ROC - Victoire - Beligian Bar and Bistro

I have reunited with Jay for a wonderful dinner out! Of course, dinner with Jay starts after 9pm and ends around 11 but that doesn't mean we don't have a good time! 

LOCATION: 120 EAST AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14604

We shared plates for dinner which was a wonderful idea. Kind of. Of course, we ordered the Duck Poutine to start because who can deny the poutine. Jay pulls a healthy choice and ordered the Shave Asparagus and Fennel Salad and I have to try one of their specialty Moules & Frites and pick the Victoire. 

Turns out we overload on the french fries when we order poutine and mules & frites but we're both okay with that. The poutine is pretty great. The duck was a little dry to me but the gravy and cheese curds are perfect editions and there are hints of green onion that give the dish a fresher hint. Jay is trying to be healthy so he bogarts the salad and gives it more of his attention. Fresh shaved asparagus and the peppery hints of fennel with the salad are great. It's topped with peanuts that give it an extra crunch and overall a really great salad. The mussels are fantastic; white wine, cream, bacon, green onion, and a few slices of toasted bread on top that are perfect dipped in the creme on the bottom. The garlic fries that come with it are wonderful and it comes with a few dipping sauces which are both really good (coming from the girl that doesn't really like condiments). I would go back just for the moules & frites. My favorite part of the meal for sure. 

Victoire is a hit. I loved it and reconnecting with a friend just makes it 100 times better.  

ROC - ORBS

After several recommendations and begging about 90% of my Rochester friends to go, I finally made it to ORBS: Restaurant and Bar. It was delicious. 

LOCATION: 758 SOUTH AVE., ROCHESTER, NY 14620

Caitlyn is moving out of Rochester with her parents but she was in town for the night and asked if I wanted to go bouldering. Of course I agreed with the condition that we go out to dinner first. She agreed and we ended up at ORBS.

To start we ordered Bits and Pieces which was the sample appetizer plate. Nine 1oz meatballs of three varieties: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Asian Beef Meatball, and Veggie Meatballs (Falafel, Kale, Chimichurri, and Tahini). I think Caitlyn and I both liked the buffalo chicken meatballs the most but it was a great plate to start. 

For the main course Caitlyn and I each got the Orbs Bowl which is 4meatballs with sauce and focaccia. We decided that we would get two different types of meatballs and share. Caitlyn ordered the Angus Beef in Marinara and I ordered the Chicken and Rice in Mushroom Gravy! We both had a great time and the food was wonderful. The marinara flavor was pretty strong which covered the flavor of the beef but I really enjoyed the chicken and rice meatballs. This place was so good and fun with good portions. We were starving so we ended up eating everything and it was perfect.  

CINCI - Hometown Adventures

Yesterday turned out to be the day I got a mini tour of Cincinnati: Cameron edition. I love that every time I'm here I stay with someone different because I keep getting shown completely different places which is just wonderful. 

Breakfast was TASTE OF BELGIUM, with a chill day at the house, then adventures with Cam to a quick drive by of Eden Park (an amazing view of the city even if I only got to see it from a distance in a slow moving vehicle), a day time drive through Mt.Adams, then the dinner stop at ELI'S BBQ.

LOCATION:  3313 RIVERSIDE DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45226.

One of the places Cam said he really wanted to take me because the bbq is just THAT good. We ended up at this little beat up place with a great atmosphere. A record player going on in the background playing Queen and all the walls lined with incredible drawings for sale. (I'm talking Ron Swanson and Yoda. SOLD!). The line moves pretty well through the warm day and we get to the two registers and the wonderful chalk board menu. Love. 

I order the pulled pork and cheesy macaroni per Cam's suggestion and throw in mashed potatoes as my second side, because once again, the potatoes always have me. 

The only downside to this place is that it's an hour wait for our food but believe me, its worth it. In the meantime we go outside where picnic benches are scattered around and we hang out and talk while we wait. People everywhere play cards, KAN JAM, toss footballs around, and frisbees fly in all directions. A couple sitting in my line of sight have a cooler for their bottle of red wine and the cutest dog chewing on a stick twice her size. Not even a little mad. 

Eventually, Cam gets hungry and heads over to the serving tent to check on our order and comes back with two baskets of food. 

