Monday, September 29, 2008

Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese - newyorkNY

345 East 12th Street
New York, New York 10003
212-358-7912
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In my opinion, macaroni and cheese is one of the most popular American comfort foods ever made. I love whipping up a box of Kraft's "Easy Mac," but I also love ordering a side of mac 'n' cheese to go with my fried catfish from Jesso's (Oakland, CA) or my filet mignon from Boa (Santa Monica, CA). Yet, never in my dreams, did I think a restaurant would open, specializing in this delicious dish.
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Sarita's Macaroni and Cheese (also known as S'MAC), opened their doors in New York City on June 24th, 2006, and it didn't take long for this restaurant to be all over the media. After reading so many great reviews, including articles from the, "New York Post," and, "USA Today," and even stealing a little segment on the, "Oprah Winfrey Show," Brian and I knew we needed to see what all the hype was about. We always love going to places that are known to have their city's best. Now it was time to try New York's best Macaroni and Cheese.
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Hidden in the streets of the East Village, we found the ever-so-appropriate orange themed restaurant, after a day of already stuffing ourselves at several over places. I questioned ourselves if we should even try it because sometimes food doesn't taste as good on a full stomach. Yet, Brian insisted on going inside to look at the menu and when we did, it sounded too irresistible to pass up.

It's amazing how many different recipes can be created based on such a simple dish! The Alpine (Gruyere cheese with bacon) and the Napoletana (Fresh Mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil) sounded amazing, nothing beat the 4 Cheese which consisted of Cheddar, Muenster, Gruyere and a touch of Pecorino.

All Macs can be served with either regular, multi-grain or gluten free elbow macaroni and with or without breadcrumbs. They also come in 4 different, clever named, sizes: Nosh, Major Munch, Mongo, and (my favorite) Partay! Although I really wanted to say "Partay!" at the register, Brian and I both knew we only had enough room for a Nosh. Yet, we definitely ordered regular elbow macaroni with breadcrumbs on top. After being given an order number, we found a cozy spot in the corner and waited for our mac and cheese to be served.

I couldn't refrain from looking at other people's plates which got me more excited for my own. Thank goodness it didn't take long for our order to come out and it couldn't have had a better presentation!
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Served in a hot skillet with melted cheese spilling over the edges, I just stared with admiration. Never had I seen such perfectly browned cheese!

After our spoons broke through this flawless layer of cheese and breadcrumbs, we each scooped out a large spoonful of creamy macaroni and cheese. It's possible to have seen other dishes just as creamy, but after taking my first bite, the combination of cheeses was like nothing I had ever had. It was smooth, sharp, nutty and salty all at the same time. With so many different flavors, I was amazed with the clean finish. Being more than completely satisfied, I was now ready to try something beyond macaroni and just cheese (for the next time I come back, that is).

Recently, I was looking at the online menu to see what I was going to order next time I was in town and found the perfect order. S'MAC now offers something that wasn't on the menu when I visited; the "S'MAC Sampler" (for dine-in only).

All-American, 4 Cheese, Cheeseburger, La Mancha, Cajun, Napoletana, Alpine, and Parisienne. Need I say more?

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Pizzapapalis: Greektown - detroitMI

553 Monroe St
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-8020

Who would have thought my boyfriend would find his favorite pizza spot in good old Detroit? Although all eight locations are in the heart of Michigan (soon to be nine and one in Toledo, OH), this pizzeria actually specializes in Chicago's infamous deep-dish pizza. With pizza dough made from only the best grains in Kansas, premium cheese from the Wisconsin Cheese Heads, the freshest two-skinned, pear-shaped tomatoes from Italy (regular round tomatoes have five to seven skins), and a tangy secret sauce recipe from Naples, it's no wonder people from all over the country rave about this spot.
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Can you imagine my confusion when Brian said to me, "I had the best pizza ever in Detroit!"? From that moment on, I anxiously waited for the day to try this amazing pizza he spoke of. Sure enough, the night we flew into town, we immediately walked the streets of Greektown to get some Detroit pizza ("Detroit" pizza?).

After being seated, we were each handed an extended menu of appetizers, soups and salads, subs, pizza, calzones, strombolis, flatbread sandwiches, pastas, and desserts. "Let's not waste our time," Brian said, as he turned the page to the pizza section.

