DrunkEats

Nutrisystem Iteration 1 (Order and Delivery)

2012-01-29T10:21:00.000-05:00

Nutrisystem
www.nutrisystem.com

Happy New Year! As you age, past 28 or so I'd say, time seems to move faster. Also, according to people smarter than me, you gain an average of 16lbs of fat/decade and lose 6lbs of muscle/decade post 20s. Summer is just a few months away and those extra pounds may ALREADY BE ON YOU! And it may have been there longer than you want to think about. For me...I got down to my playing weight in 2005 (187 at age 28) and stayed there until 2006 (29). It's 2012...I'm nowhere near my playing weight (216...you'll have to do the age math). And I swear to you...6 years went by redumbulously quick. So, I decided to do something about it. Through several iterations I will introduce you to Nutrisystem, it's food, effectiveness and of course my wise-ass thoughts.

Generally, with any diet, it is self-dependent. Meaning, if you do what the plan says, it will work. If you don't...still fat. I chose Nutrisystem since I thought it provided everything you need to eat for each day of the plan (more on this later).

Lucky for me, Costco has a Nutrisystem "package" available. $199 for 28 days (cheaper than anywhere I've seen including the Nutrisystem's website). Costco sends you a card w/ ordering information. Once the card is received you must go to the nutrisystem website and select your food items. This is actually 20 days worth of food with weekends on your own. The provided food consists of (1 each/day): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Protein shake. There's a pretty wide variety in your choices for each meal. I'd say about 20 different choices for each (except the shake) and user ratings helping you choose the better one's and avoid the cardboard-ish items. If an item you select is not available upon shipping, they will replace at their discretion. Item choice took about 10 minutes. About 1 hundred clicks or so got me through everything.

Placed the order to Costco, got the card in 3 days, then ordered on nutrisystem.com and received the shipment in 2 days. Everything came in one big box. 20 days of food has surprising volume. I started to wonder "where the hell am I putting all this? My fridge is going to be PACKED". Much of it is dry or canned (add water/nuke), but still...all those frozen lunches/dinners. Then I started reading packages..."Refrigerate after opening". On everything. On the Rotini with Meatballs, on the Thick Crust Pizza. EVERYTHING. This worried me, so I called the provided 800 number. "Nothing in your order needs to be refrigerated", to which I replied "Doesn't that scare you"? The operator laughed and said they get that question a lot, but all the items are shelf stable. I guess somehow due to flash freezing and these oxygen absorbers in each package...or everything could just be made of cardboard. I put the breakfast items in a container in our "cereal area" and put the rest in the garage.

In iteration 2 I will cover, in the immortal words of Detective David Mills, "What's in the box?",

how it works and initial impressions.

Order/Deliver process, Rated:

Our First Advertisement - Desserts

2012-01-24T23:57:00.001-05:00

Pamplona in Food Pictures

2012-01-19T23:32:00.001-05:00

We didn't do much eating in Pamplona. Our most memorable meal was actually at the carnival area in Pamplona. Why didn't we do much eating? Oh...because we were there for the Running of the Bulls!

Rated:

Our Trip -

Pamplona's Food -

Our Experience - - PRICELESS

Maine Food Photos

2012-01-17T22:43:00.000-05:00

So this post is late... but better late than never...unfortunately, the same does not go for day-old food....pictures will have to do...

The Clam Shack
2 Western Avenue
Kennebunk, ME 04046
http://theclamshack.net/

J's Oyster Bar 5 Portland Pier
Portland, ME
http://www.jsoyster.com/

Lobster Cooker
39 Main Street
Freeport, ME
http://www.lobstercooker.net/

Broad Arrow Tavern @ Haraseeket Inn 162 Main Street
Freeport, ME
http://www.harraseeketinn.com/maine-inn/dining/broad-arrow-tavern

No pictures from here, but it was the cleanest / best cooked / freshest / lobster we had in Maine. Damn! I wish I had pictures...

Southern BBQ Double Dip Part II – The Best Ribs I’ve EVER had…

2012-01-13T17:12:00.014-05:00

Part II is the afternoon after Mac’s Speed Shop and brings us to Burk’s BBQ - a hole in the wall ‘cue joint in Rock Hill, SC about 25 miles south of Charlotte. I’ve had all sorts of ribs; from St. Louis, to Carolina, Kansas City, & both sides of Nashville but something about Burk’s hit every angle on the Ribs Pentagon – soft, juicy, smokey, sweet, & salty. If that’s not enough then simply know Adam West watches you while you eat.

Burk's BBQ
Love's Plaza
2012 Cherry Road
Rock Hill, SC 29732
803.980.4444
www.burksbbq.com

BBQ on back to back days can be considered by some as overindulgence, but in the south most can call it a way of life. Burk’s has keeps low-key identity tucked in a strip mall complex and you would hardly notice it aside from the bubbling smokestack on its roof and the #1 sign in its window. There is minimal pomp and circumstance to the restaurant, just a small shop with tables to fit about 40 guests. Burk’s may seem small and fast food oriented with its drive through, but the texture and full flavor is enough to justify my billing as the BEST RIBS I’ve ever had.

Burk’s does not mess around with appetizers or a variety of beverages, the meat does the talking and I jumped right in with a combination plate of Pulled Pork and Ribs with Steak Fries, Slaw, & Hush Puppies.

The pulled pork is nothing to laugh at – juicy enough on its own but open to your choice in compliment of red vinegar based BBQ sauce or a honey mustard blend. I’m not normally a fan of the hush puppies but the offering was more than ample – sweet, soft, & fresh almost like the best parts of a fresh baked muffin.

And now, the paramount – THE RIBS; smoked to perfection in house with soft exposure to flame which allows the meat to cook but not dry out. There was no toughness to the meat at all but at the same time it did not roast to the point of falling from the bone. There was a bit of sauce to the ribs but it wasn’t really needed; the sweet juice on the bone flowed out naturally to just brush the light exterior salt that crested on your pallet more like an ocean wave rather than an affirmative punch to the pallet like most strong BBQ flavors.

My theory on hole in the wall joints is simple and much like Hannibal puts it, if you can find them then maybe you can enjoy it.

