Few people know that 80% of the coffee in the United States comes through the port of New Orleans. The Big Easy has been and always will be a city that loves its coffee. It has been rumored that New Orleans invented the coffee break! So to do a review of a coffee shop should come as no surprise. Of the dozen from which I could choose I thought I would review the very place in which I am currently sitting: Flora’s.
Flora’s resides in the Marigny on the corner of Royal and Franklin streets. They feature great food, wonderful coffees and a truly bohemian atmosphere. A large Ethiopian or French Roast coffee will run you around $2! There is a shady outdoor porch for those sultry summer days, local art, wi-fi and computers (for those who didn’t bring their own), one of the last working pay-phones in the world and a great selection of noshes.
Their menu includes an amazing breakfast deal, soups, burritos, hummus, gyros, cake, bagels…a little bit of everything all at very reasonable prices! This is one of those truly New Orleans bastions of creativity and congeniality far far away from the touristy center of town. Here you will meet the true New Orleanians of all ages and walks of life.
Make sure to drop in on Wednesday evenings around 6:30pm for their Backgammon Tournament!
When a coworker left my restaurant to work for 16 Handles I had no idea what she was referring to. Once I passed the new Upper East Side store under construction, I recalled the East Village location and heard great feedback when I asked around about it. I haven’t had frozen yogurt in about a decade, but with constant hype over Pinkberry I couldn’t believe they were opening two doors down from one. That is, until I visited today.
16 Handles offers an entire experience around frozen yogurt, and it’s not as devastating for a diet as I thought. The new guy in town features 16 literal handles of frozen yogurt with nonfat, sugar-free, tart and low-fat options. Not to mention everything’s kosher and each flavor’s nutritional info is displayed above the handle. Upon entering customers are free to sample any of the handles with miniature paper cups. Once you choose a flavor you dispense as much as you’d like into a larger wafer-lined cup and move to the toppings bar, which has anything you can imagine. Everything is self-serve and you only pay for the amount your creation weighs.
I had the opportunity to try all 16 of today’s flavors, a selection which you can check ahead of time on 16 Handles’ facebook page. I was delighted with the low-fat red velvet cake and kiwi strawberry sorbet selections, but I chose a plain chocolate base when it came time for toppings. I scooped a little bit of a lot of options for a variety: strawberry slices, cookie dough drops, bananas, chocolate chips, and of course, sprinkles all around. The yogurt is smooth and flavors rich without overwhelming. Each addition complemented the yogurt scrumptiously, and my small portion was satisfyingly filling.
Most importantly, I heard the news of this store’s Grand Opening on Saturday from noon to 5 pm. The newest location’s reportedly been packed all month, but the grand opening is the prime time to try it if you haven’t been. Kids can look forward to face painting and airbrush tattoos and adults can have as much fun with a photo booth on site and raffles for iPads and iPods. Saturday is undoubtedly the day to go. If frozen yogurt’s not your thing and/or you’re freezing, you’ll be pleasantly surprised… about 16 times.
Location: 1569 2nd Ave, btw 81st and 82nd
Also in East Village at 159 2nd Ave
Subways: 4/5/6 to 86th St. or 6 to 77th
Price: $1 for the cup, $0.49 per ounce
Contact: www.16flavors.com
After my month-long holiday break in the Midwest, I finally returned to my Brooklyn apartment this afternoon to a truly unnerving sight. As I was packing last night, an unshakable sense of foreboding washed over me as I pondered which food item I had forgotten to dispose of roughly 30 days prior. Dropping my luggage by the door, I feverishly scoured my small apartment to find that my fridge was pristinely empty, the trash had been taken out and the dates on the condiments were reassuringly far off.
Yet, upon opening my “pantry” (if you can call my bread-dedicated [breadicated?] cabinet that), I found the two menacing bread products that had slipped my mind: a loaf of generic, grocery store brand, whole wheat sandwich bread and a few organic whole wheat pita pockets from a local store. While the pitas were covered in a nauseating blanket of furry green mold (contained safely inside of a plastic bag), the sandwich bread (approximately a month and half old at this point…) looked as if it was fresh from the grocery store.
