Foodergie

Stanton Social

2012-10-29T16:49:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to only order appetizers all night for dinner? If that's something you like along with good food, a trendy atmosphere and no more than 2 or 3 of your friends or family members, I highly suggest going to Stanton Social. The music is loud and it's kind of dark, but the food is spectacular. For a table of 4 people, they recommend 8 - 10 dishes. All dishes are small plates and meant for sharing. So get excited to try lots of food, and I promise you will enjoy it. Let the foodie roller coaster ride, begin!

*Note - Don't forget to make a reservation at least a few days in advance. This place is packed even on week nights! (average wait time with a reservation is approximately 15 - 45 minutes)

Allergy Info:
They are very accommodating with allergies. Just tell your server and they will make sure the dishes that you order are allergy free (or not appropriate for your particular allergy)
Vegetarian / Fish / Meat options all available

Foodie Rundown:
French Onion Soup Dumplings - A fan favorite across the board. Don't come here if you don't plan on getting these. So fabulous from the presentation to the taste! Careful, these are very hot (temperature). So eat them slow!

Potato & Goat Cheese Pierogies with caramelized onions & truffle creme fraiche - my personal favorite. The creme fraiche can be eaten on its own, it's to die for. Life changing actually.

Red Snapper Tacos with creamy avocado and spicy mango

Hand Pulled Chicken Arepas with jalapeño salsa verde - Guess I forgot to take a picture of these! But they were delicious as well. Definitely on the spicy side, but full of great flavor!

Maryland Jumbo Lump Crabcake 'Corn Dogs' - Just as cool as they sound, my mom's personal favorite!

Thai Spiced Baby Back Ribs with a hoisin BBQ glaze, jicama slaw and lemongrass oil - So the waitress said these would fall right off the bone, and they did (we tested). The flavors were so great, but we were so full! But we kept on eating!

Kobe Philly Slider / Grilled Aged Cheddar Slider with jalapeño bacon / Kobe Beef Slider with a side of assorted pickles. The chips are sour cream and onion flavored, and the burgers are great! I've tried almost all of them on the menu, but I keep coming back to the Kobe Philly! (the truffle creme fraiche is on the top, I can't resist)

Baked Spanikopita with Spinach in a puff pastry. So this word is evidently easier to say that what I say. But after many attempts, I just went with the "Baked Spanky". These were outrageous, newer on the menu and full of flavor and delicious flakey pastry!

Dessert
Pumpkin filled twinkie with Hot Chocolate Bourbon dessert shots. Not being a huge fan of pumpkin didn't stop me from loving this pumpkin filled twinkie! Plus, who doesn't love twinkles?

The bourbon shots are always delicious. They change seasonally with regards to either hot shots or cold shots. But this wintery hot chocolate shot was the icing on the cake for an outrageous meal!

Location:
Lower East Side - Stanton between Ludlow and Orchard

In-N-Out Burger

2012-10-25T16:23:00.002-04:00

Shake Shack, Five Guys and adding to my list, In N Out Burger. The last of my burger trilogy that I've been dying to try for years now. Few drinks in, there was a decision to go to the famous In N Out Burger on campus at UCLA, yes, this is where I was. Full of hungry and slightly intoxicated college students. But, nonetheless I was still excited to try this burger.

OF COURSE, there was a secret menu, why would I even bother ordering, when half of my order wasn't on the menu! There are grilled onions available and fries animal style (clearly the only way to go). But this "not-so-secret" menu can be found HERE

Allergy Info:

Meatlovers

100% pure beef free of additives, fillers and preservatives of any kind

Peanut free

Foodie Rundown:

Cheeseburger with Grilled Onions (comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese and special sauce) - (pictured) - These burgers were fresh and delicious, although late night and after a few drinks, I would go back for this burger just like a shake shack burger in NY.

Fries (Animal Style) - fries with grilled onions, some sort of pickles and special sauce mixture with cheese (pictured)

Locations:

Location Finder

http://www.in-n-out.com/

Umami Burger

2012-10-24T12:39:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the small hiatus from blogging for a few days. But I have 2 LA posts! So get on your plane, private jet or in your car and head to LA (or San Fran) to get one of these awesome burgers...c'mon, I know you want to.

Umami Burger is one of LA's finest burger joints. A trendy, fun and delicious burger for the entire family. Pick your favorite and go back for seconds cause they will definitely keep your mouths watering. So the good news is there are rumors of Umami Burger opening up in NYC. Waiting for a date and a time, and i'll be there waiting for the doors to open!

Allergy Info:

Ahi Tuna burger available, but no veggie or turkey burgers for our meatless friends

No nuts in the burgers / peanut oil is not used (but there are definitely nuts in the desserts, so just stick to the main course)

Meat lovers enjoy

Foodie Rundown:

If you're made it this far, make sure to do some research on the Umami Burger secret menu items. I'll give you a hint, cheesey truffle fries (pictured) and tater tots are among the secret menu. But I can't give all of their secrets away, so you'll have to do some digging on your own.