It's wonderful. The cheesy mac is his favorite and when they say cheesy, they mean cheesy. I end up only eating about half of mine and giving him the rest because I happily overload on my tastebuds quota of cheese quickly. The mashed potatoes are fantastic and while they're crisp on top (which adds great flavor) the rest of it is the most perfect texture with tiny potato chunks hidden around. Now, the pulled pork is not even trying to cooperate with me and is a mess when I try to pick it up. Then I look up and Cam is there cutting into it with his fork and that's game over because in 30 seconds that pulled pork is in my belly making me warm and happy. I end up not being able to finish and having leftovers to bring home, but I'm not complaining because this is quality food made in a traditional homey way that I love. 

It's these little places that make me love trying food. I'm so happy to have a native show me where the good secret spots are because there's no way I would've known on my own! 

CINCI: Taste of Belgium

Here I am again in Cincinnati. Doing a college visit because I am that nerd that never wants to stop learning and I'm less than 4 months out of school and I'm wondering why I'm not in class right now. Masters Degree it is. 

So I'm here checking out schools and all of the guys I'm staying with unanimously decided that today, we are eating at the TASTE OF BELGIUM.

LOCATION: 1133-1135 VINE ST, CINCINNATI, OH 45202 (OTR)

Square because I'm a white girl that left her iPhone on the square setting without realizing it because I'm too obsessed with Instagram. 

We don't have this place in Rochester and the guys all say I HAVE to try the WAFFLE & CHICKEN. Which turns out to be this place's specialty. I've never had chicken and waffles before but I know its a big deal. I've seen it on menus but I've never had the desire to try it before. It was great. 

Cute little side salad, perfect little waffle with just enough maple syrup, and this perfectly fried piece of chicken with enough hot sauce to lightly coat most of the top. The waffle was crispy and cut-able with a fork, and honestly, this piece of chicken has to be one of the best pieces of chicken I've had in a while. Crispy on the outside, not too dry, and more than enough to satisfy me. Wonderful. 

Turns out Guy Fieri from Food Network has been here too because theres this cool little sign that he autographed right by the door. I'm a Food Network junkie easily too, and while Guy may not be my favorite, I'm sure he knows good food. So I'm pretty excited I've gotten to try this place. 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza!

I finally tried it! I made my own cauliflower crust pizza and it turned out better than I thought. Jon gave me a recipe from Cooking Light magazine that he thought would work out well and I tried it and it was great. 

I only used half a head of cauliflower for the crust (thought the recipe called for a whole head) and put that in a food processor until it was the consistency of rice. I put that on parchment paper and baked it at 375F for about 25 minutes until it was golden brown stirring once during baking. While that was in the oven I sauted about a cup of mushrooms. When the cauliflower was done I combined it with about a teaspoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of basil, a pinch of pepper and salt, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 ounces of mozzarella cheese, 2 egg whites, and about a half a cup of shredded parmesan. I pressed the crust into a circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment and baked the crust at 450F for 25minutes or until it was browned. I took the pan out of the oven and topped with with my mushrooms, about half a tomato, a handful of spinach, 1/4 cup of basil, and a few slices of mozzarella. I baked it for about 10more minutes and voila! It was great. The crust held up pretty well and I think it could've been crispier if I flipped the crust while it was baking the first time to make sure more moisture was pulled from it but overall successful. 

It looked just like a pizza and was almost as satisfying without all the calories. Not that I'm going to replace actual pizza with this but it was a fun substitute for the night!  

ROC - The Red Fern

LOCATION: 283 OXFORD ST, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

Right on the corner of Oxford and Park, this restaurant is super cute with cross sections of tree stumps decorating the walls and a wrap around counter that fills the front half of this space. 

Sophia and I finally made the trip there and on a nice cool day like today, we decided to sit outside. Starting off, for a vegan restaurant, this place has a delicious looking menu that makes choosing very difficult. Both of us were stuck between a few choices (always good) and in the end Sophia ordered the Warrior Wrap and I got the Tofu Egg Sandwich!

My beautiful lunch date - still looking good with a semi full mouth!

