White Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

The unofficial Hunger Games cookbook continues to be my guide on this warm Saturday. I finally had some time off this morning and prepared well enough to bake some cookies. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate but this idea of a dark cookie with some light sprinkled through out sounded motivating to me and I wanted to give it a go. 

I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and started to mix my dry ingredients in a bowl. 1 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 1 3/4 cup flour and, 1 tsp each of baking soda and baking powder were mixed together and set aside. 

I then creamed 2 sticks of butter with 1 cup of white sugar, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 tsp of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Once these ingredients were combined, I added 2 eggs to the batter (one at a time) and then stirred in the dry ingredients slowly. After the final batter was made, I mixed in 2 cups of white chocolate chips and that was it!

I scooped the dough into tablespoon sized balls onto parchment paper covered baking trays and baked them for 10 minutes. I let the cookies cool and that was it! 

Cookies are always fun and easy and I love making them like this. I haven't actually tried them yet but I'm hoping for good reviews and happy friends from thiem! 

Blackberry Cobbler

Today was one of those days I really just needed to bake. 

I got to the dessert section of the Hunger Games Unofficial cookbook and blackberry cobbler was one of the first desserts I flipped to. Cobblers are super easy to make well and light on the ingredient list. 

I preheated the oven to 400 degrees to start and got my 8x8 pan/dish. I started with the filling for the cobbler and dissolved 2tbsp of cornstarch in a 1/4 cup of water. I mixed in a 1/2 cup of sugar and 1tsp of cinnamon along with 2tbsp of lemon juice and 4 cups of blackberries. I made sure the blackberries were coated well, put them in a pot and brought it to a boil while stirring occasionally.

While this was coming to a boil I made the topping. I mixed 1 cup of flour with 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1tsp of baking powder, and 1tsp of salt. Then I cut in 6tbsp of butter until the mixture was bread crumb-y, then added 1tsp of vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of boiling water. 

I finished the blackberry mixture, poured it into my baking pan, then scooped spoonfuls of the topping into the pan. I baked it for 30 minutes and it came out wonderfully golden brown and bubbly. 

A great, easy dessert that was quick to make and the perfect way to relax and calm myself down after a stressful morning.  

Valentine's Day (Pizza) Roses

For Valentine's Day I decided that I was going to make myself roses, Pizza roses that is! I saw a video on facebook and googled some recipes until I found something that I thought could work. 

I bought two tubes of pilsbury thin crust pizza dough that comes in tubes to start. I rolled out one tube of dough and cut in into strips of 2in x 12in. I lightly sauced the strips with some extra pasta sauce I had in the cupboard and after some experimentation I figured out that this is the perfect length to fit about 8 pepperoni slices in a row slightly overlapping on one edge of the dough. After the row of pepperoni I sprinkled on shredded mozzarella cheese and folded the dough length wise to create a pocket for all the toppings. I started down one end of the strip and gently rolled it to create a pinwheel bun shape that fits perfectly in the muffin pan.

Each tube of dough makes about 6 roses which is why I bought two tubes to make a nice dozen. 20 minutes later in the oven and these roses were cooked to perfection. 

They turned out really great and cheesy and once I got the hang of it, they were super easy to make. I would totally do it again. Crowd pleaser for sure and good as a treat to share.    

ROC - Village Bakery and Cafe

I am a kayak, hear me roar!!

That's right, I have decide that I am a strong independent woman that can go out to eat by myself!.. If only I had the money.. and time... small steps. The first of which being going out to lunch by myself and getting some work done aka editing photos. 

LOCATION: 5 STATE ST, PITTSFORD, NY 14534

I've come to village bakery several times before, on some occasions alone, and I decided that today I would head over and get myself a Croque Monsieur which happens to be one of the must try Rochester dishes on Julia's List! (I think it'll be alright for me to hit some of these places on my own; my time in Rochester is limited and Julia is much too far away at school to accompany me.) 

The Croque Monsieur at Village Bakery was on the list specifically and it is Ham and Gruyere on brioche with the house made bechamel and I added a poached egg on top for an extra $1 because poached egg. 

I will say to start that I'm quite awful at multitasking when one of those tasks is eating food. As I said before, I decided that today I would try to get some editing done while I was out so I had my trusty laptop Norman and I was editing and retouching some photos while I had my sandwich to eat. Needless to say, this sandwich was left neglected for quite some time and by the time that I decided to take a break and give it some attention it was no longer piping hot, my bad.. just keep this in mind when I voice my opinion of the food. 