Now, while I find mold as gross as the next girl, I found the more disturbing of the two to be the “bakery fresh”-looking sandwich bread that was–according to traditional logic–way past its prime. Bread is supposed to get stale and moldy and inedible after a few days or at most a week. I mean, isn’t that why it’s so cheap? Why coffee shop bagels and muffins are a dollar for a whole bag the day after? Why bread boxes were invented?
Here is where I make a sweeping New Year’s resolution to swear off overly-preservative-packed food items: an easy thing to say, a harder thing to actually do since preservatives lurk unnoticed in even the most simplistic, wholesome and “natural” of foods. I don’t know about you, but living to be 157 because of the food I eat (a human science experiment in pickling) is not one of my long term life goals (ha!).
And here’s where the food reviewing comes in: by shopping and noshing at Brooklyn Larder *–a neighborhood newcomer between Prospect Heights and Park Slope–this resolution will be considerably easier to keep.
While I could write a short novel on all of the goodies the Larder carries (local sausage, coffee, tea, cheese, bread, condiments, chocolate, beer, wine, Euro sodas, oh my!), I’m going to focus on a single bowl of soup and a crunchy hunk of (undoubtedly) fresh bread. Concocting a new hearty soup daily, the Larder intermittently offers chicken noodles, tomato bisques and interesting stews. On the day I happened into the Larder, it was love at first sight as I noted that the daily special was a beer cheese soup–perfect for one of those bitterly crisp fall days.
Unlike traditional bar fare, this beer cheese soup was actually beer-based with chunks of tangy cheddar mingling with thin sliced onions in the thin beer broth–a dish in which the beer took center stage. Whipped together that morning, I took comfort in the fact that I could identify each of the soup’s ingredients just by sight.
At a window seat, I lingered over my $5 bowl of soup, dipping hunks of their crusty French bread amongst the cheese chunks and onions, for an inordinate amount of time oogling over the menu and pondering what I would get on my next visit. A great supplement to your weekly grocery store shopping, the Larder also is just one of those nonchalant, local places that you want to be–its proximity automatically making you that much cooler.
Squelching dietary preservatives has never promised this much cultural capital.
Price: Varies, but their lunch special is $12 for a soup, sandwich, cookie and soda.
Location: 228 Flatbush Ave.
Subway: 2, 3, 4 at Bergen St.
Website: http://www.bklynlarder.com/
*According to Wikipedia, a larder is a cool place to store food prior to use. They were common before the invention of the refrigerator.
So our intentions were to go to Churchkey for some of their fabulous drinks and food, but after being unable to fight/death glare our way into getting a table, we decided to take our business elsewhere. Luckily, we didn’t have to walk very far when we found Logan Tavern, a place I’ve walked past a thousand times but never entered. (I think I get distracted by the Lulu Lemon store that is two doors down, but who knows.)
Having never been there or even glanced at their menu, we were not sure what to expect. But seeing as how it was my friend’s last day in the states for the next two years, she was delighted to find that they served good old American cuisine. Their menu had an array of options, so it’s perfect for even the pickiest of eaters. After much debate, my friend went with her first option of a burger with all their toppings, which consisted of bacon, mushrooms, avocado, and cheese. With a mouth full of food, she so elegantly stated that although she’s had a better burger, the toppings really made it stand out.
I ordered the Wasabi encrusted meatloaf, which normally comes with a side of garlic mashed potatoes, but for an extra dollar, I was bold and substituted it for the crab and shrimp mac and cheese! The meatloaf was moist and the Wasabi crust gave off a subtle heat.
And although it’s not your typical mac and cheese, think more of an alfredo sauce over pasta, it was still really cheesy, nicely seasoned, and I actually liked it better than most mac and cheese’s I’ve tried.
Also, my meal came with the soup of the day: chicken and black bean!
Logan Tavern’s good food and warm atmosphere makes it a place worth taverning…I mean traveling to.
www.Logantavern.com
Address: 1423 P Street Northwest
Phone: 202) 332-3710
Price: $4-30
For the past 6 or-so years, my parents and I have been in a love/not-so-love relationship with Kansas City’s Thai staple, Lulu’s. I have many fond ties (Thais?) to the restaurant, including a first date or two and many a First Friday. Perhaps that’s why I keep coming back, year after year, through good times and better.