Still not a fan of tofu but this sandwich was calling me and I couldn't say no to trying it. I was not disappointed. This sandwich has seasoned tofu, scallion cream cheese, roasted tomatoes, and balsamic field greens on focaccia. I'm also a chubby butt and added tempeh bacon and avocado spread. I'm glad I did. I got a side of field greens which also tasted awesome and in the end I was stuffed. Amazing. I would love to go back and try more off the menu, everything was pretty impressive and for being vegan, tasted completely not healthy for me (not that it was SUPER healthy in the end with all of my additions). 

Super excited to go back again one day. 

UPDATE 8/28/15 : 

Apparently 'one day' is soon because 3 days later I manage to drag Jon to Red Fern for my last lunch as his intern/assistant. We can't decide where to go for lunch, and Jon just throws out that he's looking for a salad - difficult because everywhere has salads. Red Fern is still on my mind so I throw it out there and attempt to be helpful for the first time this summer and he agrees - thought slightly reluctant. 

We come in around 1:30 and its still busy, quite a few full tables and people bustling around this little space. We get a seat and I say that we can share or not share but I AM DEFINITELY ordering the Pesto Zucchini Linguini (PZL). Jon wants to try it so he orders the Avocado Bacon Lettuce Tomato (ABLT) Sandwich and we share both. Adorable. The ABLT is great! Avocado spread, tempeh bacon, balsamic field greens, and roasted cherry tomatoes with a lemon 'vegenaise' on toasted sourdough. We inhale it. But the PZL.. this is where the magic is. Zucchini noodles that make Jon double check "There's no pasta in here?", a great pesto, roasted tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and kale parmesan. We eat while discussing how they manage to make zucchini noodles. They're round in diameter not flat.. french fry devices of sorts? But they spiral... a conundrum we are very interested in. 

It's a hit. Jon says he HAS to bring his wife back and he demands I be a good daughter and bring my mom because he thinks she'll love it, not that he's spent more than 5 minutes with my mom at a time. I'll run it by her. Maybe she'll go with me. 

I'm glad my last lunch with him was such a success. Perfect way to end the summer. 

ROC - PI Craft

LOCATION: 100 MARKETPLACE DRIVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14623

Much like Pizzeria Favo, this place makes your own custom pizza right in front of you. They form your dough, add your toppings, and bake it in the oven right there! This place is pretty great tho. Cool atmosphere, fun graphics on the signs, and unlimited toppings which I'm totally down for! 

I decide on the Pi size which is a 13" x 6" pizza as opposed to their 12" round pizza. Then the toppings. I'm feeling like a veggie day so I just throw them all on. Pesto for my sauce, mozzarella cheese, artichokes, spinach, mushrooms, and zucchini. I miss the sign for arugula, and almost go for bacon or prosciutto but turns out they both cost extra and in the heat of the moment I chicken out on the extra couple of bucks.. I know.. I'm lame.. next time! They drizzle balsamic on top after they pull it from the rotating oven and this thing is great! Perfection if you ask me. 

Pretty happy for the pizza, love the unlimited toppings and all the choices. Clean and fun. Go Pi Craft! 

Work surprises

Just found this at work: 

#Butter. 

ROC - Eat. Drink. Roam.

My friends Jay and Chris love this place (probably because Chris' uncle owns it!) but because of them I've been dying to try it. What happens is, Rob decides he wants to go out to dinner again and likes to help me out by knocking things off my list so he takes a look and picks Roam Cafe.

Yes. 

LOCATION: 262 PARK AVE., ROCHESTER, NY 14607

We get there and this is a great space. Cosy decor and nice light. The bar is small but for park ave. it works well and the dining area is pretty grand. We get seated and our orders are taken and then they come. 

Turns out a wedding party is taking place there the night we decide to check it out. Three long tables full of people dressed quite nicely. Perfect for people watching. Only I'm kinda dumb and pick the seat that faces the wall. Smooth. 