Sandwiches come with a side of cape cod kettle chips, and a pickle, both of which I enjoy, so great start. The sandwich itself also did not disappoint. The poached egg however, was not runny, though there is a good chance that it cooked a little through while it sat on my sandwich. I was a little disappointed in that but it was still close, so not awful. The bread was a wonderful crispness, the a ham on the inside was a little dry, but the gruyere and the bechamel were incredible. The sauce moistened the ham well overall and gave the sandwich an incredible taste. I did catch hints of vinegar, likely from the poached egg, which was a little off putting but mixed in with the rest of the sandwich it was alright. Overall, a good sandwich, though nothing to rave about and not something I would say is a must have in rochester. Maybe if I ate it while it was still hot it would have a better chance. At room temp, it was average.

Candy Cookie Dough Oreo Pie!

That name is just everything you need in a pie isn't it? 

It was my friend Ben's birthday yesterday and I decided I was going to make him something to celebrate! He sent me this super easy recipe last summer and I think half jokingly said he wanted it. I've known Ben for a year and while he loves junk food, he's been in a healthy kick since we met and on average days tries to eat healthy and work out. We still manage to find days where we both want a slice of pizza or some creme brulee and treat ourselves, but everything in moderation! 

This was one of those cheat days! It's his birthday, he should eat a little of what he wants! 

This 'pie' if you want to call it that we super easy. I had a screenshot of the recipe he found and I sort of put my own twist on it. First it says to start off with one of those pre-made pie crust. At the grocery store I found one of those oreo cookie crusts and figured, if I was going to make this, an oreo crust was the way to go! Basically I took the oreo crust, then took a whole tube of that pre-made sugar cookie dough and pressed it into the crust as best I could. In hindsight I should've pre-baked the crust with some egg white to bind the crust better because it crumbled quite a bit when I pushed the cookie dough on top. The I just topped it with bite sized chocolate. The recipe calls for a cup of m&ms, two packs of twix bars chopped, and 6 or 7 mini reese's peanut butter cups. I can honestly say I measured nothing. I took a few of each of these candies (and I bought the bite sized bag of baby mini twix to make things easier on myself) and just pushed them into the raw dough until I thought it looked like enough. (Honestly I probably could've added more.) I baked it for about 40 minutes until the cookie dough looked nice and brown and then I took it out of the oven and let it cool. I honestly and not a huge chocolate lover and I went to Ben's and gave him the whole pie and declined when he wanted to give me a piece. It was his pie and I'm happy not to eat it. He was so happy that I made it and some of his friends and his older brother were coming over to take him out to dinner that night so he promised to share with them and not eat the whole pie by himself after dinner. He send me a picture of the pie after the cut into it and he seemed to enjoy it a bunch but I'm sure I'll get more feedback the next time I see him. It was a super fun, easy, not in the least bit healthy for you kinda dessert which was perfect for a birthday like this.   

ROC - Edibles!

This is the weekend of reunions because Julia was home and we finally had time to see each other again! (Kinda..) The holidays are a crazy busy season for everyone and because Julia's getting her masters it's hard to find time when she's free and back in Rochester. She was actually on her way back to school and was planning to leave tonight but decided to postpone going back and have dinner with me instead. She always makes me feel important :). 

SO, we knew we wanted to do dinner because Julia had work in the day, but the problem was that we didn't know where to go. I have my lists but by now a lot of them are cafe's which are nice for lunch or breakfast, or good places for snacks. Julia's also quite picky with food making picking a place harder. She looked at my list and narrowed it down to a few places that she figured she'd enjoy appetizers and salads from at best. I didn't like the idea of picking a place she didn't really enjoy but she was alright with the compromise and picked a place. We had the plan! Then of course I thought of Edibles. I know Julia fairly well, we've been friends for over 10 years now and I have ideas of what foods she likes and what she doesn't. Edibles would be a better choice. So she looked it up online and decided she agreed. This was the place! If only we had figured that out 12 hours before instead of going through all the other restaurants. Go us! 

Thus, we ended up at Edibles!

LOCATION: 704 UNIVERSITY AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

Now, if you wanna look back, Sophia and I have made it here for lunch and it was great. A little light on portions and the service was a little awkward but nothing too bad and the food was good. At the time of lunch I knew it was a place Julia would like so I'm happy I got to go with her and this time experience dinner! 