Since first moving to St. Louis (which has an amazing batch of Thai restaurants on Grand Street) and more recently to New York (enough said), I’ve become a bit of an Asiatic snob and, thus, may be judging my most recent trip to Lulu’s a bit too harshly. It may also have something to do with the fact that I branched away from their amazing (and my staple) tofu basil fried rice (extra spicy) and opted instead for chicken red curry this time around. In retrospect, the food was all fine. But keeping in mind that a Thai restaurant with a good ambiance is hard to come by in Kansas City, it was actually pretty great.
We started with a notable pair of shrimp spring rolls–made so by their immense size and tasty pair of dipping sauces. My mom, a devout lover of Tom Yum soup, went for a large bowl of it along with a side of rice to dump in for added heartiness. As previously mentioned, Lulu’s red curry had me yearning for her basil fried rice, but regardless, it left me warm and satisfied, and with a carry out container for another day’s lunch
But perhaps the most memorable aspect of this time’s visit was Lulu’s new locale! Once situated amongst a batch of indie galleries, salons, shops and the Architectural Salvage on Southwest Boulevard, Lulu’s has recently moved about a block down into a shiny new loft-like space replete with tons more seating. This is likely to be welcome news to First Friday-frequenters who once had to wait in long lines for Lulu’s excellent happy hour once monthly. The new digs (and spanky-new bar chock-full of Boulevard ales!) should promise shorter lines on those busy Fridays.
To the chagrin of who looked to be the owner, after lunch I (catlike) stalked around the new space snapping pictures of the many delightful eating nooks and Crossroads-appropriate decor to share with you, lovely readers. Yet, I managed to get out before he had to escort me out.
All in all, while my standards may have changed, it goes without saying that I will return the next chance I have to go home. It’s everything a local eatery should be: accessible, friendly, consistent and laden with memories.
Location: 230 Central St., Kansas City, MO
Price: Under $15
Phone: (816) 474-8424
New Website: Coming Soon
I have three good reasons to try Penelope this weekend, and they all start with chicken: club, meatballs, and potpie.
I fell in love with this Murray Hill jewel the moment I walked in after a coworker recommended the spot for months. Penelope’s vibe is irresistible, especially for a Southerner. From the trademark striped canopy to the homey aprons to the adorable bakery, everything about the place is charming. The staff is friendly and casual, the décor is as comforting as a beach house, and the food is so good you could tell someone twice about it on accident.
As both a creature of habit and a childlike eater, I consistently order the three-grilled cheese with fries. This combo’s simple, tasty and filling with a house white wine or coffee after. This weekend though, I went out on a limb and tried something new after encouraging my sister and boyfriend to try things I’ve heard raved about. We were blown away.
I ordered the chicken club sandwich, which was more than enough portion-wise. The white meat chicken was moist and cooked to perfection with just the right condiments. The distinct, homemade French fries were delicious as always, and I took the second half of my sandwich home for later.
My boyfriend chose the chicken meatball sandwich, which every male I’ve eaten here with orders. I tried it for the first time and adored the combination of flavors. The meatballs were soft and rich in flavor, and the pesto sauce added a superb touch. The combination was divine enough to finish a whole sandwich myself.
I saved the best for last. My sister ordered Penelope’s widely acclaimed homemade chicken potpie after seeing one at the table next to us. This dish beats all the chicken potpies I’ve tried in the city, including a taste test of 16 store-bought varieties. The bowl is a large, generous portion covered with a thin layer of slightly sweet bread. The vegetables inside were fresh, soft and warm, and in a nice proportion with the chicken. The meat was fresh, cut into appropriately small pieces, and saturated in a thick, hearty broth.Altogether this dish was amazing, pleasing to the whole table.
I have to admit my favorite aspect of Penelope is its drink descriptions, which are articulate and witty, but the whole experience is a must-try. I highly recommend the spinach artichoke dip if you choose a starter or a local beer if you’re drinking. It’s the kind of place tourists buy a mug or t-shirt to commemorate their visit, and those are available at the front.
Location: 30th and Lexington
Subways: 4/5/6 to 33rd St
Price: About $10 a meal
Contact: www.penelopenyc.com
Coming home from running errands with Steven, a friend of mine, we began discussing music, which inevitably led to Bob Marley. I chimed in with a random fact that before Bob Marley became a Rasta and essentially a vegan, his favorite dish happened to be oxtails. Steven happened to chime in with another fact that we were right around the corner from a place called Boswell’s (3521 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119) that not only served oxtails, but a myriad of other island soul food that instantly got my mouth watering for some good Caribbean jerk (which is harder to find than you think if you really know jerk). So naturally we decided to pay the place a visit.
