fat witch bakery

Tasty brownies at Fat Witch Bakery in Chelsea Market. Love the logo and the name. They even sell little baby ones as shown.

soup dumplings

The tastiest morsel of food to warm you up on a cold day. If you are ever in Flushing, go and get some of these little steamed soup dumplings filled with soup and meat. Sooo delicious! Also try the scallion pancakes with beef.

It is right off the Main Street subway stop on the 7 train (last stop on the line).

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
38-12 Prince St
Flushing, NY 11354

(images by: vivien chin)

calle ocho

Unlimited sangria bar at Calle Ocho in the UWS!

Started my New Year’s Eve having brunch here with sangria, their delicious bread basket, plantains, and Spanish frittata on crab enchilado.Yum yum.

Reservations needed because they fill up fast as they are only open for a few hours for brunch.

Calle Ocho
(in the Excelsior Hotel)
45 W 81st St
New York, NY 10024

(images by: vivien chin)

rice_restaurant

Wild rice pilaf with beef strips. (top)
Indian curry with rice and mango chutney. (bottom)

Delicious! Try these next time you are at Rice.

Rice
292 Elizabeth St
(b/t Prince St & Houston St)
New York, NY 10012

(images by: vivien chin)

sweet creation: very berry cherry ice cream

Second ice cream made was a berry mix ice cream. Yum yum.

Ingredients: heavy cream, whole milk, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, vanilla, sugar

(image by: vivien chin)

sweet creation: red bean ice cream

First attempt at making red bean ice cream was a success! Just got an ice cream maker and ready to create some delicious frosty treats. One of my next goals will be lychee ice cream. Can’t wait!

Ingredients: heavy cream, whole milk, cooked Asian red beans, vanilla, sugar

(image by: vivien chin)

a classic: in-n-out

Can’t leave California without having some in-n-out. If only I had some Firestone’s fries to go with…and some Bali’s…Don’t worry Shake Shack. I still love you too. Haha.

(image by: vivien chin)

lychee bubble tea

I think I’ve just found my dream drink. Lychee bubble tea made with fresh lychee fruit mixed in all about. They did not skimp at all!! Not just flavored juice with tapioca balls! Too bad I can only find this in Sacramento, CA. NYC get going on this!

(image by: vivien chin)

waffles & dinges

An oh so delicious snack from the Waffles and Dinges food carts around the city. As seen on Bobby Flay’s Throwdown on the Food Network as well.

(image by: vivien chin)

cheese blintzes_sarabeth’s

Recently tried brunch at Sarabeth’s in the Upper West Side and it was spectacular. Passed by this place many times, but never took the time to stop. It is well worth several return visits. I had the cheese blintzes which were little pillows of sweet goodness topped with I want to say sour cream and apple sauce with strawberries. I fell in love with their homemade English muffins. It’s a must try. Not your ordinary Thomas’ English muffin style everyone serves! Comes with their signature preserves.

Sarabeth’s – West
423 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10024

(image by: vivien chin)

luke’s lobster roll

Just found Luke’s Lobster in the UWS. Yummy yummy lobster rolls there with giant lumps of claw meat.

 

Luke’s Lobster – Upper West Side
426 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024

 

(image by: vivien chin)

teddy froth

This is a first for me.  A bear in my cappuccino froth at the Nespresso Cafe in Soho.

(image by: vivien chin)

wine & roses

Tried this place out last week. Relaxing way to pass the time during a lazy afternoon. Outdoor space and beautiful weather was definitely a plus.

Wine & Roses
286 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10023

(images by: vivien chin)

mermaid inn

Mermaid Inn is the best! $1 oysters during Happy Hour is the best treat with a glass of wine and some fries. Just tried their Lobster Mac & Cheese tonight. Seafood and comfort food hit the spot tonight. They have a couple locations around Manhattan and the happy hour special is everyday from 5pm-7pm.

