Carnivale Red Velvet Cupcake seen below. There might have been a little too much cream cheese icing on top, but the cake and the icing were both well done and I was quite pleased with the cupcake as a whole.<br />
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Overall, I had a great day in Love Park! I'm excited to see other food trucks in different neighborhoods of Philadelphia--I'll keep you updated on the mission to see if anyone can top what I tasted today!<br />
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-33585363605200436572014-04-27T16:54:00.002-07:002014-05-20T13:43:24.040-07:00La Taqueria me hizo feliz--Taqueria Feliz, Manayunk, PA Hey Everyone!<br />
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As my senior year winds down, I'm finding more time in what should be less time. As I manage finishing up my schoolwork, working my job making pizzas, and doing other extraneous things like mowing my lawn and finding a matching bow tie and suspender set for my senior prom, I've also managed to try out some new and interesting restaurants and recipes. Today I have a restaurant, but I'll have a recipe soon!<br />
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A few weeks ago I read an interesting positive review of "La Taqueria Feliz" (located at 4410 Main Street in Manayunk, PA, <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/food/20140223_Taqueria_Feliz_nice_addition_to_Manayunk.html">Laban's Review</a>, <a href="http://www.taqueriafeliz.com/">Their Website</a>) by Philly Inquirer critic Craig Laban. So, when my family sat, wondering where to go on a cool and early Saturday night--I knew we had to try this new spot out.<br />
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La Taqueria Feliz is but one restaurant in a booming enterprise invested in by investment partners Brian Sirhal and Tim Spinner. La Taqueria is the newest, most casual addition into the family, where each restaurant incorporates the spanish word for happy into the name (see: "<a href="http://www.lacalacafeliz.com/">La Calaca Feliz</a>") The decorations, including a sheet metal laser cut with the restaurant's name, are bright and exciting; the layout just works.<br />
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The food just works too. The chips came out hot (which is so easy and I always scowl when a restaurant can't pull it off), and the salsas and guacamoles are delicious and varied. The classic salsa is thin and soupy but packs a flavorful punch, and the guacamole is smooth and a little bit plain, but with a lovely citrus-flooded aftertaste.<br />
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The drinks, cited by Laban as the easy way La Taqueria draws the young Manayunk crowd that creates the bustling atmosphere, were tasty, but slightly undeserving of any overhype. A good mexican restaurant should serve a decent margarita, as La Taqueria does. The Dead Man Ryes (below, first) was a tickling rye whiskey and cranberry drink and the Feliz Margarita (below, further) was, as it needed to be, a formidable option. The restaurant also offers more adventurous cocktails such as the "Moonshine Margarita" and the "Three Chili Margarita" which proved too scary for any of us to try.<br />
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The entreès were where La Taqueria Feliz earned its stripes. I ordered the Enchiladas de Pollo with Mole Oaxaqueno sauce and was blown away. The tortillas, handmade in house by chef Lucio Palazzo, were stuffed to the brim with well-cooked and juicy shredded chicken. They were then bathed in a deliciously crafted mole sauce--sweet and spicy at the same time, smooth and complementary to the chicken, while not overwhelming.<br />
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I also sampled the Brisket Al Suadero tacos coated in the famous Salsa de Arbol. The brisket was well cooked and tender, but the salsa may have been a little overwhelming. The heat was just too much to be eaten without a coolant--chef Palazzo would've done well to attach some of his smooth guacamole to the dish.<br />
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Finally, I merely witnessed consumption of the Red Snapper Enchipotlado, a well cooked piece of fish with a few sides (labeled as a "Plato Fuerte" or, "Strong plate" on the menu) like a seriously spicy corn salsa and some of La Taqueria's deliciously coated sweet plantains which we also ordered extra of as a side. It might not look awesome, but blame that on my poor iPhone photography, not the restaurant.<br />
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Overall, La Taqueria Feliz excited us. We can rarely find quality Mexican food and an exciting, hip environment without making the trek into the city, so when we can, it's quite thrilling. The most exciting part for me, is that I've only tasted one of La Taqueria's highlights: The restaurant is, arguably, better known for it's lamb barbacoa dish and its exotic "Tacos de Chapulínes" (that's grasshoppers for all you gringos). All I can say is that I can't wait to try those two when I will most certainly be going back to La Taqueria Feliz soon.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-31156178972525622682014-03-30T19:21:00.001-07:002014-03-30T19:21:02.941-07:00Snap and Szechuan--What have I been up to? Sorry to all of you, my loyal readers, for the times recently that I've deflected your questions of, "When will you be posting a new entry?!?!" with "uh, soon." It's not so much that I've been busy experimenting in the kitchen or eating out lately--it's that I've been busy working. I recently got a job making pizzas at Snap Custom Pizza (<a href="http://www.snapcustompizza.com/home">http://www.snapcustompizza.com/home</a>) in Ardmore, PA. <div>
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Snap, which opened last Monday (March 24th), is the creation of the owner and investment team of Peace-a-Pizza (<a href="http://www.peaceapizza.com/">http://www.peaceapizza.com/</a>), the locally-started pizza chain that now has multiple locations in the Philadelphia area. Snap Custom Pizza replaced the first Peace-a-Pizza location in the storefront looking out on 4 Station Ave, Ardmore. The space was completely redesigned with a rustic look in mind, using refurbished and polished wooden tables and cast metal piping for light fixtures. A small piece of the dining area can be seen below. </div>
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The ambiance of Peace-a-Pizza was not the only element that was completely redesigned--the concept and menu are completely new. Essentially, Snap's concept could be thought of as that of Chipotle's--but with artisan pizzas. We set you up with an 11-inch personal pizza and you get to flood that pie with a wide array of sauces, cheeses, meats, vegetables, and condiments, all for one fitting price of $7.49. If you can't seem to handle the pressure of putting together a pizza yourself, we've put together 8 signature pies that we're sure yield scrumptious combinations. Below are some of the original creations my co-workers and I have come up with whilst taking breaks from serving customers: </div>
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Come in to Snap Sunday-Thursday 11AM-9PM or Friday-Saturday 11AM-10PM! If you're lucky, maybe you'll get a pizza made by a TeenwithTaste!</div>
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Continuing--if you read the title of this post you realize we've only talked about half of what we were supposed to--I had an amazing dinner at Traditional Szechuan (No website--yes, it's that authentic) at 935 Arch Street in Philadelphia. T.S. is a true Szechuan restaurant where the menu probably has more written in Chinese characters than it does in English script. The waitstaff spoke little broken English, and most of the customers were <i>not </i>curly haired Jewish boys like I am. This made for a truly one-of-a-kind meal.</div>
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The menu had surprisingly few markings denoting spice: Szechuan food is notoriously hot, wielding a spice unseen in most other types of Chinese cuisine. Our waitress tried her best to hint at which foods we should and shouldn't order, some being just too spicy for our white people taste buds. We had the Garlic Chicken, Ma Po Tofu, and the Szechuan Beef Hot Pot (all below) among other appetizers and well crafted, delicate bowls of wonton soup. </div>
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Across the board our dishes were delicious and intriguing; we had never tasted anything quite like these plates. Each bite of my hot pot brought a new fiery whirlwind of power on to the tip of my tongue. If I had any complaint, it would've been that my beef wasn't well prepped--I tasted a few too many bites of gristle and fat. However, I can't imagine that fat wasn't what made my broth taste thick and delicious. Maybe a more careful cooking/trimming process would've done the chef well.</div>
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Additionally, the menu was a hefty four pages long, showing us that we really could continually come back again and again with new experiences every time. We saw may regulars order a dish dubbed the "ChongQing Spicy Chicken," that appeared to be chicken and chili peppers presented on an elaborate aluminum foil tower. We were warned not to try it--and thus shied away--but I really couldn't stomach going back without giving that dish a shot. </div>