Julia ordered herself a glass of wine (picking a random red that she choice based on price and name because that's her method) and I ordered the Winter Sangria which was a red wine, apricot brandy, cranberry juice, orange, apple, cinnamon stick, and ginger ale combination. The cinnamon was a great hint though the apricot slice was pure alcohol by the time I took a bite out of it. A great choice!

Because it was a red wine sangria I cut out the seafood selections from the menu and as my entree ordered the Beef Short Rib with a Wild Mushroom Risotto and Julia ordered the Pierogi Dinner which came with asparagus. Now, I'd had the pierogi for lunch when I was there and loved it, this time was no different for Julia and she was so happy to have found a restaurant with pierogi's on the dinner menu. My beef short rib was amazing. The flavor was clean and natural. The seasoning on it wasn't too overpowering and the gravy on it gave it a nice juicy texture. There was a wonderful crust on the top that sealed in flavor and moisture during the 6 hour braising processes and it balanced wonderfully with the cheesy, flavorful mushroom risotto. I managed to eat my whole plate and was stuffed by the end and Julia said she was a very comfortable full. A wonderful choice for us both and I'm happy I returned and brought her with me.  

ROC - Orange Glory

Traditional lunch with Sophia returns! We haven't seen each other for over a month so it's about time we got back into these meals together and it was a wonderful idea. It took us some time to decide on a place to eat and we're falling back into places we've been before but I suggested somewhere new and she was up for the adventure so off we went! 

LOCATION: 240 EAST AVE, ROCHESTER, NY, 14604

It took us a couple minutes to find this spot but when we did, it was worth it. Orange Glory Cafe and Catering was a cute little space tucked in right next to the little theatre downtown. It has maybe 5 little tables and the kitchen is tucked away in the basement because there's no room behind the counters! The walls are the happy tangerine colored and there were beautiful huge acrylic portraits up for sale. Supporting the local artists as per Rochester tradition! 

The menu is listed on a blackboard and you can pick out the different sandwiches in the glass case, all of which look really great. I ordered the Mushroom and Artichoke Sandwich while Sophia got the Tuna Melt. I think we both agreed that these were pretty good toasted sandwiches. On a nice cold day in the winter, a warm sandwich for lunch is really all you need. The space wasn't too crowded with people and the workers were super sweet. A small little place, but I'd easily go back one day if I'm in the mood for a fun sandwich like this

ROC - The Revelry

After all this time, I've finally had dinner at the Revelry!

LOCATION: 1290 UNIVERSITY AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

My cousin Kim drove in from Buffalo for a few days so she figured it'd be a good time for a girls night dinner with me and our other cousin Kristie. She suggested the Revelry and she didn't have to convince me to say yes.

Clearly the three of us can eat because we ordered so much off the menu with a few other possible choices to add if we were still hungry. after 5 dishes we weren't but it's evident that this menu is full of great plates. 

Right off the bat we started off with a half dozen of the Chicken Fried Oysters which was such a great choice. The batter was light and the oysters weren't too strong yet you could still really get the flavor of them which was perfect. Kim decided she wanted a salad too which we were fine with so we ordered the Escarole Salad which comes with shaved red onion, dill, warm ham vinaigrette, and a local fried egg. The yolk from the fried egg mixed with the vinaigrette so well to coat the salad. The ham was a little salty and not the biggest hit with all of us but overall a really good salad which we basically inhaled. We also ordered the Baked Mac and Cheese which is made with a duck confit, roasted green chiles, and a cornbread crumb on top. I wasn't as big a fan of it but Kim and Kristie flipped. I don't really like green chiles which were fairly prominent and I don't throughly enjoy cornbread on top of that so this wasn't the dish for me but even I can admit the texture of this mac and cheese was on point and hard to achieve for sure.  

For the main courses we ordered two dishes to share. First off we HAD to get the Pasture Raised Fried 1/2 Chicken which comes with smashed red bliss potatoes, collard greens, and a sir-racha sauce. Kristie has come to the revelry multiple times and raved about this fried chicken so it was a must on my list now that I'd finally made it there. It was well worth it. This was the best fried chicken I've ever had in my life. Easy. The breading on the outside was crisp but light and the chicken itself was the furthest from dry chicken could be. It was so tender and moist it was perfect. Kristie says it reheats perfectly the next day too which is incredible but I believe it because it was so fantastic . The mashed potatoes on the side were a great flavor but I personally wanted a more rustic cut on the mash and it ended up being very smooth and whipped. Not my favorite texture but the flavor was there. 