Regardless, I talk Rob into splitting an arancini with me to start and then for dinner I get the full grilled beet and feta salad (with the addition of steak). After trying the arancini at Aunt Rosie's I'm kind of hooked. This one comes in, super hot, and covered in a red sauce. We cut into it to split and strings of hot cheese just pull everywhere. It's incredible. The rice gets a little crispy and sticky on the outside and I feel bits of it stuck to my teeth but that's something I get live with because this arancini is so good. Really happy for the order. The beet salad however, slightly fails to deliver. It's a dark salad when it comes out. Steak a little chewy for medium rare and not enough sunflower seeds in my opinion. The feta is a nice touch and the red wine tarragon vinaigrette is a nice touch but I'm not feeling it. The beets get kind of buried and it does grow on me a little as I near the end but I suppose my expectations were a little high and Roam kinda failed to deliver. The menu looks great with vegetarian dishes and paleo options but the food itself had minor issues that took away from the whole experience. Rob dislikes the ambiance and finds the place a little loud but what can you do with three tables of wedding party in the room. Would go back if I was asked but not on my list of high recommendations. We walked away giving it a 6.5. The owner was great and super nice, I just couldn't say I fell in love with this place.  

VA - Eden

On our family vacation to Virginia we decided to make a few stops on the way back. We basically splitting the trip into two days and are staying in Philadelphia for the night before trekking back home tomorrow, but on the way to Philly, my parents made sure to take a stop in this little asian shopping center in Virginia. Way too many jewelry stores but restaurant are on point and there was a giant grocery store dad was dying to get in to. 

First, we eat! We wander around and dad swears theres a restaurant his friend recommends that is supposed to be good but we can't find it so we wander into this place called VietRoyale.

LOCATION: 6767 WILSON BLVD., FALLS CHURCH, VA 22044

I was feeling like noodles but I'd had my traditional pho for the trip so I ordered a vermicelli noodles with beef and a fried spring roll. Such good flavors and the noodles hit the spot. The plate was just slightly sweet across the board which I wasn't a huge fan of. The beef was sweet, and once I mixed the noodles with the pickled carrots and radishes it was super sweet. Would've liked the meat to be a little more savory but the plate was still great. Good random find, but then again it always is. 

VA - Lynchburg, Virginia

Our adventure begins on a warm Wednesday morning; 9am.. so really it's a pretty late start for a road trip. My parents have a mutual friend they lost contact with about 15 or so years ago. He found them again after all this time, asked for some help with his new restaurant, and we were on our way. 10 hours later (the estimated time of traveling was 8.5hours...) we finally arrive in Lynchburg, Virginia. Cue the restaurant!

LOCATION: 20722 TIMBERLAKE RD, LYNCHBURG, VA 24502

Saigon Palace has been going pretty strong for about 2 years (or so that's what I've been told). The owner is my mom's 'foster brother' from their childhood days back in Vietnam. He's my late uncle's best friend, sharing the same name and I'm sure the same trouble making history. Turns out this guy is also the reason my parents met. Without him, I literally wouldn't be born. Thanks dude. 

10 hours in a car with my mom who likes to drive 62mph in a 65 zone the whole way, while my dad insists that the gps and lying - all over the sound of Vietnamese music blasting in the background. We arrive to salvation (kind of) and 'Uncle' Hung, as I call him, gives each of us a bowl of Pho Bo, or beef noodle soup. Now I'm more of a chicken soup kinda kid but I'm not one to complain, and pho is good no matter what protein is in it so I'm good to go. 

Obviously, I'm biased - but to me, this is a damn good bowl of pho; and I grew up eating pho quite often. Salvation in a bowl that fills you up every single time. This is home in a bowl.   

ROC - GRAPPA

My list is becoming helpful! Now whenever someone wants to go out to dinner I send them a picture of my list for suggestions and leave the rest to them. The indecisive person's guide to making other people choose for you.

Which leads me to GRAPPA!

LOCATION: 30 CELEBRATION DR., ROCHESTER, NY 14620

I went out to dinner with my friend Rob and he liked the sound of GRAPPA, and thus we were off! GRAPPA is actually attached to the Hilton Hotel and we entered in through the hotel lobby to the restaurant. A bit drafty with extremely high ceilings which make for interesting acoustics. This place was beautiful. Very modern with super clean lines and lots of smooth hard surfaces. There's an outdoor patio where you can sit and a cute little bar in the center of the restaurant. We were seated inside (kind of wish I brought a sweater!) and we could see the kitchen from where we were. Very cool feeling and a great experience.

