New York State of Mind: The Big Apple Part 3

Katz Delicatessen
205 E Houston St
(between Avenue A & Essex St)
New York, NY 10002

Yes, this is the place where Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in "When Harry Met Sally". Yes, you will have the same reaction when you bite into the pastrami reuben- only yours won't be fake. This sandwich is a gigantic gooey mess that I could only eat half of in one sitting. The tenderness of the meat and softness of the bread is what sets it apart from other sandwiches. The housemade pickles were crispy, sour and fresh. Marcie's turkey sandwich with a Russian dressing was also very good. It seems expensive when you look at the menu, but it's worth it. The staff hooks you up with samples prior to ordering the sandwich of your choice.    

Sons of Essex
133 Essex St
(between Stanton St & Rivington St)
New York, NY 10002

I loved the interior to this place. It's dark, the furniture looks vintage and there's a girl DJ-ing on a Macbook. It felt like a shooting location for "How to Make it in America", it's very youthful. 
Marcie and I had a round (or two... or three...) of bottomless mimosas to start. 

My favorite part of our brunch was the kale Caesar salad. It tasted like it was just brought from the Farmer's market, it was perfectly dressed and bialy croutons. 

I read "Mac 'n Cheese Omelet" on the menu and thought it sounded so rich, creamy and wrong that I had to try it.  To my surprise it was lighter than I imagined, it's not an overwhelming eat.

I think any "mac 'n cheese" lover would appreciate this. I know you're out there... 

A Treat Amongst the Trees. The Maiden Publick House, Big Sur, Ca.

My Husband and I found ourselves in Big Sur, enjoying a mini vacation, which is a rare moment in our lives. While our plan was to camp and cook, and drink wine on the beach, we found ourselves just steps away from a cozy little pub.  Who can resist a beer mid-day in the sun amongst the trees?

  

While the bar was quaint and cozy, the beer list was far from lacking.  With a tap selection of California micro classics from Speakeasy to Port Brewing, to great imports like Paulaner and Unibroue, I had a hard time making a decision.  On top of the great draught list, was an incredible Belgian bottle selection, which always brings a smile to my face.

The Staff was incredibly warm, and I felt right at home.  I was feeling the "end-of-summer blues" so I ordered a Twilight, an american blonde ale brewed by Deschutes Brewery.  Just off the highway, The Maiden is surrounded by Redwoods, so we had to take advantage and sit on the patio.

The Twilight was easy drinking, soft citrus notes, and caramel flavors, with great persistent bubbles.  I love this kind of beer when it's warm, and it didn't disappoint.  Without fail, my husband orders a Rodenbach Grand Cru (I can't blame him, I do consider this to be the beer I would hope to have if I found myself on a deserted island).





And without fail, I generously helped myself to his beer (thank god he's patient with me).  Really, I cannot express enough how it always satisfies, no matter what the time, the weather, or the occasion.  Cheers to great beer in Big Sur. And a big thank you to The Maiden, and mother nature itself.


If you find yourself on the coast in Big Sur check out The Maiden Publick House which is located on Highway 1, at The Village Center Shops.

Austin Eats: Elizabeth St. Cafe, Foreign & Domestic

Elizabeth Street Cafe 

Noodles * Bánh Mì * Boulangerie

1501 S. First Street 

Austin, TX 

elizabethstreetcafe.com

I ate here three out of my five days in Austin, and loved every meal! This adorable cafe features a blend of French and Vietnamese cuisine and the service is as good as their delectable dishes... 

Pork Belly Steam Buns (Cucumber, Cilantro, Hoisin, Sriracha) w/Poached Eggs

This is the perfect breakfast you didn't know to crave until you saw this photo and now, if you're like me, you won't be able to get it out of your mind. (Sorry.) It was incredibly good, and such a leap from the standard brunch menu! The soft steam buns with rich pork belly and fresh crunch of cucumber, sweet and spicy with the sauces, are amazing on their own let alone paired with perfectly poached eggs. I might steer clear of breakfast reviews for a bit, biased now.  

Pork & Shrimp Crepe w/Coconut & Rice Batter, Bean Sprouts, Herbs, Lettuce Wraps, Nuoc Cham

This is from their lunch menu and it's another jaw dropping dish. Their coconut and rice batter gives the crepes a really crispy texture and interesting flavor, the best I've had. The filling is incredibly flavorful and well balanced. They recommend eating it in the lettuce cups they serve alongside it and I'll second that! 

A friend and I enjoyed a few other dishes that I don't have pictures of as well, everything impressed. It's one of those restaurants you wish you could pack up and take home with you! Until next time... 

Foreign & Domestic 

306 E. 53rd St.

Austin, TX

fndaustin.com

This place was a recommendation from a local bartender after I listed off the spots I wanted to try. He nailed it. 