Manly Burger: Now, I was hesitant to make a first impression in front of co-workers ordering the "Manly Burger" but decided that they should know me for who I really am. A huge foodie, who would never stop at anything less than amazing, for food of course. So the manly burger, is topped with beer-cheddar cheese, smoked salt-onion strings and bacon lardon. So the larden part kind of threw me off, but don't let it. Because this burger is juicy manly goodness. Yeah, I said it. (pictured)

Umami Burger: A classic that my friend said he always gets. A burger jam packed with shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, parmesan crips and umami ketchup. I don't even like mushrooms, but when I took a bite of this burger, it was delicious! (pictured)

Locations:

California

Los Angeles

Pasadena

The Grove

Anaheim

Laguna

Thousand Oaks

Costa Mesa

Hermosa

Valli

Santa Monica

Cahuenga Blvd

Los Feliz - Hollywood Blvd

La Brea

San Francisco

NYC - COMING SOON!

http://www.umami.com/

Musha - Santa Monica

2012-10-17T23:47:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had Japanese cuisine without eating a plateful of sushi? Have you ever had Japanese tapas? (Probably not). At Musha you can get quality Japanese food, full of flavor and origination without order sushi, sashimi or any raw fish and rice combination.

Musha is like the Japanese version of The Melting Pot for those of you who are familiar. They have dishes that come with a little "grill" with hot stones (see picture) and you can grill the meat and veggies to your liking. There are tons of gluten free, non meat, non fish, and vegetarian/vegan options for the whole family!

Allergy Info:
Allergy friendly
Vegetarian friendly
Vegan friendly
Gluten free options available

Foodie Rundown:
Tapas / Small Plates
Uba Shinjo - shrimp dumplings wrapped with tofu skin and deep friend (Pictured)

Ebimayo - Musha's version of rock shrimp tempura, fried to perfection with a sweet and spicy mayo sauce! (Pictured)

Appetizer
Spicy Tuna Dip - served with rice cake crackers was light and delicious, the best part of a spicy tuna roll, without the roll! (Pictured)

Grill
The Shichirin is a modern table top charcoal grille. My friend and I ordered the Saikoro Steak, which is cube cut rib eye steak served with 2 different sauces (garlic soy steak sauce and ponzu sauce) - the steak was tender and juicy and the sauces went with not only the steak but everything else on the table! (Pictured)

Locations:
Santa Monica, CA
Torrance, CA
Pasadena, CA

Follow them on Twitter

Musha

Feel the Love, in Nashville!

2012-10-16T05:40:00.001-04:00

This weekend I was fortunate enough to visit my brother at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. I went to a place called the Loveless Cafe. After a shortened 2 and a half hour wait, we were seated at this lovely country looking restaurant with a never ending menu of southern specialties. The service and the food were fabulous and the entire family had a great time. I suggest if you're in Nashville, driving out to the Loveless Cafe for some delicious and different foodie combinations.

*Note - Make sure to call ahead to cut down your wait time, you can put your name down and then drive over. Definitely a smart move that most of the locals know. The tourists, not so much.

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
Pit-Cooked Pork BBQ and Two Eggs, One to the Left and One to the Right - This is the manliest of breakfasts, eggs topped with a whole plate full of pulled pork and BBQ sauce (pictured)

BBQ Pork Omelet with Sautéed Onions, Cheddar & BBQ Sauce (3 Eggs) - The girly version of what my brother ordered above, but full of cheese and BBQ sauce. This was seriously the most outrageous breakfast I could have asked for. It was so delicious and the BBQ sauce, cheese and onions were the perfect mix of flavors for this omelet. (Pictured)

Loveless Fried Chicken (Half Chicken) – Same Recipe Since 1951 - This fried chicken is NO joke, it was deep fried to perfection and served with 2 sides. My dad got the hashbrown caserole and the creamed corn, which were both outrageous. (Pictured)

Waffle with Bacon or Sausage - My mom and nana both ordered the waffle with country ham instead of bacon or sausage. The country ham is very salty (which they warn you about) but is definitely tasty! The waffle was a waffle, but was still enjoyable for all! (Pictured)

Sides:
Hashbrown Casserole - potato goodness, need i say more?
Homemade Creamed Corn - if someone came out with an entire bowl of this, I think I could have eaten it as a meal!

Dessert:
Banana Pudding - Served with 5 spoons and passed around the table multiple times, the banana pudding was sweet and savory, and was a great end to our huge breakfast! (Pictured)

Location:
8400 Tennessee Hwy 100
Nashville, TN 37221

Follow them on facebook or twitter!

Loveless Cafe

Mighty Balls to the Rescue!

2012-10-12T10:55:00.001-04:00

Last night at Madison Square Eats I tried Mighty Balls! A gourmet meatball truck where you can get either just the ball, a meatball hero or a meatball slider! Everyone loves some good meatballs and these were definitely delicious!

Allergy Info:
Vegetarian friendly
Meat lovers

Foodie Rundown:
Obviously to optimize the different types of ball and sauce combos I got 3 sliders! 2 were the recommended ball to sauce combos and one I made up on my own! Here is goes:
Pork slider with jalapeño jelly - this was spicy!! But it had such great flavor and the consistency of a jelly on a meatball was way more awesome than what I had expected!