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Finally, I managed to bake a little bit after one long work day. I had a cookie craving, so I whipped up a batch of these dark chocolate and sweet coconut cookies. No recipe this time...let's just call it a secret recipe ;). </div>
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I hope to post again soon! I have plenty of culinary adventures left to show to all of you! </div>
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-Tw/T</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-53272099511827561092014-02-23T19:49:00.000-08:002014-02-23T19:49:33.177-08:00Breakfast in my own Backyard! Sabrina's Café--Wynnewood, PAThere's been a lot of buzz surrounding the brand spankin' new branch Sabrina's Café in scenic ol' Wynnewood. From when the word of the Philadelphia favorite coming to our small suburb was barely sprouting in the rumor mill of Tronceletti's Barbershop over a year ago to the past few months when all of us gossiping townsfolk were sneaking around watching as the kitchenware was loaded into the storefront-- and finally to the opening yesterday-- the journey to having a great breakfast place in our neighborhood has been a long one. I'm happy to say the road has come to a fresh and delicious culdesac with Sabrina's Café. <div>
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If there's any major negative to Sabrina's, it's that you can't just waltz in and start stuffing your face. Because it built up so much hype, Sabrina's has (and will have) a constant line out the door. When I got there at a crisp 9 A.M (Jews trying to beat the post-church crowd time), we were met with a 45-minute wait. We waited, despite the dearth of seating for those who pile up waiting for tables, and were finally seated after what really was a true 45 minute wait. </div>
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After that glum start, the meal was fabulous. The menu at Sabrina's was smaller than I'd imagined, an average sized amalgamation of omelettes, griddle products, and a medium sized lunch/dinner menu of sandwiches, salads, and burgers. </div>
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The most famous item on the menu--to be seen on any given main-line teen's Instagram feed with a flood of likes-- is the stuffed french toast. Sabrina's lays out four humongous triangles of french toast (which they argue fit into two regular pieces of toast) and stuffs them with a cream cheese frosting mixture. No one I was dining with could stomach filling their body with that much richness in the morning--it was a wimpy Sunday--but, as you can see below, one of us did order the regular french toast. It was still delicious with a sugary crust on it and coated in Sabrina's signature vanilla bean syrup. </div>
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Another one of us got mexi-special omelette (below). This would've been great, but it was outshined by the huevos rancheros (further below). The huevos rancheros were absolutely mind blowing. It's a mouthful: two fried eggs topped with house made spicy guacamole and lime sour cream sauce over a spicy chorizo-bean-salsa mixture, also served with pico de gallo, all on top of two crispy blue corn tortillas, served with a side of fried breakfast potatoes and topped with a fried jalepeño. The dish encompassed everything that is good about spicy food in the morning: it had heat, but no element overpowered any other. At any given time I could taste the smooth guacamole, the intensely spicy chorizo, and the natural flavor of the fried eggs. If I had any complaint it would've been that the breakfast potatoes weren't quite hot. They seemed as though they'd been sitting out of the fryer for a few minutes. I guess that's what you get when you deep fry your potatoes instead of letting them sit on an old flat top. Nevertheless, the actual dish itself was arguably flawless. </div>
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I'm so excited to go back to Sabrina's soon! Time to work my way through the rest of the menu!</div>
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For more information visit <a href="http://sabrinascafe.com/">sabrinascafe.com</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-24975828704647428562014-02-15T12:40:00.003-08:002014-02-15T12:44:52.893-08:00New Local Café Falls Flat! The Tasting Room--Ardmore, PAI like to think that I'm pretty easy to please. I like simple food that has a developed flavor to it. I rarely leave a restaurant with little positive to say about it because most types of foods appeal to me. Yesterday, I had the privilege of trying out a brand new restaurant in my own backyard, ready to make it an everyday favorite. Let's just say I'm <i>still</i> looking for that everyday favorite.<br />
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"The Tasting Room" had a meager setup, just a few tables cramped into a small storefront, but was well put together. A clean appearance with a glass case holding most dishes--you order your food at the counter and see it there before it arrives to your table--and the limited menu chalked onto the rustic blackboard seen below.<br />
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Our meal started off nicely as we talked with the co-owner of the restaurant. Joe Petrucci, the brains behind the operation, explained the restaurant's unusual style. As you can see on the board above, each dish can be ordered in any of three sizes: Taste, Entreé, or Family. My dining companion and I wanted to sample a few things, so we ordered various dishes in tasting and entreé sizes. The family size is really only ideal for picking up quick and large takeout dinners--it serves 3-4 people.<br />
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The premise had me. I was enthralled with the idea that I could split up my lunch (and its cost) between different mini-courses. It seemed like such a brilliant scheme that I couldn't believe anyone hadn't come up with it before. But I had yet to taste the food...<br />
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I first tasted the sweet potato fries (above), boasted by the owner to be healthily prepared in an oven and organic (not something I'm concerned with but never a detriment to the food), a big crowd pleaser. I had never tasted worse sweet potato fries in my life. They were completely overcooked, until the oven had sapped all the delicious potato flesh out of them. The disappointment of baking french fries (as opposed to frying them) is that they simply <i>will</i> <i>not</i> taste as good. Healthier, sadly, rarely is a synonym for "more delicious." Even so, there is little excuse for overcooking them.<br />
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I also tasted the lobster bisque (above), the soup of the day. The soup base itself was just average, it didn't have much body to it but the flavor wasn't terrible. The disappointment here was that the soup had little actual lobster in it. After I scooped out two small chunks, my soup bowl might as well have been empty.<br />
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Other dishes I sampled included the brussels sprouts and the "Twenty-Something-Spice Meatloaf" (above). I think my problem with the meatloaf adequately represented my overall gripe with the restaurant: why use twenty spices when you can use two? My first bite kicked me in the pants and out the door of the restaurant. I looked at the board, saw the explanation that the meatloaf was a mix of beef and pork, and realized that I couldn't even feel the familiar taste pork gives my tongue because the meat had been pushed aside in favor of spices.<br />
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The final dish I tasted was the "Three Cheese Mac n' Cheese" (above). This was the only dish I enjoyed. The cheeses were tasty, well selected, and well blended, and the dish wasn't killed by too many obscure herbs. Additionally, it was topped with an adequate amount of adequately toasted breadcrumbs. Sadly, I can't see myself coming back to this restaurant for one decent dish.<br />
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Finally, for those whose first time it is reading this blog, let me be clear: I hate giving bad reviews, especially to local places. I <i>really </i>want Ardmore to be successful and welcome new and interesting restaurants. Still, I will not recommend a restaurant if I dislike it as much as this one. I left the restaurant feeling uncomfortable: the interesting idea for a restaurant that I had been so excited about not even an hour ago had already been dumped over my head. What could have been? We will never know, unless "The Tasting Room" makes some big changes.<br />
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For more information, visit: <a href="http://jpmcatering.com/the-tasting-room/">http://jpmcatering.com/the-tasting-room/</a>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-78068264693250039042014-02-09T18:45:00.002-08:002014-02-09T18:45:46.250-08:00Simplicity and Authenticity ALWAYS Win. Lee How Fook-- Philadelphia, PARecently, after my mother saw a positive reference <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/food/restaurants/6001076.html?c=r">to a first review</a> of it by Philly Inquirer food critic Craig Laban, my family traveled to a restaurant called Lee How Fook in Philadelphia's Chinatown. Naturally, we had to try the spot out.<br />
