tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-305566152024-03-13T14:15:59.972-04:00This is Gonna Be GoodIn the spirit of Tony Bourdain, food as adventure. Try everything twice in case it was made wrong the first time. Eat without fear or prejudice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger744125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-61386344628646048562014-09-15T15:29:00.002-04:002014-09-17T17:19:02.523-04:00Grilled Cheese by petitesoeur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AyNzSEsRREY/VBc9M1D1CdI/AAAAAAAAEbM/Wp5KGOiqF_g/s1600/0831141313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AyNzSEsRREY/VBc9M1D1CdI/AAAAAAAAEbM/Wp5KGOiqF_g/s1600/0831141313.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have been making my way around to the various places in New York which specialize in grilled cheese sandwiches.<br />
<br />
Early in the summer I went to Earl's Beer and Cheese with two friends.
One friend got the NY Cheddar with pork belly, kimchi and a fried egg on
sour dough. Pronounced: Good but not enough cheese. The other went
with blue cheese, ginger fig, potato chips on brioche. Pronounced: Maybe
blue cheese isn't the best kind to melt. I had the Earl's Taco which is
a scallion pancake used as a taco shell, filled with braised pork
shoulder, queso fresco, shredded cabbage, radish and cilantro.
Pronounced: The winner even though, obviously, it does not qualify as a
grilled cheese sandwich.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oV7v9f2rp5g/VBc9MwFSmBI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/5MQ00NB8lto/s1600/0831141313a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oV7v9f2rp5g/VBc9MwFSmBI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/5MQ00NB8lto/s1600/0831141313a.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Over Labor Day weekend, I went with another friend to <a href="http://www.saycheeseny.co/">Say Cheese</a>. More
spacious although just as bare bones in terms of decor as Earle, this
place has salads as well as sandwiches. We each went with a sandwich. My
friend had a monterey jack, munster, pesto & tomato on potato bread (left).
I had white cheddar with their homemade bacon onion tomato marmalade on
whole grain (above). Both with well-balanced amounts & combinations of
ingredients, including the bread: Crispy (from the toasted bread) ,
gooey (from the melted cheese), and flavorful (from the mix of salty,
sweet, sour, bitter, savory tastes).<br />
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I can't speak to the tater tots because they're not my thing. My friend
consumed them with relish. I liked my rosemary lemonade even though it
was on the sweet side. Excellent Stumptown coffee.<br />
I want to go back to try the black coffee snow cone as well as the
grilled cheese sandwich which is suppose to taste exactly like French
onion soup. <br />
<br />
All the photos are from Say Cheese which has fun old timey decor as well as
being light-filled, spacious and welcoming even though the floor is bare
and the tables/chairs are strictly utilitarian. <br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-4848582677064688742014-08-27T13:18:00.001-04:002014-08-27T13:19:43.675-04:00Pizza from petitesoeur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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More from petitesoeur:</div>
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I can't believe I ate this! </div>
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Little
Italy Pizza is a good place for a grab and go slice: lots of turnover
so very fresh with a very crisp crust with a marinara sauce that's on the
old school Brooklyn sweet side.</div>
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They
make a lovely, on the lighter side slice that covers the marinara sauce
with, in descending order: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, fresh
mozzarella. That's what I usually get at this place but on Monday
(August 25) evening I went for a carb-bomb: A slice of pizza with the
usual marinara, mozzarella, basil, parmesan plus baked ziti & goat
cheese. It was utterly delicious.</div>
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For
quite a while now, I have been baffled by the appearance of baked ziti
as a pizza topping. On the evening in question, I decided it was the
perfect moment to try it because I suddenly wanted lots of carbs.
Usually I don't eat the bottom crust of a slice if I get one with lots
of stuff on it because the crust always gets so soggy and also it's a
little trick of mine to at least pretend that I am eating fewer calories
by just eating the "bone." Thinking that, as usual, I would just eat
the "bone," I reasoned that this slice would be sort of like eating a
small bowl of baked ziti. But I had to taste the crust and it tasted so
good and was not soggy at all so I ate it in its entirity. </div>
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And, as Ralph used to say: I can't believe I ate the whole thing!</div>
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Little Italy Pizza <a href="http://www.lipizzany.com/" target="_blank">http://www.lipizzany.<wbr></wbr>com/</a></div>
fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-47618569919614670502014-08-11T09:46:00.001-04:002014-08-27T13:19:33.088-04:00Delicious Sandwich & Sweets by petitesoeurGuest blogger petitesoeur writes:<br />
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<br />
On a <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_807799375" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday</span></span>
in August, I went hunting for a pair of sandals since every shoe store
does deep discounts at the end of a season. Even though there were great
bargains at Camper, there was nothing I wanted to buy and at REI the
Anhu ones that I did want weren't in my size. But the trip downtown did result in two successful scores. <br />
<br />
Later in the day, I was meeting up with a friend for an afternoon/
evening of music at Lincoln Center Out of Doors so I purchased three
sandwiches from Russ and Daughters: Oy Vey Schmear (their famously
delicious chopped liver mixed with hand sliced pickle from the barrel),
Pastrami Russ (pastrami-cured salmon, dressed with sauerkraut &
mustard) and Fancy Delancy (smoked tuna, horseradish dill cream cheese
and wasabi-infused flying fish roe). I got them all on bialys in order
to minimize the amount of bread we would eat.<br />
<br />
Sitting on a bench outside the store, I consumed half of the Oy Vey.