Beef ball with tomato sauce -
Sometimes ya just gotta get a classic meatball slider! The tomato sauce was fresh and full of chunks of tomatoes and was a nice refreshing classic meatball slider

Pork ball slider with "not your average brown sauce" I could tell you I had no idea what to expect from this, but the brown sauce was thick and tasty, like a brown sauce should be! It had a Chinese food taste on a meatball on a bun? If that's not the best combination of food ever, then I don't know what is!

Location:
UrbanSpace Meatpacking - corner of W13th and Washington St - Open daily Sept 1- Oct 28. Sun-Thurs 11-8, Fri & Sat 11-10.

Madison Square Eats - Sept 21-Oct 19: 11-9 daily

For daily locations follow Might Balls on twitter! @mightyballsnyc

http://mightyballs.com/

SPICE up your life!

2012-10-10T16:05:00.001-04:00

SPICE is a chain of Thai restaurants throughout NYC. It is consistently good and trendy and has prices that can’t be beat. It’s not the most allergy friendly as there are peanuts and cashews in a lot of their dishes and sauces, so nut allergic must be careful. The food is flavorful and they have drink specials almost every night. Last night they had mojitos on special, and if you were lucky enough to get a sample glass, they came around the table and gave you them for free!

Allergy info:
Nut Allergy Beware

Foodie Rundown:
Appetizers:
Sa-tae Chicken (grilled marinated skewers with peanut dipping sauce)
Thai Dumplings (steamed pork & crab dumpling with black bean vinaigrette sauce
Crispy Calamari with spicy crushed tomato sauce

Entrees:
Cashew Chicken Nut - onions, broccoli, bell peppers with tamarind chili paste (pictured)
Beef / Shrimp Pad Thai- traditional thai noodle, egg, peanuts, bean sprouts and scallion
SPICE Duck - half duck, ginger, mushrooms and pineapple with sweet and sour sauce (pictured)

Locations:
Chelsea
East Village
Union Square
Upper West Side
Upper East Side

SPICE

It’s Time for Kevin’s Thyme

2012-10-08T13:13:00.001-04:00

Kevin’s Thyme is located in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. Northern NJ, about 25 miles outside of the city. This restaurant has an amazing staff, amazing service and more importantly amazing food. With a local and ever changing menu, they are gourmet, not pretentious and full of real NYC flavors. For those of you located in NJ and can’t make it into the city for dinner, please go to Kevin’s Thyme. Order as much as you can, share it or keep it to yourself and if it’s nice outside, sit on the patio under the stars.

*Don’t forget to make a reservation. The restaurant is super small (very NYC like). And stop off across the street to pick up a bottle of wine. Kevin’s Thyme is BYOB.

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
When I was little, my parents always used to say that you could tell how great a restaurant would be based on the bread that they serve before the meal. As the bread came out, served with a delicious pesto sauce for dipping (pine nuts are in the pesto sauce). I looked at my mom and said “Dinner is going to be good”.

Lobster Spring Rolls with Asian Sauce This dish was beautiful, the colors from the veggies and the plating of the spring rolls were just absolutely gorgeous! What a delicious appetizer to get our taste buds going! (pictured)

Baby Green Salad with Balsamic Poached Figs, Candied Walnuts, Goat Cheese and Port Wine Cranberry-Raspberry Vinaigrette – a light and delicious way to start your meal. Full of candied walnuts (can be removed for those who are allergic) are absolutely fabulous. (pictured)

Grilled Wild Line Caught Southwest Swordfish with Israeli Couscous, Sautéed Spinach, Honey Jalapeño Glaze and Red Onion Marmalade Just thinking back to eating this makes my mouth water. The Honey Jalapeño glaze was to die for. Sweet and spicy to go with the perfectly cooked swordfish. (pictured)

Pan Seared Mascovy Duck Breast with Israeli Couscous, Sautéed Spinach and Orange Chocolate Espresso Sauce As a duck loving family, my mom ordered this 1) because it’s duck and 2) because it’s made with an orange chocolate espresso sauce, need I say more? (pictured)

Location:
614 North Maple Avenue
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423

Don’t forget, Kevin’s Thyme does gourmet catering for weddings and other special events!

Kevins Thyme

Decaf Vegan Delight!

2012-10-04T08:52:00.001-04:00

Do you hate coffee? Are you a vegan? Do you like keeping a healthy diet? Do you love tea?

Argo Tea has an insane menu of teas, hot, cold and decaf. With scattered locations around NYC, the standard menu along with the seasonal menu flavors cannot be beat. The first time I went to Argo Tea was because of the “Irish Cream Tea Latte” poster that was hanging in the window. My friend Jaymelee and I walked by, then walked back and said we had to try it! It just sounded to good not to try! We left Argo Tea full of smiles. Delighting in the flavor of the tea while actually drinking something quite light. The customization of soy milk, whole milk, almond milk or skim milk allows you to customize to your liking.

In addition, their small bakery of quiche and muffins has some gluten free options for our gluten free friends! This place keeps getting better and better! For all nutritional information, you can check the link on their website! Nutritional Information Here

Allergy Info:
Customizable Tea’s (all tea can be made either hot or cold!)
Many Decaf Teas
Gluten Free and Vegan Options at the bakery and the catering menu
100% Organic
Nutritionally balanced
Wholesome ingredients

Foodie Rundown:
My personal favorite is the Green Tea Strawberry Cream (made with skim milk). This is naturally sweetened and delicious! Definitely has caffeine, but is delicious either hot or cold! You can also buy the loose tea and bring it home, which is fabulous!

