A food blog.
'SNice, the West Village vegetarian café, just opened a branch in Soho and I have a feeling this is going to become my go-to lunch spot this summer with an extensive menu of meat-free sandwiches and yummy vegan desserts.
Today I tried the gigantic curried cauliflower wrap with chickpeas, brown rice and mango chutney. It's big enough for two days' worth of lunch.
The vegan peanut butter chocolate sandwich cookie was a great treat - surprisingly creamy if a bit crumbly.
Otarian, the first low-carbon vegetarian chain from the UK, opened recently on Bleeker St. Intrigued by the carbon ratings that go along with each dish instead of calories, I went in and tried this curried apple-parsnip soup. It was creamy and rich with just a hint of curry and came with crunchy parsnip strips to stir in.
The vegetable biryani was spicy with chunks of veggies in between two layers of rice. Yum...I'll be back for both lunch options that are also good for the planet.
This weekend the Hester Street Fair opened with a great mix of food vendors. I started off with the Malbon Brothers collaboration with Frank's Chop Shop, a fantastic pulled pork sandwich on a soft roll topped with refreshing cole slaw and a spicy barbecue sauce.
An Choi was offering 3 types of banh mi and shrimp salad rolls.
The basil added tons of flavor to the meatballs and it came topped with loads of cilantro, aoli, cucumber, pickled carrots, pickled daikon,and mild jalapenos.
Kumquat was also there with their mini-sized cupcakes in maple bacon, honey banana peanut butter, salty caramel chocolate and lemon lavender.
The lemon lavender was light and refreshing, and the chocolate was drizzled with salty caramel.
Mile End offered cream cheese or smoked salmon on their Montreal bagels.
The cheesy and salted pretzels from Sigmund's were a huge hit, with the line going out of the park.
The avocado popsicle from La Newyorkina was a rich and creamy treat and so unexpected!
Walking down Thompson Street today, I stopped into the newly opened Project Sandwich, a cute little takeout sandwich and soup place with a few tables for dining in.
The sandwich options include the French, with egg salad and smoked duck and the Mexican with smoked fish and lime aioli along with several others. I opted for the Brazilian, with grilled steak marinated in smoked salt in a soft and biteable bread with mozzarella, tomatoes, loads of pickles and a flavorful garlic cilantro chimichurri sauce.
I was so excited to try Ma Peche, only to arrive and find out the dining room isn't open on Sundays! Luckily, the bar was open so while we didn't get to try any entrees the more limited bar menu was available.
We started with the cauliflower, which is fried with mint, curry and fish sauce for the most incredible, dissolve-in-your-mouth texture. This was my favorite!
The mussels came in a fragrant beer and crab paste sauce and were some of the largest, meatiest mussels I've seen.
The three terrine banh mi was good, but not a replacement for the famous pork buns. My eye is on the beef tartare for the next time around.
I was thrilled to hear about 112 eatery, a gem of a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. The chef, Isaac Becker, has been a James Beard nominee for the last 3 years.
We started with the steak tartare, a creamy blend of beef and herbs with an egg on top - an incredible beginning that I highly recommend.
The lamb scottadito is comprised of 3 pounded chops over a bed of yogurt sauce.
The scallops had a perfect tasty crust with a dash of truffle oil over a bed of oyster mushrooms.
The foie gras meatballs were amazing - melt-in-your-mouth decadence over a bed of fresh paste with a sprinkling of cheese.
The sirloin was prepared with a crust of nori for a nice saltiness over a bed of ponzu sauce.
The crust buttermilk fried chicken was thick, crunchy goodness and came with a side of beautiful carrots and bagna cauda.
I've never been a huge fan of tres leches cake, but theirs changed my mind: a creamy, spongy cake with a cream cheese frosting in a bed of sweetened milk.
The stunning chocolate pot de creme was thick, super chocolatey and accented with a lovely marbled slice of chocolate.
How fun is this edible flag game from The Sydney International Film Festival and Whybin TBWA Australia? The flags are made using well-known foods local foods. Have fun guessing!