I ordered the orecchiette bolognese which had an amazing meat sauce topped with fresh parm. Delicious. I almost ate the whole plate but believe me, I was super happy to have the leftovers the next day. Rob ordered the smoked mozzarella ravioli which I had a bite of. Also really great and the mozzarella filling had an incredible smokey flavor. More cheese than I was in the mood for at that time so I'm happy with my decision but I'm pretty sure he was also happy with his. 

Super nice place. Beautiful and pretty classy. I wish I got more dressed up, but that probably would've been better if we went later in the night. Would for sure go back!    

ROC - TRATA

LOCATION: 145 CULVER RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14620

That's right! I finally made it to TRATA! Julia asked me to go out to dinner with her last night and it was beautiful. The architecture there is, of course, incredible and this place is 2 floors of beautiful decor and really cool rustic lighting fixtures with a great rooftop bar. On such a nice night, Julia definitely wanted to have dinner on the roof and I was in. The only thing is that TRATA has a great bar for people in their late 20s, early 30s. We definitely felt too young to be there and ever so slightly, underdressed. 

This place is a little pricier but the menu is good. There were a few things on the large plates section that caught my eye but being outside, on a really warm day, I decided on a dinner salad instead. Keeping it cool and fresh. I ordered the grilled calamari salad which came out and was really good. It was a baby kale salad with grape tomatoes, mandarin oranges, cucumbers, marcona almonds, and asiago in a ginger-peach vinaigrette. The vinagrette-asiago combo was a great surprise with a sweet kick that matched the mandarin oranges very well. The ratio of veggies to calamari was great and the calamari itself was cooked well. Not too chewy and very fresh. It was perfect. 

Of course dinner with Julia wouldn't be a really good time unless we were at least a little weird. And Julia always lives up to it. She looks at the menu and being the picky eater that she is decides the Salmon Salad looks great. If only it weren't made with salmon. Thats right. Julia orders the salmon salad. Without salmon. Instead she asks if she can switch it with chicken, and the waitress says of course, and Julia does her happy dance, and I'm cracking up. Dinner is good. We also have a fun time post dinner trying to figure out what kind of nuts were in my salad because the menu's are gone and we have no idea. We spend the next 15 minutes on our phones searching the all knowing google for tree nuts. Apparently they're marcona almonds. We're smart. Always a fun time with the two of us.  

ROC - McCann's Local Meats

LOCATION: 730 SOUTH CLINTON AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14620

Typically, Friday's are half days for me here at Wegmans and this week was a super half day with me getting out at 1. This meant that I didn't take a lunch and decided that I would work straight until I got out then get lunch after. I was planning on going somewhere but pulled into the parking lot and it turned out, they're temporarily closed. Thus my Friday lunch adventure began and came to a screeching halt! Empty stomach and all I decided that I would just look for a new place on my list that I could check out on my own.

Cue McCann's Local Meats. Right around the corner from where I was, I went to go check it out. McCann's is like a warehouse/shipping container kinda hybrid that beyond cool. Meats of all kinds hanging in refrigerators with windows facing customers, glass cases stocked full of a variety of cuts, this place is minimalistic in a wonderful way.

I walked up to the counter where others were ordering foods and saw a sign for the lunch special of the day which happened to be The McC. I Swear I lucked out because this was perfect. The McC is a burger coarse-ground right there at the meat market with lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced onions and pickles (perfect really), and topped with cheese. I added a little mayo on top (condiments might slowly be growing on me after all these years...) and ordered a side of their Beef Fat Fries. And boy and I glad I did.

Let me just say, that the drive home with this takeout in my car was pretty much torture. I was so hungry and this food smelled amazing I should've just eaten it there. This burger was cooked perfectly, just the way I wanted it. The melted cheese on top was fantastic and the ratio of shaved onions and pickles was on point. I don't know how they do it, but it was the best burger ever. Now, the burger is the special of the day, but you can add sides for $1.00 each which works great. They have a really wide selection which was fantastic. Of corse I went for the signature beef fat fries which are actually $4.00 but believe me, they're worth it. These are the best fries I've had in a super long time. I don't know how they do it and just to preserve the magic of it, I don't want to know. But these fries tasted like childhood and I never wanted it to stop. May just go back for the fries. Honestly. 

McCann's gets a 10/10. The perfect spur of the moment burger. I need to stay up to date on their instagram to catch it again next time it's the daily special.  