R&D's chopped liver is perfect in every way including its
consistency, which is neither too smooth nor too chunky. I am sure they
incorporate both onions & chopped egg into the chopped liver as most
recipes call for the addition of both those items, but there's little
visual evidence of either's inclusion. There's no way to know for sure
as R&D does not disclose their recipe. Whatever way they utilize
those other two ingredients definitely balances rather than overpowers
the flavor of the liver. Word on the street: Their secret is cooking the
onions until they're so soft that they melt into the liver when mixed
in and only their sweetness lingers. I never would have thought to add
chopped pickles to chopped liver even though I am a fan of adding
(sweet) pickle relish into tunafish salad & mixing a bit of (fresh
or dried) fruit into chicken salad. It works: the (dill sour) pickles
provide just the right contrast of flavor and texture.<br />
<br />
As much as I enjoyed the Oy Vey (as did my friend when he ate his half
later on) and we both liked the Pastrami Russ, finding the sauerkraut
& mustard to provide a better flavor & texture contrast than the
usual schmear of cream cheese, we both agreed that the Fancy Delancy
was the star of the trio. It's also perfectly balanced in terms of
flavor & texture but more delicate & unusual than the other two.<br />
<br />
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It was just a hop, skip and jump (nine short city blocks) to the door of
Zucker Bakery where I sampled their lemon bar & a pecan bar before
sitting down to enjoy an excellent. (Stumptown) espresso and a
pomegranate thumbprint cookie. I purchased some mocha flavored alfajores
and a couple of date/halvah "roses," aka shoshanim, an Israeli version
of sticky buns. Both types of cookies are flavorful with just the right
amount of sweetness and a tender melt in your mouth crumb. The "roses"
were also yummy as well as being an interesting change-up to the usual
cinnamon or chocolate variety of this type of pastry. It's a sweet sweet
shop.fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-66333403178194826052013-07-22T14:22:00.002-04:002013-07-23T08:54:40.037-04:00The Franklin Fountain, Philadelphia PA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vn8osOJEB3o/Ue113jLYiUI/AAAAAAAAEH8/aXzGQS9H3lc/s1600/IMG_20130527_165623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vn8osOJEB3o/Ue113jLYiUI/AAAAAAAAEH8/aXzGQS9H3lc/s400/IMG_20130527_165623.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-9dHchIwBc/Ue114VlJ9zI/AAAAAAAAEIQ/Qkh3jw16udc/s1600/IMG_20130608_144925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-9dHchIwBc/Ue114VlJ9zI/AAAAAAAAEIQ/Qkh3jw16udc/s200/IMG_20130608_144925.jpg" width="200" /></a> This summer whenever we've been passing through Philly, we've made a point to stop in Old City to get ice cream at <a href="http://www.franklinfountain.com/">Franklin Fountain</a>. <br />
<br />
Franklin Fountain, and its sister store the Shane Confectionery, are the brainchild of the Berley Brothers. Both establishments are loving and meticulous re-creations of an old-timey ice cream parlour/soda fountain, and an old-fashioned candy store. <br />
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From the vintage cash registers (with iPads actually doing the transactions), to period
uniforms and tin ceilings, the stores are an homage to simpler times. And the ice cream
is really darn good!<br />
<br />
Redneckhunter is a purist and sticks
to his black and white milkshake. I have never dared to order one of
the massively huge sundaes or banana splits, though they look amazing.
Instead I stick to the "college" scoop - one scoop and one topping - my go-to is
peanut butter ice cream with their own super rich homemade hot fudge. <br />
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I've also tried their fountain creations. Above is a phospate with chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup, and strawberry syrup -- fizzy and refreshing and lighter than an ice cream soda.<br />
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There's always a line, but it generally moves quickly, and definitely worth the wait!<br />
<br />
<a class="footertitle" href="http://www.franklinfountain.com/" rel="home" title="The Franklin Fountain">The Franklin Fountain</a><br />
No. 116 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19106<br />
Telephone (215) 627-1899 <br />
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fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-51634910873761792892013-07-22T14:05:00.002-04:002013-07-23T08:56:19.775-04:00Follow-up to Despaña, Princeton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnkbwHdIL8I/Ue1qzdSfReI/AAAAAAAAEHY/ElQHaXKi8cU/s1600/IMG_20130621_184935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnkbwHdIL8I/Ue1qzdSfReI/AAAAAAAAEHY/ElQHaXKi8cU/s400/IMG_20130621_184935.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X9gXbyLPOOI/Ue1qys9WO7I/AAAAAAAAEG8/2cURy2PBCPM/s1600/IMG_20130621_182612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X9gXbyLPOOI/Ue1qys9WO7I/AAAAAAAAEG8/2cURy2PBCPM/s200/IMG_20130621_182612.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JgLIb9fBXOM/Ue1qyiE1NEI/AAAAAAAAEG0/87OPESM0jvQ/s1600/IMG_20130621_182349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JgLIb9fBXOM/Ue1qyiE1NEI/AAAAAAAAEG0/87OPESM0jvQ/s200/IMG_20130621_182349.jpg" width="200" /></a>As promised, and long overdue, here's a follow-up to <span class="st">the Despaña post.<br /><br />We sat out on the upstairs terrace and ordered from their tapas menu. I was tempted to order one of everything, but the waitress brought me back to my senses.</span><br />
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We didn't order the pan con tomate, but they brought a basket of it out - wonderful. They couldn't, however, bring plain bread when we asked for it to go with our jamon serrano. Oh well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QI1TpXCm_HI/Ue1qy76VppI/AAAAAAAAEG4/xlvGLxGzz7k/s1600/IMG_20130621_183135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QI1TpXCm_HI/Ue1qy76VppI/AAAAAAAAEG4/xlvGLxGzz7k/s200/IMG_20130621_183135.jpg" width="200" /></a>The absolute best thing we ate were the croquetas with jamon iberico - 1) seems so wrong to use the world's most expensive ham in croquettes, but 2) tastes so right! We had these at the preview event, but when they are fresh and hot from the fryer, they are heavenly!