Our second main dish was the BBQ special which was a braised brisket with fried pickles and you guessed it, yet another mac and cheese. The brisket was a wonderful texture, not too chewy or tough and a great bbq flavor if you like that. The fried pickles were a great tangy twist to the bbq as well with a nice clean crisp crust.  This mac and cheese was my favorite of the two. Saltier for sure which was a minus, but this one had bacon and no chiles so it won my heart easily. 

Honestly, everything we ordered was great. Dinner was full of clean crisp flavors that complimented each other well and were filling yet we still had room for dessert! (Maybe it's just because we're bottomless pits...)  

ROC - Aja Noodle Co.

I haven't been feeling well lately which means time for soup!

Some days, my stomach decides it hates me, and food.. It's days like these that I need happy, clean things to eat like soup! Now soup from where you may ask - this particular day I was feeling like a nice bowl of Coconut Thai Chicken Soup from Aja Noodle right around the corner from my house. 

LOCATION: 2602 ELMWOOD AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14618

I actually haven't had this soup in years but something in me was craving it and since I haven't had an appetite, when the stomach wants something, you go for it while that window is open! 

This is my favorite soup and it'll come up in my mind randomly but each time I get it, it never fails. This is a smooth coconut milk soup with thai spices that give it a nice kick. It comes with vermicelli noodles which are an easy thing for my stomach to handle, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms as well as a splash of lime. I'm not a huge fan of bell peppers but I always forget it's there and end up picking them out of the soup, no problem. I got it to go so I could eat in the comfort of my own home in my pjs because sick Emily is not about that presentable vibe when I'm under the weather and it was the perfect thing for the day. Warm and filling but not too heavy, this soup makes me happy every time. 

ROC - Magnolia's Deli and Cafe

Julia came back again this weekend!!! She had time to come and have a late lunch with me so we checked out her list. That's right, Julia now has her own list (which she found) of 15 places you HAVE TO eat in Rochester along with specific dishes for each place. Obviously the garbage plate (they've listed the ones from dogtown) was there but I've been there, ate that. So we checked out the list today and picked out what we were looking for.

LOCATION: 366 PARK AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

Both of has been to Magnolia's Deli and Cafe though not with each other and neither of us have had what was on the list: The Obama Special or The President! Both of which are the same combo meal eaten by the current President of the United States when he stopped by our little city years prior (apparently he missed the garbage plate memo but that's probably not a healthy Michelle Obama approved meal). This Obama Special is a half sandwich of grilled cheddar cheese on sourdough with a cup of the Magnolia's signature cream of tomato, artichoke, and cheese soup.

Let's just say, the president made an awesome choice on this one. The grilled cheese was the perfect crispness, with gooey, melty, warm cheddar in the center. Nothing too crazy but great flavor and really good when dipped in the cream of tomato soup. The soup itself was really great. This is what I want when I'm feeling like a cream of tomato soup. Tart tangy flavor but still creamy and smooth. Julia and I were super happy with this choice. The soup did come with little garlic break crostini type slices in it which I found great but Julia stated was too garlic-y. I understand her opinion but I think it was packed with great flavor for the mellow soup. Such a good first choice for this little list. I'm pretty excited to hit some of the other spots. 

ROC - La Casa

While La Casa wasn't on my list (not saying all restaurants I frequent need to be) this place has been recommended to me several times by various people and I've finally made it. 

Sophia has been trying new places lately and in turn has been recommending them to me, aka giving me a reason (and a buddy) to go with. So while Julia was in town for the weekend, Sophia and I decided it was about time we had a meal with the three of us together like old times. Then we decided that it was about time that Julia met Sophia's new boy Tyler so might as well make it a party at La Casa. 

LOCATION: 93 ALEXANDER ST., ROCHESTER, NY 14620

La Casa is a cute little house turned into a restaurant per Rochester style. It's bright and colorful on the outside making it super cute and fun. We were also seated next to this big cliche buffalo like skull on the wall. (Is that the right animal? What roamed the deserts of America?) 

Anyhow, Julia and I arrive first and of course they bring out a bowl of warm chips and salsa for us to start while we wait and look over menus. When Sophia and Tyler arrive, we've already decided the homemade guacamole to start is a must. I personally thought it was a great guac but Julia mentioned that it was a little too citrus-y and she's one of those people that thinks cilantro taste like soap so.. not so bueno. 