ROC - Aunt Rosie's Cafe and Bistro

Megan is back in town!!!! And this means I have a lunch buddy even when my regular lunch buddies are away or busy. So, she agreed to have lunch with me and I gave her my list to see if she liked anything and she chose Aunt Rosie's! 

LOCATION: 350 EAST MAIN ST. ROCHESTER, NY 14606

Aunt Rosie's is this cute place right in the middle of the city which a clean open feel and great space. Of course we got there and the whole place was full of business professionals on their lunch breaks which was slightly hilarious to us, but I supposed for the day I am one of them! 

First off I ordered the daily aranchini as an appetizer for the two of us to share. For being a fried rice ball, it was super light and fresh. They made it with citrus and fresh herbs, topped lightly with cheese. It was a fantastic combination and the flavor was super clean and mild which was actually really cool. As a main course Megan ordered a chicken panino and I got wild mushrooms in polenta with parmesan topped with a fried egg. I swear - anything topped with a fried runny egg is my kind of dish. It was beautiful. The flavors were so fresh and clean and I loved the rich wild mushroom flavor. I'm not sure that I've ever tried polenta so this was my chance and it has a pretty neutral flavor but a slightly grainy texture. Honestly, I'm feeling I'm more of a mashed potatoes texture kinda person. At least I tried! 

Megan and I both agreed - cute place, good food, go us. Proud of our decision!  

ROC - Vive!

LOCATION: 130 EAST AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14604  

Totally vegetarian, organic, no preservatives, house made everything. This is Vive. This week for lunch Sophia agreed to head to Vive with me and try it out. A little farther than we usually venture for lunch but that's okay! Sophia is always super excited to go out no matter where I choose to eat so getting a text every week that the menu looks delicious is wonderful.

The place was a little empty when we arrived. Lots of tables and pretty decor. Service was iffy with the absent hostess at first but once we got their attention and were seated, everything was smooth sailing. They have special lemon/lime infused water thats complementary for the day but we go with normal water and feel just as refreshed! 

I ordered a garden veggie socca pissa aka a chickpea crust pizza with a fantastic tomato sauce, spinach with a parmesan spread, and fried zucchini on top. Great flavors but the crust tasted a little overcooked to me and while the tomato sauce was flavorful and kept the crust moist, the end crust was pretty dry and super crispy. Overall it was an alright pizza and I'm glad I tried the chickpea crust! Pretty cool. 

Sophia get a salad called the forager that was a crazy combo of mushrooms that looked pretty incredible though a little small (says the girl who only ate half of the personal pizza anyways). 

Overall, a pretty cute, nice place to eat. Great if your a vegetarian because there's so many interesting choices. I'm not a huge fan in the end. Not sure I would make a second trip back if it was up to me, but I also wouldn't mind going back if someone else wanted to. I supposed this place left me feeling pretty neutral but don't worry ButaPub, you're still our current favorite.  

Pa-Ner-AAAAAAAAAA

Apparently I'm a grown up and I like salad now. Who knew! But Megan just mentioned that there is an awesome Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad that was around for the summer and that she loved. Of course these things are like a challenge to me. I had to try it. I had the day off and I was just running errands so I made Panera a stop and picked up a half salad with a baguette. It was awesome. This salad had everything; chicken, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and  pecans, on romaine lettuce with the poppyseed lettuce. I'm a major fruit kid and love almost all fruits so this salad was a home run. Definitely going to make Panera one of my stops again.

Also, funny side note - I got my salad to go and ate it at home and right as I sit down a Panera commercial comes onto the TV. Great timing Panera but I'm one step ahead of you!   

ROC - Mise en Place

Sophia is my wonderful summer lunch buddy 2015 because we had yet another lunch together. It's becoming a weekly thing, which I love. 

LOCATION: 683 SOUTH AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14620

This week we went to a little market/shop/cafe called Mise en Place. Her mom took her there and Sophia enjoyed it so I had to give it a try with her. It was great. I was super pumped because they have a Jumbo Roasted Beet Salad and I haven't had beets in forever. A craving I didn't realize I had. 