Seasonal Irish Cream Tea Latte (made with skim milk) was my first ever tea from Argo. A life changing experience, if I must say so myself!

Other Teas to try:
Earl Grey Vanilla (hot)
White Tea Acai Squeeze (cold)
Pom Tea (either hot or cold)
Tea Sangria (hot or cold)

Locations:
NYC
Flatiron Building
NYU Langone Medical Center
Columbus Circle
Chelsea
Union Square
NYU Academic Resource Center
Chicago
Boston
St Louis
Beirut, Lebanon

Argo Tea

Mesa Grill

2012-10-03T11:59:00.001-04:00

Bobby Flay continues to bring southwest style excellence to NYC after years of success. At Mesa Grill, you will be in awe of the menu, the décor and the service. The food from the appetizers, drinks to desserts were all tasty, spicy, sweet and savory. Leaving with only the feeling of wanting to go back when I was done with my meal.

Allergy Info:
Mesa Grill uses a lot of spices, and if you do not like spices or cannot eat them, almost every dish can be altered to be less spicy or not spicy at all.
There are some nuts on the menu, but they are very accommodating
Allergy Friendly
Vegetarian Friendly

Foodie Rundown:

Appetizers:
Bread for the Table –Corn and Jalapeno Corn Muffins were such a lovely substitute for bread at Mesa Grill. Great consistency and flavor to begin our southwestern foodie journey!

Roasted Corn Soup with Ancho Chile Crema and warm hominy croutons – Considering this was my first ever taste of corn soup, I thought it was outrageous. It was creamy and had a little kick to it, that was definitely worth trying (pictured)

Rough Cut Tuna Nachos and the Blue Corn Pancake – So when I asked the waiter for his 2 favorite appetizers, these were the recommendations. The Rough Cut Tuna Nachos came with Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce and Avocado Crema. The tuna was perfectly served, fresh chips to dip, and the right amount of spices. The fresh tuna was delicious, and the mango flavor and colors of the dish really stood out. Now the boldest of these 2 appetizers was the Blue Corn Pancake with Barbecued Duck and Habanero Chile-Star Anise Sauce. This just brought together savory bbq flavors, with the rich tasting duck and the spices from the sauce. It was to die for. Only thing I would have changed would have been to have more pancakes on the plate! (pictured)

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri, Pickled Red Onions and Charred Corn with Tortillas – My dad and boyfriend both got the Sunday night skirt steak special. It was grilled to perfection and both found it to be very delicious. I loved the flavors of the onions with the chimichurri sauce. Definitely a must have if you go on a Sunday! (pictured)

Cornmeal Crusted Chile Relleno filled with Roasted Eggplant, manchego cheese, with sweet red pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar – Now, to the average eye (like mine), I had no idea what on earth this was. But it kinda sounded delicious? So I asked about it, found out it was the oldest item on the menu, since the Mesa Grill opened, and that it was the only vegetarian item as an entrée. Well, I did some good homework, because I fell in love with Chile Relleno. Imagine an eggplant, fried in cornmeal, filled with cheese, with spices and flavors that you didn’t even know existed! I had everyone at the table try it, and the consensus was the same! An A+ for the Cornmeal Crusted Chile Relleno! (pictured)

Side Dish:
Roasted Corn with Chipotle Aioli, Lime and Cotija – a perfect side dish full of flavor for sharing! A definite must for the table! (pictured)

Dessert:
Sticky Toffee Pudding with salted Cajeta and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, need I say more? (pictured)

Seriously, thank you Bobby Flay.

Locations:
NYC
Las Vegas
Bahamas

Fun Fact: The Mesa Grill used to be a factory in the 1960’s. What did they manufacture?
Answer: Coo Coo Clocks

http://mesagrill.com/new-york-city-restaurant/about.php

Madison Square Mexican!

2012-10-01T08:46:00.001-04:00

Calexico is a gourmet Mexican food truck at Madison Square Eats! Offering up burritos, quesadillas and tacos with delicious seasonings and healthy options!

Allergy info:
Vegetarian friendly
Healthy options available (any burrito can be served "naked" without the tortilla and with a salad instead

Foodie Rundown:
Burrito: Pollo Verde was amazing, and I don't even like chicken! Slow cooked chicken with bacon and tomatillo salsa with rice, beans and cheese in a tortilla

Chipotle Pork Quesadilla with chipotle "crack" sauce! The sauce is like a chipotle mayo, and is definitely described correctly!

Locations:
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
RedHook, Brooklyn
Cart Locations (follow Calexico on Twitter @CalexicoNYC)
Madison Square Eats till the 19th

www.calexicocart.com

Roberta's Pizza

2012-09-29T15:22:00.000-04:00

Thank you Madison Square Eats for bringing a little slice of Brooklyn to Flatiron. Roberta's Pizza, located in Buschwick, brings excitement and delicious pizza to the neighborhood. My friend and I got the bee sting which is only on the brunch menu and not the lunch and dinner menu. If you can't make it out to Brooklyn for the pizza, stop by Madison Square Park to grab a personal pie and a beer!