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We also ordered eggplant fritters - not what I was expecting - instead of pancakes, these were like eggplant fries; and a paella mixto. We had also ordered a gazpacho that never came, so was cancelled; and last were shrimp which were super garlicky, but a little too salty, and just too much after the paella. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WTCRlO_Vluk/Ue1q0D5y5YI/AAAAAAAAEHg/--SoD3tBGeQ/s1600/IMG_20130621_191459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WTCRlO_Vluk/Ue1q0D5y5YI/AAAAAAAAEHg/--SoD3tBGeQ/s200/IMG_20130621_191459.jpg" width="200" /></a>Definitely a place we'll be going back to. They serve a different menu at lunch, with salads and sandwiches that you purchase at the counter and bring upstairs. <br /><br />I also loved the Cow Statue of Liberty glasses -- too bad they weren't for sale!</div>
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Despaña Princeton<br />
235 A Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
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fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-55382979071129173222013-06-18T12:35:00.000-04:002013-06-18T12:35:36.078-04:00Despaña, Princeton, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgRBpBembLI/UcCJ0fdnLrI/AAAAAAAAEFE/koI8Tu3bkqM/s1600/IMG_20130615_190433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgRBpBembLI/UcCJ0fdnLrI/AAAAAAAAEFE/koI8Tu3bkqM/s400/IMG_20130615_190433.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We've been eagerly awaiting the opening of the <a href="http://www.despanabrandfoods.com/about-us/blog">Princeton outpost of Spanish food market and cafe Despaña</a>. It's finally opening this Friday June 21.<br />
<br />
We were lucky enough to get to the sneak preview event last Friday, along with other locals, New Yorkers come down on the train, and we even met a Spanish couple who had come from as far as Ottawa. The wine was flowing, a trio of Spanish musicians were playing, the weather was beautiful, and they were serving up a huge paella and fideos on their rooftop deck.<br /><br />Inside, they were carving up a leg of jamon iberico -- we spent some time parked by this station, where we each ate probably at least $50 worth of meat.<br />
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There was also croquetas, papas bravas, tuna on crostini, cheese, jamon and more... </div>
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Here's a picture of the jamon iberico about halfway through the evening...<br />
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We are hoping to get a table for a real meal this Friday - will report more later!<br />
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Despaña Princeton<br />
235 A Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-52087028514073422872013-06-06T17:08:00.001-04:002013-06-06T17:08:53.123-04:00Taverna, Newark, DE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My dad and my have birthdays that are only 2 days apart, so we always celebrate together. This year, we went to Taverna, a new restaurant on Main Street in Newark, DE.<br />
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For a college town, Newark lately has been getting more and more upscale and trendy. A wine bar opened in the spot of the demolished dive bar The Stone Balloon, fellow dive bar The Deer Park was renovated and reopened, there's a banh mi shop, cupcakes, and tart yogurt. <br />
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So Taverna is yet another recent addition to the Newark dining scene. It's part of a restaurant group with a handful or restaurants in Wilmington and Hockessin, Delaware, and focuses on rustic Italian, wood-fired oven, etc.<br />
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being shortly after graduation, and Memorial Day, the town was quiet,
and we pretty much had the restaurant all to ourselves. We started out with an antipasto board - created with 3 selections of your choice. We went with prosciutto, housemade mozzarella and eggplant caponata.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZfS1eKkHLg/UbD1vNXq_QI/AAAAAAAAEDI/2YKfHgR3nV4/s1600/canelloniIMG_20130527_125351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZfS1eKkHLg/UbD1vNXq_QI/AAAAAAAAEDI/2YKfHgR3nV4/s200/canelloniIMG_20130527_125351.jpg" width="200" /></a>We also wanted to try their homemade ricotta. This was a bit salty for
my taste, but still creamy and yummy. Ricotta's one of those things though -
even bad ricotta in a plastic tub from the supermarket is pretty good... <br />
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For entrees, my dad got the canelloni (stuffed inside with chicken and
proscuitto) - quite good! My mom got the chicken taverna with a caper,
lemon, white wine sauce on capellini.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fN6raO8qiic/UbD1wFMNmAI/AAAAAAAAEDs/hI1qWCmvD9w/s1600/roastpork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fN6raO8qiic/UbD1wFMNmAI/AAAAAAAAEDs/hI1qWCmvD9w/s200/roastpork.jpg" width="200" /></a>Redneckhunter got the neopolitan pizza, and I made him order it with an egg on top (I got that slice, of course!) <br />
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And I ordered the roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwich, and substituted asparagus for my side of fries. It was a ton of food, and I ended up taking half of mine home as leftovers. All in all, another good addition to Newark!<br />
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Taverna<br />
121 E Main St<br />
Newark, DE 19711<br />
(302) 444-4334 fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-13083439135698684772013-06-03T11:59:00.003-04:002013-06-03T12:03:13.079-04:00Mistral, Princeton, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were around over Memorial Day weekend, the opening weekend of Scott Anderson's (Elements) newest restaurant in downtown Princeton. Small plates, lower price point than Elements, BYOB and great central location -- what's not to like, right?<br />
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The answer (for now, at least) is service. When we walked in we were told that it would be roughly 20 minutes to seat our party of 5 (they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more), but we were shafted when some "friends of Scott" came in behind us.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfpRfzd2k3M/UayyX0nly6I/AAAAAAAAEBs/psng45IfENI/s1600/gnocchiIMG_20130525_210921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfpRfzd2k3M/UayyX0nly6I/AAAAAAAAEBs/psng45IfENI/s200/gnocchiIMG_20130525_210921.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Over an hour later, we finally sat down. Not sure, but seemed like a couple other parties were in the same boat - there was definitely confusion as to who was getting seated and who wasn't.<br />
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The waitress was nice and helpful and recommended getting 2-3 small plates per person, extras of things that everyone wanted to taste. So we made a checklist on our place mat menus and were excited to finally eat! <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxRtoJ7Ieg/UayyaSRFnGI/AAAAAAAAECo/gFBCazZePck/s1600/weisswurstIMG_20130525_211717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxRtoJ7Ieg/UayyaSRFnGI/AAAAAAAAECo/gFBCazZePck/s320/weisswurstIMG_20130525_211717.jpg" width="320" /></a>No complaints about the food, but there was no sense of "coursing" or paying attention to the pacing. Plate after plate were just shuttled to the table. We'd have to quickly finish off a previous plate in order to make room for the next, and flag someone down to take it away. (I also didn't get why stuff had to plated on such large plates given the concept.)<br />
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Here's the rundown of what we had (not all pictured):<br />
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<b>Fennel salad</b><span class="info"> -- orange, mizuna, cilantro, olive oil</span></div>