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Lee How Fook is the definition of modest. The storefront (above) is meager, with an unassuming sign out front. The restaurant can't hold more than 30 or so, and the kitchen appears to occupy at least half of the total area of the store. Nevertheless, this modesty carries to the food. The food appears simple and unassuming. Just WAIT 'till you try it.<br />
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The simply presented food packs a flavor punch that's indescribable. The pork buns, below, absolutely blew my mind. The components of the dish were laid out simply in front of me. Pork, a simple celery looking vegetable I can't say I could identify for sure, green onion, a soft mustard sauce, the perfectly put together pork, and the "buns." The plate looked plain, almost too plain. Then, I assembled a bun. The bun itself seemed undercooked--but it wasn't. It was a strange, puffy dough I had never seen before. But it made my mouth absolutely tingle. It's emptiness let the pork shine through, the sauce tickling my tongue and the meat itself melting in my mouth. The plate was one I will never forget.<br />
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Along with the buns, I tasted the vegetable dumplings (below) and the wonton soup (also below). The dumplings were good, but I can't say any different from many others I've had. The wonton soup was pretty much perfect, one of the best bowls I've seen. The wontons were crafted so particularly, packed tightly in a paper thin wrapper. </div>
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The main courses rolled out of the kitchen and at this point I was nearly satisfied. The restaurant had begun to prove itself and all I needed was the nail in the coffin. I'd love to say the main courses did that--but they didn't quite. Across the board they were good, but not amazing. My father ordered a sort of tofu dish that he claimed to be quite good. My mother, conservatively, ordered the chicken lettuce wraps. These were good, but no better than at any other restaurant. Probably not the best thing to order if you were interested in finding out how skilled a chef is. Finally, I ordered the lemon duck, which was pretty delicious, if a little over-fried. As you can see, all the plates are fairly simple, coinciding with the style of the restaurant. All dishes are below: the duck, the tofu, and the chicken, in that order, from top to bottom.</div>
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Nevertheless, the restaurant blew me away. The straightforward and ordinary appearance of the place and the food<i> initially</i> tricked me into thinking it would just be a normal meal--but I couldn't have been more wrong. I highly recommend Lee How Fook for a great, honest meal next time you're in Philadelphia in search of some good Chinese food. </div>
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For more information, visit the website by clicking <a href="http://www.leehowfook.com/">here</a>. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413837348791528144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-45905283264860293562013-12-31T12:03:00.001-08:002013-12-31T12:03:10.974-08:00New Local Favorite! Brick & Brew--Havertown, PA Sometimes I feel like our neighborhood lacks a real American restaurant.<br />
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While we do have the occasional underperforming pub (See, <a href="http://westgatepubhavertown.com/">The West Gate Pub</a>) and, on the other hand, the failed high class American dine (See, <a href="http://www.saintjamesphilly.com/">The Saint James</a>), our area has lacked a mid-priced and delicious American restaurant. This all changes with the new Brick & Brew restaurant and bar in Havertown, PA.<br />
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Brick & Brew occupies the small storefront of 2138 Darby Road. Walk inside and you're greeted by a brand new look. Creating a classy, gastropub feel unrivaled by any other local restaurant, Brick & Brew has chalkboards with the new cocktails and ever-shifting beer list, tables supported by makeshift antique iron pipes, tables crafted out of wine crates, and well decorated walls. Though the restaurant may seem cramped at happy hour, the small atmosphere is helped by its warmth and excitement. It's not claustrophobic, it's <i>exciting</i>.<br />
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But of course, what we really care about here at TeenwithTaste is the food. Though the menu is a little bit limited, nearly every dish is done well. After two visits I've tasted the large part of the menu. The menu is split into starters, salads, sandwiches, and, their specialty: pizza.<br />
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The starters can be a weak spot--I've had the chicken chowder special (below) that came out only lukewarm but was crafted with good pieces of meat and just could've been better. I've also had the smoked (hot) chicken wings--a very nice set of wings, better than most in the neighborhood. Finally, I've tasted the soft pretzel special, a cute idea that was definitely good but certainly a novelty.<br />
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The salads go either way--the plating is generally superb and the presentation is usually fabulous. Some salads, like the Cobb salad below, truly look great.<br />
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The sandwiches are an underrated favorite. The first time I went I tasted the short rib sandwich, a deliciously pungent sandwich packed with tender, juicy meat. The sandwich list could use a little bit of extension, though. Only 6-8 sandwiches are ever offered at one time. Sandwiches are an easy place for any small restaurant to take on some more work--I'd like to see Brick & Brew offer a few more special sandwiches on a daily basis in addition to expanding their menu as well.<br />
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The final stop on the menu is the winner--the pizzas. Brick & Brew has a wood burning oven, outset into the restaurant with a pizza bar where the diners can watch the pizza master chef sculpt and fire his pizzas. The pizza list is filled with imaginative options like the Sausage, Potato, and Egg pizza pictured below. Additionally, the Margherita and the Summer Vegetable pizzas are pictured. The pizzas were well done, if a little burned in places, but truly delicious. Nothing beats the freshness of being prepared in an oven right next to you, and you can definitely taste just that.<br />
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Try Brick & Brew soon! It's definitely a new <br />go-to restaurant for all of us who crave good-old American food.<br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">To find more information on the<br />website, click <a href="http://bricknbrewpub.com/">here</a></b><br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-4870187123375618992013-11-25T18:52:00.001-08:002013-11-25T18:52:22.905-08:00Where HAVE I been? Bogged down in high school, that's where. :(<br />
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Plagued with lots of homework, college applications, and the usual load of clubs and activities, I just haven't found time to fill you guys in on the restaurants I've eaten in and dishes I've cooked lately. As you know, no matter how busy I get, I never stop eating.<br />
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SO: This short blog post is dedicated to short blurbs about notable things I've cooked/eaten lately. I'll try to keep everything short!<br />
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REVIEWS:<br />
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Barbacoa, 64 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore PA<br />
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Barbacoa is one of my new go-to takeout restaurants. It's essentially an American barbecue restaurant that presents itself as something a little more ethnic and a little classier. Though the food definitely holds up to a higher standard, the restaurant is my <i>takeout</i> standard because the ambiance on the premises is subpar. The highlights of the menu are:<br />
-The extremeeeely moist and flavorful rotisserie chickens, served by the half or the whole (below).<br />
-The thinly cut angus beef brisket (below): would be <i>great</i> if it had more sauce, but still a good choice normally.<br />
-Cornbread pudding: A dense, delicious, lump of moist cornbread. It's not pudding...but it's not cornbread. What is it? Delicious.<br />
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Tietra, 1425 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA<br />
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Boy, this place stunk. My parents and I went here before going to the orchestra at the Kimmel center a few blocks away. We frequent the hip bar across the street (The Good Dog, 224 s. 15th St) but went here when it was too crowded there.<br />
My mother and I got pasta dishes, mine with sausage and hers with seafood. My pasta was far too oily and the poorly chopped mini cubes of sausage were the only strong points. My mother's pasta was better but her scallops were overcooked. My dad got eggplant parmesan and called it (paraphrased) "The most average eggplant parmesan he'd ever eaten."<br />
All the while, we were stuck upstairs in the auxiliary seating--away from the fun of the restaurant and out of the way of our haphazard server's already poor range of service. Needless to say, everything took a while. Our food didn't look horrible (below) but I just can't recommend this place.<br />