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
Bee Sting: Mozzarella, Tomato, Chilli Flakes, Sopressata and Honey. Now this is an amazing pizza, different then your normal pizza, spicy and sweet and definitely hits the spot. The honey is drizzled on the top and adds an amazing sweetness

Location:

261 Moore Street, Brooklyn, NY

Madison Square Eats (until October 19th)

http://robertaspizza.com/

I want Billy’s….Cupcakes!

2012-09-28T08:48:00.001-04:00

So, I’m more of a cookie lover, but I think these cupcakes officially have changed my mind. I was lucky enough to try 2 cupcakes at work from Billy’s Bakery. They were fluffy, delicious, and flew like hotcakes out of the containers, so I was happy to get my hand on 2 different flavors. Billy’s bakery has more than just cupcakes though, and I can’t wait to be able to try more menu items! They have cheesecakes, pies, cookies and bars and other items such as breakfast muffins and biscuits. They are located throughout the city, so make sure to check them out for your next event or birthday!

Allergy Info:
No preservatives in any products
Nuts are used in certain items such as the carrot cake, pumpkin bars and some of the breakfast items (for example the banana nut mini loaf). Although there may not be nuts in whatever you order, they’re still made in the same kitchen, so nut allergies beware!

Foodie Rundown:
Red Velvet Cupcake: Very velvety, delicious and the frosting was amazing! (warning: this cupcake stains, so make sure you’re careful when eating it, check your fingers, your clothes and make sure that it’s not all over you!)
Banana Cupcake: I have never tasted a cupcake like this before. It was like banana bread with a cream cheese frosting, so flavorful and seasonally appropriate. I absolutely loved it!

Locations:
Chelsea
Tribeca
Nolita

http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/

Mayhem & Stout

2012-09-27T08:35:00.001-04:00

Madison Square Eats does it again! Mayhem and Stout slow braises all of their meat. The sandwiches are made to order and are mouth wateringly delicious. The bread was great, and the sauces all looked good, so I’ll have to go back and try more of them. This place is definitely for the meat lover. No vegetarian options on the menu.

The menu changes daily, but here is a sample of what you may find on a daily basis:
Short Rib Brisket ($10);
Pork Shoulder ($10);
Fried Chicken ($9);
Sauce Choices (The Dragon, Yellow BBQ, Red Harissa, Maple Brown Sugar Sriracha);
Add-on Choices (Spicy Slaw, Pickled Carrot, Jalapeno, Escabeche, Fresh Scallion Chive

Foodie Rundown:
Taken from Mayhem and Stout’s website:
Our menu changes daily. All relishes, spreads & sauces are house-made using the freshest, most high-end ingredients available. Our meats are slow-cooked until they are fall-apart tender.
My combination? Short Rib Brisket with The Dragon sauce, with jalapeno and pickled carrots

Location:
They are located in DeKalb Market in Brooklyn (138 Willoughby Street)
Or
Madison Square Eats until October 19th

Follow them on Twitter @mayhemandstout
http://mayhemandstout.yolasite.com/

Madison Square What?

2012-09-24T13:15:00.001-04:00

From September 21st to Friday October 19th, make sure to check out Madison Square Eats in Worth Square, across the street from Madison Square Park! What is this amazing feast you may ask? It is a collection of trucks, restaurants and vendors offering some of the best food in the city.

I’m going to try and get to each and every stand before they leave, here’s a sweet one for your Monday.

Today’s post is for Momofuku Milk Bar. I bought 2 nut free cookies from the Momofuku Milk Bar stand. Every ingredient is listed on the back of the cookie labels which is great. There are nuts in the bakery / factory where the cookies are made, but they are not in the Blueberry and Cream Cookie or Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie, which are the 2 that I bought.

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly
Nut friendly ** (anything on their menu on the website will have **’s to specify if the item has nuts in it or not.
Periodic soft serve ice cream flavors that are gluten free, unfortunately all the items on the menu otherwise have gluten

Foodie Rundown:
I need to go to the store to try more things, but the cookies were outrageous! Soft and gooey and lasted a few days. These were just outrageous! MUST TRY MORE!

Just to get an idea of the flavors, here are the available cake flavors, can you say, “yummy???”

· apple pie cake cheesecake filling, apple compote, pie crumbs
· banana cake**banana cream, hazelnut crunch, gianduja fudge
· birthday cake rainbow cake crumble, sprinkles, vanilla frosting
· carrot cake cheesecake filling, milk crumbs, streusel buttercream
· chocolate chip cake passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs, coffee buttercream
· chocolate malt cake malt fudge, malted milk crumbs, charred marshmallow
· dulce de leche cake dulce de leche frosting, milk crumbs
· mint cookies n’ cream cake cookies n’ cream frosting, mint cheesecake, chocolate crumbs
· pistachio cake** lemon curd, pistachio frosting, milk crumbs
· pretzel cake stout ganache, burnt honey frosting, pretzel crumbs
· strawberry-lemon cake lemon curd, pickled strawberry jam, milk crumbs

Locations:
East Village – 13th and 2nd
Midtown – 56 btetween 5th and 6th
Upper West Side – Columbus
Brooklyn – Williamsburg
Brooklyn – Caroll Gardens
Urbanspace meatpacking market – Corner of 13th and Washington

G-L-U-T-E-N gluten gluten gluten!