Also love the Fortune Teller Miracle Fish you get with your check! Haven’t see one in ages.

Mermaid Inn
568 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10024

www.themermaidnyc.com

(images by vivien chin)

branzino & bone marrow_prune restaurant

Recently had the most delicious thing at Prune Restaurant for Jeff’s birthday dinner.  The Roasted Bone Marrow appetizer is to die for here.  It’s served with toasted bread, parsley, and sea salt.  Soooo buttery and delicious.  I highly recommend it.

For entrée, I had the fish of the day which was grilled branzino stuffed with fennel.  It was cooked to perfection.

Other good appetizers were the Octopus and Squid with Celery and the Butter Poached Fingerling Potatoes.

Prune is definitely a must go.  Great atmosphere and food.  I left very satisfied.

 

Prune Restaurant
54 East 1st St # 1
New York, NY 10003

(212) 677-6221

panda candy

Genius packaging. 2 chocolate candies make up the head and body of the panda. Makes for candy too adorable to eat.

(image by: vivien chin

the sugar lump crop

Picked the first batch from the sugar lump tomato “crop”.  Urban farming is delicious, sweet and tasty.

(image by: vivien chin)

restaurant week_summer 2010

It’s finally here!  Summer Restaurant Week in NYC is July 12-25, 2010.  Check out the restaurants participating this year and their menus here.  Make reservations soon.  All the good place go fast!  Good food for low prices.  Can’t wait!

(image from: nycgo.com)

my sugar lumps_tomatoes!

They’re finally turning red!!!  Purchased a small tomato plant seedling from the Union Square Farmers’ Market probably a month ago.  It was of the “sugar lump” or “Gardener’s Delight” (looked it up online…haha) variety.  They are little baby tomatoes/cherry tomatoes. The plant was less than a foot tall when I bought it and now it’s 3-4 ft tall. Insane!  After watching the blossoms turn to tiny pea sized tomatoes, it seemed like it was going to take forever for them to turn red, but finally they are getting ripe.  Looking forward to adding them to my salads. Definitely really rewarding to grow your own food to eat.  Have a bell pepper plant starting to grow. Hope that works out too

(image by: vivien chin)

epistrophy

Stumbled upon this Wine Bar/Italian Cafe yesterday in Nolita area. Small and intimate with great atmosphere and outdoor seating.  Had some tasty artichoke ravoli with a pesto sauce.  Started with a delicious Cheese & Vegetable platter (chose the small, but they come in Med. and Large w/variations of Cheese & Fruit or Cheese & Meat.  Food is reasonably priced with large wine selection.  Nice casual place to drop into if you are in the area and need a break.

200 Mott St. (between Kenmare & Spring St.)
New York, NY 10012
(212)966-0904

(image by: vivien chin)

bomboloni

Little pillows of deliciousness are what these are. While trying to feed a donut craving, found this place called, Bomboloni, that sells little donuts of the same name. Bomboloni are Italian filled donuts topped with powdered sugar. My favorites are the Strawberry, Creme Brulee, Apple, and Raspberry.  Other flavors include Valrhona Chocolate, Traditional, etc.  They are $1 a piece or half-dozen for $5.  Yummy and well worth it.  A must try, you won’t regret it.  There are also other goodies there so check them out!

187 Columbus Ave. (btwn 68th and 69th st.)
New York, NY 10023
(212) 877-3080

(image by: vivien chin)

a salt & battery: fish & chips

I love love love fish and chips. Finally stopped in and ate at this tasty place I always pass by when i’m in the area.  Love the name – “A Salt & Battery”.  Tried the Sea Bass and Sole (with chips of course!).  Everything was delish and perfect!  I will definitely be going back.  If you love fish and chips, check this place out.  Fun sightings: Ballot from Bobby’s Flay’s Throwdown on the Food Network on the wall and a poster for deep fried Cadbury Eggs for Easter weekend.  (Melissa, you are probably the only one I know who might be willing to try those deep friend Cadbury eggs.  I know how much you love Cadbury eggs!!)