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<b>Kimchi pancake </b><span class="info">-- housemade kimchi, tamari, scallions</span></div>
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<b>Pork Belly Salad</b><span class="info"> -- chinese chili, scallion, sesame oil</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3alLsdesn9E/UayyZ7DpujI/AAAAAAAAECg/cl26RBWr1og/s1600/tartareIMG_20130525_210925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3alLsdesn9E/UayyZ7DpujI/AAAAAAAAECg/cl26RBWr1og/s400/tartareIMG_20130525_210925.jpg" width="300" /></a>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJlCtoy2Lzs/UayyZjA2nPI/AAAAAAAAECY/uegOptrRoxw/s1600/sweetbreadIMG_20130525_211313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJlCtoy2Lzs/UayyZjA2nPI/AAAAAAAAECY/uegOptrRoxw/s200/sweetbreadIMG_20130525_211313.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Semolina Gnocchi</b><span class="info"> -- spinach, morels, spring onions, green garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs</span></div>
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<b>Housemade Bucatini</b><span class="info"> -- Lump crabmeat, scallion, chipotle pepper</span></div>
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<b>Hamachi tartare -- </b><span class="info">lime, honey, curry, papadum</span></div>
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<b>Grilled Calamari</b><span class="info"> -- artichoke barigoule, crispy artichokes</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4mUDdsCAxEY/UayyYjjIxcI/AAAAAAAAEBw/I0c_B1ctwLs/s1600/merguezIMG_20130525_211318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4mUDdsCAxEY/UayyYjjIxcI/AAAAAAAAEBw/I0c_B1ctwLs/s200/merguezIMG_20130525_211318.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrSZDM7ome8/UayyX0TvasI/AAAAAAAAEBk/SSZM2ZMHNok/s1600/calamariIMG_20130525_210438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div>
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<b></b><span class="info"></span><b>Grilled octopus</b><span class="info"> -- “papas bravas”, caper aioli, smoked paprika</span></div>
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<b>Sweetbread Cannelloni</b><span class="info"> -- short rib bordolaise, chard, honshimeji mushroom</span></div>
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<b>Weisswurst sausage</b><span class="info"> -- caraway, mustard, pickled cabbage, marble potato</span></div>
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<b>Lamb Merguez Sausage</b><span class="info"> -- chickpeas fresh and dried, harissa, sheepsmilk cheese, mint</span></div>
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<b>Korean short rib</b><span class="info"> -- soy, ginger, ramp kimchi, shishito pepers</span></div>
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<span class="info">The standouts for me were the short rib (apparently slow-cooked for 48 hours), bucatini (wish there were more), hamachi tartare, and pork belly salad. The weisswurst and merguez were also delicious. My least favorite were the calamari and sweetbread canneloni - both just a bit bland.</span></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrSZDM7ome8/UayyX0TvasI/AAAAAAAAEBk/SSZM2ZMHNok/s1600/calamariIMG_20130525_210438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
All in all, it was just the feeling of being rushed through our meal. Frustrating especially since we waited so long. Our wait time was longer than our meal time. Maybe we shouldn't have been so decisive as to order 15 plates all at once, and should have added more to our order halfway through...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4xDPFMhLkg/UayyYTY8H4I/AAAAAAAAECA/JNDVv4XMdBY/s1600/lemonIMG_20130525_214017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4xDPFMhLkg/UayyYTY8H4I/AAAAAAAAECA/JNDVv4XMdBY/s400/lemonIMG_20130525_214017.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6jHevjsWtnQ/UayyX2y7wPI/AAAAAAAAEBg/Oo3jwNvY9iY/s1600/chocolateIMG_20130525_214022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6jHevjsWtnQ/UayyX2y7wPI/AAAAAAAAEBg/Oo3jwNvY9iY/s320/chocolateIMG_20130525_214022.jpg" width="320" /></a> Desserts came highly recommended, so we ordered one of each. The<b> </b><b>Lemon posset </b>with<b> </b><span class="info">candied citrus and shiso was the favorite - such an interesting flavor and so refreshing yet luscious at the same time.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlazv569c18/UayyZNPtZMI/AAAAAAAAECQ/k2OUQbWwXQ8/s1600/rhubarbIMG_20130525_214013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlazv569c18/UayyZNPtZMI/AAAAAAAAECQ/k2OUQbWwXQ8/s200/rhubarbIMG_20130525_214013.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="info"><span class="info">The other one that surprised us was the innocuously named </span><b>Chocolates. </b>The cucumber (melon too perhaps?) sorbet that accompanied it was great! </span><br />
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<span class="info"> </span>The other two --<b> Rhubarb</b><span class="info"> cobbler with sorrel and buttermilk and </span><b>Hay & vanilla panna cotta</b><span class="info"> with biscuit and asian pear --</span> were delicious as well, just less surprising. <br />
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Let's hope they get it together with the seating and serving. I have the feeling that going back, we'll try to make sure we get 6 people together and make a reservation. </div>
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Mistral </div>
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66 Witherspoon Street Princeton, NJ 08542</div>
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<span class="phone">609.688.8808</span> </div>
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fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-12047855047067690302013-05-24T14:52:00.000-04:002013-05-28T15:19:35.756-04:00House of William and Merry, Hockessin, DE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We took my mom out for Mother's Day to the <a href="http://www.williamandmerry.com/Home.html">House of William and Merry</a> in Hockessin. I've always liked going out to Hockessin. Not that Newark, DE is a city or anything, but Hockessin always felt like going to "the country."<br />
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For years our go-to place in Hockessin was The Back Burner, so it was nice to notice William and Merry just down the street the last time we were there. While I still like the old standbys of pumpkin-mushroom soup, classics like the iceberg wedge or chicken salad at the Back Burner, I have to say I think W&M is more inventive.<br />
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My duck confit sandwich was the best dish we ordered, I think. The duck was melt-in-your-mouth-falling-apart good, with saga blue cheese, and super yummy fig jam -- served on a brioche bun, cut with a hole on top to let the poached egg show (growing up we called this "dong dong dan" - hole hole egg). <br />
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I already knew Redneckhunter would order the biscuits and gravy. W&M's was less filthy than the Southern standard, and interesting to add the melted Cheddar cheese.</div>
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My dad got the Bacon and Gouda crepe with a "crispy poached egg." This was an interesting take on a Scotch egg. My mom's Smoked Salmon Crepe was made with the same delicious fig jam, as well as brie and capers.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a1-QQOuoxu4/UZ-pvFMCBOI/AAAAAAAAEAg/lBwdVEYlw0M/s1600/IMG_20130512_122438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a1-QQOuoxu4/UZ-pvFMCBOI/AAAAAAAAEAg/lBwdVEYlw0M/s200/IMG_20130512_122438.jpg" width="200" /></a>We all shared a side of house made scrapple too. It was definitely the clean plate club that day at brunch -- so much we didn't have room for dessert. With their emphasis on local ingredients, I wasn't surprised that they served Woodside Creamery ice cream (just a few minutes down Valley Road).<br />