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INTERESTING STUFF I'VE COOKED:<br />
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Espresso Fudge Cupcakes from <a href="http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/">http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/</a>.<br />
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This website is full of pictures of decadent looking cupcakes and accompanying recipes. Recently, I tried "Cupcake #1," the espresso fudge cupcake. I declined the recipe for frosting and topped them with my own chocolate ganache (found on the previous post from last year about peanut butter chocolate cake).<br />
The cupcakes were delicious the first night. I had one fresh out of the oven and almost died. I tasted the chocolate, I tasted the espresso flavor--I just loved them. I brought them into my Spanish class the next day for a project and they were awful. They were as dry as cupcakes come, I just didn't understand what happened.<br />
If anyone can find out how to make them and <i>keep</i> them, let me know. They were delicious at first but now I feel like I can't trust the recipe.<br />
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Meatball Madness!<br />
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I had a weird affection for meatballs at the end of the summer. It took me a while to realize how quick and easy it is to make meatballs.<br />
All I did was...<br />
Buy two pounds of ground beef. Combine that ground beef with an egg, garlic, and ample (sorry I didn't measure!) breadcrumbs. Then, I filled my meatballs. Some with pesto, some with hot sauce and red pepper flakes, all sealed up tightly so nothing spilled out.<br />
After baking in the oven at 350 degrees for ~12 minutes, I was astounded. Time after time I had moist and delicious baked meatballs to go with my meals.<br />
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I'll try to post again soon! I miss my blog and wish I had more time to post.<br />
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Not to turn this already infrequently visited blog into an advertisement but...not matter how busy I get, I generally keep up with my food by instagramming everything interesting I eat on the Instagram account @teenwithtaste. Feel free to follow!Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-61063049452692338812013-07-29T13:14:00.002-07:002013-07-29T13:27:22.198-07:00Chowing Down on a College Trip--Ann Arbor, Michigan"Where are you looking at?"<br />
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As a rising Senior in high school, I'm stuck hearing that question on the daily. As the year rolls around, most rising seniors are becoming more and more preoccupied with the idea of finding a few universities that fit us best and then doing our best to make sure we get into those places.<br />
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Last week I went to the University of Michigan, and, besides just finding a nice new university, I found a <i>lot</i> of delicious new food. So--here's the spots I would recommend if you find yourself on a visit to the cute mini-city of Ann Arbor, Michigan.<br />
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Our breakfasts <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">were probably the most disappointing meals in Ann Arbor. We went to two different places but neither was particularly outstanding. Both were slightly pricey for what they were and neither had a truly perfect menu--just a couple decent items. </span><br />
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The one I'd most recommend is Afternoon Delight (251 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor, afternoondelightcafe.com). The strong points were the fresh baked multi-flavor bran muffins and the super strong and super hot coffee. We opted for blueberry over peanut butter chocolate but the muffin was perfectly moist and fluffy. The weak points (sadly) were the actual breakfast items--I got cinnamon french toast which was awfully dry and overcooked. I also tasted the egg sandwich which wasn't anything special. Here's my disappointing french toast, the egg sandwich, and the top of the funny looking but scrumptious muffin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lunch:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For lunch we felt morally obligated to go to one of the most famous places in all of Michigan. Zingerman's Delicatessen (422 Detroit St., Ann Arbor, Zingermans.com), is widely known all over Michigan as somewhat of the Zabar's of the Midwest. However, Zabar's blows Zingerman's out of the water. Zabar's, my favorite New York City Delicatessen and gourmet food market, will always be tops on my list. Though Zingerman's was delicious, it had simply comparable food to Zabar's at a surprisingly higher price. Zabar's competes with extortionate New York rates and Zingerman's was <i>still</i> more expensive. We found ourselves shying away from the bagels and cakes below because they were simply unreasonably priced for their quality. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The one upside to Zingerman's is that it has a well-oiled machine of a restaurant in back. Zingerman's offers a humongous selection of sandwiches and sides like home baked kinishes. The only caveat is that my sandwich and the other below were both predictably expensive. I ordered the most famous Binn's Reuben sandwich and the other sandwich is a turkey/chopped liver combo. Below, the sandwiches were really delicious but I'm not sure mine was 100% deserving of the $14 price tag. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dinner:</span><br />
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Dinner in Ann Arbor is absolutely the best. Whether you're a college student on a budget or a local that can afford to dine in style, Ann Arbor has a restaurant for you. I sampled a restaurant at each end of the spectrum.<br />
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SAVA'S:<br />
(216 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, savasrestaurant.com)<br />
Sava's features both an extensive list of delicious and fairly priced sandwiches and a list of more lavish entrees and a variety of sides. I had the Cuban and a side of mac and cheese (on the waiter's suggestion) and my mom had the Kalifa Panini with sweet potato fries. My sandwich was juicy and delicious and my mom's was also pretty yummy. The Cuban was filled to the brim and, as the local UMichigan student waiter said, "great after a long, hard day." The only forgettable piece was the mac and cheese I ordered on recommendation.<br />
Also, it doesn't hurt that Sava's has a well decorated interior with an upper level of seating as well. The restaurant (below), is pretty aesthetically pleasing.<br />
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They also make kick-ass mixed drinks out of their full bar. The "poolboy" (pictured here) was heavenly.<br />
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KRAZY JIM'S BLIMPY BURGER:<br />
(Corner of Packard and S. Division St. in Ann Arbor, www.blimpyburger.com)<br />
I heard about this place on Guy Fieri's infamous Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Though I'll agree with the haters, Fieri is obnoxious and annoying, the restaurants he visits tend to be worth visiting. Krazy Jim's did not disappoint.<br />
To order, you stand in a snaking line and put together your burger as you go through. First, you have to order your fried goods. DON'T SKIMP! Jim's deep fries a selection of delicious fresh vegetables in addition to the classic onion rings and french fries right before your eyes. As you can see below I got myself a hefty basket of fried mushrooms.<br />
Next you order your burger. Their ordering system is a little particular but they have directions on the wall to guide you. The frycooks will only give you a cute heckle if you get it twisted up. You can order from 2-5 (or more on special order) patties. Their patties are thin, so don't hesitate to go for three or more. Also pick from one of their six different cheeses, one of their four unique buns, and many grilled veggies and bacon/salami to top your burger.<br />
My burger and Krazy Jim's experience was the foodie highlight of my trip to Michigan. This pre-football-favorite is a MUST-SEE during any Michigan visit.<br />
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At any rate, the University of Michigan was in a delicious foodie town. Maybe I'll be back in Ann Arbor soon...only time will tell!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-77705962178547387402013-07-16T14:17:00.000-07:002013-07-16T14:17:27.195-07:00The First Taste of Turkey--Recipe for Turkish Ezme I recently got back from got back from a trip to Turkey and have been desperately trying to figure out how to blog and share how much I enjoyed the food I had there. Over the time I was there I sampled way too many new and interesting foods from way too many restaurants and markets to simply explain them all or review each restaurant individually.<br />