5 Shots = A Team Approved

Southern BBQ Double Dip Part I

2012-01-13T16:18:00.015-05:00

So here’s the deal, this is the 2^nd year in a row that I took a road trip to North Carolina & South Carolina and admittedly in round one I overdid it with the BBQ, to the point that I may or may not have had food poisoning as a result of it. This time around, it was spaced out and I was prepared for the assault on the taste buds.

Mac's Speed Shop
2414 Sandy Porter Road
Charlotte, NC 28273
704.504.8500
www.macspeedshop.com

I came here for the billing – Beer, Bikes, & BBQ – and the review – “…best brisket I’ve ever had” from BBQ America. Mac’s lived up to its billing, 30 spots for bikes in the parking lot and pickup trucks galore. The walls were adorned with over 50 beer taps decorating the walls and a robust 100+ beers available to sample and the strong scent of wood smoke drifting through the dining room.

We started simple, five beer shots for $8 and a basket of Tabasco Fried Pickles (half price during happy hour). Try the somewhat mis-leading Death by Hops; pure and smooth, not anything like you’d think with minimal aftershock. After the pickles cooled down, I still got a shot of life from the batter mixed with Tabasco.

On to the main course – Signature Hickory Smoked Pork Wing, Chopped BBQ Brisket and Texas Beef Sausage served with Texas Toast, Cheese Grits, and Brunswick Stew.

I know buffalos had wings but pigs surprised me; the Smoked Pork Wing is really a Smoked Pork Shank finished in Mac’s BBQ Sauce which served as very ample topping to the rich flavors of two parts meat and one part wood smoke which prevailed over the entire plate. The Beef Sausage & Chopped Brisket were pulled and chopped as expected, but lacked an overall tenderness that hinted at over exposure in the smoker.

The Brunswick Stew held its own on the plate, but the maximum effect of the Cheese Grits was achieved by mixing with the chopped brisket – quickly salivate over this: a nicely mashed smoked ham & cheese sandwich laced with barbecue sauce.

I did not partake in the dessert menu which featured three kinds of pudding and a very tempting Whiskey Cheesecake, but judging by the portion size I don’t think you can argue. Details were not requested but I’ll leave the FATBOY CHALLENGE to the pros – 5 pounds of sausage, brisket, chicken, pulled pork, bacon, & onion rings with a side of mac & cheese and liter of beer. It’s an un-timed challenge that ominously announces its presence by its blank board of conquerors at the front door.

Mac's deserves a 4 here for ambiance, but the over-imposing wood flavor ends up overshadowing the overall meal. Stay tuned for Part II, the best ribs I've ever had...

New Year? New Flavors

2012-01-10T22:43:00.004-05:00

A post from a friend of DrunkEats!!! Thanks Caroline!!!

Blackbeard's Dulceria
www.blackbeardsdulceria.com
Twitter: @ChefBlackbeard
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BlackbeardsDulceria

If you're tired of the "plain Jane" flavors of your every day bakeries, try something exotic this new year from Blackbeard's Dulceria. It's an online bakery owned by Jason Marasigan (a.k.a. Chef Blackbeard), and home of the Ube cheesecake. The Ube, or purple yam, cheesecake is one of his most famous desserts but this bakery thrives on all its unique flavors. Jason specializes in cheesecakes and cupcakes, creating new and interesting tastes like french toast to wasabi pear in cheesecake and peach bellini to apple spam in his cupcakes.

To ring in the new year, DrunkEats tried three of his sensational creations:
- the ube cheesecake
- pandan cupcakes
- and apple spam cupcakes

First, let's talk about the cupcakes. Both were made with such quality and skill of a true baker. They were light and fluffy, just as a cake should be. Now, obviously from their names themselves, these are two very interesting flavored cupcakes, ones that you most definitely will not find in your "Average Joe" bakery.

For those of you who don't know, Pandan is a screwpine plant usually used in Southeast Asian cuisine which pairs very nicely with coconut milk. And that's exactly what you taste.

The pandan cupcake is made with, of course, pandan, with white chocolate frosting and sprinkled with toasted coconut. Close your eyes, take a bite, and be transported to a tropical island with this savory treat.

Now, I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical about the apple spam cupcakes because I find it odd to put meat on dessert. But, these cupcakes were a delicious mix of sweet and salty in your mouth.

It's an apple cupcake iced with brown sugar frosting, topped with real spam bits, and baked with chunks of apple in between. The spam was a little salty but there were those hidden apple pieces that really balanced the taste well. With these kinds of ingredients, you could wrap one up and have it for breakfast.

As mentioned before, Blackbeard's is famous for its Ube Cheesecake and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It's not your traditional kind of cheesecake with swirls of fudge or berries on top, but it carries all the richness of one. Made of purple yam, this cheesecake is smooth and creamy with a subtle taste so it's not too heavy of a dessert.

You can't find this dessert anywhere so get this pride and joy from Blackbeard's Dulceria for your next special occasion. Jason's creations are a nice break from your ordinary desserts and flavors.

Cheesecakes (9 inches in diameter) are $35 and $12 for a dozen cupcakes, just like your bake sale price ($1 a cupcake). So put a little excitement into your new year and try one of these unique desserts from Blackbeard's.

Out with the old and in with the new!

Happy new year and happy eating!

Rated:

Best DrunkEats of 2011!

2011-12-28T10:14:00.001-05:00

Throughout 2011 we have traveled around the country and around the globe. To our surprise we found some of the best food and drink in those various locations. So here are our 3 categories in our 1st Annual Best DrunkEats of the Year!!!

DrunkEats Drink of the Year

Chocolate Shake

Buenas Migas
Plaza del Mar, 1
08002 Barcelona, Spain
Phone: 93 319 13 80
http://www.buenasmigas.com

Trust that this is the best chocolate shake ever! This came as such a surprise that a photo was never even able to be snapped of what we like to call "liquid love." This is not just any chocolate shake. It had the perfect texture with chocolate shavings and the smoothness of the milk. And the taste was heavenly, not too sweet and overpowering, but a healthy dose of chocolate goodness.

Read our post here.

Rated:

DrunkEats Food of the Year

Lobster Ice Cream

Maynard's Chocolates
124 Main Street
Freeport, ME
http://www.maynardschocolates.com

Yes! It has REAL lobster incorporated into their butter pecan ice cream. The result, a cold spoon of sweetness, followed by the warm buttery lobster chunk. It's like a magic trick! Give it a try!