A Salt & Battery

112 Greenwich Ave
(between 12th St & Jane St)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 691-2713

(images by: vivien chin)

last week’s desk view: gummy bunnies

Ran out of cranberries for my yogurt and granola last week so had to improvise. Haha. Bunny fruit snacks had to fit the bill. Random but still good!

(image by: vivien chin)

clam and asparagus risotto

 

Experimented with a new risotto by building off the recipe for a mushroom risotto that I typically make.  See my earlier post on Mushroom Risotto for the recipe.  Here are my additional alterations to that recipe to get what I made tonight. 

 

Ingredients:

No mushrooms or cheese used

Liquids used:
(3 or 4) cups of chicken broth (or vegetable if you prefer);
(1) cup vermouth;
(1/2) cup clam juice drained from your clams

(1/2) lb. asparagus

(1) can of baby clams or (1-2) lb of fresh clams (steamed)

(1) tbsp of parsley [optional]

 

Directions:

_Cook asparagus in salted water for 2-3 minutes or until cook.  Cut into 1-2 inch pieces and pat dry with a paper towel.  Set aside.

_Drain the juice from a can of baby clams or steam your fresh clams and reserve the clam juice for later.

_Cook the shallots, garlic, and rice as in the other recipe.

_Add the vermouth as the first cup of liquid added to the rice .  From then on add the broth, making sure to incorporate the clam juice in as well.  You may not use all of the broth.  Continue to add broth until the risotto rice is to the firmness or softness of your liking.

_When rice is done add in the butter, clams, asparagus, and parsley (optional).  Mix together

_Add salt and pepper to taste

 

(image by: vivien chin)

olive tapenade

 

Made a nice olive tapenade for an appetizer tonight.  Very tasty and yummy.  I love olives and garlic.  I sort of just made up the recipe as I went along–making it to taste.  So here’s my approximate recipe.  Feel free to change it up!

 

Ingredients:

(1/2) cup fresh olives [I went to the bins of fresh olives w/herbs in oil at the market for mine. Kalamata, green, etc)]

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

(1 or 2) tbsp capers [amount to your liking]

(3) cloves of garlic. Minced.

(1 or 2) tbsp olive oil

Black pepper to taste

(1) fresh Baguette [or crackers if you prefer that over bread)

 

Directions:

_Chop olives into relatively small pieces.  I liked mine a little coarse, but you can make a finer mince of the olives for a more delicate texture.

_Mince garlic into fine pieces.  (I love more garlic so I used 3 cloves, but you can use less if you like)

_Rough chop the capers

_Combine olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Mix thoroughly and add pepper to taste.

_Slice up the baguette and serve the tapenade over the baguette (or crackers).

 

(image by: vivien chin)

alice’s tea cup

This is the best little place ever! Alice’s Tea Cup in the Upper West Side has the best tea selection, scones, and food in general. I had the french toast for brunch (1st pic) and it was some of the best french toast I’ve ever had. For tea, had the Silver Needle Jasmine tea which was sooo aromatic and tasty. It complimented the buttermilk scone and raspberry with chocolate scone very nicely. The scones really were the best–so buttery and soft and perfect. This place really has turned the novel idea of a tea party into a great experience with delicious tea and scrumptious goodies. I saw groups with towers of scones, sandwiches, & cupcakes and other yummy things accompanied by pots of tea. Alice in Wonderland is inspiration for this little teahouse/restaurant/cafe/place. I can definitely see myself coming back here for a great cup of tea and scone or anything else on the menu. It’s so relaxing inside that you really could lose yourself in there for a few hours. It’s great. A must try. The tea party is not for little girls anymore! There were more than plenty of adults in here enjoying themselves.