The thing I really like about Boswell’s is that it isn’t anything close to gimmicky. Aside from a Bob Marley painting for sale on the counter (the artist was sitting a short way from us enjoying a meal as well) and a few other well placed pieces of island flair, the inside of Boswell’s is not any different from any other regular eatery in town.
I know some of you may like swankily designed places, but I think Boswell’s gets points for its bare bones appearance. It makes me feel like its run by real people who make real food. You know, normal people who wouldn’t fork over thousands of dollars for cheesy decorations.
I will say though, I was a fan of the plethora of Caribbean currency lacquered into the counter.
Long story short, we got pretty decent service, but I will say the food is far from fast. The place wasn’t very packed, maybe five or ten people were in before us and came after us, but our meal still took about twenty minutes after we ordered it.
Why doesn’t that bother me? Because actually cooking food takes time. It’d be good for the rest of America to remember that.
We ordered some imported Tropical Rhythms, an island fruit drink that’s actually pretty good. They come in a plethora of flavors, we settled for the Mango.
My full order consisted of Jerk Chicken, Callaloo (Jamaican Greens made of Taro leaves) and a macaroni and cheese. Admittedly the macaroni isn’t very Jamaican, but I like it, so there.
The jerk was good. Didn’t pack as much heat as I would like, I like my jerks to be smoking. But it was solid, the chicken was well cooked and the callaloo was damn good. Callaloo isn’t exactly an easy dish to do well, Boswell’s recipe was pretty basic, which I think helps make it good. The extra jerk sauce was good too.
I sampled a little of Steven’s oxtails which were evidently slow cooked, since they were falling off the bone.
If my empty plate is any indication, I enjoyed my dish at Boswell’s. And for the price, I definitely say I’ll be returning soon. Both me and Steven ate for a combined total of about $25 bucks. So the value is there.
Of course Boswell’s wouldn’t be a true Jamaican spot without a vegetarian alternative. They feature a variety of vegetarian dishes as well as Ital recipes for Rastas and Vegans alike.
So next time you’re in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary, check out Boswell’s for some traditional island flare. Not on the wall, but on your plate and in your mouth where it matters.
-Craig
If you don’t live in Chicago, you may not know about the issue that has us local foodies (and other residents) up in arms these days. It’s long been known that Mayor Daley and his followers in local government have a favorite method of making up budget shortfalls: privatizing any city services it can possibly outsource. A year or two ago this applied to parking meters and it was a debacle of huge proportions because of mistakes in implementation, sudden drastic rate hikes and because of what many considered to be the mayor’s strong-arm methods in getting the project done quickly. Now Daley’s latest attempt touches on something near and dear to local hearts: Chicago’s free music festivals – the blues fest, country music festival, jazz fest and more - and the Taste of Chicago.
I’ve included a link to local luminary Phil Vettel’s take on the news, because I agree with him wholeheartedly. He says, “If Taste and Chicago’s other lakefront festivals become privatized — as the cash-strapped city would dearly like to see happen — their egalitarian nature might be permanently, irretrievably transformed.”
Now, here’s the thing. I don’t much care for the Taste. I discovered long ago that it was crowded and dangerous when the weather isn’t perfect. I almost never get to eat what I want to because the lines are so long (it once took me 45 minutes to get food at a booth 100 yards away). If I thought privatization might remove some of these evils, I’d be all for it, especially if it’s true that we’ve been paying invisible charges all along.
But I think that the city loses some of its character and its greatness if it privatizes these iconic events. I’ve always taken pride in the fact that anyone could attend these amazing festivals for free; that families and folks without extra funds could still go out during the nice Chicago summers and enjoy the best the city has to offer. The idea that this is no longer a priority for the people who run Chicago doesn’t surprise me at all, but it does disappoint me greatly.
I’d love to hear what you guys think about this! Please leave a comment if you can.
We all have our go-to Mexican dig, and many of us know where to find the right margarita deals when we need a two-for-one, but rarely do either of these offer the atmosphere or entertainment you’ll find at Rosa Mexicano.