2012-09-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

With Football season in full swing, you may be wondering where you can order gluten free pizza and pasta around the city! Check out some of the top contenders and make sure you don’t starve during the games!

Keste Pizzeria – W. Village
http://kestepizzeria.com/

Tribeca Pizzeria - Tribeca
http://ordertribecapizza.com

Risotteria – Soho
http://risotteria.com/

S’Mac - E. Village and First Ave & Houston
http://www.smacnyc.com/what.html

Mozzarelli’s - Flatiron
http://www.mozzarellis.com/

Travel Thursday – Olive La Jolla!

2012-09-19T21:21:00.001-04:00

Today’s Travel Thursday post comes all the way from La Jolla, California. (Pronounced “La Hoy-a” for those on the east coast). I stumbled upon this store while walking through the quaint and lovely town of La Jolla 2 summers ago. My parents said “There Sydney goes into a food store again - Shocking”. Immediately I was blown away at this store, as my immediate response to the woman at the register was, “you need to open one of these in NY” and here is why:

All olive oil is local to California
Educational shopping experience, learn things about Olive Oil that you most likely don’t know!
Quality Olive Oil – Local, Local, Local!
In addition to Olive Oil, they sell handcrafted mustards, pestos, tapenades, balsalmic vinegars and other speciality ingredients such as caramels and chocolates and salts!

As their website says, “We Olive is more than just a store with olive oil…it is an Olive Oil Experience”. And that’s how I felt when I left. Check it out, tell your friends, and if you’re ever in California, get some local Olive Oil at “We Olive”!

Allergy Info:

All ingredients are on the labels, so don’t be afraid to ask some questions. The people at “We Olive” are there to help you in finding your inner olive oils. (That’s a joke). All ingrediatents are locally grown in California, and if they are not, We Olive will make sure to tell you (just in case you are against the other states). Remember, you are helping the local farmers, the local economy and the local environment.

Foodie Rundown:

Unfortunately without physically going to La Jolla, you won’t get the same experience as I had. Thankfully there are many locations throughout California and there is an online store. But if you do get the chance to go, you will notice that there are little squares of bread and huge jugs of olive oil and spreads throughout the store. Take some bread, and enjoy the different tastes of California’s olive oil. Fill up the size bottle of your choice, and be on your merry way.

Pick an olive oil with flavor! There are tons to chose from. We left with over 8 bottles of Olive Oil. One of the fan favorites is the We Olive Collection Fresh Garlic Olive Oil. It is infused with garlic and is great for cooking pasta!

Truffle Salt will allow you to have your expensive taste on tight budget! Throw this on potatoes, pasta’s or really anything? (My trick is on mac n cheese!) -- Pictured

Check out the We Olive blog here

If you’re in the area, check out the events here

Locations:

La Jolla, CA

Costa Mesa, CA

Paso Robles, CA

San Luis Obispo, CA

Fresno, CA

El Dorado Hills, CA

Ventura, CA

Belmont Shore, CA

San Francisco, CA

Walnut Creek, CA

http://www.weolive.com/

YEE HAW!

2012-09-19T10:24:00.001-04:00

Step out of the City into a country delight. Hill Country BBQ offers some of the best BBQ in New York City, and is fun for the entire family. Get family style sides to share, or little ones to keep to yourself (you all know what I would do!). This is an interactive restaurant so don’t think you’ll go to Hill Country to be wined and dined. Bring your cowboy hat, your appetite and have a few beers and enjoy this fun and casual BBQ place in the heart of Flatiron.

*Remember, don’t lose your meal ticket! You could be charged $50 for that baby! So keep it on your table at all times!

Allergy Info:
Meat lovers!
No nuts
No fish
Mostly gluten free
Sorry vegetarians, this place is not for you!

Foodie Rundown:

For the Meat:
Pork Spare Ribs And Beef Ribs – I can never remember which of the ribs I love more, so every time I go, I get one of each! They are absolutely great, and they are huge!
Brisket – My boyfriend loved the brisket, said it was delicious and fall apart delicious
Original Sausage - Can never go wrong with sausage, take that as you wish.
Market Chicken - ok so for those of you who follow the blog, I don’t really eat chicken. But my mom ordered the Market Chicken, and I took a little taste, it was outrageous! Succulent and juicy, with lots of BBQ sauce and a slice of white bread. Welcome to Texas!?

For the Side:
Longhorn Cheddar Mac & Cheese - I’m pretty sure everyone loves mac & cheese as a side, and if you don’t, well that’s just not good (pictured)
White Shoepeg Corn Pudding – this is like corn candy! I love this stuff, I’m pretty sure it’s seasonal, but it is always the first side that I get when I go
Green Bean Casserole w/ Durkee Onions - just like mama’s green bean casserole!
Skillet Corn Bread with Ancho Honey Butter – 1) you always need to have corn bread on the table at a BBQ, 2) the ancho honey butter is melt in your mouth delicious! It has some cinnamon and honey and it is just outrageous! Smother it all over the corn bread like you would in the deep south, it’s ok, no ones watching! (pictured)
Hot German Potatoes
Confetti Cole Slaw

For the Dessert:
Banana Cream Pudding - when you think you can’t eat any more? Make sure to order this dessert, as my boyfriend said, “I think this may be the best banana cream pudding I’ve ever had!”