I always trust a restaurants pizza combination, so we went with the first on the list, the V.I.P. The name was just as appetizing as the ingredients; Pepperoni, onions, mushrooms and green peppers. With a table of five men and one girl, it was decided an additional cheese pizza was enough to satisfy our hunger.

"Two large deep-dish pizzas, please. One V.I.P and one cheese. Will that be enough for all of us?"

"I recommend to get two mediums. They're pretty hefty pizzas and the average person eats about two slices."
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Brian seemed reluctant, knowing the men dining with us ate large portions, but took the server's advice. After a 40-minute wait, the pizzas were delivered to our table.

"That's a medium?!?" The V.I.P. definitely lived up to its name. As my first slice of pizza was served on my plate, I noticed Chicago-style pizza is made reversely from the traditional pizza. The toppings, in this case, were not on "top." In fact, they were the first layer of our deep-dish pizza, followed by a thick layer of melted cheese and topped with Pizzapapalis' signature sauce.

As the Wisconsin cheese stringed from my mouth to my pizza after my first bite, I finally understood why Brian loved this place. By ordering a cheese pizza, we had the opportunity to see if all the base ingredients were really at their finest. With the perfect texture, the pizza crust was baked to perfection and the signature sauce was definitely tangy which didn't bite. So much flavor was in each bite and after two large slices of pizza, I couldn't fit any more in my stomach. Thank goodness we took the servers advice. With a few slices left over, it was exciting to know we were going to have a delicious breakfast the next morning.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Frtjz - sanfranciscoCA

581 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.864.7654
http://www.frtjzfries.com/

I truly believe my first solid food was a french fry from McDonald's. Fries are one of those snacks I could never get enough of. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes (i.e., shoestring fries, steak fries, seasoned fries, garlic fries, waffle cut fries, crispy fries, soggy fries) so you never get tired of them.

One day, while walking the streets of San Francisco with Brian, my cravings for a good batch of fries began to arise. Brian, being the wonderful boyfriend he is, immediately started to research where we could find the best fries in the city. Nine out of ten reviews claimed "Frtjz" was the place to go. It was then, that I discovered the wonders of Belgium Fries.

Now, these look like your ordinary steak fries, but a few things make these very special. First of all, Belgium Fries are double cooked. They are first fried at a low temperature to cook the potato, then in a higher temperature to create the perfect texture. Secondly, the fries are served in a paper cone called a, "Frietzak." This is the way the vendors sell them on the streets of Belgium. Finally, Belgium Fries are served with a side of mayonnaise. Mayo and Fries? It sounds interesting, but Frjtz takes this idea to a whole new level.

As we entered a restaurant of modern deco, I was overwhelmed with all the different choices! We had the choice of purchasing a small or large size, add garlic, spicy sauce or white truffle oil, and a list of over 20 types of dipping sauces to choose from! We couldn't decide on just one, so the three that sounded the most appetizing were the Parmesan peppercorn ranch, the tamarind-cashew ketchup, and the Curry ketchup... mmmm.

While waiting for our "Frtjz" to be prepared, I couldn't help but admire what else this place has to offer. Not only does this trendy deli serve Belgium Fries, they also offer a variety of salads, sandwiches and crepes (I heard the Valencia location also includes a brunch menu). I'll have to go back for a dessert crepe. Anything with Nutella will do, thank you.

With so much seating available, chic-looking tables, and fancy lighting, the place also looked like it could be a great late-night hang out. Nothing is better than a midnight snack of fries!

When the tower of Frtjz arrived to our table, I immediately ate a single fry without being accompanied by a dipping sauce. I wanted to know if the fries were as good as people claimed they were without being hidden behind any special sauces.

The reviews were right.

After one bite into this piece of double-fried goodness, I just couldn't stop! It was crispy on the outside and full of soft potato on the inside; delicious.

So, how was it with the dipping sauces? Even better! My favorite was the Parmesan peppercorn ranch.

But remember... there's still 17 more to try!