Read our post here.

Rated:

DrunkEats Restaurant of the Year

Zinburger

Promenade Shops at Clifton
850 State Route 3, #105
Clifton, NJ 07012
Phone: 973 272 1492
http://www.zinburgernj.com/

We don't have a better photo that this?! Oh well, it's not about the photo, it's about the burger...The Kobe Burger! You can't find a better burger for $14. I don't care what anyone says. And it's hard to pick something else on the menu. 9 times out of 10, I'm ordering the Kobe. Try it and see if you can resist.

Read our post here.

Rated:

Merry ChrismaHanuKwanzika!!!

2011-12-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

To all our Family, Friends, Supporters, FBers, Followers, and fellow eaters,

Happy Hollandaise!!!

Merry Christmas Ham!!!

Happy Kwanzaa Karamu!!!

Happy Challah Bread Chanukah (or Chanukkah or Chanuka)!!!

Wishing you and yours a safe, warm, and

Happy Holidays!!!

Rated:

Madrid Meal Moments

2011-12-07T23:23:00.001-05:00

EDIT:

You know... here I am again writing late at night, which was my downfall last night. In my haste and longing for sleep, I failed to mention a few things.

Madrid city tip: Don't eat in Plaza Mayor. It's too expensive and commercial. Though it offers many options, you can find better off-the-beaten-path on a side-street and it will be plenty cheaper. Trust me, we learned the hard way. Plaza Mayor is a nice area to people-watch and have some sangria.

Side thought: Sushi in Madrid is expensive, but is a change of pace from tapas.

Another restaurant:

Casa Valino
Calle de Trujillos, 9
Madrid, Spain 28013
+34 915 47 30 58

Say hello to our waiter Juan Carlos here, who spoke no English (which forced us to practice our Spanish) but provided ample "chupitos" (shots) and joined us for a few. Our broken Spanish worked, and we made out with a few great tapas and plenty to drink. It was a nice local restaurant with plenty of locals, and usually that's a great sign.

Overheard: I once heard that you can eat the bull beat fresh after a bullfight. Not sure if it's true, but if you have time... try some bull... steaks?! A bullfight is a must-see, so make your way to Las Ventas and don't be afraid of blood. The locals love and embrace it. Bullfight tip: "Sombra," trust me. Or at least "Sol y sombra."

-------------------------------------------

Ok, ok... I know this is all late, but better late than never, right?

The first leg of our trip to Spain (back in June / July) was a few days in Madrid, the capital of Spain.

A must-do in Spain is to try the tapas (appetizers). And make sure to try the thinly sliced jamon, which is so delicate and heavenly, but so rich in flavor. You have to watch the guys slice this thing. It's an art!

Here are a few pictures of some of our eating adventures.

Here are a couple of suggestions of places to enjoy if you are ever in the city.

Cafe Viena
C/Luisa Fernanda, 23, 28008 Madrid, Spain
+ 34 915 59 46 45

Mercado de San Miguel
Plaza San Miguel, S/N, 28013 Madrid, Spain
+34 915 42 49 36
http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/

Chocolate World Expo

2011-12-04T17:47:00.001-05:00

DrunkEats recently attended the Chocolate World Expo at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on December 4, 2011. See what was going on...

Oh! We saw the star of The Next Great Baker and Cake Boss of Carlo's Bakery, Buddy Valastro, there too!

Rated:

This Little Piggy

2011-12-04T12:10:00.001-05:00

This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef

149 1st Avenue

New York, NY 10003

(212) 253-1500

http://www.thislittlepiggynyc.com/

I have to imagine that the origins of the restaurant name are from the childhood nursery rhyme that counted toes and tickled babies' feet. If you're unfamiliar with what I'm talking about it:

This little piggy went to market,

This little piggy stayed home,

This little piggy had roast beef,

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy went wee wee wee, all the way home.

Ring a bell?

In any case, a hefty meal here at this hole in the wall on 1st Avenue will surely tickle your belly and maybe even put you to sleep after. Hah. It's like the feeling a baby gets after being breast fed. All it wants to do is be burped and put to sleep due to pure satisfaction and comfort.

You can literally have "This," "That," or "The Other" things and I'm sure they're all delicious. But me, I wanted "Something Else." And that would be roast beef on an Italian hero with Cheez Whiz, mozzarella cheese, gravy, au jus, and hand cut fries!

I think the combination is a little on the heavy side, but so worth every calorie. The crunch of the bread against the moistness of the roast beef with au jus and melted cheese is the perfect match. It's almost sweet and savory with the au jus that has all the sweetness of the beef and the salt of the cheese.

It's almost like getting a Fat Sandwich at RU Hungry, the Rutgers University grease trucks, but with less options. But in this case, less is more!

Primarily a carry-out establishment, there is little room to eat inside the restaurant but a short countertop along the front window. But it's certainly well worth it to stand so you can enjoy your meal hot and fresh.

Give it a try! I'm sure you'll have the roast beef and go wee wee wee all the way home in joy!

Rated:

NOLA - The Big Easy

2011-12-03T11:02:00.001-05:00

A friend recently asked me to tell her about New Orleans, LA...what to do, where to eat, etc. So I decided to just turn it into a post. She plans on going to in February as an alternative to the typical Las Vegas or Miami trips that many other people do. Trust me, we've done Vegas and Miami, and this is a great change of pace for just as much fun. Here was my response:

NOLA is a good choice! We had a lot of fun there. February is right around Mardi Gras down there. Fat Tuesday is February 24. Check out this website: http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mardi_gras_2012.html

Our trip was not during Mardi Gras, but it was just as crowded and just as fun. We took the dog with us, so we had to stay at a pet friendly hotel. It was 1 block outside of the French Quarters. The name of the hotel was the Pelham Hotel at the intersections of Common St. & Magazine St. Everything was totally walkable from here and it was priced really well for us at the time. I think we stayed for 4 nights and it only cost us $350. and that included the dog fee. If I remember correctly, being in the French Quarter, the prices shot up considerably.

Shuttle service to and from the hotel was $30 each person each way.