Locations:
NY – 30 W. 26th
DC – 410 Seventh street NW

http://www.hillcountryny.com/

Always “Having a Good Time”

2012-09-18T16:34:00.001-04:00

In Spanish, the word Pipa, means “having a good time.” At Pipa, you can guarantee yourself a good time with Spanish- inspired food, including the ever trendy and popular, Spanish tapas. With delicious Latin flavors and traditional small plates you will enjoy your evening whether with friends or on a date. Order as many dishes as your stomach can handle and don’t forget to share and don’t forget to admire the chandeliers in the dining room.

*FYI, the sangria is potent and delicious! (Pictured)

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly
Lactose Intolerant may have a hard time, but there are enough dishes without cheese that you can order!

Foodie Rundown:
Cocas (Catalan Flat Bread) - The Pipa with sliced chorizo, artichoke, tomato and piquillo peppers is delicious, as is the Bistec with grilled skirt steak, goat cheese, tomato, red onion, cabbage, chimichurri and jalapeno (for the spicy tongued)

Pinchos (Skewers) – de Pollo – free range chicken breast with coriander, paprika marinade and hazelnut-romesto dipping sauce. My family ordered this without the hazelnut sauce, and it was outrageous! 1) I don’t really like chicken, go figure? And 2) this was the best part of my dinner! I can only imagine what it would taste like with the dipping sauce!

Croquetas – Anything deep fried with cheese is going to be delicious. But I have tried and loved the following:
Bolas de Queso Croquette - goat cheese, tricolor bell peppers with a white wine dipping sauce
Jamon Croqueete – Ham, carmelized onions with a sherry dipping sauce

Let the fun begin, Tapas Rundown:
Gamas al Ajilillo – Sauteed Ecuadorian Shrimp with garlic and chillies – make sure you’re not kissing anyone right after this tapas, but if you do, bring some gum, cause it’s totally worth the garlic breath!

Stuffed Piquillos – Piquillo peppers, crabmeat, shrimp and piquillo aioli – this just speaks for itself.

Baby Chorizo with white wine, olive oil and garlic (a Spanish tapas staple)

Beef Meatballs – sofrito, green pepper demi-glaze, crème fraiche and tomato (I wanted to order 10 of these with some pasta and eat this as a meal)

Patatas Bravas – another Spanish tapas staple dish, deliciously sliced potatoes with a spicy brava aioli sauce (Pictured)

Location:
Flatiron - 38 East 19th St - Between Broadway & Park Ave South

http://www.pipa-nyc.com/

Travel Thursday!

2012-09-13T12:45:00.001-04:00

Psych! Today we are traveling to Colombia without actually leaving Manhattan. Palenque is a food truck with gourmet Colombian delicacies. The food is made using only the best eco-friendly and organic ingredients and has vegetarian and vegan options as well.

What is an Arepa? You might ask…It is a bread patty made from corn and water (Palenque offers brown rice or quinoa based patty’s as well). Arepa’s can be topped with arugula, queso de hebra, beef, chicken, shrimp, seitan (wheat based and vegan), portobello mushrooms (vegan), organic vegan Italian chorizo or organic vegan chipotle chorizo! And if you think that’s not enough! They have organic vegan chipotle mayo (made with soy), guacamole and chimichurri-cilantro sauces!

Allergy Info:
Organic
Vegan
Vegetarian
Nut free!

Foodie Rundown:
Organic Chipotle Chorizo Arepa– A fan favorite according to the truck. This vegan, vegetarian, chorizo arepa, on a corn based patty, was outrageous. It was full of flavor and definitely packed a nice little spicy punch!

Beef Arepa on a Brown Rice and Sesame Patty – same great flavors as the chipotle chorizo, with a little less of the spcies! Absolutely delicious, the patty was nice and crisp, and both were thoroughly enjoyable!

Location:
Their Schedule is located here: http://palenque-schedule.blogspot.com/

http://www.palenquehomemadecolombianfood.com/

Babycakes

2012-09-10T14:44:00.003-04:00

Is your diet refined sugar, gluten, wheat, soy, dairy or egg free? Are you vegan or kosher? If you answered yes to any of the previously mentioned allergies, you will LOVE Babycakes NYC. This bakery is all of the above, and more. They don't use any peanuts or nuts except coconut, so based off the food and drug administration stating that coconut is now a tree nut, they are not able to mention that they are nut free. But if you are allergic to nuts, and not allergic to coconut, then you are in luck! This place is definitely for you!

*Note - In the non gluten free items, Babycakes uses a flour called spelt which contains gluten. It is NOT recommended for those following a gluten/wheat free diet. Also, an individual with a wheat related condition (i.e. celiac sprue, gluten sensitive enteropathies, etc...) should not consume spelt flour.