Alice’s Tea Cup
102 West 73rd Street
New York, NY 10023

(212) 799-3006

(images by: vivien chin)

restaurant week_mesa grill

Ate at Bobby Flay’s Restaurant, Mesa Grill for restaurant week.  The restaurant serves southwestern food.  My dishes of choice were a salmon tartare appetizer (2nd pic), grilled mahi mahi w/risotto entree (1st pic), and for dessert pineapple upside down cake with vanilla ice cream.  Everything was delicious!  Great choice for restaurant week.

Mesa Grill
102 5th Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 807-7400

(images by: vivien chin)

coffee fudge w/ pecans

Tried making fudge for the first time last week!  Wanted to make my contribution to Kristin and Rick’s Happy Hour Engagement party.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it, as did I.  The espresso really makes the chocolate have a nice coffee/mocha taste.  I love coffee flavor anything so I was drawn to this kind of fudge.  Found a recipe online and altered it a little to make it even more tasty.  Try it out sometime.

Ingredients:

_(3) cups semisweet chocolate [I used (3) 8 oz. boxes of Bakers brand semisweet chocolate and it worked just fine]

_(1) cup chopped pecans (or any nut of your choice)

_(1) 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

_(2) tbsp. of brewed espresso [I used an Italian roast espresso, but any strong brewed coffee will work]

_(1) tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

_Line a 8″ x 8″ pan with foil and butter the foil for easier removal of fudge from pan.  Set aside.

_Set up a double boiler on the stove by filling a pot halfway with water and bring water to a boil.  Place a metal mixing bowl on top of the boiling pot.  Add all the chocolate in.  Chocolate will begin to melt from the heat.  Keep stirring it as it melts. Double boiler set ups are great because it keeps the chocolate from burning.

_Once the chocolate is all melted add in the vanilla and espresso and stir.

_Pour the condensed milk in slowly at first just so the milk gets used to the temperature and then you can pour the rest all in.  Things start to set and thicken pretty fast once you add the milk in so work fast.  Add the pecans in right after you’ve poured in all the milk.  Mix until combined/smooth.

_Quickly pour the mixture into the pre-buttered pan.  Cover the pan and place in the fridge to set.  Should take a couple of hours to set.  (I just left mine over night because I didn’t need it till the next morning.)

_Once set, remove the fudge from the pan and cut into chunks.  Fudge is so dense that a 1″ x 1″ cube is sufficient for a serving chunk size.  Depending on how long you leave the fudge in the fridge, it may be a little hard.  So you may want to let it sit out for a little a room temp to soften up (if you can even wait that long…haha…hard to resist the urge to just dig in).

_Enjoy!

(images taken with my phone so they didn’t turn out too well, but it gives you a little preview)

golden beets & brussels sprouts

New recipe tried out for dinner last night that was really delicious and a must try!  I’ve never really eaten brussels sprouts before this and they are soooo good.  I’m going to have to make them more often.  The original recipe is from weheartfood but I made a few slight alterations to it so that’s what I will include here, but you can check out weheartfood if you want the original recipe and portion size.  Next time I make this I’m going to try it with come green beans because they taste so good, but here goes with the original recipe:

Servings: 2-3 large portions

Ingredients:

(3) medium sized beets

(20) brussels sprouts

(1) shallot, peeled and diced

(2-3) gloves of garlic

(2-3) tbsp of toasted almond slivers

(1) tbsp fresh thyme chopped or (1) tsp dried thyme

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

_Heat oven to 350 degrees and place the beets in a pan.  Roast the beets in the oven for 1hr and 10 mins or until tender.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down for a few minutes.  When cool, peel the skin off and put them aside to be chopped later.

_Fill a skillet half way with water and bring to a boil.  Place the brussels sprouts in boiling water and cook for 2-3 mins or until almost cooked through.  Drain and set aside to cool

_Chopping time. If you haven’t diced the shallots and garlic then do so.  Chop the beets into 1″ or so chunks. Take the brussels sprouts and cut the stem off and then cut the sprouts in half (cut into quarters if you want them smaller).