We all order and it turns out Tyler and I have similar taste because we both order the Tres Puercos Tacos but of course, before I can get too excited about us being lunch buddies and ordering the same thing he goes and spoils it by being a boy (I forget what he said but it negated our lunch buddy-ness and I'm just now continuing speaking terms with him :P) This is a plate of two tacos of carnitas, chorizo, and bacon - all things I can get behind - with caramelized onions and cheese on a corn tortilla. It came with a little side salad of dressed lettuce and tomatoes and whatnot which were really really good. I only managed to eat half of the plate but Tyler ate all of his and we were both pretty happy with the choice in the end. 

ROC - Victoire (and Poutine)

LOCATION: 120 EAST AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14604

I have returned to Victoire with Uly on our quest for poutine. Poutine is our bonding food and Uly is in town for a few days so this trip is a long time coming. I typed poutine into Yelp and Victoire was the list so off we go! 

First off Uly is pretty excited about the draft list and while I place the order for the duck confit poutine right away he scans the list and ends up with something to do with a golden monkey of sorts. Aight. After this is all out of the way, we decide to split calamari only Victoire has run out of calamari so instead we venture into the sandwich part of the lunch menu and decide to split the Bison Meatloaf sandwich. He's never had bison, I've never had bison, lets go. 

First off, the poutine is great. I think I miss out on any traces of actual duck but I'm not that sad because the cheese curds, the green onions, and the gravy they use is on point today. I also still love the texture and flavor of the french fries at Victoire and was not upset that the Bison Meatloaf Sandwich came with a side of fries.

The sandwich was pretty solid. Bison is pretty meaty and tasted fairly lean. It came with lettuce, tomato, and was glazed with dijon on sourdough bread which I love and was a good choice. Perfect amount of food for the two of us, reasonable price, mellow atmosphere, a great choice in the end. 

Buckeyes!!!

Buckeyes have been a new dessert for me but I suppose with as much traveling as Ive done to Cincinnati this year (especially for someone who has no family or SO in Ohio) this was bound to happen. For those of you who don't know, a buckeye dessert is basically a peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate. It's that simple.

For 'friendsgiving' I've decided that buckeyes would be the perfect contribution to a night of eating and drinking with friends because they're such a crown pleaser and super easy to make! (Also, a wonderful gluten free choice for a party where the host herself is gluten intolerant and guests have mild ciliacs.)

I've never made these suckers before but my last visit to Cinci, Megan made some for her work's cookie exchange, and seeing how simple the process was, I decided to take on the task myself! I looked up a couple of online recipes and made some personal modifications and got to work.

In a large bowl, I softened 2 sticks of butter then added in 1.5 cups of peanut butter along with a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and slowly stirred in about 3 cups of powdered sugar. I used additional powdered sugar to keep the mixture from sticking to my hands or my spoon and scooped and rolled 1tbsp worth of the peanut butter mixure into a ball and placed them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They went into the freezer for about an hour then I pulled them out and began dipping them in chocolate. I melted about a cup of chocolate at a time and went through a 12oz bag of chocolate for maybe around 30 or so buckeyes (I forgot to actually count..sorry!!) I picked up each peanut butter ball with a toothpick and swirled them around in the chocolate, put them back in the freezer for another 40 minutes while I got ready and tried to wash the smell of peanut butter off my hands and put them in a container for the party! 

These are a big hit and easy for everyone to eat. Simple to make with few ingredients and fun if you don't mind getting a little peanut buttery. These may just be my go to treat to share for awhile!  

CINCI - Terry's Turf Club

Here I am again in Cincinnati. It's slowly becoming another home to me. My new NYC. I'm visiting my friend Megan and I brought her boyfriend up with me and we're having an adventure. Spring Break part 2 plus Jeff. 

Well Megan's step-mom asked if we wanted to meet up wit the grown ups for dinner tonight because she wanted to try out Terry's Turf Club. We agreed. Today was Cincinnati Museum Center day so at 5 we met up for dinner. 

First off let me say that this place is not difficult to spot. We were following the gps looking for this place and we round the curb and immediately know that we've arrived.

LOCATION: 4618 EASTERN AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45226

This place is completely covered in neon signs inside and out so you can spot it from a mile away which is kind of perfect. Sitting inside is like being at a carnival, lights everywhere and signs from older days where root beer cost a dime and you could get pie for 40cents. Cozy on the inside and packed with people, you can tell this is a popular semi locals kinda place and that's kind of what I love about it the most. 