While we were there, obviously we toured the entire city. One morning we did the New Orleans City Tour. This drives you around on a bus and shows you all the main sites. We were even able to see the Hurricane Katrina area (Ward 9) which was kinda creepy and ghost town-ish. But all the major attractions are covered. I think it's always worth taking the city tours so that you can get acquainted with where everything is and see what you want to really go back to and visit in detail. This should run you like $40 per person. It's on the expensive side, but I guess they were trying to make some money to rebuild the city.

We also took one day to take the Louisiana Swamp Tours. This was pretty interesting. They teach you about the swamp land and you can touch a baby alligator. They feed wild alligators and all that kind of stuff. This was something like $40 per person again. I thought it was fun and interesting.

One day we took a ride on the Steamboat Natchez. This was a Mississippi Riverboat Tour. Again, it's an informational tour about the waterway and what industries are along the river. It's only 2 hours or something short like that. And $25 per person or less. You get a good view of the NOLA skyline and you can also say that you've been on the MIssissippi.

Without a doubt, you will be touring the whole French Quarter on foot. There are so many things to see that I can't name them all. Of course, you're going to want to walk down Bourbon Street. No explanation needed. Have some adult fun! Definitely check out the French Market on Decatur Street. Around Muriel's Jackson Square you will see lots of street vendors and artists. I actually bought a painting from someone down in this area. You'll also see the famously photographed balconies at the corner of Decatur & St. Ann street. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. And right across the street is the world famous Cafe Du Monde. Grab a beignet and some coffee. It's cheap and satisfying. As you walk down, you'll see all the shops. If you have time and have a sweet tooth, stop into Aunt Saly's Praline Shop. I thought it was cool.

Make sure you take a night to listen to some good old blues music. There are live bands everywhere, from the bars to the the piano bars to just outdoor seating areas. It's really a good time and relaxing. You'll see tons of blues singers / songwriters statues all over the place.

We also had dinner on a balcony on Bourbon Street one night. It overlooked all of Bourbon Street with all the crowds of people walking around with all the neon lights and what not. It definitely a site to see.

There is a place where they celebrate Mardi Gras all year round. It's a warehouse that does tours of all the floats / statues / anything Mardi Gras related. We didn't have time to go because they moved the location and we were not aware. If you don't go during Mardi Gras, try to visit this site and let me know how that goes.

If you are into gambling, there is a Harrah's there. I think it's the only casino around. Nearby there is the Aquarium of the Americas as well as the Riverwalk Marketplace which has indoor shops (basically a small mall). And down the street from there is the Morial Convention Center, which if you're lucky, you may see the open call auditions for So You Think You Can Dance (yea, we caught a glimpse).

Ok, now the important stuff...where to eat:

Johnny's Po-Boys - we tried the alligator po-boy and it was good. (intersection of Decatur & St. Louis Streets)

Acme Oyster House - if you love Oysters this is the place to be. Adam Richman ate 13 dozen here. Come early because the lines get ridiculous (intersection of Bourbon & Iberville Streets)

Cafe Du Monde - try the beignets and coffee (intersection of Decatur & St. Ann Streets)

Mulate's: The Original Cajun Restaurant - definitely a must. I think the name speaks for itself, and I will add that it was very very good. (corner of Convention Center Blvd and Julia Street)

Corner Oyster House - try their fried pickles and of course, their oysters (corner of Decatur & St. Peter Streets)

Cajun Cabin - this is where we sat on the balcony overlooking Bourbon Street (corner of Bourbon & St. Louis Streets)

Other Places to eat:

Royal Sonesta Hotel - there is a restaurant, maybe called Desire Oyster Bar, where the oysters were really fresh also. I think we stopped in here late one night when we were just walking down Bourbon Street and wanted to grab a bite (Bourbon Street btwn Bienville & Conti Streets)
Gumbo Shop - For some really good Creole cuisine, this is a great place. Of course, you have to try the Gumbo! (St. Peter Street btwn Royal & Chartres Streets)
Mother's - the best baked ham in the world (after MY mom's of course), but also really well known for their po-boys. Get the Ferdi and make sure to get some "debris!" (corner of Poydras & Tchoupitoulas Streets)

Obviously we did some good eating! If you try any other places, please let me know about them for the one day we may go back and for others who may ask me to tell them about New Orleans (like you did).

I hope you don't regret this long email and hopefully it's worth reading through.

Have fun in NOLA!!!

Websites:

Rated:

Give A Little Thanks

2011-11-23T18:02:00.001-05:00

To ALL of our readers, writers, supporters, & followers on Twitter,

Have a safe, bountiful, and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Send us your pics of your Thanksgiving Day Feast and let us know how the food was!

Email pictures to eat@drunkeats.com or Tweet us @drunkeats

"Just think, drink, EAT, and repeat!"

The DrunkEats Staff

brrrrr-gers and cheesy fries galore

2011-11-05T17:33:00.015-04:00

Dog-N-Burger Grille

2001 MANTEO ST.

NORFOLK, VA 23517

757-623-1667
http://www.dognburger.com/

While wandering around Norfolk with my sister, Colleen, we wanted something to snack on. Colleen typically chooses to eat at places that serve burgers and fries, so I had to narrow our options to Norfolk's burger joints. We have gone to Doumar's a few times, so that was definitely one of our choices, but I have heard of Dog-n-Burger from some of my friends. I had spent my morning workout wondering where I was going to eat my next cheeseburger and Colleen wanted some fries, so I felt it was time to check out Dog-N-Burger.

We pulled up alongside Dog-N-Burger, and headed inside. Because we have never been to Dog-N-Burger, I was not sure how our dining experience was going to be: were we to order at the counter or was a server going to take our orders? When we walked in, we figured out immediately that orders are placed at the counter, the food is cooked to order, and that customers seat themselves. As far as the initial impression for Dog-N-Burger's atmosphere, I noticed the restaurant was simply decorated, and the menu was easy to navigate, which was important since this was our initial visit. The Dog-N-Burger menu featured items such as hotdogs, burgers, different sandwiches, fries, pitas, and barbecue platters. Since I was not too hungry, Colleen and I ended up sharing a burger and some cheese fries. The burger was loaded with condiments to your liking, so we ordered ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise (my sister is a picky eater so I skipped on asking for lettuce on the burger). We paired our burger and fries with a soda for my sister and iced water for me. My sister and I grabbed a table and watched as the cooks grilled our burger. While it cooked, we saw the cheese just oozing off of the patty.. it looked faaaantastic.