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So, instead of responsibly finding a good way to blog all my thoughts, I gave up. I gave into my impulses and went into the kitchen to try to recreate just one of the dishes that I missed most from Turkey. Turkish "Ezme" is sort of the ketchup, salsa, or soy sauce of Turkey. A chunky tomato dish that vaguely resembles salsa--but doesn't really taste like it--Ezme makes for a spicy and delicious start to most meals. And, just as most meals at an Italian restaurant would start with Bread and olive oil, a typical Turkish meal always starts with Bread and a dish of Ezme. </div>
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Naturally, after a few meals at home, I began to miss Ezme. My meals felt boring. So, I decided to try to recreate my favorite dish. I found a few recipes online but they looked kind of weird. Each one had its own twist that led me to believe it wouldn't hold up to the Ezme I knew. So, I decided I would make my own recipe and just revise it as needed. It ended up really pretty spicy. Probably just a little too spicy for the normal person. However, as it sits in my fridge for a week, it has gotten more deliciously dull as the days pass. At this point I think the Ezme is right where I want it to be. It's really spicy--but not inedibly so. A good Ezme is deliciously spicy--but shouldn't require you to gulp down your whole drink after each bite. My recipe is as follows:</div>
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One Scotch Bonnet Pepper</div>
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1 Long Green Hot</div>
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1/2 White Onion</div>
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1/2 Red Bell Pepper</div>
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6 Small Tomatoes</div>
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1/2 Cup chopped Flat Leaf Parsley</div>
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2 Tbsp Tomato Thickening Powder or Tomato Paste to thicken</div>
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2 Tablespoons strange Turkish Spice<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste</div>
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Some of these ingredients might sound weird or unattainable but I'll try to make a few substitutions where possible. </div>
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So the recipe starts by sweating the onions in a large saucepan with a small amount of olive oil for a few minutes. Don't fry them--if they begin to wilt and fry, turn down the pan and realize you're using far too much oil. After the onions warm in the pan for about 3 minutes add in the Parsley. Parsley will never really overcook and should be a part of the cooking process in order to add their flavor to the whole dish as ingredients are incorporated. </div>
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After about a minute add in both the chopped Scotch Bonnet Pepper and the Long Green Hot. To be honest (and you've probably realized it) Long Green Hot probably isn't the real name of the pepper. However, when looking for something I thought would taste good in Ezme, I went to Giant to find hot peppers. I knew already how Scotch Bonnets work and was excited to buy those. However, I had never seen what was labeled as "Long Green Hots" in the market. If you don't go to <i>my</i> local Giant, substitute any spicy green pepper--maybe something like a serrano or even a jalepeno or two. Dice both peppers up and throw them in with the onion and parsley. Then chop up the bell pepper and toss that in as well. Finally, coarsely chop the tomatoes and throw them in as well. </div>
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After you let the ingredients meld in the pan for about 5 minutes, add the thickener (the powder or the tomato paste). My mom came home that day with a strange powder she got from our favorite spice/nut store in Havertown (THE HEAD NUT! <a href="http://www.theheadnut.com/">http://www.theheadnut.com/</a>) that she claimed acts like a thickening agent as tomato paste does. I used about 2 tablespoons and it thickened my mixture really nicely. Then I added the sumac. Sumac is a sometimes poisonous plant that has berries that are crushed to make a lemony and delicious spice. The spice is uncommon and you may have to go to a spice store (like mine above) to find it. The final weird spice is something I truly know you can't find. I bought it in the Turkish Spice Market and it most closely resembles red pepper flakes. You can either use some red pepper flakes or simply omit this step. It might help make the spiciness of the dish more manageable to omit it.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrA3byrCLc8/UeWu_IImL0I/AAAAAAAAAec/QGx9JMg2qds/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrA3byrCLc8/UeWu_IImL0I/AAAAAAAAAec/QGx9JMg2qds/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" width="240" /></a> Next, turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. Pour the contents of the pan in a blender or food processor.<b> </b>BE CAREFUL HERE: if you over blend, the mixture will turn into tomato soup. All you want to do is pulse it carefully until it combines and the largest chunks have been cut down. </div>
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Hopefully when you're done it should look something like mine did!<br />
If yours comes out too spicy for your liking, try leaving it in the fridge for a few days. This stuff will keep (refrigerated) for quite awhile and it has been proven that spices dull when they're let sit.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUfikN0m54A/UeWu_IMrtQI/AAAAAAAAAec/iCBbDd7IpvE/s1600/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUfikN0m54A/UeWu_IMrtQI/AAAAAAAAAec/iCBbDd7IpvE/s320/IMG_0232.JPG" width="240" /></a>Thanks so much for reading! I'm going to attempt to revise this recipe soon. Look for a different version soon!</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-7956734925782592612013-06-26T12:55:00.001-07:002013-06-26T12:57:33.582-07:00I kind of look like Cookie Monster--Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies!Everybody likes a good cookie with a glass of milk. But, sometimes cookies just feel like a pain to make. The batter generally has many components and then you're often stuck spooning out rows upon rows of cookies onto sheet upon sheet of parchement, trying to get rid of a bottomless bowl of cookie dough. I know what you're thinking--shape them into bars! Well no, that's not my solution. Bar cookies just don't yield the same satisfaction that single cookies do.<br />
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My solution is that the cookie you're making just needs to be so good that it gets you through the lengthy process it takes to make them. You have to be looking forward to the end result so much--that you'll do whatever it takes to get them. THAT...and do yourself a favor and make <i>big</i> cookies to use up dough quickly.<br />
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Today's recipe stems from my cookie craving the other day. I reached into the cabinet to make this favorite cookie and realized I did not have sufficient brown sugar. However--I know <i>alllllll</i> the best tricks. Watch and learn!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
3/4 cup Peanut Butter<br />
1/2 Stick (1/2 cup) of Crisco Shortening. (stick with me here: Some people really hate Crisco or think it's gross and old fashioned. I personally think that Crisco gives a cookie a good crunch that it wouldn't otherwise have. Also it's probably a little better for you than full fat butter.)<br />
1 and a 1/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar. (as you'll see in the picture below, I didn't have enough. Thus, I substituted 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 cup plain white sugar with <i>about</i> tablespoons of molasses. Essentially--we're making our own shoddy brown sugar)<br />
3 tablespoons milk<br />
1 tablespoon vanilla<br />
1 egg<br />
1 and 3/4 cup AP flour<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
A pinch<br />
Chocolate Chips to your liking, Macadamia nuts to your liking.<br />
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Directions:<br />
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Heat the oven to 375 degrees.<br />
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Combine the peanut butter, Crisco, and sugar (molasses too if using white sugar). Then add the milk, vanilla, and egg. Beat just until fully combined. Overbeating will kind of kill the consistency of the cookie. Next add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Once again--just beat until combined. Finally, add in as many chocolate chips and macadamia nuts as you see fit. I added chocolate chips to macadamia nuts in a slight 2:1 ratio because I just don't like my cookies <i>too</i> nutty.<br />
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Next, drop batter in mounds on baking sheets with space for the cookies to spread slightly. Honestly--don't be a baby. Everyone knows big cookies are better. Just make your cookies large!<br />
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Finally, bake them for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Then let them cool for at least 5 minutes.<br />
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Hope your cookies turn out as good as mine!<br />