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My parents said they wanted to go back to try dinner at William and Merry. I think we've found a second go-to place.<br />
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The House of William and Merry<br />
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1336 Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin DE 19707</div>
302-234-2255<br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-38899901160660973082013-05-21T16:35:00.001-04:002013-05-21T16:38:57.750-04:00Pig's Head at Alla Spina, Philadelphia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Redneckhunter's brother came to visit and flew into Philadelphia airport, so we picked him up and immediately took him to Alla Spina for dinner. We sat in the "lounge" area, and the whole place was an entirely different atmosphere from brunch. Much more bar-like with low lights, low-key hip-hop.<br />
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As soon as the waitress (the same one we had at brunch incidentally) told us that night's special was a pig's head for 2 served with thick cut toast and a blueberry reduction, we all knew what we were having for dinner.<br />
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We got that along with some starters -- homemade pretzels (served in a wooden cute piggy bowl) with beer cheese dipping sauce, rabbit terrine, and poutine with guinea hen ragu. The prices were similar to the brunch prices, so totally reasonable. Redneckhunter and his brother naturally ordered some sampling flights, and we settled in.<br />
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The starters were good (if I would have one complaint, it would be that I wished there were more cheese curds on the poutine), but the pig's head was absolutely heavenly! The meat was falling off tender, juicy, with just enough gooey cartilage to be delicious but not fatty. It went well with the wonderful sticky gooey sweet and tartness of the blueberry reduction. Even the toast was buttery and divine. I picked that poor piglet's head apart, but it was the perfect size for 3 people to share. <br />
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Alla Spina<br />
1410 Mt Vernon St<br />
Philadelphia, PA 19130<br />
215-600-0017<br />
<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-88390768139559272962013-05-20T15:35:00.006-04:002013-05-21T20:48:07.333-04:00Aux Epices, NYC<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1nL5MexF3U/UY0-UrUNa2I/AAAAAAAAD-0/lOIx2Yh3nIo/s1600/IMGP4235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1nL5MexF3U/UY0-UrUNa2I/AAAAAAAAD-0/lOIx2Yh3nIo/s400/IMGP4235.JPG" width="400" /></a>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QJzXiYGnk2Y/UY0-Tixhx8I/AAAAAAAAD-s/C3Xi0D3gKyA/s1600/IMGP4233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QJzXiYGnk2Y/UY0-Tixhx8I/AAAAAAAAD-s/C3Xi0D3gKyA/s200/IMGP4233.JPG" width="200" /></a>On our last LES shopping day, Petitesoeur wanted to try a <a href="http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2013/03/aux-epices-new-malaysian-restaurant-cafe-wifi-chinatown.html">Malaysian place called Aux Epices she had read about in Serious Eats</a>. So we hiked over to Chinatown to an unassuming pleasant little eatery tucked away on Baxter Street.</div>
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We both wanted the Nasi Lemak for sure, and decided to get a couple appetizers as well -- hijiki fish dumplings and duck spring rolls. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQwF5FeX3b4/UY0-SUBruaI/AAAAAAAAD-k/3Iq-PwfxPV0/s1600/IMGP4231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQwF5FeX3b4/UY0-SUBruaI/AAAAAAAAD-k/3Iq-PwfxPV0/s200/IMGP4231.JPG" width="200" /></a>The Serious Eats review had mentioned how the Rendang was less greasy than Nyonya. We didn't try that, but I felt the same way about the Nasi Lemak - definitely less rich than Fatty Crab's, but still very delicious. The plate was artfully arranged, and I thought Petitesoeur (who likes to keep her food separated) would appreciate being able to mix the curry, dried fish, peanuts, pickles, etc. herself. I did miss having an egg on the plate though... <br />
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I think our favorite dish of the night, though, may have been our 2nd dessert. We first got their signature Maylasian specialty - warm tapioca, taro, sweet potato, coconut milk - I wish I could remember the silly name it had (Petitesoeur reminded me -- bo bo cha cha!) This was comforting, but with most Asian desserts I find them just a bit too healthy and wholesome and not decadent and sinful enough. <br />
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So we decided to go for it and order the mango tart on top of that - talk about decadent! It was warm and flaky and creamy, with a great burnt sugar flavor and freshness of the fruit sweetness. So good!<br />
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The husband and wife team were friendly and inviting too. The husband was eating his own dinner in the dining room, and came around a few times to check on us. The wife came out of the kitchen after the meal to say hi. Definitely a place to go back to with more people, so we can try some of the delicious looking noodle bowls and dishes we saw going to other people's tables.<br />
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Aux Epices<span class="addr street-address"> </span><br />
<span class="addr street-address">121 Baxter St</span><span class="city-zip">, <span class="locality">New York</span> <span class="postal-code">10013</span></span><br />
(Btwn Hester & Canal St)<br />
(212) 274-8585fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-39845826976618365502013-05-10T14:18:00.004-04:002013-05-10T14:19:42.835-04:00Brick Farm Market, Hopewell NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-06pnMwPJUcQ/UY03oL-mIKI/AAAAAAAAD-E/c_DRLW0eWfU/s1600/IMG_20121122_141157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-06pnMwPJUcQ/UY03oL-mIKI/AAAAAAAAD-E/c_DRLW0eWfU/s200/IMG_20121122_141157.jpg" width="200" /></a>Mercer County foodies have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the <a href="http://www.brickfarmmarket.com/">Brick Farm Market</a> in Hopewell, NJ. They are finally slated to open next Friday, May 17, but they are doing a sneak preview tonight during Hopewell's Cruise Night. We've been lucky to have tasted some of their wares through the past few months, including delicious salumi -- coppa, lardo, sopresatta, whipped lardo (so good melted over toasted baguette!), and a variety of cheeses. Can't wait to try more goodies tonight!<br />
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Brick Farm Market<br />
65 East Broad Street<br />
Hopewell, NJ 08525<br />
(609) 466-6500fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-86298449425913477332013-04-26T15:43:00.000-04:002013-04-26T15:43:45.317-04:00Salumeria Rosi, Upper West Side, NYC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Even though I used to live and work on the Upper West Side, these days I don't often find myself in that neighborhood often, so when we had a concert to go to at the Beacon Theater, even though it was Good Friday, we decided to be bad Catholics and eat at <a href="http://www.salumeriarosi.com/en_ny/home/">Salumeria Rosi</a>. <br />
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Naturally we started with the chef's selection of salumi -- we got their signature parmacotto, mortadella de bologna, proscuitto (can't remember from which region), coppa, and maybe a couple more. <br />
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Also got the cheese selection, though I tried to talk Redneckhunter out of this in favor of something from the main menu. Nothing too special here - we got a parmigianno romano, smoked provolone (our favorite of the 3), and a pecorino.<br />