In terms of food, this place isn't anything incredible. Peanuts on the table and the floor lined with a coat of peanut shells. Burgers are the specialty so we make our move. I actually order the same thing as Megan's step-mom making my ordering processes easy ('I'll have what she's having'). I end up with a burger with a portobello mushroom, lettuce, swiss cheese, and burgundy wine with wild mushroom and truffle sauce and a side of french fries. The fries are a little too salty, and the burgundy wine sauce is strong. The portobello mushroom just soaked in all the wine. The bread is a ciabatta type bread and the mushroom/swiss cheese combo just makes it slip right out of the bread. Let's just say it's not a super clean meal and I was definitely not cute eating it but it was a good time. 

Overall, it's a good meal. It's filling but nothing completely out of the ordinary. A good burger for a good price in a really cool, fun looking place. So in terms of quality its average, but in terms of setting and ambiance it gets an A when it comes to quirky-ness. I love the look and feel of this place which is the whole point of checking it out and I'm pretty happy we got to go. 

ROC - Voula's Greek Sweets

Voula's is one of the small hidden gems of Rochester that everyone recommends to me but I've never been to, until now that is! 

LOCATIONS: 439 MONROE AVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

Sophia texted me recently and demanded that we go because she'd gone and it was great and I'm not one to turn down a lunch date especially when I've never been to the restaurant before. Thus, we venture around Monroe Ave turning into an unmarked side street/driveway that leads to Voula's.

This place is semi-busy which is to be expected around lunch time on this street but we're seated almost immediately. Sophia and I decide what we want and I end up ordering Spanakopita with a side of Lemon Potatoes. 

Now before I discuss the food, I will say that it took an exorbitant amount of time for the food to get to us and the waitress wasn't the best at checking back. We sat there quite hungry and slightly neglected for 40 or so minutes until Sophia overheard the waitress tell a nearby table that there was a slight problem with the oven but that food would be ready in about 10 more minutes. Let's just say I'm glad I didn't have to get back to work and that Sophia didn't have a time sensitive test running back at the lab. 

Anyhow, the food finally came after almost an hour and I will say that it was extremely delicious food. The spanakopita was flakey and crisp with a nice warm filling and the most super flakey crust I've ever had. The filling was a little heavy but I ate the whole thing without batting an eye lash. Of course, I'm a huge potato fan so I was pretty excited about these lemon potatoes because I've actually never had potatoes prepared with lemon juice and I was pleasantly surprised. Of course I love lemons too so the tart flavor mixed with the starchiness of the potatoes was a great combination for me. Sophia tried one but generally isn't a potato person and concluded that they were alright which was fine by me. On top of the spanakopita I couldn't quite finish everything but I was pretty close. 

The only thing was that we were both so full we didn't have room for one of the delicious looking deserts in the case so we'll have to make a trip back (darn! :P). Overall, great food, okay service. Maybe next time we'll stop for a small snack and have better luck with time. 

ROC - Marty's On Park

After driving by countless times, seeing the food truck at almost every festival, and watching people all over instagram hit this place up, I figured it was my turn to try Marty's Meats aka Marty's On Park.

LOCATION: 703 Park Ave, Rochester, NY 14607

Marty's has a great selection of sandwiches that all sound fantastic and great reviews from everyone I've talked to. Everyone that's told me to eat there has recommended the Uncle John but there's kimchi on it and I'm not completely sold on that so maybe next time I'll be brave enough to try it. Until that day, I'm happy to say that I instead got the Bahn Mi sandwich which came with chips and I'm not the least bit disappointed. First off, I got the sandwich to go because it was a busy day and I didn't have time to stop (plus I'm not a huge fan of going out and eating alone. Not quite there yet but believe me, I'm getting there). Before I made it the half a block to my car my stomach was grumbling and I had to have at least a chip so I open the cute little to go box and take a bite. These chips are fantastic. Super crisp and crunchy but they have the perfect mouth feel and don't tear into your gums. Points to you Marty's. Already, I'm happy.

I made the drive home and ate while getting ready for the my night and believe me, this sandwich was hard to put down. Really great crisp french bread, fantastic pork belly, pickled veggies, cilantro, and this fantastic red pepper aioli that drips out of the sandwich. I pull the jalapenos before taking a bite but if you're into that, they're there. Overall this sandwich is great, super filling for a reasonable price and great flavor. The girl making there making my sandwich was super great too and I had a lot of fun talking to her while she worked. 