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A thanks to the "Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookie" recipe from Crisco that I, no offense Crisco, have made a lot better.<br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-54936477507265451452013-06-21T11:58:00.000-07:002013-06-21T11:58:00.038-07:00Simply The Best--The Chicken or The Egg--LBI, NJWe <i>all</i> indulge. We can't help it! Whether it's our extra slice of pizza or the late night chocolaty snack, the best of us get cravings which require some sense of indulgence. I myself have one craving that seems to trump all others. In the dead of winter and the heat of summer alike I can't help but succumb to the craving for WINGS. As I said in my last post after eating poor wings <i>from</i> Buffalo, NY (where they originated) my favorite spot to give in to a wing craving is The Chicken or The Egg (the "Chegg," to locals) in Long Beach Island, NJ. Despite the fact that LBI was nowhere near the first place to make wings, the Chegg is definitely my favorite place to eat them that I've been thus far.<br />
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My necessary proviso for this post is that my family is huge LBI-heads. My mother has been going to LBI since she was a baby and was notably sailing her sunfish sailboat when it capsized as she was pregnant with me. My siblings and I have been raised in the summer, immersed in the quiet hum of Beach Haven, LBI, and we've certainly had our fair share of quality dinners on the island as well.<br />
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If any dinners stick out most, it's those that we've shared at The Chicken or The Egg. The Chegg is a beloved tourist spot but the locals and old-hands like us can't help but keep coming back. The busiest night at the Chegg is called "Wing Night." On Wing Nights every Wednesday, a plate of 5 hefty Chegg wings goes for only $3. Thankfully, my last trip fell on a Wing Night. After waiting out the 60-75 minute wing night wait (try to get your name on the list early) we got ourselves a table. I didn't really need to look at the menu--I knew what I wanted.<br />
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You want wings. The Chicken or The Egg has<i> SIXTEEN</i> different sauces for you to bathe your wings in. To date, I've tasted nine of them. The "Ludicrous" sauce was featured as a Man vs. Food Challenge on the Travel Channel. However, I myself am too much of a baby to try what's been said to be a devilishly spicy sauce. This trip, I tried two of my old favorites and two new sauces. The picture below shows the "Santos" sauce on the wings on the left and the "Swamp" sauce on the wings to the right.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MlP9JR9bsew/UcSdJX34MiI/AAAAAAAAAYA/jpuJIZe3IfI/s1600/IMG_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MlP9JR9bsew/UcSdJX34MiI/AAAAAAAAAYA/jpuJIZe3IfI/s320/IMG_0223.JPG" width="320" /></a>In the picture at right, the orange wings closer to the right are my standby of "Jamaican Jerk," and to their left are the slightly milder Beesting wings. All I can say is that I wasn't disappointed. My standby favorites are always good and the new sauces didn't let me down either. Though I highly preferred the Swamp wings to the Santos, I would've been pleased to be served any of them. The wings at the Chegg are simply second to none.They're meatier than any wing I've ever tasted and their breading gives each bite a hearty crunch. An added bonus were the ginormous, fresh onion rings in the picture above. When you bite into one the onion practically falls into your mouth--the way a true onion ring should be. Also, as you can see, the burgers are first rate as well. Though I'm not one to order anything other than wings, the Chegg does have a multi-page menu of other delightful entrees.<br />
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Basically, I owe some of my favorite culinary journeys to the Chegg. It's kind of cool when I'm eating and I realize--this is why I have a food blog. Not only do I have it to share some enjoyable recipes, but I have it to share the places I eat that simply NEED to be praised. I share places like the Chegg because I want you, the reader, to GO THERE.<br />
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Overall rating: duh, a 5/5<br />
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For more information visit www.492fowl.com or just contact me--I could talk about the Chegg for hours.<br />
<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-15015748874663308102013-06-07T17:35:00.001-07:002013-06-07T17:35:16.436-07:00Buffalo Wing Blunder--Duff's Wings, Buffalo, NY.Hi Everyone!<br />Sorry it's been a little long since my last post, I've been pretty busy because of the whole "Junior Year" deal. Don't worry--I haven't stopped cooking or eating! Now that schools ending I'll get to blogging all the interesting spots I've been to and dishes I've tasted recently.<br />
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A few weeks ago I was on a family trip to Niagara Falls for my cousin's wedding. Our itinerary had us flying into Buffalo and then driving across the border into Canada. Before entering the land of maple syrup, I had one thing on my mind: BUFFALO WINGS! Though my favorite wings have always been those of "The Chicken or the Egg" in LBI, NJ (website is <a href="http://www.492fowl.com/">www.492fowl.com</a>, check the CHEGG out!), I was open to suggestion.<br />
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In a bit of a frenzy, I googled "BUFFALO WINGS/BUFFALO/NY." Looking back, I should've been a little bit more careful. I came across message boards that all seemed to yield similar lists. The originator of the wing (Anchor Bar) was in the center of Buffalo and my parents said that was just too far out of the way. A runner-up on the list was a place called "Duff's" with numerous locations, one of which was nearby.<br />
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When we arrived at Duff's the appearance had me worried. Sure, a good wing joint doesn't <i>need</i> to be pretty. However, I had a bad feeling that the dinky little bar's wings would taste as boring as the bar looked. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4l4lIF6J25XDJUN85IxhnNynvJl4X7kj8ajdZtUpTSE8RuFr04s2-C2LkQZjRXwuI3nJgohVipCmIWhy62GemSqL_T5FR9Es6nq42SJl4NO7ex63NJm6IWRecj8xrN4P4TmtgCSYE7C-D/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4l4lIF6J25XDJUN85IxhnNynvJl4X7kj8ajdZtUpTSE8RuFr04s2-C2LkQZjRXwuI3nJgohVipCmIWhy62GemSqL_T5FR9Es6nq42SJl4NO7ex63NJm6IWRecj8xrN4P4TmtgCSYE7C-D/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a>For my meal I had wings and a side of fried pickles. Heeding their sign above (that they displayed in multiple areas of the restaurant) I simply had medium and not hot. I like wings--but I'm not crazy.<br />
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The wings I ordered are on the right. At first I just thought they looked like normal wings. When I tasted them...I wasn't surprised. They were just normal wings, maybe even sub-par. They had little meat on each bone and they were a tad bit over fried. The only redeeming factor was probably the big, exciting <i>bucket</i> they gave me to put my bones in. I might as well have just thrown the whole plate in the bucket because there was that little meat per wing anyway.<br />
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My mom ordered another Buffalo-area specialty, Beef on a Weck, hoping it would be an exciting new culinary try. However, just as the wings were, the beef was also disappointing. The Weck roll had too much kosher salt and it killed the sandwich. The roast beef also seemed to be of low quality, rendering it stringy.<br />
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If you're a regular reader of my blog you know I'm not usually this harsh or snobby. I don't know what to say--this was just an exception. As we got in our rental car after eating I looked at my mom and said "that kind of sucked."<br />
"Yeah, it did," she said.<br />
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Duff's get's an overall star ranking of 1/5. <br />
The sauce and fried pickles were eh, otherwise Duff's would've received a 0. Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-38246543758465710482013-04-15T18:25:00.002-07:002013-04-15T18:25:35.043-07:00It All WORK'd Out!--Kraftwork Bar, FishtownLast weekend I decided to ditch the excitement and busyness of being a highschooler on a Saturday night go out to eat dinner with my parents in Philadelphia. Because my dad has an affection for pretending he's a bigger beer drinker than he is (16 oz and he conks out), we tried out a new "brewpub" that's been all over the local food blogs and message boards. <br />
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Occupying a small corner lot at 541 E. Girard Ave, "<b>Kraftwork</b>" does almost as much <i>aesthetically</i> as it can with the space it was given. The middle of the restaurant boasts a rectangular bar, gallantly displaying the 24 taps the restaurant prides itself in keeping moving at all times. Though not ideal for parties of more than a single person, sitting at the bar is certainly an option when the restaurant becomes even just a little bit crowded. Outfitted around modular pieces of art including a big hacksaw above the bar, Kraftwork's outer ring of tables are sadly a bit small and require groups to be squeezed in, nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. It's clear that the restaurant's self proclaimed "neighborhood" image was taken a little bit too far when someone envisioned having to eat <i>directly with</i> his or her neighbor. <br />