Our food was conveniently packaged in a brown paper bag. The burger was enveloped in plastic wrap, which conveniently became good surface to dump our fries. I failed to snap a photo of the fries, but they were just golden crinkle-cut fries fried to a nice crisp.

I removed the plastic wrap from the burger, and saw the cheesy covered juicy beef patty sandwiched in between a plain burger bun. Did the juicy appearance of the burger correspond with its overall taste and texture? Definitely. When I bit into the burger, my mouth immediately felt satisfied by the tender, moist beef patty. At first, the cheesiness made me wonder if the burger was going to be soggy, but that was not a problem at all. The patty slid a bit after I took the first bite, but nothing else was further displaced. I am somewhat of a ratio-eater, so this is my rule for burgers: the amount of bun must be equal or slightly less than the contents of the burger. The size of the burger patty itself and the bun were well-proportioned, in my opinion (don't let the picture fool you, everything slid a bit after I took the first bite). I get disappointed when restaurants slack on condiments and burger toppings, however the amount of cheese on this burger was just right, and the sauces were just enough to not mask the flavor of the beef patty.

Like I said, I neglected to take a picture of the cheesy fries. Personally, I don't like it when restaurants smother their fries in cheese, because I hate how the fries tend to end up soggy. Dog-N-Burger served the fries in (the typical) paper fry pouch with a cup of hot, melted cheddar cheese on the side. The crinkle-cut fries were not out-of-this-world, but I loved how they were cooked to a nice, light crisp. Now onto the cheese dip: great consistency (not runny and not too thick) and overall flavor was (simply put,) cheddar cheeseeey (I've had cheese dips that were so salty that I couldn't taste the cheddar). I spent the meal dunking the fries in the cheese, then in ketchup. This is a weird expectation, but because Dog-N-Burger appeared to be a local fast-food spot, I expected the fries to come in a small amount (something equivalent to a small order of fries at a national fast food chain). My fry serving size hypothesis was disproved, for the portion of crispy crinkled fries was rather large, and the accompanying cup of cheese was sizable as well.

I followed the burger and fries with one of Dog-N-Burger's chocolate chip walnut blondies. This was simply packaged as well, but yummy nonetheless. This was probably the second "blondie" I've had in my life, so I do not really have much history to compare. The texture of the blondie was soft - a nice cross between a cake and a brownie. Sometimes, I eat chocolate chip cookies (I know, I'm supposed to be writing about this blondie) that had an excess amount of chocolate chips, but this blondie had just the right amount.

Without a doubt, this was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. The cost for everything we purchased (though like I said, my sister and I shared the burger) was pretty good for one meal for one person, since $10 bought a burger, cheese fries, a blondie, and one soda. The menu was inexpensive, and I felt the portions were rather hefty compared to typical quick-eat burger joints. If you're in a rush but still want a delicious burger (without sacrificing quality), scope out Dog-N-Burger :)

Rated:

(Rounded up from 4.5 - just because I feel like I need to return and have a "dog" since I've had their "burger".) Everything I ate at Dog-N-Burger was deeeeelicious, and the pricing for everything was great. If I'm ever sitting in class at ODU and having daydreams about a cheeseburger, I'll probably satisfy my craving here since it is not too far from school. My friends were definitely right about this place having good, cheap food.

2011-10-18T00:22:00.006-04:00

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza
852 St. Rte 3 , Clifton, NJ
(973) 461-2625
http://anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com/

Remember me? I don't. Been a while since I've been able to get out to a restaurant to sit and enjoy a meal. And by enjoy I mean repeating: "Sit Down", "Do not touch that, it is dirty", "Eat your food", "Yes you can have some juice" 38 times each...around quick non-breath bites and swallows of nearby drinks.

Anyway, Anthony's is the latest restaurant in the newest/coolest bricks and mortar location in Clifton. Replete with everything the newest/coolest place should have...a huge gym, a seafood place with a built in line, yet another cup cake place, a Velvet Rope having frozen yogurt joint, a wine and burger joint, a place to get Greek fries, a LARGE liquor store and the King and I's best line (etc etc etc), WAY too few parking spots...you get the picture.

Anyway...Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza...which apparently was started in Florida (that hotbed of early bird dinner...and pizza *sarcasm*). I guess tourists, Mickey and Septugenarians demand good pizza? Anyway, the mood is like an upscale Cheesecake Factory (which is of course an upscale Houlihan's...which is an upscale Applebees...which...). In that it is smaller and has less people and tables and thus quieter (size/seating due to location and population due to lack of familiarity). Lighting is a bit dim (for those with children) but excellent for a good meal with friends or family. The menu is simple and to the point. 1 side of a page sectioned off into: Traditional Pies, Specialty Pies, Anthony's Original, Salads and Coal Oven Sandwiches, Italian Soul Food, Dessert/Coffee.

First up, Coal Oven Roasted Chicken Wings (with caramelized onions and focaccia bread). Great for sharing. Served with tongs, because picking up that mess of onions and wings with your hand or a fork is a bad idea. The onions and focaccia bread are tasty, but the wings are...different (and I think this is where they will generate some dislike, especially in the New York area...because it affects their pizza too). When you cook something in a 800 deg. coal oven...it cooks FAST and moisture is at a minimum. So these wings were dry (if not covered by the onions). Yet they had that very distinctive carcinogenic taste to them. Which has it's pluses and minuses...depends on who you are. I appreciate the flavor, but wish they would provide some type of dipping sauce (though maybe I didn't notice a sauce because my son had to go potty mid-app). The focaccia bread is the pizza crust dusted with flavors. Soft and tasty.

Next up...Pizza. Half: plain (finest mozzarella, Italian plum tomatoes, Romano cheese, basil and olive oil). Half: sausage and mushrooms. 1st, the non-plain slice. Held up under the toppings and bent low, but did not break like most local pizzas (we were told that due to the high temp cooking style, it would hold up better). In this I am reminded of a very Italian friend of mine that made homemade pizza once and held it before me like a trophy as the slice was arrow straight under the sauce and cheese "Now THAT is Pizza!". So apparently, this is a good thing.