Monday, September 8, 2008

La Esquina - newyorkNY

106 Kenmare Street
New York, NY 10012
http://www.esquinanyc.com/
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Ever wonder what's hidden behind those doors marked, "Employees Only"? In most cases, they lead to a places such as a storage room, a controller's room, or a restaurant's kitchen so when we see a door that forbids us to enter, we just pass it by. But what if the door was marked so only exclusive people were allowed through. What if the door led to a whole new world, underground, and the only thing keeping you from getting in was a phone call away?
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I love Kelly Ripa. She is so much fun to watch, a wonderful wife and mother, and she works one hour a day, five days a week, making $36,000 per "Live with Regis and Kelly" episode. During one episode, she was explaining how her family had gone to her favorite Mexican restaurant in SoHo for her birthday. My boyfriend and I immediately Googled, "La Esquina, "and found it to be some small Taqueria on the corner of Kenmare and Cleveland.

Reviews raved about the tacos, but something didn't seem right. Why would Kelly Ripa, a multi-millionaire, spend her birthday at a Taqueria? As we continually researched on the place, we were astonished at what we discovered. At first, we were confused when we found a menu to La Esquina's Brasserie and Tequila Bar (serving full dinner) having the same address as the Taqueria. Where was the restaurant?
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Behind the "Employees Only" door.
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We had no idea what to expect, but we learned the only way to get in was to make reservations over the phone. On the day of our reservations, we were unsure of where to go to check-in. We nervously approached a tall dark man standing in front of the "Employees Only" door and said, "Brian, table of four?" He pointed to a man across from him, sitting at the window, beer in hand, searching through a list of names on a piece of wrinkled paper. "He's good," and we were let through the forbidden door.
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We immediately walked down an old, beaten flight of stairs, finding a hostess waiting for us at the bottom. The floors looked unwashed and I wouldn't have been surprised if we saw a couple of rats hugging the walls. What were we getting ourselves into? As the hostess escorted us around the corner, through the kitchen, and around another corner...

we found ourselves in entering a chic, candle-lit restaurant. Finally, I was thinking to myself, "Now this looks like a place Kelly Ripa would call her favorite." The first thing you see is the Tequila bar accompanied by a small lounging area. Behind the bar, was the dining room, where our hostess seated us at our table.

Prior to our visit, we had only read reviews that recommended the tacos from the Taqueria. With a completely different menu from upstairs, everything sounded so appetizing that we ordered it all!

The Cangrejo Tostadas were delicious. Three tostadas with lump crabmeat, mango, and chipotle mayo. But, my personal favorite was the Elotes Callejeros (Mexican grilled corn). It wasn't anything really fancy, but it was something I could eat all day, everyday.
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As the night went by, the music got a little louder and more people were entering the bar area.It had become a late-night hang out! But after a few drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert we were stuffed and ready to call it a night. As we weaved our way through the crowd around the bar, we walked back through the kitchen area, and up the stairs.
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We walked out of the "Employees Only" door and were surprised to find a crowd of people around the tall dark man who had let us in earlier. Plenty of people were being turned away from entering the bar!

I guess they weren't on the list.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

uWink - woodlandhillsCA

Westfield Promenade
6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. 2310
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
(818)992-1100

Hours:
Sun-Tues: 11AM-10PM
Wed-Thurs: 11AM-12AM
Fri-Sat: 11AM-1AM

Don't you just hate it when you're sitting at a restaurant and all you want is a drink refill, but the waiter/waitress never seems to come by the table? Or, when you go out in a large group and the restaurant is unable to split the bill so it somehow always ends up short and someone has to pay more than they need to? You'll be happy to know, someone is actually trying to eliminate those headaches!

"uWink, Inc. (OTCBB: UWKI) is a digital entertainment company based in Los Angeles, California that develops interactive entertainment software and platforms for restaurants, bars, and mobile devices." -www.uwink.com

In October of 2006, uWink launched their first restaurant featuring a new entertainment dining experience. I had the privilege of my boyfriend, Brian, surprising me to an unforgettable lunch.
As we approached the Westfield mall in Woodland Hills, I had no idea why my boyfriend was so excited to take me out to lunch. While riding the escalators up, I saw a sign saying, "uWink." Brian asked, "Got any ideas?" I definitely had no idea what "uWink" meant and the only clue he gave me was that he saw it on the Food Network Channel and we were at its only location (at the time).

