NYC - BCD Tofu House

I've made it to NYC yet again for my friend Karie's birthday so the food adventures continue! I arrived late Friday which made the 6 hour drive from Rochester more like an 8 hour drive. Full of tension and stress I get to Zoe's apartment where I'm staying, punch in her key code and sleep until she makes it out of work. By midnight we're off to dinner. That's right, midnight. Zoe tends to be a night owl and when in NYC!

Zoe tells me about this Korean restaurant open 24 hours and thus we head off.

LOCATION: 5W 32ND ST, NEW YORK, NY 10001

Although it's midnight, this place is packed! People crowd the doors waiting for their tables voices echo off the high ceilings. Since there's only two of us, we get seated pretty quickly near the back of the second floor. I'm currently nauseous from not eating in the past 12 hours so I'm ecstatic. Zoe and I order a small seafood pancake to start and, of course, in all Korean style, plates with mini appetizers and snacks come out while we wait for out meal. I've gone to eat Korean food with Zoe in Rochester before, but this is NYC so the plates are more elaborate and higher quality. The kimchi comes out, of course, but I'm not a fan so I let Zoe snack on that one. Macaroni, fried fish, broccoli, it was all there. The seafood pancake is perfect. It's honestly a scallion pancake with seafood in it which is a winning combo for me. I am obsessed with scallion pancakes and make dad make them for me at home when I want a snack and he's got time; Adding seafood to it only make it more perfect for me. 

For the main course I just copy Zoe and get a tofu soup because that's what we're at this tofu house for. I'm not a huge fan of tofu but I'm ready to try. Zoe orders a mushroom soondubu with beef and I go with the seafood soondubu. Thankfully, they bring out a bowl of rice because that's all I really need. This tofu soup is actually pretty great. I get it regular spicy and Zoe and I each crack a raw egg into it before we start eating. At first it's just a mildly spicy sea of tofu but I mix my egg in an suddenly clams and muscles still in their shells emerge from the bottom. I'm beyond happy. I mix the soup in with my rice slowly as I eat and I'm feeling warm and full before I know it. This is honestly a really great dish and I wish I liked tofu more to really enjoy it. Still, I like the soybean flavor I'm getting out of these big chunks of tofu. 

Classic Zoe and me, eating dinner at 1am. By the time we're done and home it's just about 2:30am and we're ready to sleep with our warm full bellies. Successful first night in the city if you ask me. 

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.