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Assuming you're not sitting next to a nutcase, the rest of your dinner at Kraftwork should turn out spectacularly! Because of its craft-brewy nature, a meal at Kraftwork starts with a look over the beer menu. As if it was made on an elaborate excel spreadsheet, the menu has nicely laid out columns explaining where each beer is from and what kind of beer it defines itself as. As my dad picked out the only one he knew, my mom and I picked out the ones with the best names. Not a beer savant myself, I can't advocate for whether or not Kraftwork holds its own with the best of brewpubs in the actual "brew." <br />
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Natty Light is (fortunately) missing from the menu. <br />
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The food, mostly classic American dishes, is well presented and honest. When I first saw dishes headed around the dining room I was stuck wondering whether or not they could truly taste as good as they looked. Little did I know that an hour later I would be slapping myself across the face for ever second-guessing Kraftwork. For dinner I got a burger (because I cheated and saw one of these huge, delicious burgers floating over to another table before ordering), my mom got the French Onion Short Rib sandwich, and my dad got the Wild Mushroom Baguette.<br />
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The Burger was absolutely spot on. From the gargantuan and juicy patty all the way to the toppings (there's a list of 4 cheeses and 5 toppings to choose from), I could not have been disappointed. Below is my burger: <br />
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The Short Rib Sandwich was absolutely delicious as well. Crackly stiff but soft bread shielded the delicate and tender short rib on the inside of the sandwich. <br />
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Finally, I did not sample my father's wild mushroom baguette. A lone wolf in our culinary family, my father is a wimpy ol' vegetarian. What I can speculate on, however, is that large pile of fries you see on each and every plate. A statement against any joint that dignifies their fries with different sizes or the proverbial "side of fries" title, Kraftwork doesn't let any sandwich leave the kitchen without being half full of their delicious garlic and herb fries.<br />
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At the end of the day I left Kraftwork stuffed to the brim with food and smiling ear to ear. I saw others eating some of the dessert options, but couldn't hold myself to ordering and finishing anything after such a large meal.<br />
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At any rate, try to make a trip out to Fishtown. A solid choice for anyone who likes classic American food, Kraftwork is definitely one of the best I've been to recently.<br />
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Overall Star Ranking: 4.5/5 <br />
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Also, it didn't hurt that the background music in the restaurant nearly matched up entirely with one of my Spotify playlists. :PAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-13359589014641342092013-03-26T13:11:00.001-07:002013-03-26T13:11:24.180-07:00"Almost Too Real" Thai--Olieng Thai in New York City, NYBloggers and foodies alike often talk about the spots that are "authentic" or "the real thing." Nowadays, with millions of brilliant fine dining spots to find on the daily, some just want to chow down on a simple plate of "real" food. People search for these spots in spite of wanting to pay a big price for an overwhelming plate full of multiple proteins, sauces, side dishes and garnishes. As interesting as the titles sound, not every meal needs to be eaten at a "gastro-pub" or a "trendy tapas bar."The search for genuinely cultural spots has expanded and become popularized. <br />
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Late last week I was on an overnight trip to New York City with my school newspaper staff. Set loose in Midtown for dinner, we gazed up at all the signs and storefronts, wondering which to pick. Many wanted Thai food--so we of course all pulled out our iPhones simultaneously and Googled the obvious, "Thai Food+ Midtown+ NYC." We sifted through a few Yelp reviews until we found a favorable restaurant, Olieng (at 46th and 10th), one that coincidentally fit my prior descriptions in the form of seeming as authentic as possible. <br />
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First, let me establish that Olieng is small. Not like a Chipotle small or a Saladworks small...I'm talking REALLY <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Small. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Olieng is so small it's as if any more than you and a few other people are in it--it might just overheat. Nevertheless, a menu filled with variety, a quick and handy waitstaff, and a small but cutesy New York atmosphere was plenty to get our meal going. If I had one complaint about the atmosphere it would have to have been that the </span></span></span>right wall is half mirror covered in messages written by customers. If you look at it it's kind of unpleasant and dizzying, but it didn't get in the way of a nice meal.<br />
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Finally--the food. To start, one of us ordered their vegetarian Thai spring rolls. The rolls were nice and crispy, if a little "veggie" for me. As you can see in the picture to the bottom/right, half the roll was loaded with some spinach. Nevertheless, with a hefty dip in the thick, satay-like sauce, the rolls were a nice clean start to the meal. Thai food is kind of the anti-Chinese food when it comes to the density and heaviness of their appetizers. We entered the full meal feeling fresh, light, and held over until our food came. <br />
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After our appetizers, our entrees came. While one of us ordered an interesting dish entitled, "Red Curry Chicken," others (including myself) felt that it would be a waste not to try their most traditional dish--pad thai. I got beef and one of my friends, a vegetarian, got tofu. As you can see in the pictures, the dishes looked just as the restaurant itself looked--homely and authentic. <br />
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I felt as though I was eating food that people from legitimate Thai backgrounds might actually eat... unlike the fancy, over-presented Thai food available in other places in the city. <br />
-After asking my friend if "medium spicy" was okay for her Red Curry, it was delivered packing quite the punch. Noticeably spicy yet well made and cooked, the Red Curry was a nice looking traditional Thai dish.<br />
-The Pad Thai was above average and well made. Cooked correctly and spiced handily, the Pad Thai got the job done as I thought it would.<br />
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So, next time you're in New York City and want something less intense and over-the-top, a traditional Thai meal at Olieng might just hit the spot for you like it did for us.<br />
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ALSO: Big thanks to one of my fellow editors of the school newspaper: All these photos are courtesy of the fabulous photographer Efi Narliotis. Her magical work with a camera makes every bite look more and more delicious. Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-9537938756363745212013-01-25T13:41:00.001-08:002013-01-25T14:09:18.667-08:00Andy Makes Ming's w/ a Twist!<div style="color: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hey Everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Besides normal food blogs, the world has become overflowing with a trend we know as "food porn." Websites that primarily show delicious pictures of delectable dishes, food porn is generally better looked at than cooked. "<a href="http://foodporndaily.com/">foodporndaily.com</a>" has become a fan favorite due to the fact that it definitely stays true to its slogan, "click, drool, repeat."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One food blog showing its own version of food porn is <a href="http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/"><i>Mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com</i></a>. The site's cook, a secret person named Ming, doesn't post stories like me. Rather, Ming just posts delicious pictures of cupcakes he makes that have short and sweet recipes. I, dying over his amazing looking cupcakes, decided to try one of his succinct recipes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was drawn in by the "Sour Cream Fig" cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I loved the idea because I knew that sour cream often makes cupcakes deliciously moist. However--one twist. I had a delicious jar of date preserves. Thus, I swapped the fig jelly for date jelly. (Don't worry it turned out delicious, not too different.) The recipe is as follows:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Arial Unicode MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">CUPCAKE</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">2 cups flour<br />1 tsp baking soda<br />pinch of salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">2 sticks butter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">2 cups sugar</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">2 eggs<br />1/2 tsp vanilla<br />1 cup sour cream<br />fig jam or preserves (but I used date)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Light oven to 350 degrees.<br /> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> In a mixer, cream butter and
sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add
vanilla and egg. Stir in sour cream. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Arial Unicode MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">In a separate bowl, mix
flour, baking soda, and salt.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> Add flour mixture to wet mixture. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">The process for filling the cupcakes looks like the following:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Fill cupcake
liners 1/3 full. Place a spoonful of fig jam in the center. Cover with
batter. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Bake at for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">8 oz. room temp. cream cheese<br />1 stick room temp. butter<br />1 lb confectioner’s sugar<br />1 tsp vanilla</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">My frosting ended up kind of soupy because I was using cream cheese pulled outta the freezer and microwaved--but--this recipe is kind of weird, so I'm going to give you my classic cream cheese frosting recipe. Use whichever you want, but the one below is slightly more foolproof. </span></div>
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1 pound cream cheese, softened</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, happy cooking. Hope yours turn out as nicely as mine!</span></div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-60210815968534522102012-12-29T11:31:00.002-08:002012-12-29T11:32:00.083-08:00Quick and Awesome QuichesHey Everyone,<br />
As long as you're in the process of getting snowed in, why not cook? Recently, I had to cook up an appetizer/hor d'oeuvre for a small neighborhood party. I realized--I don't really <i><b>do</b></i> appetizers. I thought momentarily...I've dabbled in baked brie, tried a bruschetta or two, but I didn't know what I could make that would wow anyone. <br />
But aha! (there's always an aha moment).<br />
I've made big quiches before, so why not give mini quiches a try?<br />
I looked online, but wasn't pleased with what recipes I found. Many called for peculiar things like buttermilk or heavy cream (fun but unnecessary). With the help of my favorite recipe inventor, aka my good ol' mommy, I decided to make my own recipe.<br />
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Firstly let me say that this recipe will be slightly more difficult if you don't have a background in working with phyllo dough. So-- a few tips and tricks if you're not familiar with it. If you think you'll be okay, skip reading these.<br />
--Phyllo dough generally comes in rolled up flat sheets. First thing you should do when you bring it home (assuming you're going to begin cooking within the hour) is unroll them on cutting boards and place a damp towel over the whole stack of sheets. Keeping phyllo moist makes it infinitesimally easier to work with.<br />
--Don't insist upon working with one sheet at a time. Phyllo is a series of many thin, thin sheets. Rarely do you need just one sheet. Work with 2/3 at a time, it'll tear less and be way more user friendly.<br />
--Work slowly but with purpose. Phyllo needs to be handled carefully but with a certain swift-ness. If you mess with it too much it'll just tear and you'll have a bad time.<br />
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Moving on--the recipe shaped up something like this: <br />
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Premade Phyllo Dough<br />
8-9 Eggs<br />
1-1 and 1/2 cup of half and half<br />
2-3 cups of shredded cheese (preferably an orange cheddar)<br />
1 package of frozen broccoli (it was out of season! :p)<br />
Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper/Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, to your liking. Don't be too stingy with the salt though--keep in mind this is basically like making a bunch of scrambled eggs...salts a must.<br />
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Prep muffin/cupcake baking pans with a shot of pam/cooking spray in each well. <br />
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Beat the eggs with a whisk until fully combined, add in the half and half and beat till combined even more. Spice as you wish.<br />
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Place the broccoli either in the microwave or in a pot steaming with some water until cooked through but not soggy or too "fall-y apart-y" as I would totally say. <br />
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Now--the work. If your phyllo is on cutting boards as I said earlier, start by taking a knife and cutting the phyllo into squares vertically and horizontally. Each square of phyllo should measure across about a little larger than the diameter of your muffin wells. Then, 2 by two, take squares of phyllo and sort of wrap them into the muffin wells, like they look in the picture below/right. Remember, the less you play with them the better they'll be and the easier they'll be to work with. <br />
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Next, place one small(ish) piece of broccoli in each phyllo cup. Follow that with a small smattering of shredded cheese like shown in the picture below. I know, kinda blurry, taken kind of hurriedly.<br />
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Finally, pour in the egg mixture in each cup until about a little more than halfway full. The egg certainly puffs up so I <i>would</i> certainly hesitate to fill them too high or you might end up with a scrambled egg oven. <br />
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Let bake for 18-26 minutes or until egg is fully puffy and phyllo is browned on bottoms and tips. <br />
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Hope yours turn out as delicious as mine! They were a big hit at the party! Finished quiches bottom right. <br />
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9212931575979869005.post-82848201735456818952012-11-04T17:56:00.003-08:002012-11-04T17:56:27.044-08:00Hurricane cHallahWoooooooooo<br />
On my 6th day in a row off from school, I'm still thanking Hurricane Sandy for bringing me sleep and extra time to do fun stuff...like cook!<br />
The other day I decided I'd cook up something tasty...and easy because I was exhausted from doing so much <i>nothing</i> during the hurricane. So--I baked up two loaves of my grandpa's famous challah.<br />
For those of you who don't know, challah is basically the Jewish bread of choice. Served at all Shabbat dinners and most holidays (excluding Passover of course) challah can usually be seen on any Jewish dinner table. Needless to say...every Jewish grandpa or grandma thinks THEIR challah is the BEST challah. However, I (of course) insist MY grandpa's challah is the best. <br />
To make my grandpa's challah--you'll either need a bread machine (like I have) or a lot more time, and a lot more kneading. Some bread is better by hand, but challah isn't really one. My grandpa always used a machine, so I do too.<br />
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In bread machine:<br />
Liquids in first:<br />
2 eggs</div>
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1 cup Water</div>
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A little less than 1/3 Cup oil</div>
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Mix 3 tsp. yeast into ¼ cup water, when bubbly, combine that in with
the liquids.</div>
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¼ cup sugar in as first dry after all liquids are in. </div>
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Tsp Salt. </div>
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Lastly—4.5 cups AP flour. <br />
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Turn on Bread Machine, let go for 1.5 hrs. </div>
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When you pull it out, knead it (or it won't rise! mine couldve used a little more kneading..) and add a little bit of flour on the side just to ensure its not too sticky to handle. Then let the dough sit in a cool, damp (maybe cover--but not constrictingly--with a wet towel), place for a little while (approx 1-2 hours) before continuing, in order to let the bread rise further. </div>
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When it’s finished rising, split into 2-3 parts. Split
those 2-3 into 3 more per each, and braid in challah formation. Basically, line the three parts up in three snakes of dough parallel to each other. Bind at one end, and then put the right most snake into the middle, then the leftmost into the middle. Repeat that until you get to the other end and then bind your dough again. If you're a real pro, cover your challah again like before and let it rise a second time.</div>
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Finally, brush with eggwash (one egg and 1/4(ish) cup water) <br />
Bake in oven at 350 Degrees for 25-40 minutes (just check the oven. when it's brown/golden it should be nearly done).<br />
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Woooo challah! More kneading next time and it'll rise a little more...I could've used a little bit taller! But still tasted great! (And those are little challah rolls with the extra dough after 2 loaves).<br />
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16386714147481740364noreply@blogger.com1