Guy Fieri visited with "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," which I find a bit strange because it doesn't really feel like any of the three "D"s but it is definitely feature-worthy. 

Gruyere Popovers

Do not skip out on the popovers if you dine here. It's what they're known for and they are fantastic. Plus, gruyere! Is there a finer cheese? 

Shrimp & Grits w/Pulled Pork, Soft Egg, Chives, Veloute

Squid Ink Fettucini w/Wild Boar Ragout, Cherries, Chilis

I'm a sucker for shrimp and grits, almost always order it if it's on the menu. Also, squid ink fettucini so my friend and I had to order both and split them (a common occurrence when dining with me). Both were great but the wild boar ragout was outstanding. 

Apple Pie in a Jar

Here's my issue with pie: I'm not wild about the crust. I spent three years working in bakeries, more baking at home perfecting my pastry dough recipes, so I know what's good and bad but I've come to terms with the fact that I just don't really like it either way. I love Dutch Apple Pie though - the topping, the filling, the ice cream on top. All the best parts are layered here in an adorable little jar. Perfect! 

This place is pretty far from downtown so I would not recommend taking a cab here on a Friday or Saturday night. They'll never come back for you! We had a three and a half hour wait. Literally. Still, it was worth it and I'll definitely go back! 

New York State of Mind: The Big Apple Part 2

Lombardi's Pizza 
32 Spring St
New York, NY 10012

This was a "small" pizza... Half of it was just cheese and on the other half I added prosciutto. This was the stereotypical "New York pizza". It was thin crust, light sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese. It was good, but I still prefer a "Chicago pie" or what I refer to as a "West Coast pizza", meaning thicker crust, so you can dip it in sauce, lots of sauce and toppings. Also, my prosciutto side was a bit burned and I didn't have time to send it back. 

Bareburger
85 2nd AveNew York, NY 10003

Marcie, my best friend lives in the East Village and there's an abundance of unhealthy (but delicious) options. I tell myself that eating here was healthy because it's all local and organic... Hey, I could do a lot worse! 

They have all kind of grass fed "specialty"meats like Bison, Ostrich and Wild Boar. I went with their Mediterranean, a lamb burger with a mint cucumber yogurt, tomato, apple-wood smoked onions and cucs on a whole wheat bun. The burger was drippy, messy and yummy. Plus, I "liked" them on Facebook and I scored a free basket of fries!

This isn't a review, but one of the most fun things to do in Manhattan is walk around Chinatown. There are late night markets, lots of ducks hanging in windows, fresh catches on ice and nail salons open past 8 PM. 

New York State of Mind: The Big Apple Part 1

I went to New York City to visit my BFF Marcie and watch my pal Molly Ryan (http://mollyryan.com/) record songs for an upcoming album. It wouldn't be a fun trip if I didn't try the affordable Bourdain's list spots (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/must-visit-restaurants) and other spots in between. Here are the food highlights from my trip in a 3 part post.

Russ & Daughters

179 E Houston St
(between East Houston St & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10002

Marcie lives in East Village and one day when she was working I decided to wander the streets myself. I didn't know I was going to stumble upon the place, I remembered Tiffany posting in the "Bucket List" so it was perfect timing!

Hmmm.... Where I have I seen this place before? Oh yeah, I saw Parker Posey feed Louis C.K. a sliver of smoked salmon on the show "Louie". It's cramped like a traditional NYC place. There is an overwhelming selection of smoked fish here. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out what I wanted. I finally asked the counter guy his favorite and I went with that. 

I had the pleasure of eating my Norwegian Smoked Salmon on a Bialy with cream cheese and capers with a fantastic view....

Trash bags aside, the smoked salmon had a smokey and buttery taste that puts it on a whole other level of amazing. I want to go back and try the Pastrami cured salmon. 

Sylvia's Restaurant 

328 Malcolm X Blvd
New York, NY 10027

Walking around Harlem was so much fun. I went to the Harlem market, grooved to an Ella Fitzgerald tribute band and saw the Apollo theatre. 

I stopped into Sylvia's, a popular Soul Food spot in Harlem. I was a little concerned when I sat down and noticed a hot sauce bottle with Sylvia's face on it- did I accidentally stumble into a chain restaurant? No, her hot sauce is just that popular/amazing and has been sold to the masses. Phew! 

I got the fried chicken with collard greens and mac 'n cheese. The greens were a little soggier than I prefer and the chicken could've used more spice (Sandra Dee's in Sacramento has the best spices for their fried chicken). 

I've eaten a lot of mac 'n cheese in my lifetime and this was the creamiest, dreamiest kind I've ever had. Made the trip in there well worth it.