New York Gastronomic Festival!

So...it's been awhile, and I've missed writing about my favorite hobby, but the truth is...my favorite hobby wasn't being my friend. Long story, but the ending is the important part...we've decided to make-up and are learning to be best buddies again!

New York City was the best place to test our friendship and boy, did I test it!

I can't remember all of the wonderful foodie experiences, but I can name a few stand-outs!

Stand at 24 E. 12th St. btwn 5th & University Ave. - standburger.com

I have GOT to show you a pic of the Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes. Don't ask me HOW they do this, but I can taste it as I write this and as soon as I get home I'm going to start practicing. Although I don't think it's possible to top this! I guess I could also mention the burgers. And then there's the mashed sweet potatoes...but just ask the homeless woman about them...another long, but hilarious story that I will take to my grave! ;-D

I guess you've figured out by now that I won't eat a meal unless it's an experience in some way. And fast food such as, well, I'm not sure if I should name names, but we ALL know what I'm talking about...well, they just are NOT an experience worth putting in your mouth - EVER - but street food, well, that's a WHOLE different experience! I'm not sure if Melissa's Miniature Cupcakes - bakedbymelissa.com - counts as street food as it does actually have a window on a building, but you do have to stand in line on the sidewalk, sometimes for quite awhile, to purchase these delectable bites of heaven! If you're being very frugal, you can get 2 bites out of them...but then, that's just messy. One bite. Yep! That's the answer.

A box of 25 will cost you $20. An amazing bargain. Of course, we wanted to take a box to my daughters roommates, so we had...yes, HAD to purchase a box of 6 ($5.50) for us to consume on the step down the sidewalk. No water and we didn't waste the time to find any...just plopped down at the first available stoop and swallowed 6 cupcakes. Did I say they were just bites? I did, right? very small...see?

Another fantastic find was just luck. Usually when I'm in the city I spend hours upon hours doing foodie research, but we were starving and just across the street were about 15 restaurants from Vietnamese to Indian to Chinese to Burgers, etc... and it was one of those moments I hate when everyone is getting cranky because they're hungry, but noone wants to take the responsibility to make the decision on the place! UGH! So...I looked and saw "Yummy House" at 76 Third Avenue and 11th St. - yummyhouse.com - Now, HOW can you go wrong with a name like that? It was genius! And quite possibly the best curry dumpling noodle soup I've ever had...which is never...but I will definitely have it again! And fast!! And amazing!!! The crab wonton was super-filled and the fried rice was perfect, especially considering we ordered and were served in about 7-10 minutes! I LOVE NYC!!

Now, here are some of the quick highlights...

The best of the best list...by Punky!

Best sushi: Morimoto

Chelsea area, awesome decor and don't leave without going in the bathroom stalls! haha 88 Tenth Ave. near 16th St. - morimotonyc.com

Chef Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame! Try the prix fixe menu that he puts together nightly and you'll never go wrong! Pictured here is the Toro with condiments at the bottom and you eat it with a wooden paddle. Awesome!

Best pizza: Lombardi's Pizza (sorry e!)

32 Spring Street - firstpizza.com

Opened in 1897 just down the street and is an icon of the city. I can't say enough about this place. In fact, I think I talked about it before so I'll let it stand on it's own! When you're done eating pizza cross the street to have dessert at my next entry...

Best comfort food dessert: Rice to Riches

37 Spring Street btwn Mott and Mulberry - ricetoriches.com

Again, I think I talked about this from my last trip, but it's worth mentioning - ALWAYS!

Best stick to your teeth dessert: Blue Water Grill

31 Union Square West - brguestrestaurants.com

This is a pic of the Chocolate fudge-pecan tart with pretzel crust...nothing more needs to be said. Oh! Except their actual food food is well worth the dining experience also. Make this a must if you're in Union Square!