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We got 2 dishes from the main menu - sweet potato gnocchi and and Pancia -- slow cooked pork belly served with Tuscan chickpeas, blanched greens and crispy skin (which was the best part, naturally). <br />
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We had a nice cup of coffee while waiting for our friend who was meeting us, bug instead of staying for dessert, we decided to brave the cold and grab a waffle from the Wafel and Dinges cart we had spotted outside the 72nd Street subway station before the show. <br />
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Salumeria Rosi<br />
283 Amsterdam Avenue<br />
New York, NYfougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-19804558447398407962013-03-06T16:45:00.001-05:002013-03-06T16:45:26.660-05:00Return to El Puerto, Tampa FL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our last trip to Tampa we had to take Redneckhunter's brother to our find from our last trip -- <a href="http://thisisgonnabegood.blogspot.com/2012/08/el-puerto-restaurant-tampa-fl.html">El Puerto</a> in Ybor City. Since he was stuck in traffic, we ordered the biggest entree we could find for him -- the Parillada Argentina, Argentinean sausage, short-rib, skirt steak, chicken breast, pork chop, sweet bread, and morcilla served with two sides (obviously he had more than enough to take home). <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKwMIaQPmlA/UTe3OfdiJ5I/AAAAAAAAD70/u5xUg5Yja6I/s1600/IMG_20130130_160451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKwMIaQPmlA/UTe3OfdiJ5I/AAAAAAAAD70/u5xUg5Yja6I/s200/IMG_20130130_160451.jpg" width="200" /></a>Since we didn't want to steal from his sweet bread and morcilla (blood sausage), Redneckhunter and I ordered them as appetizers to share along with ceviche. <br />
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The sweetbreads were big and meaty and the blood sausage was sinfully rich. I could feel arteries hardening... Luckily the ceviche was vinegary and refreshing with those wonderful big corn kernels from Peru.<br />
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El Puerto Restaurant and Grill<br />
1623 E. 5th Avenue <br />
Tampa, FL 33605<br />
(813) 248-8222fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-30315724872453255832013-03-04T16:19:00.004-05:002013-03-04T16:24:20.727-05:00Alla Spina, Philadelphia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry for the long absence in posting! We're hoping to get more out and about in the spring. We did have a great meal recently at <a href="http://www.allaspinaphilly.com/">Alla Spina</a>, part of the Vetri family of restaurants in Philly. We pretty much wanted to eat everything on the menu, so did our best to sample as much as we could among 5 people.<br />
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We started with the <b>testina hash poutine (</b>pig head, french fries, mozzarella curd and sunny side up eggs) and donuts as starters. The soft runny eggs on the poutine were the perfect addition to the Quebecoise classic, and the pig's head has was slightly crispy and very porky. The donuts (a mix of 3 flavors) were disappointing though.<br />
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Redneckhunter and J. happily did a tasting flight of 3 beers - I could not even begin to remember the names, but there was one nice sour raspberry Belgian that even I liked!<br />
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K. got a tasty bloody mary, but D. and I were disappointed in our "mocktails." Not only were they very small considering their $5 price tag, but my basil spritz barely had any basil flavor.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqVnmrVoKgk/UTUK7IAfBfI/AAAAAAAAD64/4TOMGw3V-9c/s1600/IMG_20130203_124920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqVnmrVoKgk/UTUK7IAfBfI/AAAAAAAAD64/4TOMGw3V-9c/s320/IMG_20130203_124920.jpg" width="320" /></a>But then the entrees came. I got the <b>alla spina gnocchi</b> (with porcini
mushrooms and tallegio). Wow - such amazingly soft pillows of
deliciousness. Marc Vetri does know how to make great gnocchi - I remember fondly
the <a href="http://thisisgonnabegood.blogspot.com/2008/12/vetri-philadelphia.html">brown butter spinach gnocchi we had at Vetri</a>. </div>
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K. got a beautiful <b>smoked salmon salad </b>- those soft-boiled eggs look amazing don't they?<br />
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Redneckhunter opted, of course, for their spin on his beloved <b>biscuits and gravy</b> -- these were <b></b>sage biscuits with veal ragu and poached eggs.<br />
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D. got <b>pancakes</b> made of squash with bacon-maple syrup and walnut butter, and J. got the <b>“necci crespelle” </b>chestnut crepe, honey, breakfast sausage and over easy eggs.<br />
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We also shared a side order of cheesy parmigiana polenta. <br />
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After another tasting flight of beer by Redneckhunter and J. and an after-brunch Negroni cocktail (that no one else liked), it was time for dessert. <br />
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D. ordered the <b>"choco taco"</b> and Redneckhunter got the <b>donut bread pudding</b>. <br />
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As J. put it, this place would be very dangerous to the wallet if it were in our neighborhood...<br />
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Alla Spina<br />
1410 Mt. Vernon St.<br />
Philadelphia, PA 19130<br />
P: 215-600-0017fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-26116574363611365772012-11-19T08:30:00.000-05:002012-11-19T16:12:49.336-05:00Street Eats, NYC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other weekend we had some time to kill before meeting friends in the West Village, so we decided to walk around the neighborhood and of course, have a snack... or two, or three.<br />
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We saw some Union Jack bags coming out of a store, and were drawn to <a href="http://www.myersofkeswick.com/">Myers of Keswick</a> British groceries. Along with McVities, PGTips, Marmite, HP Brown Sauce all that good stuff, they also make their own Cumberland sausage (the best West of Allonby, according to their website), bangers, and meat pies of many varieties. We got a Cumberland sausage roll and it was indeed magnificent. We also got a pork pie with stilton, but decided to save it for later. Unfortunately our friend's dog managed to scarf it up before we did, but she seemed to enjoy it!<br />
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Then under the <a href="http://www.thehighline.org/about/high-line-food">High Line</a>, we wandered among the food stalls, and couldn't resist getting a Throwdown from <a href="http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/">Wafel and Dinges</a>. This is the waffle they beat Bobby Flay with -- topped with speculoos, whipped cream, and powdered sugar.<br />
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Myers of Keswick<br />
634 Hudson Street New York, NY 10014<br />
(212) 691-4194
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Wafels and Dinges<br />
<a href="http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/">www.wafelsanddinges.com</a><br />
<a a="a" href="http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/" www.wafelsanddinges.com="www.wafelsanddinges.com"></a>
fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-18773471144566917532012-11-17T21:17:00.000-05:002012-11-17T21:17:20.900-05:00Cooking Trotters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Redneckhunter brought home a big bag of pig trotters from <a href="http://www.doublebrookfarm.com/">Double Brook Farm</a>, so we spent a lazy Saturday cooking them one weekend. This involved first boiling them -- along with onions, herbs, garlic -- for about 4 hours. This yielded a delicious pork broth, which we saved of course! Then smoking with hickory for another 2 1/2 hours. They were already falling off the bone after the boiling, but the smoking really made all the cartilage nice and gooey and gelatinous. <br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-1404189671741975762012-10-05T21:03:00.000-04:002012-10-05T21:08:52.870-04:00Bobby's Burger Palace, Princeton, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLpAfN76U3U/UG97_iCRZ7I/AAAAAAAAD4U/3WwmgrMdV8E/s1600/IMG_20120912_184932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gQjcPH_Ym2o/UG97-LD9HXI/AAAAAAAAD4M/ysgoszRu0qo/s1600/IMG_20120912_184652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gQjcPH_Ym2o/UG97-LD9HXI/AAAAAAAAD4M/ysgoszRu0qo/s320/IMG_20120912_184652.jpg" width="320" /></a>Over the summer, our local mall, The Princeton MarketFair, shut down their food court to bring in more sit-down eateries, and we were a little wary of what would come. That changed when we found out one of the new places would be <a href="http://www.bobbysburgerpalace.com/index.php">Bobby Flay's Burger Palace</a>.<br />
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There are only 11 of these currently, all in the Mid-Atlantic region. Ours opened in late August, and we've already gone there 3 times. It's a good mid-price, slower-than-fast-food, faster-than-sit-down kind of place. The decor is tongue-in-cheek retro-chic with long serpentine bar seating and communal tables with faux wood finish. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLpAfN76U3U/UG97_iCRZ7I/AAAAAAAAD4U/3WwmgrMdV8E/s1600/IMG_20120912_184932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLpAfN76U3U/UG97_iCRZ7I/AAAAAAAAD4U/3WwmgrMdV8E/s200/IMG_20120912_184932.jpg" width="200" /></a>The menu is pretty simple - 10 varieties of burger topping combos which you can get on Angus beef, ground turkey, or chicken breast; two types of grilled cheese; a regular salad, a chopped salad, or a salad with any of the burger varieties on top; fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings; and 13 flavors of milkshake (include 3 spiked shakes). <br />
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Redneckhunter was happy to see a Black and White milkshake actually listed on the menu. A lot of times he has to explain to people what goes into black and white -- vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup or hot fudge. He had to admit that Bobby made a good one. One of these times I'm going to have order their dark chocolate shake. <br />
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So in our various visits, we've tried a few different things. Well, I have, at least. Redneckhunter has stuck with the LA Burger -- avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese, and tomato.<br />
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I've tried that one, as well as the Napa Valley with fresh goat cheese, watercress, and Meyer lemon honey mustard, and the Dallas as a turkey burger, which was spice crusted, with coleslaw, Monterey Jack, BBQ sauce and pickles. <br />
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The beef burgers have always come out a perfect medium rare, the meat flavorful, the buns soft and fresh. All in all, a mighty tasty burger.<br />
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I liked my turkey burger - I think the spicier Dallas was a good combo for it -- though I still don't think it beats my favorite turkey burger, which is from Big Nick's Burger Joint on the Upper West Side. <br />
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The only two things that have just been so-so are the sweet potato fries (we haven't tried the regular fries or onion rings yet) , and Bobby's sauces (a selection of which are left on the table -- jalapeno, chipotle ketchup, a signature burger sauce -- and a honey mustard horseradish for the fries). Nothing really was better than just plain old ketchup.<br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-73997355513709510212012-10-04T11:27:00.001-04:002012-10-04T11:33:37.748-04:00Smorgasburg in DUMBO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My cousins recently moved to DUMBO, and so did Smorgasburg! So on a recent weekend visit, we set off for a Sunday outing to the Smorg. <br />
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First off, what an amazing setting for it, under the span of the Brooklyn Bridge in the old Tobacco Warehouse shell, and the old timey Jane's Carousel nearby. </div>
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Most of the Smorg regulars were there. Probably fewer prepared food vendors, but plenty of eating options. <br />
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After a walk-through, I was sucked in by the pretzel rolls on which Schnitz served their chicken schnitzel sandwiches. <br />
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Redneckhunter went for a brisket sandwich - he was a bit disappointed that he got mostly burnt ends, and not so much fatty meat. </div>
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I finished things off with not one, but two, frozen treats -- a plum shave ice from People's Pops, and a gourmet lemon slushie from Kelvin Natural Slush Co. <br />
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Smorgasburg<br />
Sundays in DUMBO in Brooklyn Bridge Park<br />
Through November 18<br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-44911262871698339382012-10-02T06:37:00.001-04:002012-10-02T06:37:26.880-04:00Kennett Square Mushroom Festival, PA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier in September we were down in Delaware getting our car fixed before a night out in Philly, and decided to take the scenic route up through Kennett Square because it was the weekend of their annual Mushroom Festival. <br /><br />Kennett is the mushroom capital of the world, so this is their chance to celebrate all things mushroom. I had read about <a href="http://www.talulastable.com/">Talula's Table</a>, a little market in downtown Kennett where they also do a nightly chef's table booked one year in advance, so when it came to choosing which stand to visit, I figured we'd try it. We got the mushroom risotto, and mushroom spring rolls. They also had mushroom mac and cheese. Risotto was satisfying, but the spring rolls were huge, but not so good. The filling wasn't much better than your average Chinese takeout, and the spring roll skins weren't crispy. I was however drawn to trying their homemade pretzels and was very happy with a nice yeasty, chewy, fennel one.<br /><br />
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For dessert, I had to try pumpkin mushroom ice cream from <a href="http://woodsidefarmcreamery.com/">Woodside Farm Creamery</a> in Hockessin, DE. This family-run dairy is right across from the Chinese American Community Center - hard to resist anytime I find myself out there. The ice cream is super rich and creamy and the pumpkin flavor was great - not too much mushroom.<br />
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And whenever I"m in Kennett Square, I also have to get a donut from Alondra's Mexican Bakery. I always feel like a little kid walking in to the smell of a great bakery. fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-6613629825879498022012-09-03T11:00:00.000-04:002012-09-03T11:00:07.428-04:00George's, Cape May, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />On our Cape May girls' weekend, we kept seeing lines waiting outside of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georges-Place/128693403860270">George's Place</a>, so we figured it had to be good. We went for brunch on Sunday morning, and started off with fresh fruit smoothies from the next door juice bar (apparently owned by George's son) while waiting in line. A brilliant business idea to keep the line happy and make some dough off of them while they wait. You could get them with or without yogurt, and with either fruit puree or fresh fruit lightly sweetened with honey. When our name was called, they were super nice to seat us and let us wait for our friends (who were still checking out our of hotel down the street).<br /><br />The food was worth the wait - I got french toast topped with limoncello greek yogurt and fresh blueberries -- beautiful and surprisingly light. My friends also really liked their breakfasts.<br /><br />