So I ordered the beet salad which has roasted beets, mixed greens, goat cheese, walnuts, and an herb vinaigrette. I added chicken on top for a little extra and it was all wonderful. I was stuffed in the end but there were so many beets I could've died of a beet overdose. Perfection. I would go back just for the salad. 

Sophia got a Jalapeno Pepper burger that she was eyeing when she came with her mom and was equally satisfied. I like this little place. A lot. 

UPDATE: It's Wednesday and Jon has kindly told me (at 12:15) that I'm on my own for lunch. No buddies to eat with me this last minute but Mise en Place will be my friend. I drove over and ordered tempura battered vegetables. Best last minutes decision ever. I'm so happy right now just munching away. Mise en Place is becoming a lifesaver.

Not too heavy or greasy, I'm finding myself digging around for the carrots because they haven't fallen apart quite as much as the zucchini. Broccoli is pretty good but not my favorite. This dipping sauce, awesome - though I'm wishing I didn't sqeeze so much lemon on top because it's becoming overwhelming on all the light veggie tastes. Now I know! 

NYC - Ichabod's

This was our last night in NYC before the drive home tomorrow morning so Seth decided we should have a nice dinner out together. He, Fernando, Karie, Zoe, and I all wandered around Union Square and looked for a good place to eat. Seth narrowed it down and said he wanted an American restaurant for some steak. Solid. And this we ended up at Ichabod's.

LOCATION: 15 IRVING PL, NEW YORK, NY 10003 

Seth and Fernando each got the steak. Zoe ordered fried oysters to start and then a pork shoulder dish as her main, and Karie and I each got the special Squid Ink Pasta with shrimp, squid, and scallops. 

It. Was. Incredible. I've always wanted to try a squid ink pasta but have never had the guts to do it. Turns out it doesn't taste too different. The pasta was slightly saltier...maybe... and it was a little softer but that's about it. The seafood in this dish was perfect. The shrimp wasn't over cooked, the squid wasn't too chewy, and the scallops (which were my favorite part) had this incredible flavor to them. I'm so happy we ended up here and that this was their special. Here's to trying new dishes. It's basically my motto anyways isn't it? 

NYC - Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Ice Cream!

Last night after our Japanese dinner, Zoe and Karie were both kind enough to humor me and get ice cream before our friends Seth and Fernando got into town. As I mentioned, the three of us girls pack in the food so we just had this huge Japanese meal and we promptly walk a few blocks over and get ice cream. Marathon eating is an art form and the three of us manage it well. 

LOCATION: 2 RIVINGTON ST, NEW YORK, NY 10002

Before going to NYC this time around I was reading Bon Appetite magazine and saw this review for a cool ice cream shop called Morganstern's Finest Ice Cream. It turned out to be close to St. Marks Place where we had dinner so we ventured after to get dessert. This place was packed. We arrived around 9pm and the line to this little place was out the door but Zoe is relaxed and insisted that I wanted to try it so we would wait. For almost an hour. For one scoop of ice cream each. At least we had time to digest... 

Now the reason I wanted to make the stop was because this place has crazy cool flavors and there was one that caught my eye. The durian banana. A durian is a crazy asian fruit that has the texture of custard on the inside, is a spikey melon sized thing from the outside, and has a pungent smell you can get a whiff of from a mile away. I love it. It's for sure an acquired taste that isn't very popular but I love it so that's all I really care about.  I had to try the ice cream tho and I was not disappointed. One scoop but it was fantastic and the look of this place is super cute. I wish there was a shorter line and that the workers maybe didn't take 10 minutes to scoop one scoop of ice cream but it was definitely worth the try. 

LOCATION: 125 E 7TH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10009

Today was ice cream part two. Because why not have ice cream every day. This time we went to Big Gay Ice Cream because this place has been on my list for at least 2 years and I still haven't had the chance to try it.

Again, Zoe seizes the opportunity and makes things happen so we're off to Big Gay Ice Cream where I order one of the famous specialties. The Salty Pimp. That's right. That's the name of one of their signature ice creams. I had a little trouble getting over the name but once you do it's a great order. The salty pimp is vanilla soft serve with caramel hand squeezed into the little ridges of the custard and then the whole thing is dipped in chocolate. Its the perfect salty sweet combo and I liked it quite a bit. Totally worth finally getting to try it.