Best CHOCOLATE EVERYTHING: Max Brenner

several locations - maxbrenner.com

I went to the one at 141 2nd Ave., but there a couple more. I also first experienced this fantasy in chocolate while I was in Sydney, Australia a couple of years ago and was thrilled when they opened here in NYC. Although the truffles aren't the size of baseballs like they were in Australia, the rest is pretty outstanding. From chocolate soup to chocolate pizza to french fries with cocoa and red pepper spice. It's an amazing experience. S'mores, ice cream sundaes, cold drinks, hot drinks, you name it and they have it! If you can't stay, just go in the store and buy your chocolate in a syringe to shoot down your throat...no kidding! They also have chocolate body lotions! :-)

Well, it's a Sunday now and do you know what that means? Dim sum in Chinatown, silly!! So, off we went to Ping's Seafood at 22 Mott Street. They serve from the carts or from trays they carry to your table and speaking of tables...unless you bring your whole family, be prepared to share your table with someone else's family! It was really fun! We were seated at a table for 8 and there were only 2 of us, so at first I was confused that they thought we were with a larger group, but here came an Asian couple behind us and she said it is their custom to be seated family style. She and her husband were great and explained some of the things they ordered that weren't on the menu so we could try them also. Then 2 more Asian girls my daughters age were seated with us and they also gave their thoughts on things we should try that we hadn't before. We have had dim sum many times before, but this was a totally new experience and one I really look forward to repeating. We learned so much and were WAY too full to try everything they suggested, but we have a list for next time! Overall, one of my most enjoyable meals in the city this trip!

So I wouldn't be thorough without talking about today. I heard about a place that makes their own pierogies and I just had to go. Turns out, so did everyone else! The best part is that it's only about 2 blocks from where my daughter lives so it'll become a staple of my NYC experience now. Veselka in the East Village at 144 2nd Ave. - veselka.com - had a choice of different fillings and you could choose 7 for $9.95. We shared potato, cheese, sweet potato, sauerkraut and mushroom, spinach and cheese and TWO goat cheese and arugula. As an appetizer, I had the Borscht (cold beet soup!) and we shared the seasonal special was Cheese blintzes with roasted peach sauce...yummm. We rolled out of there!

Just a few hours later we caught an early dinner at a place that is sure to be a favorite, although we definitely got the feeling that we were strangers in a sea of regulars. It is on the completely other side of the island, The Spotted Pig in West Village at 314 W. 11th Street - thespottedpig.com - and I had one of the most decadent meals I think I've ever consumed. Seriously!

I'll start with appetizers...Deviled eggs. Sounds simple enough, but they add something special to them and again, it calls for some playing around in the kitchen when I get home because they were really a wonderful start. Then, Devils on Horseback. These were plump prunes stuffed with a chunk of pear and wrapped in a VERY thin slice of bacon and baked. I have tried these at home just wrapped without filling them, and I've tried them filled with a chunk of parmesan, and both are good...but these were outstanding. They must've been fresh as opposed to the dried prunes I've used and I believe are used at the other restaurant I've tasted them at.

But then...dinner came. I ordered the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage. I will try to explain, but I don't know if it's possible. It was a shallow bowl with approximately 10 'balls' or cheese-filled hmmm...I can't say gnocchi although I can't think of another way to describe it. But that just is too heavy. These were like pillows of soft incredibly flavored ricotta in a bowl of butter. Brown butter that made you want to cry, or laugh, or scream out Hallelujah!! I was transformed...that is until about my 5th one... then I felt like I was going to blow up! So, in retrospect, share this dish! haha!! My daughter had the Prosciutto and Ricotta Tart with Marjoram and it was also heavenly. The atmoshere of this establishment is very laid-back and it made me want to move here and become one of them. A wonderful family neighborhood and beautiful old brownstones that feel warm and comforting in the big city.

Well...I only have one more day of this trip, but I'm sure there'll be more to share. Hope you enjoyed it... if anyone actually reads this. I've tried to take some suggestions and added the websites and addresses so it wouldn't just be about what I ate, but a reference for you when you travel. I hope it helps and please write me if you get the chance to explore any of these fine eateries!

Next, I'm headed to Chicago, so I'll let you know what the scoop is for the Windy City when I get there!!

Memorial Day Food Frenzy!

Well, yes, it HAS been awhile...but I've been extremely busy with graduations and parties and such! I haven't forgotten about what's important, tho, so I have some pics of todays picnic for y'all...