Totally ready to come back to this place (for the Uncle John?) when I'm in the area. Cute location and great food with great workers. 

NYC - Karie and Emily Day

I'm being passed between Karie and Zoe because of work. Mom and mom love me. It's Karie's day to hang out with me because Zoe is working from 10am until who knows when. Again, these late start NYC days are not what I'm used to in Rochester, but I don't mind sleeping in and catching up on some blog posts while I'm waiting for Karie to get ready and pick me up. 3:30pm and we finally head out, however, Karie's pick for Ramen takes a post lunch gap and closes from 3:30-5:00PM. We decide to go and wander around near by and end up deciding to get dessert before dinner because hey, we're 22 and in NYC, who's gonna stop us. And so we end up at SPOT Dessert Bar

LOCATION: 13 ST.MARKS PL, NEW YORK, NY 10003

Dessert before dinner sounds good to us. It's 4:00pm and we have an hour to kill and neither of us have eaten yet today so that sounds good to me. I order a bubble tea because I'm craving it and know I can't really get a great one in Rochester. Along with that I order the yuzu eskimo dessert while Karie decides on a pumpkin dessert of some sort. The yuzu eskimo is a frozen Japanese citrus cream bar with chocolate ganache a raspberry foam, strawberries, and and oreo crumb. Such a good idea. It was creamy and actually super filling for a plate of dessert. Kind of heavy but the citrus bar was pretty refreshing. A little too much chocolate with the ganache but everything looked great and it was easy to eat some parts alone and not have each bite be too chocolaty. The waiter who was there was a super nice guy who was fun and easy to talk to. If we're craving dessert, this is the place to go back to.

With dessert in our systems as the first meal of the day we hang out at Spot until 5pm until we can get Ramen. Eating is a marathon, and Karie, Zoe, and I have been training for years. Off to IPPUDO for us!

LOCATION: 65 4TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10003

Classier than the relaxed Totto Ramen, this place is has darker ambiance and cleaner lines. Ramen bowls line the walls when you walk in and the bar has ramen topped counters under glass. Super fun and cute and I can see why Zoe likes Totto and why Karie likes Ippudo already. Personalities fit. Karie and I are clearly not as hungry because of dessert so we skip the appetizer and just order the main course. Karie tells me to try the yuzu soda, so I do, and both of us decide on the Shiromaru Hakata Classic Ramen. Described as the 'original' silky pork soup noodles, the ramen has pork loin, sesame kikurage mushrooms, red pickled ginger, scallions, and of course add a poached egg. Similar to totto ramen's spicy that I tried yesterday in terms of content I figured it was a fair match. These ramen noddles are thinner and the broth is much meatier. You can really taste the pork in the soup which is alright but I immediately wasn't a huge fan. The mushrooms were alright but not my favorite type as well. Overall, it was a a fun experience and we were seated at the kitchen bar and got to watch the chefs make appetizers, but for me Totto Ramen is the winner when it comes to flavor and quality of food.   

NYC - Zoe and Emily Day

It's Sunday and Karie is working 3-10 so it's Zoe and Emily day! Of course that means we wake up at 1pm and Zoe is dealing with tech support online for the next 2 hours but okay. By 3 her computer is better, and we start off our day. We both get ready, drop some laundry off for Zoe at the laundromat around the corner and head to Manhattan! By then its around 5pm and we're heading to get our first meal of the day - dinner. Zoe and Karie have been debating over Ramen restaurants and are at a disagreement to which is better so today Zoe takes me to her pick - TOTTO RAMEN.

LOCATION: 248E 52ND ST, NEW YORK, NY 10022

I already love it when we walk in. Totto Ramen had a cool rooster in a ramen bowl as their logo which is fantastic. Small wooden tables and great textures on the walls make this place feel young. Zoe orders us the fried octopus balls which I've never had before but are creamy and warm, dripping with flavor. I'm super in love. As a main I order the totto spicy ramen with pork and an added poached egg. I'm all about this raw yolk flavor. The ramen comes with rayu, spicy sesame oil, Paitan ramen, scallions, bean sprouts, and nori. I mix everything together and it's perfection. The spicy ramen is just the right amount of heat and gives it a little kick. The broth has great body and is so hot it par cooks my egg white when I mix it into the ramen. One bowl is perfect because we're stuffed. Warm and happy just the way I like it. 