_In a skillet, pour a little oil and saute the shallots on med or med/high heat until they are translucent.  Add in the garlic when the shallots look close to being done since the garlic doesn’t take as long to get a little golden brown.

_When the shallots are done, add more olive oil (about 1-2 tbsp).  Add the brussels sprouts, beets, almonds, and thyme and mix everything together in the pan over med-high heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once thoroughly mixed (add more olive oil if you like), take off the heat and serve.

_You now have a delicious side dish or even main vegetarian course.  Very filling.

(image from weheartfood)

giant omelette??

$40 for an ostrich egg?  That’s one expensive omelette.

(image by: vivien chin)

turkey day feast night

Made deviled eggs for appetizers.  It was so hard not to eat them all before heading over to Jeff and Laura’s for Thanksgiving feast.

There’s Justin carving the turkey and the delicious mulled cider is in the foreground that Ben made.

THE FEAST!

Dig in everyone!!  I think that might be Dave’s plate in the foreground.  Good job on utilizing all of your plate!

Thanks Jeff and Laura (w/ Dave and Hannah) for hosting out 3rd Thanksgiving Feast in NYC.  My mouth is still watering thinking about all the good food we had.  Thanks everyone for bringing all the delicious food and a great game of telephone pictionary!  Can’t wait until next year… 🙂

(images by: vivien chin)

sweet potato pie man

Can’t resist a sweet potato pie. Found this funny little man in the middle of my pie I picked up at the store today. So funny 🙂

(image by: vivien chin)

corner bistro

Tasty burger and fries for cheap at “Corner Bistro” in the West Village yesterday. Had the “Bistro Burger” and it was delicious. Bacon = YUM

331 W. 4th Street
(between 12th St & Jane St)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 242-9502

(image by: vivien chin)

kale chips

Delicious!!  A really easy snack recipe that I saw on thekitchn.com site.  They are really addictive and cheap.

Ingredients:

_(1) bunch of kale
_olive oil
_sea salt 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Wash the kale very well and dry as completely as possible.  Choose more of the leafy, upper parts of the kale rather than the lower thick stalk part of the kale.  Tear the kale into smaller pieces and place in a oven-safe pan.  Try not to overlap too much.  Drizzle olive oil over the kale and sprinkle salt on top for flavor.  I like using sea salt preferably, but any salt you have around will do.  Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes or so depending on your desired crispiness.  Best eaten while they are still warm and out of the oven

I bake mine a little less than 10 minutes because I like the edges to be crispy and the middle to be still a little soft (shown above).  The below pic shows them more fully crispy.  I’ll let you decide what you like best.

 

(top image by: vivien chin)
(bottom image from thekitchn.com)

artichokes

Been on this artichoke kick lately and have been picking them up at the market whenever they are available.  My favorite way to have them is just simply steamed/boiled with mayonnaise on the side as a dipping sauce.  So delicious! 

A little tip that really works.  After you cut off the sharp tips/top of the artichoke leaves, rub some lemon juice on the cut ends and squeeze some on the whole artichoke to keep it from discoloring while cooking.  Then you can go ahead and drop it in boiling water or in your steamer.  Made the artichoke very tasty as well. yum!

banana bread

Woke up this morning and decided to make banana bread.  Haven’t made it in a LONG time, but when I do it’s always soooo good.  As you can see, I couldn’t even wait until it cooled down before trying to cut into it and grab a corner bite.  Can’t wait to devour it.  yum…

the recipe will remain secret for now….:)

(image by: vivien chin)