Anyway, first bite. Flavor explosion...in my mouth. The sausage tasted FRESH. Like Porky was raised on a healthy diet of Fiji water and organic swill. It tasted like sausage. Not super salty, not super fennel/anise, not super anything. Just a down home, like my Italian mother made it yesterday earthy sausage flavor. Fresh mushrooms (believe it or not, some local pizza places use canned mushrooms...UGH). Very flavorful. The bread is thin, a bit on the sweeter side and springy. Must be to hold up under all that flavor on top. When you get to the crust alone...some people may have a difference of opinion. Hearken back to my earlier statement about the wings. Carcinogenic, but tasty. Some would just call it burned. Whatever you want to call it, to me, it was tasty and memorable. "Pizza Well Done" as they say, referring to both the temperature/flavor and to the quality. Next up, plain. Cheese had that yellowish brown color of properly burnt and bubbled cheese relaxing in a hot oven. A little salty yet well counteracted by their simple and sweet tomato sauce. Too little sauce and it will be too salty, too much sauce and it will be too sweet (for me at least). What this says to me is that whoever made this recipe KNEW what the hell they were doing. If the chef/cook does their job properly, you will get the proper mix of salty and sweet +/- dependent on layout. Overall, that pizza was EXCELLENT. Flavorful, hot, well made and well done.

For me, the best slice of pizza I ever had was after a hard day of physical labor in Brooklyn, heading over to 6th Ave and 58th St, and getting 2 nice thin plain slices and 1 with cold cheese and a coke as served by Vinny, Joey and the other 8 *y brothers. This is not that. This is not a pizza that is made to take out your local Mom and Pop shop's. This is a pizza aimed at those dumbed down esoteric pizza places and their ridiculous pineapple chunks and BBQ sauce and avocado. This is pizza aimed at getting back to the basics of pizza and upping the quality and surroundings from your local pizza joint and being a restaurant.

My only problem in coming back to this place is that EVERY time I come back, I'm getting that sausage and mushroom on at least half a pizza. Which will limit the other items I can order (Italian Soul Food sounds great). I guess I'll have to return early and often so I can find out what else deserves to be ordered. Or you can go and let me know...Skip the wings...get the pizza!

Rated:

Out of this world hamburger!

2011-09-29T23:39:00.007-04:00

Galaxy Diner

3109 West Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221-3503(804) 213-0510

That's right! It's a burger topped with mash potatoes and gravy. The burger was your average 80/20 chuck. It was moist and well cooked. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned lightly. The mash was pretty good. I didn't taste it on it's own so I can't really give a full review on that. The smooth brown gravy was on point. The bun was thick enough that it did not become saturated from the gravy. All together these ingredients came together and became something wonderful! It's as if they needed each other to shine. The mash and gravy gave the burger an extra moistness and big kick in flavor. The only thing that could make this burger better would of course be a few strips of thick cut bacon :).

The sides I went with were double fries and a fried pickle. The fries were average, but the fried pickle was amazing. It really brought me back to the days of waking up after an all nighter (of drinking/homework) and having crazy cravings. The seasoned deep fried battered pickle speaks of world peace. I don't know how but it just calms me down.

All in all, Galaxy Diner remains one of my favorite spots in Richmond, Va.

Rated:

The BEST Chocolate Milkshake We've EVER Had...

2011-09-18T09:55:00.005-04:00

Oh I wish I had taken a picture of this milkshake, but I never thought anything of it. This was a total surprise and completely found by accident!

We had been on the beach in Barcelona for a short time taking in the sights and sun. The water was pretty cold for the middle of the summer, but not cold enough to avoid. In the distance we could see dark clouds moving our way and hear the thunder to accompany it. The thoughts of where we would take cover started to emerge. As we started to pick up and leave, the rain started to come down. Looking again out to the distance, we could see that this cloud would just pass. We found a nearby tree in front of a few shops / eateries that lined the beach and took cover. Like many others, we were trying to wait out the rain. Not realizing that we hadn't eaten lunch yet, hunger and thirst started to kick in.

We decided to step into the little store front of Buenas Migas Foccaceria. A small bowl of pasta or a slice of pizza was necessary to just quench our hunger pains. And of course, a drink would be necessary. I ordered a standard (for me) bottle of water. And my girlfriend ordered what she was craving for...a chocolate milkshake.

Oh what a milkshake it was! The look on her face was priceless. The vocal reaction was just as intriguing. Immediately, the shake was deemed to be the "best" she's ever had. Why? I had to find out, so I took a sip. Amazing! So chocolate-y, so smooth. But wait, chocolate shavings and chunks?! Yes! Was it just one type of chocolate? I don't think so, but I can't be sure. I believe there was more than one type of chocolate in there. Maybe that foreign chocolate had something to do with the great flavor.

The sweetness was not overpowering. The liquid's thickness was not choking. The mix of texture was varied and kept every sip / spoonful different, yet similar?

Put together, the shake was perfect. No joke, no lie. I don't think we can ever find something similar to that anywhere. In fact, in the past weeks / months since our trip to Barcelona, it has been a failure to find anything nearly as good as what we had in Barcelona.

Buenas Migas
Plaza del Mar, 1
08002 Barcelona
T 93.319.13.80
http://www.buenasmigas.com/

Rated:

REAL Lobster Ice Cream!!!

2011-09-10T12:36:00.008-04:00

Maynard's Chocolates boasts to have the only ice cream in town to actually incorporate lobster meat into one of their ice cream flavors. And it's true. As we walked around Freeport, ME we saw lobster "inspired" ice cream and lobster colored ice cream, but nothing with actual lobster in it. And then we walked by their small A-frame sign outside on the sidewalk and stopped in to have a taste-test.

When you ask for a sample, the server behind the counter hands you a tasting spoon with the lobster ice cream on it and ensured to include a small lobster chunk. She then explains that when you put it in your mouth, let the ice cream melt, and then chew.

As you follow instructions, BAM! It slaps your tastebuds with the most amazingly interesting combination known to man. Your mind plays tricks with you at first. You are anticipating a cold salt-water-y taste in your mouth, but you are quickly appeased by the sweetness. And as the ice cream melts and you begin to chew, you do actually get the savoryness of the combination.