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George's Place <br />301 Beach Drive <br />Cape May, NJ 08204fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-26744404922039770042012-09-03T10:45:00.000-04:002012-09-03T10:45:00.025-04:00The Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We recently had a girls' weekend in Cape May, and had a nice time at the historic Congress Hall hotel at the Sea Spa, shopping for jewelry, doing yoga on the beach, and dining at their farm-to-table restaurant <a href="http://www.congresshall.com/content/bluepigtavern.html">The Blue Pig Tavern</a>. We had seen the place (and taken a picture with someone in a Blue Pig costume) on <a href="http://thisisgonnabegood.blogspot.com/2011/05/eating-in-cape-may-nj.html">last summer's trip to Cape May</a>, but hadn't eaten there.<br /><br />We started off with some house-made guac, ceviche, and baked mac and cheese. I should have known better than to order ceviche (I am spoiled by <a href="http://thisisgonnabegood.blogspot.com/2012/07/el-tule-lambertville-nj.html">good Peruvian ceviche</a> back home.)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KvSQldh41RI/UD5kZvLYeGI/AAAAAAAADxE/kRFozFavn-4/s1600/2012-07-06+17.40.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KvSQldh41RI/UD5kZvLYeGI/AAAAAAAADxE/kRFozFavn-4/s200/2012-07-06+17.40.27.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />My friends ordered the lump crabmeat salad with avocado and mango, fresh pappardelle with bolognese, and P.E.I. mussels. <br /><br />I got one of the day's appetizer specials as my entree -- scallops served atop an eggplant puree (eggplant being one of that week's major crops from the farm). It was a nice dish.<br />
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The Blue Pig Tavern at Congress Hall<br />200 Congress Place<br />Cape May, NJ<br /><br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-1529120648316232242012-09-02T10:22:00.000-04:002012-09-02T10:22:00.444-04:00Adventures in Cheese Making<br />
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I got a deal on a cheese-making kit online -- rennet tablets, citric acid, a cheese thermometer and a cheesecloth -- enough to make over 30 pounds of the either mozzarella or ricotta.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ar8svPqMezI/UD5h2WuzpvI/AAAAAAAADu8/nFjqbW-d7c0/s1600/2012-06-22+16.03.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ar8svPqMezI/UD5h2WuzpvI/AAAAAAAADu8/nFjqbW-d7c0/s200/2012-06-22+16.03.36.jpg" width="200" /></a>One gallon of milk produces around 1 pound of cheese -- the milk is cooked while reacting with the rennet and/or citric acidMy first attempt at mozzarella didn't go so well. There were 2 things I attributed it to: #1 I think I stirred too vigorously (I'm Chinese, when you tell us to stir, we stir -- an integral part of wok cooking), so that I didn't let my curds set up enough. #2 was I don't think I heated up my curds enough to be able to stretch them properly. So I ended up with something dense and more the texture of cream cheese (without the cream cheese flavor). <br /><br />Attempt #2 was better. my curds definitely separated and got stretchy, and formed a nice ball. Cutting off warm slices, it was quite tasty. However, put in the fridge overnight, the texture changed and got dense and lost that great springy chewiness. </div>
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<br />So the 3rd time around, I decided to go with the easier ricotta. I drained a small batch to eat right away (hung in a cheesecloth like a scrotum over my sink). <br /><br />
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We had it with grilled tomatoes on semolina. And I let the rest of the pot of curds drain a bit longer, leading to a nice batch of rich creamy ricotta.<br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-75190884309131606812012-09-01T10:00:00.001-04:002012-09-01T10:30:36.714-04:00Red Lulu Tequila Bar, Norwalk, CT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While we were up in Norwalk visiting friends, we walked around at the SoNo (South Norwalk) Arts Festival, and feeling a little peckish, decided to stop in for a drink and a snack at <a href="http://www.redlulumexican.com/">Red Lulu's Cocina and Tequila Bar</a>. The decor was goth boho meets Studio 54 (all black walls, faded velvet couches, and mirror-top coffee tables) and the waitress uniform seemed to be short black shorts with gauzy see-through tops.<br />
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A little incongruous on a sunny late summer afternoon in Connecticut, but a giant pitcher of lime and cranberry sangria seemed to fit.<br />
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They had a variety of guacamoles, so we tried two -- one with agave-glazed pork belly, and the other with lump crab meat, lobster, and chili-garlic butter. Both nice combos, with a bit of kick to them. We also got crispy chili and masa encrusted oysters with chipotle crema.<br />
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Red Lulu<br />
128 Washington Street<br />
Norwalk, CT<br />
(203) 939-1600<br />
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<br />fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30556615.post-64127229710218545722012-08-30T14:36:00.000-04:002012-08-30T14:36:00.486-04:00Don Antonio's, New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last time we got together in the city with Petiteseour, she suggested going to <a href="http://donantoniopizza.com/">Don Antonio's</a> -- a midtown pizza place that her co-worker was a regular at. <br />
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The place was packed and we got seated in a cramped corner by the servers' station -- the first in a string of little annoyances that added up. There was also red wine served chilled, plates piled carelessly in people's faces, grumpiness at requests like more bread, stuff taken away too quickly, <br />
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We started off with the homemade burrata, and a salad with pancetta, apples and gorgonzola. Burrata was good (though not enough bread, nor balasamic); salad was forgettable.<br />
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Then we order 3 pizzas for the 5 of us -- the Vesuvio, a stuffed pizza with fresh ricotta, mozzarella and salami inside, topped with red sauce, ham, more mozzarella, mushrooms, and artichokes; the Pope's Pizza, with butternut squash, zucchini, roasted peppers, and smoked mozzarella; and lastly was one of the day's special which sounded really good with gorgonzola dolce, a bunch of other cheeses, figs, and prosciutto, but was disappointing. The figs were too sweet, the gorgonzola too strong. <br />
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I liked the butternut squash and smokey flavor of the Pope's pie, but it was not a hit with Petiteseour. Her favorite and Redneckhunter's favorite was the stuffed pie. I liked the pizza, but Petiteseour thought it suffered from too much volume where the oven doors being constantly opened and closed and not retaining heat led to a less crisp crust. <br />
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What really struck me to not recommend the place was really the service -- all around crappy. We learned that Petiteseour's friend tended to go on his own and sit at the bar - clearly the way to go - table service was subpar.<br />
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Don Antonio's<br />
<span class="st">309 West 50th Street</span><br />
<span class="st">New York NY </span>fougoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01466811359234091414noreply@blogger.com0