#52 with a twist

Tried simple salad #52 from the 101 simple salad list that I mentioned in an earlier post “101 salads”, but I made a modification.  I basically just made my usual egg salad recipe that I make to taste (so no measuring really) with hard boiled egg, mayo, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.  Spooned this salad mix into the endive leaves.  It was simply delicious and appetizing.  Afterwords I stumbled upon this other recipe for an endive salad with blue cheese, candied pecans, and a dijon vinaigrette that looked and sounded delicious.  Will report back when I give it a try.  My new love is the endive.  Light and crisp.  yum…

kefi

One of my favorite Greek restaurants.  It is located in the Upper Weset Side.  A must have appetizer is the pita with 4 spreads shown above.  It is sooo tasty.  Warm pita with 4 spreads–tzatziki, eggplant, caviar, & chickpea with sundried tomato–is my favorite appetizer.  Entrees that are also good there are: Grilled swordfish; Pan seared striped bass; Sheep’s milk ravioli with brown butter and sage (MY FAVE!); Flat pasted with pulled braised rabbit and graviera cheese. 

Usually have dinner there which is delicious, but had brunch there today with Jeff, Laura, and Justin today and it was scrumptious!  I had the French toast which is a given since I LOVE French Toast and am determined to try the French Toast at all my favorite restaurants.  The pancakes were very tasty too with the lemon zest infused flavor as well as the Eggs Benedict.  All these are worth trying for brunch.

 

Kefi
505 COLUMBUS AVE
NEW YORK CITY 10024
212.873.0200

101 salads

Found an NY Times article on 101 simple salads to make.  I want the Crab, Avocado, & Cucumber salad in the top image!  Ready to try making all 101 salad recipes.  Delicious!

(images from NYTimes)

butternut squash lasagna

Made this delicious Butternut Squash Lasagna yesterday.  It was sooo amazing! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Very easy to make just takes some prep time. (Thanks Kristin for the find!)  The recipe is one that I adapted from the William’s Sonoma Skillet Lasagna Recipe.  My instructions below are for making the lasagna in a glass bread pan sized dish (about 2.5 large servings), so just double the recipe if you need to make more.

Ingredients: (servings = 2.5 large servings)

_olive oil, to cook with
_1/2 yellow onion, diced
_2 garlic cloves, minced (I like garlic so I added more than this)
_salt & pepper to taste
_1/2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (Sweet sausage is what I used and it was great!)
_2 tbs unsalted butter
_1/8 cup all purpose flour
_1.5 cups milk
_1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I used 1 cup because I wanted it cheesy)
_1/8 cup flat leaf parsley minced, fresh
_1/2 tbs sage minced, fresh
_5 sheets or so of lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
_1.5 lbs of Butternut Squash, peeled and sliced into wide sheets.

Instructions:

(1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

(2)  Cook lasagna noodles until al dente and set aside for assembly later.

(3)  In non-stick frying pan, heat olive oil.  Cook onions until soft and translucent on med-high heat (about 8 mins or so).  Add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste and cook for another 30 secs.  Set onion/garlic mix aside in a bowl.

(4)  Cook sausage (casings removed) in frying pan, breaking them up into pieces while cooking.  Cook until brown and cooked through.  About 8 mins.  When cooked, add sausage to onion/garlic and mix together.

(5)  In frying pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Slowly stir in milk and increase heat to med-high.  Cook until thickened, 8-10 mins approx.  Turn heat off after thickened and add parsley, sage, and 3/4 of the cheese (leaving the rest for topping).  Salt and pepper to taste.

(6)  Lasagna assembly.  Pour a portion of the sauce to cover the bottom of the glass bread loaf pan (or baking container you are using).  Put a layer of lasagna noodles to cover sauce (I had to cut the noodles into smaller pieces to make it easier to layer in the bread pan).  Add another layer of sauce, then sausage, and a layer of squash.  Add another layer of noodle to cover the squash.  Repeat the sauce, sausage, squash, noodle layering until you reach the top of the pan, making sure to end with sauce on top.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

(7)  Bake pan of lasagna in oven until brown and bubbly on top.  Approximately 45 mins, but check every so often as each oven is different.  When done, set lasagna out to cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Top with parsley if you like.

Enjoy!

(image from Sarah’s Cooking Blog)