Sweet AND salty, you wonder? Yes! Because the ice cream base is butter pecan!

So imagine this...the melted ice cream actually acts like butter! Oh, Paula Deen, you would have loved it!!! The buttery sweetness of the warmed lobster meat... oh it's so great! It's almost like a magic trick... I give you ice cream, and you end up with buttered lobster... YUM!

After talking to one of the ladies in the store, I learned that they actually buy their lobster meat from Day's Crabmeat & Lobster Inc. in Yarmouth. We stopped by on the way home and picked up a few fresh lobsters to go. I also learned that it takes around 6-8 one pound lobsters to obtain approximately 1 pound of lobster meat.

It's certainly worth the try if you are in Freeport!

Maynard's Chocolates
124 Main Street
Freeport, ME
http://www.maynardschocolates.com/

Day's Crabmeat & Lobster Inc.
1269 US Rt 1
Yarmouth, ME
http://dayscrabmeatandlobster.com/

Rated:

A Mid-Summer Night's... Soup?!

2011-08-29T21:44:00.015-04:00

On a normal basis, the only soup I'd ever eat on a summer night would be pho. But I stood in line at Totto Ramen, on a Friday, 2 nights before the anticipated landfall of Hurricane Irene, for 1 hour and 30 minutes because people have been talking about this place a good deal. And I'll tell you... it was worth it!

Why did we wait so long? Hold on, put your name on the waiting list first. Because the place is tiny and tons of people willing to wait for a seat were ahead of us. There are 9 stools at the bar and 5 very small 2 person tables all the way in the back. There are 2 chefs behind the bar and 2 waiters.

NYC is not known for many soup places, to my knowledge (so far). There's the "soup Nazi," and Chinatown's wonton soup, and even a few Vietnamese restaurants serving pho. But there are not many "ramen" places around town. Los Angeles is more well-known for serving up the hot and flavorful broths.

But wait... let me tell you about these appetizers first...

Pork Belly - 5 thinly sliced pieces cooked with a torch and plated on top of assorted greens and bean sprouts. I would guess that it was seasoned with some soy sauce which after receiving the torch gave it a little bit of glaze. It was great. I don't anywhere the serves pork belly like this.

(courtesy of our friend Jordan M.)

AvoTuna - lightly seared sashimi style tuna, thinly sliced, and served over sliced avocado. The dish is topped with some type of garlic sauce or fried garlic. The flavors together marry very well. The tenderness of the tuna match the softness of the avocado. And the almost neutral taste of the avocado with the sweetness of the tuna and the spice of the garlic is a great combination!

Spicy Tuna Don - think of a spicy tuna sushi roll unraveled, literally, served in a bowl. Multiply the flavor by 100x because you can taste so much more of it. What I found unusual was the size. It could be a meal in itself. It was certainly worth the $5.50.

And finally, what we waited all night for. It didn't really take that long. We probably ate all our food in one-third the amount of time that we waited.

Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with a fish or meat broth, served with sliced pork, scallions, bean sprouts, and miso (or fish sauce / soy sauce).

I love my soup extremely hot and that's what I got. A bowl of piping hot miso ramen with 2 slices of pork belly, half a hard boiled egg, bean sprouts, green onions, and a scoop of miso. My noodles were perfectly cooked. I believe they use egg noodles (yellow noodles). The miso makes it a bit salty, but just the right amount of broth really balances that out. The green onions and the bean sprouts added a nice textural difference and again, also, balance out the flavors. My favorite part of the whole bowl was the pork belly, again. No surprise. It held it's flavor very well even after sitting in broth for a little bit. It's possible that the broth even supplemented the taste of the pork. All in all, it was great.

I'd go there again, but next time, I'd select a better time slot. Maybe mid-afternoon.

Totto Ramen
366 W. 52nd Street (btwn 8th & 9th Ave.)
New York, NY 10019
(212)582-0052
http://tottoramen.com/

Rated:

A Date Night With My Girlfriend

2011-08-27T14:04:00.031-04:00

My girlfriend and I did a little date night on Wednesday evening. It consisted of a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, which was picturesque and brisk. The views of New York City were great, especially with the sun setting on us. Across the East River is the great borough of Brooklyn, and in Brooklyn are two great food establishments. Welcome to Brooklyn!

We waited in line in front of Grimaldi's for just about one hour. We arrived at around 7PM and 10 minutes after we get in line it seemed like 2 tour bus-loads of people fell in line behind us. Thank goodness for perfect timing!

The interior of Grimaldi's is quaint with many small tables all next to each other. When you are seated, you actually sit next to other patrons. It's like the entire restaurant is a part of your family and you are seated to a Sunday night dinner together.

We placed our order. Apparently it's possible to order a half and half pizza. So we ordered half red and half white. On the red, we requested for sausage. And the white was plain with garlic and basil. Like a genuine NY style pizza, it's thin crust.

The first slice I ate was the red with sausage. Just pulling the slice off the pan showed me how stringy the cheese was going to be. The first bite was inviting. A light crunch, the sweetness of the tomato sauce, a touch of basil flavor lingering, and a tint of the saltiness of the sausage is all you need to make you hungrier than before you started the meal. The sausage are small chunks and not thin slices of meat, which I think makes it (the chunks) more flavorful. I think the juices are contained in the small pieces, whereas thin slices dry out quicker. The tomato sauce was not completely thin; it contained some really small tomato pieces to give some added texture to the slice. You could taste the freshness of the tomato and the sweetness of the basil throughout the whole pizza (or the half that we had). I actually prefer the red over the white.

The white half of the pizza had less texture aside from the random minced pieces of garlic and the basil. The garlic flavor was strong. The saltiness of the cheese was well balanced by the garlic and the basil. Unfortunately, I thought this side of the pie was a pit more plain than the red. But don't get me wrong, it was still good.

What surprised me was that I didn't think we'd be full from this thin crust pie. And although it had 8 slices we were able to finish the whole thing, and it really did satisfy my hunger. I do prefer the thin crust as opposed to the pan pizzas or deep dish pizzas of Chicago.