The problem is, that I really want to get dessert. A bakery that I've been told to try  with an amazing cake that looks beyond beautiful in photos. So Zoe decides we should go get it, we'll just walk the hour it takes to get from totto to this bakery - 7 avenues and 29 streets - lets go! Its a warm day out and Zoe and I love just talking and catching up so that's what we do. We walk, and digest, and talk, and are happy. It's a perfect night. About and hour or so later, and a couple of stops we walk by a movie theater and decide to catch a flick at 10:30pm. An hour and a half to eat cake around the corner. We're so smart. We finish our trek and make it to HARBS bakery. 

LOCATION: 198 9TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10011

When I was working at Wegmans over the summer, Jon mentioned a bakery in New York he read about that has this amazing cake called the Mille Crepe. Layers of thin french crepes topped with whipped cream and a variety of fruit - pineapple, strawberry, kiwi, cantaloupe, banana, and honeydew. This is my kind of cake. Beautiful layers of fruit and whipped cream makes for a perfect dessert. Zoe falls in love with the Tiramisu in the glass case and orders one of those as well. We get tea to drink and are happy and full always. Zoe's friend comes to meet us for some tea and we get Karie a slice of mille crepe to go for when she meets us at the movie theater. Honestly, its a wonderful day and Zoe and I ate so much but it was all fantastic food.   

NYC - The Trio is Reunited; Let's Eat!

It's Saturday and Zoe and Karie are both free so off we go on our adventures! Of course it's a late start and we don't get into Manhattan until almost 2pm but that's okay. It's a late night because we're celebrating Karie's birthday so we can afford the late start. 

First stop is for me: I'm a food nerd and have recently gained interest in Chinese/Taiwanese chef Eddie Huang. (His book and new TV show Fresh Off the Boat are both fairly relatable to me and I enjoy the Asian kid growing up in America with parents fresh off the boat. It's an interesting life.) So of course, having just finished his book, I now need to go to his restaurant in the city: Baohaus. 

LOCATION: 238 E 14TH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10003

We walk in and it's pretty much how I imagined it; tiny place with graffiti and stickers on the black painted walls, old school 90s hip hop blasting from the speakers, just another asian restaurant with an incredible young american feel. I love it. I order two Baos - The Chairman Bao (the pork belly bao) and The Birdhaus Bao (the fried chicken bao) along with an order of Taro Fries. My level of excitement is through the roof. We just beat the rush of people and sit down as the line triples in length. Karie and Zoe end up each ordering three baos - the two I got and the Uncle Jesse which (the tofu Bao). We did in. I start off with the Birdhaus Bao, saving my pork belly Chairman Bao for last and I much on Taro fries (which are even better than I imagined because I was skeptical about the Taro). In the end the Birdhaus Bao is actually my favorite much to my surprise. Zoe is in the fence between the Birdhaus and the Uncle Jesse, while Karie sticks to the classic and says the Chairman is her favorite.

Overall, great little menu and such a chill feel. I love this place. 

Next stop! We go shopping and see a movie, but we start Karie's birthday celebration at dinner so she chooses next. Apparently after 5 phone calls, not restaurant wants to take a reservation for 6 people on a Saturday night leaving us wandering around Manhattan like lost hungry children. Most wait times are 2 to 3 hours which none of us are feeling, so we continue to wander until we get to GEMMA.

LOCATION: 335 BOWERY, NEW YORK, NY 10003

This Italian restaurant is crazy busy but we ask for a table of 6 and they give us an hour wait time. Deal. 30 minutes later we're sitting at a table getting ready to order, so quick service is what we're about tonight. Bread is enough of an appetizer for me, so I order a main course of lamb with roasted cauliflower. I'm a pretty big fan of the cauliflower, good color and flavor, not mushy or crunchy. I haven't had lamb in forever so I'm pretty excited, but honestly I'm a little let down. I order it medium rare and I believe lamb should be, and center pieces are getting pretty close to rare while the end pieces might as well be charcoal. Charred to the point of not tasting like meat anymore and drowned in capers, I can barely taste the gaminess of the meat and I'm kind of disappointed. 

Gemma does redeem itself with dessert. I order a Vanilla Panna Cotta and they put a little candle in Karie'e Nutella Calzone and let us sing to her (at the top of our lungs). Good vanilla flavor and the berry compote on the side is the perfect light touch for me. At least the end of the meal was as nice as the start. Karie is happy with her selection though so that's all that matters for her birthday. 

We're all stuffed and ready to celebrate, bar hopping and ducking into different clubs nearby until 3:30am. A successful night. 

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.