First, these are the most delicious ribs courtesy of my friend John and his neighbor, Patrick! They were going nuts on the grill today and made ribs, chicken breasts, pork and corn on the cob. It was quite a spread. You may be wondering what I contributed...??  With quite alot of help from  my sous chefs, we prepared Spicy Mustard and Green Onion Potato Salad and Eclair Dessert. There weren't any leftovers of the potato salad to show you, but I did get a pic of the Eclair dessert before it was finished off! Oh, we also prepared our favorite recipe of fresh parmesan butter with spices on the corn cob before wrapping it in foil for the grill...but that hardly counts as a skill! Anyway, it was wonderful and alot of food was consumed by all. Enjoy the pics and when you're in town, come over and I'll make the potato salad for you, too!! :-D

Raw Food is the bomb!

I had my first experience with raw food today! Yay to being healthy! This is not something that comes easily to me, so I was skeptical and actually more than a little excited about trying it out. I went to a place called Grassroots in Tampa on North Florida Avenue and let's just say it's in an interesting neighborhood, but more than worth trekking over to find it! PLEASE go try it out! 

I had the pleasure of getting together with an old college friend that I hadn't talked to in a year so we had time to have a nice chat and catch up and all the while she filled me in on the benefits of raw food, enzymes, supplements, wheat grass, etc. It was very enlightening...Zzzzzzzz! No, seriously, it WAS interesting, just a bit much for the first visit. I was still processing the fact that I was eating 'RAW SUSHI' which in actuality only had the ingredient of nori (seaweed) to hold in all of the raw veggies and sprouts that filled it. Not quite the sushi I'm used to consuming - but tasty! REALLY!! 

We also tried the Chik sandwich, non-chicken, of course! It came on a basic whole grain bun and is a sure bet for the skeptic - along with the vegan hamburger or hotdog! But I have to say my absolute favorite was the vegan burrito. Instead of a heavy tortilla, it is wrapped in romaine and the interior was filled with grains that were ground into a paste that had an incredible flavor. I could've eaten this for dinner, too! 

On a sad note, the signature sandwich comes on homemade onion bread that wasn't ready yet and wouldn't be for another hour...it was 1 pm when we arrived... hmmmm. But, the green smoothie chock-full of veggies and fruits was very good, although I must admit, I just tasted it and proceeded to order the green tea with ginger which I thoroughly enjoyed!

I must apologize for the lack of pics (sorry C!), I suppose my only excuse was getting caught up with my friend and forgetting my duties! I will work on that and try not to let it happen again!

So, for tonight, go RAW!!

Cooking for Jack... and me!

So... have you ever had the opportunity to cook any of the recipes out of Cooks Illustrated? I believe that's the name of the magazine my friend uses to cook and boy, oh boy, did he cook last night!! I'm amazed every other week by his culinary skills - it's quite delicious! 

First, I have to tell you that we have this 24 thing going... we are obsessed with Jack Bauer - seriously! So, every week we take turns cooking a meal before the big show and last night was a doozie - can you believe that Tony Almeida is such a bad guy after everything he and Jack have been through? I'm SO disappointed!! Maybe he's in cahoots with the President's daughter - cause she's sleazy as they get!!

Okay, back to the meal - he made Grilled Teriyaki Beef , some fantastic fried brown rice with mushrooms and broccoli and a salad that he topped with his home-grown tomatoes! Now, I ask you...WHAT AM I GOING TO MAKE NEXT WEEK TO TOP THAT?? Jeez, I wish he'd take it down a notch, this is getting ridiculous! Last week the pressure was too great so I took us out for wings - but, they were GREAT wings! Okay, okay, I know... epic fail. 

I'll do better next week and let you know - 

A bite of the Big Apple!

Another day, another city...but, this time it's the best city on the planet...serving the best pizza on the planet (according to Zagat!) which is why I HAD to try it... I thought, "How can it be the best on the planet?? How is this possible??" Let me tell you...it's undeniable! Wowza! Lombardi's Pizza on Spring Street in New York City is awesome. Absolutely the most flavorful, perfected crust, yummy ricotta, amazing crushed tomato sauce... running out of adjectives here... but you can see, I'm hooked and can't wait for another trip to try a different combination! 

Then, to make a great meal even better, cross the street when you're done at Lombardi's and serve your sweet tooth some delicious rice pudding at Rice to Riches! Yes, made famous in Sex and the City, it now stands on it's own as a dessert highlight!