Grimaldi's was great for NY thin crust pizza, but I still have to say that the best pizza I've ever had is from Tom Douglas' Serious Pie

Grimaldi's Coal Brick Oven Pizza
Under the Brooklyn Bridge
19 Old Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 858-4300
http://www.grimaldisnyc.com/

Rated:

Our night was capped off with a stop at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. They only carry 8 flavors, but it's all home made. I picked up 2 scoops of Chocolate because they were out of the Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and the Chocolate Chocolate Chunk.

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
The Corner of Old Fulton and Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 246-3963
http://brooklynicecreamfactory.com/

Rated:

Filipinos - snack food or Nationality?

2011-08-19T20:44:00.011-04:00

Across the street from Hostel Oriente in Madrid, Spain my friends and I learned of what we thought to be a funny and pride-enducing little snack. We walked into what would be equivalent to a 24-hour quickie mart called Open25 (but much smaller) looking for some agua and a small snack. In the aisle with the brightly packaged crackers, chips, and gum we found chocolate covered cookies called "Filipinos." They come in 3 different varieties of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. Needless to say, we had to buy a couple. And they weren't that bad...

Little did I know, this interesting packaged good caused a good deal of controversy. Here's something I found from Wikipedia on "Filipinos:"

The government of the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest with the government of Spain, the European Commission, and then manufacturer Nabisco Iberia in 1999. The protest took offense with the use of the name "Filipinos", a term which can refer to the people of the Philippines, to market cookie and pretzel snacks and demanded Nabisco stop selling the product until the brand name was changed.^[5]

The resolution's author, Philippine Congressman Heherson Alvarez, claimed that the name of the cookie was offensive due to the apparent reference to their color, "dark outside and white inside".^[6] His resolution stated "These food items could be appropriately called by any other label, but the manufacturers have chosen our racial identity, and they are now making money out of these food items."^[5] On August 26, 1999 Philippine president Joseph Estrada called the brand "an insult".^[5]

The protest was filed despite Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon's initial reluctance on the matter. Siazon had reportedly said "he saw nothing wrong with the use of 'Filipinos' as a brand name, noting Austrians do not complain that small sausages are called 'Vienna sausages.'"^[5]

Chocolate Con Churros

2011-08-16T14:34:00.015-04:00

Chocolatería San Ginés
Pasadizo de San Ginés, 5
Madrid, Spain

After an overnight flight, there's certainly nothing better than waking up to something hot, fresh, and sweet. And that's exactly how our Spain vacation started.

Two hours into our vacation, we found ourselves walking down a pedestrian street, Calle Del Arenal, at 10AM on a sunny, warm, Saturday morning. The street is beginning to fill with tourists and locals alike. Our excitement to hit the ground running to site-see and absorb all that is Madrid was momentarily hindered by the sudden hunger that hit all of us after attempting to check-in to our hotel, Hostal Oriente (a great place for a budget traveler).

Learning that we are in between Plaza Opera and Plaza del Sol we decided to venture West on Arenal to see what there is to eat. We passed some meat shops, Starbucks, local coffee shop, mini mart, souvenir shops, restaurants, church....and then a quick glance to the right unveils a very narrow street with plenty of people seemingly disappearing down what seems to be a dead end.

The street actually turns to the right, but just as the street bends the side entrance of Chocolateria San Gines comes into view. And that's where many people are disappearing into.

As we approached the small cafe, a line began to grow of locals and tourists. When you first walk in (from the side entrance), you are able to place your order and the register. Think quick because the line moves fast. A small menu is available just to your left.

At the register we quickly dug deep in our mental notes for how to conjugate verbs, say "please," and "thank you" and finally place our order. Nothing to it. Just order "chocolates con churros."

As we seated ourselves and waited for our order to come out, we saw many people dig into their churros, and to our surprise, dipping them into their chocolate! This isn't your local Costco churros (I know you love that cinnamon and sugar). This is Spain. Where it all originated. If they dip them in chocolate, then so will we!

First the churros. GB &D... golden brown and delicious! Freshly made churros are deep fried. Just like doughnuts. Whatever that batter is, it's not too sweet and comes out light with a nice crisp to it. Careful, it's hot. Each churro is about 8 to 10 inches in length. And each order comes with a small cup of hot chocolate.

No, not the hot chocolate you drink on a cold winter night. It's thicker, not too sweet, but not too bitter. The chocolate flavor is intense as if liquified from cocoa beans themselves. And again, you don't drink this hot chocolate. It is specifically for dipping your churros into. What a great combination! It's certainly just the right amount of sweetness. It fills you up and gets you going for the day ahead.

If you need more of a punch for your morning, you can order café con leche, which is coffee with milk. The coffee must be really strong because if you watch them make it for you, you will see that only a small amount of coffee actually fills your cup. The rest of the cup is filled with hot milk. (Add sugar as necessary.) It will definitely give you the wake up you need, if you're not a morning person.

Needless to say, this was a great starting meal to our trip. It was the type of start we needed to further excite us for what was to come. And of course, this meal, like all other meals on our trip, was good til the last drop.

Countdown to MAINE!

2011-07-22T21:19:00.000-04:00

We haven't even posted about our eating escapades en Espana yet, and we're already counting down the days for our next edible excursion...

Labor Day Weekend! We're headed to Maine for all things lobster. Steamed lobster, boiled lobster, lobster bisque, lobster rolls, and... BUTTER... and whatever else we can find up there.

I promise that we'll get a post from our Spain trip up soon... we have too many to write about.

In the meantime, here's a feast for your eyes... I can't wait!

Kalina's Chicken WANGs (continued)

2011-07-20T19:51:00.000-04:00

So we marinated these "wangs" for about 36 hours and then threw them on the grill for nice Sunday afternoon BBQ...

The "wangs" went so quick we couldn't capture people's reactions as they ate them. That's a great reaction, if you ask me.

Lucky for me, I was able to grab a few without getting my hand bitten. What was great about the chicken was that it was tender and pulled right off of the bone. The skin had a crispness from the cooking on the grill. And the meat had great flavor. It was sweet and savory from the mixture of the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. I'm fairly certain there was some sugar in there because it gave the chicken this caramelized glaze on the outside.

Kalina tells me that every time she makes her "wangs" she has to make huge batches and they go just as quick as they did on Sunday. Now I know why......