Allergy Info:

Refined sugar free

Gluten Free Friendly

Wheat free

Soy free

Dairy free

Egg free

Vegan

Kosher

Foodie Rundown:

Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut (See Pictured)

Chocolate Mint Cupcake (See Pictured)

Locations:

NYC - 248 Broome Street (Btwn Orchard & Ludlow)

Orlando - Lake Buena Vista

LA - Hollywood, Larchmont

Terri Tuesday!

2012-09-10T14:03:00.003-04:00

What are you doing for lunch today? Head over to chelsea (23rd and 6th) during your lunch break to get a vegetarian, organic, vegan & gluten friendly lunch! All items on the menu are 100% vegan and kosher, and only organic ingredients are used. They have sandwiches with gluten free bread available, along with some great dessert options, including cookies, donuts and cupcakes! Make sure you grab a drink or a side to go in the fridge on the left, the strawberry mint lemonade is delicious!

Allergy Info:
Vegan
Vegetarian
Organic
Gluten Free

Foodie Rundown:
*Fan Favorite - I would have to say, that while waiting for my Hummus & Avocado Wrap, the 4 people before me got the Hummus & Avocado Wrap! Full of hummus, avocado, smoked tofu, hot peppers, lettuce and tomato (See Picture)

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - 'chicken', Buffalo sauce, vegenaise (a vegan version of mayo), lettuce, onion and celery

Strawberry Mint Lemonade - says it like it is

Location:
23rd and 6th

Follow Terri on Twitter here

The Daily Juice

2012-09-09T09:41:00.002-04:00

Today's post comes out of Austin, Texas. With lots of readers with affiliations to Austin, I wanted to make sure you got reviews that would make you smile! The Daily Juice, is an all natural juice bar, never using chemicals, preservatives, chlorine, processed or genetically modified foods. They are local and organic, as much as possible. For a list of nutritional information for many of the Daily Juices ingredients (you can use this even if you don't live in Austin) please click here.

The Daily Juice is a local hot spot, stop by for a smoothie, a juice or a shot. Hang out on the back porch with some friends and enjoy your juice in the hot sun (not sure if it's ever NOT hot in Austin).

Allergy Info:
All Natural
Local / Organic when possible
Lots of nuts on the menu, so not allergies be careful

Foodie Rundown:
check out the menu for the list of smoothies here
I had the Ahh...I see, which was acai berry, banana and fresh apple! Naturally sweet, refreshing and delicious!

Locations:
Austin, TX (Hyde Park)
2 New Locations to open up:
Westlake & Downtown Austin

http://dailyjuice.myshopify.com/

Hot Diggity Dog!

2012-09-04T11:20:00.001-04:00

Let’s not let Labor Day end our summer just yet! Take a ride down to Cape May, NJ for some hot dogs! You’d be surprised at the menu full of gourmet, fun and crazy hot dog combinations! Vegetarians, don’t worry, there is a Carrot Dog for you! Get in line early, as it will start to build up around noon, get a slushy to cool you off and eat your hot dogs or “leaner wieners” on the beach, on a bench, or somewhere nearby!

Allergy Info:
Vegetarian Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
Big Bad Dog - B.A.D (All-Beef angus Dog on a ginsberg roll)
Leaner Wiener (all-meat pork & beef puppy on a soft steamed bun)

I tried the Leaner Wiener Scooby Dog, with crunchy onions, yellow mustard and dill relish, which was so delicious and full of crunch! I also tried the Chicago(-esque) Dog, (non leaner wiener) which was also delicious! Definitely packed a nice little kick, with brown mustard, onions, dill pickle relish, tomatoes, banana peppers and celery salt!

Here are some I wish I could have tried, but how many hot dogs can you eat in a day? -- Don’t answer that question.

Buffalo Dog
Reuben Dog
Texas Tommy (bacon and shredded cheddar cheese)
Tornado Dog – mashed potatoes, chili, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, banana peppers and sour cream
Thunder Dog – mashed potatoes, baked beans, yellow mustard, chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese
Chippy Dog – tangy red pickled pepper relish, onions and potato chips

Location:
Cape May, NJ

http://www.hotdogtommys.com/

Thirsty Thursday!

2012-08-30T10:15:00.001-04:00

Before we wrap up this great summer full of dinner, drinks and allergy friendly food, make sure you get in one last slushy this labor day weekend! Kelvin Natural Slush Co. has all natural slushies with sophisticated flavors in our favorite location on wheels, a truck!

Some flavors that they have are Spicy Ginger, Tangy Citrus, Green Tea and Black Tea. These are then mixed with real fruit puree, chopped mint and basil, and other mix-ins that they have available.

Follow them on twitter or give them a call and find out where they are located! Follow us on Twitter or call the “slush” phone 1.646.200.5083

Allergy Info:
All Natural fruits and flavors - All Kelvin Slushies are proudly made with highest quality all natural ingredients
Gluten Free
Nut Free
Allergy Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
Slushy of the day:The Arnold Palmer ( ½ Tea, ½ Citrus, with a Pomegranate mix in)

Location:
Follow Kelvin on Twitter @KELVINSLUSH

http://kelvinslush.com