I originally discovered this Union Square hotspot on the shady-sounding group blind date where I met my boyfriend, and we recently threw his birthday fiesta there with close friends. This vibrantly decorated restaurant was made for group celebrations. The large, open room is divided into dinner seating and bar mingling with plenty of room for large parties. I was overwhelmed looking for the stranger I shared a cab with upon my first entrance here with all the noise, bright colors, festive music and crowds waiting. My second visit was made easier with a reservation, and the staff was welcoming and accommodating for our party, which arrived over a lengthy period.
Since this isn’t your everyday eatery, you have to try their specialties when you plan a visit: the pomegranate margarita and their famous guacamole. Rosa’s guacamole maker’s personally visit the table with their workshop, if you will, and make your guac fresh and live. You can choose from three levels of spicy, of which I safely pick medium. This giant starter is to-die-for and can comfortably appease a group of five or so. The dip is smooth and rich, unique enough to top my list of favorites.
The pomegranate margarita is Rosa’s best seller, and is only available frozen. The inviting pink slush is delicious, but strong, and should be taken down slowly, trust me. A sweet, cold marg pairs perfectly with any of the classic Mexican dishes and makes for a good time.
The menu has a huge selection, anything you could think of when you crave Mexican, and the happy hour prices at the bar are a steal. The staff is incredibly friendly and the patrons are loud, but fun and energetic. It was perfect for a birthday dinner.
Rosa Mexicano is priced accordingly for an upscale, big-night-out kind of place, pricey but typical for special NYC occasions. I highly recommend the spot for birthdays or tourist hosting if you’re looking for a fun, festive, filling dinner. The wait’s not bad with the bar, but I’d make a reservation if you have a large party.
Location: 9 E 18th St, btw 5th Ave and Broadway
Subways: 1,2,3,L, F, M to 14th St or 4,5,6, N, R, W to Union Sq
Prices: $14 signature margarita, $28 giant pot of guacamole
Contact: 212-533-3350, www.rosamexicano.com
Typically the phrase “church food” conjures images of bland communion wafers and the blood of Christ. When you think of food from the Garden of Eden you might think of lush garden vegetables or the forbidden fruit. Occasionally the neighborhood church might sponsor a chili supper or your run-of-the-mill bake sale, but rarely do any of these religion-themed edibles bring to mind vegan enchilada tortes, sweet potato burritos or vegetarian meatloaf.
Cue Kansas City’s Eden Alley. Located in the basement of the Unity Temple–a non-denominational church (temple? congregation?) that welcomes diversity at its weekly services and encourages spiritual and emotional enlightenment through free yoga and meditation classes–Eden Alley is not your typical church rumpus room. One time they even hosted the always bombastic (and certainly not church-friendly) Chuck Palahniuk for a book signing.
On my visits to Kansas City, this place is always at the top of my to-do list. And in a city where meat, BBQ and excess reign supreme (I promise I’ll review one of KC’s infamous BBQ joints one of these days) it is refreshing to nosh on some vegan delights.
However, Eden Alley does not limit itself to bland tofu and tempeh. Rather, it takes these base ingredients and creates comfort foods that could fool even the most devoted of meat-lovers. On my numerous trips I’ve tried the “meat” loaf, the enchilada torte and their famous tacos–all of which were solid, filling, flavorful and beautiful to look at. On this trip, however, the moms and I stuck to soups and salad (a lady has to watch her figure during this season of sweets and over-the-top formal meals).
She had the Betty Bailey Berry salad–and yes, the waiter tested my mom’s propensity for tongue-twisters–with greens, cous cous, apples, dried cranberries, oranges, red onions, candied walnuts and a poppyseed dressing. I had the Chef’s Choice with falafel crumbles, taziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, brown rice and a red wine vinaigrette. Both were totally refreshing and unbelievably fresh.
However, the item of note was the tomato bisque soup: i.e. the best soup I have ever had in my life. My mom was spot-on when she said that it had a shockingly citrus-ey taste for a creamy bisque. Add in some bleu cheese and local cream and I turn into a 14-year-old girl on AIM…OMFG. SO GOOD.
Also of note is their honey butter which is (apparently) vegan. How they manage vegan butter that rivals even the best European butter, I’ll never know…
On a cold, wet winter day, my mom and I left warm and happy–which is saying a lot for vegan delights.
Price: Under $15
Location: 707 West 47th Street, Kansas City, MO (On the Plaza)