We walked into an empty restaurant (being that it was around 3pm; a little late for lunch and a little early for dinner) and I didn't notice what made the restaurant so special before being seated. While waiting for our table of three, a gaming area with futuristic arcade machines kept us busy.

This definitely beats the claw with the stuffed animals at Denny's or the small Pac-Man machine at Bakers Square.

"Brian, your table is ready."

How A-listed does it feel to have a 2-sided screen sitting on your table with your name on it? So what does this screen do? Forget about the servers who had a bad day, or the trainers who don't really know the menu. Every thing you needed to order was right in front of you, per touch-screen.

What's on The Godfather Pizza? Would you like fries with your burger? No cilantro? extra cheese? Lemon wedge with your water? No problem! Just touch the picture of the meal you want and a description appears. When you order your meal, you have the opportunity to customize it any way you want (if you're like my boyfriend, this makes ordering so much more convenient!). Once your order is in, it's sent straight to the kitchen and without saying one word to a server, your food is delivered right to your table! So how do they keep track of what table the food goes to? Each tab is given a special card that you swipe before ordering. It's like logging into your own meal account. Our table of three only had one card, but imagine if you were with a group of 20 people and wanted to split the bill five ways. All you would need is five different cards to make five different checks.

Umm, refill in the middle of your meal? Of course! There's even a "refill" button on your screen and within minutes a person comes by with the drink in hand and takes away your empty cup. Amazing! But it's not just the menu that's on the touch screen. While each person waits for their order to arrive, you have the option of playing games on the screen.

There are puzzle games you can play alone, but you can also play interactive games with other people. My table played Pictionary and whatever I was drawing on my side, was showing up on the other side for my opponent to guess out loud. But, you are not limited to play with the people at your table. You also have the option to participate in games with people from other tables! So after explaining all the innovative features uWink had to offer, how was the food?

The BBQ chicken pizza and pulled pork sliders were delicious! Good portions for a good price and an unforgettable experience. Now don't get me wrong, nothing can replace my appreciation for some great customer service, but I definitely think this is an ideal place to go to if you want something quick that isn't McDonald's or In-N-Out, or if you plan on going out with a large group of people.

Since then, uWink has now opened its second restaurant in the heart of the Hollywood & Highland center and soon, its third location will open on Castro St. in Mountain View, CA. If that opens in the next month, I'm definitely celebrating my birthday there.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Rickshaw's Fine Asian Bistro - renoNV

4944 S Virginia St
Reno, NV, 89502
(775) 828-2335
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I don't call myself a sushi connoiseur, but I've eaten at a great variety of restaurants that serve sushi. It's hard to believe, but I have yet to find a place that can beat Reno's all-you-can-eat Sushi. Especially if it's only $13.95 at Rickshaw's Asian Bistro.
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I've never had sushi in Japan, but I can only expect it to be better from its origin. Yet, this past trip to Rickshaw's made me think otherwise.
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Yoshimi, a friend who recently moved from Tokyo, loves sushi. She had never heard of all-you-can-eat sushi and was eager to try it. As our table of four stared at the menu, I diligently filled out a checklist of sushi orders as each person called out what they thought looked appetizing.
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We started off with a few orders of Gyoza, Fish Balls and Yakiton (the most delicious crab egg-roll you'll ever taste). After the appetizers were devoured, our first plate of sushi came and Yoshimi's eyes enlargened.
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How I wish I had a photo of Yoshimi's face when the plate of sushi was served. Yet, she had no idea how much we had ordered. As we began to eat away, a few more plates were delivered.

I love eating out with people who really appreciate food. Not only should a person enjoy the taste, but they should take the time to really look at the food and imagine all the efforts into creating it. I particularly love how the sushi was so pleasing to the eye.

As time went by, each piece of sushi began to disappear. Soon enough, each person couldn't fit any more sushi in their stomachs and only empty plates sat on the table.

Now was the moment of truth.
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"Yoshimi, was the sushi as good as it is in Japan?"
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To my surprise, she responded, "I think it's better here. Fresher fish, more creative rolls, and larger portions."
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Well, maybe she didn't say it so easily as she still finds it hard to explain things in english.