You'll laugh when I tell you one of our best meals in the city was from the Rickshaw Dumpling truck. No lie! And right next to their red truck sits a ratty old white truck that just says dessert truck on it... making the cities best truck creme brulee, goat cheese donuts with chocolate sauce, molten chocolate cake with vanilla creme sauce and these were so good I can't remember the other two desserts they offered - all for $5 each! It's a bargain and they package it up for you to take to your hotel, although there were about 15 people standing around eating it right there on the street corner! 

I LOVE NEW YORK!!!!!

Back in town!

Well, here I am again... I've been out of town visiting University of Illinois and I have to tell you I had plenty of good fare down in the mid-state Illinois cornfields! 

I first have to rave about Antonio's Pizza on Green Street in Champaign. Okay, I must confess that it was about 2:30 am, but I really don't think that influenced the fact that their Potato Pizza was incredibly tasty!! Seriously! (and cheap!) So, I added in the mushroom, spinach and feta slice also, which was great as well, but I couldn't keep my mind from going back to the potato pizza all weekend!

Also, I have to confess that I didn't write down the name of this next place, but there aren't too many Vietnamese restaurants in Savoy, IL (pop. 6,100) that serve Chinese dim sum everyday. I have an affinity for dim sum and have tried it from San Fran to Chicago to NYC and I have to say this place on Neil Street was amazing!

Had a great time this weekend at the Fly Bar and Restaurant in downtown Tampa. Very unusual location and it wasn't anything like what I thought. I was expecting this really hip, modern venue and it turned out to be an almost rustic, very casual atmosphere. Very much enjoyed sitting outside dining and the tapas were excellent - some of the best in town! They have a very small bar on the rooftop, but it seemed to serve mainly smokers, so my stay was short... sorry, camel lovers! 

Anyway, it would be a great place to relax as a couple, as a group or a fun place to take friends when in from out-of-town, too. The live music started about 10:30p, Hip Abduction, which you HAVE to check out their music on their website or iTunes. 

The nightlife in Tampa is certainly improving immensely and I'm loving it!!

Ybor Festival of Moving Pictures

I hope you made it to see 'The Agreeable Husband' tonight at the Festival. It is a work in progress, as Ami Sallee-Corley discussed, but it was alot of fun to watch. While I'm really not very good at judging dancing, I enjoyed the way the theme was carried throughout the show and it made me laugh to see the poor 'husband' seem so led around by his nose... or in this case, his tie!  Is it really like this? My husband seems to think so, as did the husband of my friend that was with us. Hmmmmm... I'll have to give that some thought. Maybe over dinner that he can cook and then clean up after! ha!

Anyway, there's more Festival to be had - so don't miss out! Only 2 more days to support the arts in Tampa Bay! Well, at least at the Festival!

More Sushi!!!

Here is another great sushi spot if you're into sushi, live in Tampa and don't want to drive to Trinity to get it...although Ichiban IS worth the drive for fresh sushi! Anyway... try Yoko's on South MacDill. It's hidden in a little strip center and you could drive right by, but you'd be sorry because there really isn't better sushi in South Tampa that we've found... and we eat ALOT of sushi! Try the Tuna Tartar - it's fantabulous, right along with the Hawaiian roll. I can't put into words the skill the chef has with the sauces. Each roll comes in a different blend of sauce and each one highlights the flavors and brings me back again and again. We definitely have our favorite sushi bars depending on if we feel like sashimi, the Charlie's, but that's for another day... but Yoko's is for the saucy days! yummmm... go today and you'll see me there! 

Lunch in Trinity, FL

Okay...Here's my very first post and I have to say that I think it's going to revolve around restaurants, because that's where the best times are had in our house! So.. I have to say that I had some great sushi today in a spot that most of you wouldn't even know existed, but you are missing out!

ICHIBAN on Duck Slough/Hwy. 54 in Trinity, Florida. A very small restaurant, about 11 tables and a sushi bar, with excellent service and the kindest waiters around. It doesn't matter if there's a language barrier - they will do everything they can to accommodate you and make things perfect! Prices are incredible, too! 2 roll lunch special with soup and salad for $7.95 and the specials are 7 days a week!

Now, for the real kicker... they are open 365 days a year and they are always so nice to us that we made a special trip up there on Christmas night so they would have customers! Okay, okay... it was nice not to have to drag out leftovers when everyone was hungry for the fourth meal of the day, too... so a little self-serving! ha! 

Just get there as soon as you can! You won't be sorry!!