Flarah's

While I was visiting my parents in Des Moines over Labor Day weekend, my mom took me to a little place called Flarah's.  Flarah's is famous for their bite-size cheesecakes, but we went for their yummy lunch.  With it's modern style (think Ikea furniture), it's perfect for sitting down for a well-balanced lunch.  They have a great "Pick 2" deal, half a sandwich, salad, or soup combo.  I chose the Vegetarian Delight, and Roasted Apple Salad.  It comes with crisp chips, and an unusual fruit salad.  The fruit salad was both our favorites, we loved that is almost like a fruit slushy, and really a perfect dessert (no need for the cheesecake).  All the food was well-made and tasty.  I left feeling satisfied, and it brought a little brightness to the rainy day.  If you live in the Des Moines area, you should definitely give it a try.

If you are looking for a simple plum dessert, try this Plum Crisp I made last year.

The Best Thing In My Mouth - ABC Kitchen Sundae

Last Thursday, I treated myself to a fancy lunch at ABC Kitchen.  I have been dying to go there after I heard about their salted caramel sundae with candied peanuts, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and popcorn.  Like really!?  As an ice cream freak I had to try it, and I glad I did, because it was the best thing I tasted all week.  Toffee popcorn is officially my new topper on ice cream (specifically Garrett's).  I also loved that the chocolate sauce was in the bottom of the bowl, like a swimming pool for my three mounds of salted caramel ice cream.  And yes I shared, so don't judge.

Mondrian SoHo - Imperial No. Nine

My friend and I stopped by the Mondrian Soho Hotel, while wondering through Soho.  The outside had a rusted iron fence with ivy, and an archway beckoning us to come in.  So we did.  The lobby is something from I don't know where, and I actually would recommend you close your eyes (think a paint bucket of periwinkle blue has been throw all over the room, blue shiny vinyl seats, blue velvet, and a blue feather boa lamp - yuck), and make a u-turn to your left into the Imperial No. Nine restaurant.  It is like the Secret Garden/Alice In Wonderland, so pretty, whimsical, and a perfect place to get a drink with your girlfriends.  There was even a swing we sat in, which made drinking a little precarious, but didn't stop us.  If you are in the area, I would recommend checking it out.

The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - WheatFields Kalamata Olive Bread

My friend visited Kansas last week and brought home three mini loaves of WheatFields Kalamata Olive Bread.  If you are near Lawrence, Kansas, you have to make a stop at WheatFields, one of the best bakeries in the country.  Seriously, I am still searching for an equivalent in New York and cannot find one.  And you can find anything in New York!  They have great bread, a wonderful breakfast, and the best chocolate et chocolate cookies.  This toasted Kalamata Olive bread with scrambled eggs was the best thing in my mouth all week.  Hands down.  This sourdough bread is filled with whole olives, so you really get a couple of olives in every slice, instead of whimpy, tiny pieces of olives I have found in other olive bread.  No competition!

Click here for the Dutch Baby Pancake with Peaches I made last year.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Photo by Marcus.

Okay, why would you trust a vegetarian's opinion when they tell you to go to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que?  I don't know, but does it help that I am from Kansas?  And every time I walk by this place on my way to Fairway, the strong waft of BBQ aroma hits me and reminds me of home?  A few of my friends and I got together and checked it out.  None of us were disappointed, even the vegetarian.  The service was friendly, the food was really, really good, and I even tried a fried green tomato for the first time - yum.  I am not going to go on and on, but I will say if you want to make a trip up to Harlem, try Dinosaur while you are there.  Just make a reservation, or expect to wait a long time, this place is popular and rightfully so.  See pictures below:

Bad Horse Pizza Review

On Friday night, my friends and I got together for the grand opening of Bad Horse Pizza.  We followed our noses down my five flights of stairs to Bad Horse next door.  It was around 8:00 and the place was very busy, so busy that the waiter seemed annoyed/shocked that we were okay waiting for an hour for pizza.  First off, an hour wait is not that bad for New York, and second off I have been smelling their pizza all week.  I was dying to try it!  Obviously, they were not prepared for Harlem's excitement for a real pizza place.  So we decided that maybe carry out would be a better option.  So a few of us hopped over to Harlem Vintage (my favorite wine shop in Harlem) and got a few bottles of wine, and hung out upstairs at my place.  Well over an hour later and a couple of us went down to check on the pizza situation.  There was a table available at this point, so we all went down to eat.

Bad Horse Pizza Grand Opening Today

It looks like today Bad Horse Pizza is finally opening at 120th and Frederick Douglass Blvd.  Above is the sign I saw outside my apartment last night.  I am definitely bringing some friends along tonight to give it a try.  I hope it doesn't disappoint!  Hope to see a lot of people there!  Click here to check out their menu.

Red Rooster Harlem Review

On Monday night, I finally made my way to Red Rooster Harlem, Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant that I have been talking about for months.  Since I had been waiting so long to go, my expectations had gotten higher and higher, so the pressure was on.  I took my cell phone to take pictures, since it was smaller, and seem less obvious.  It ended up just looking like I was more interested in texting than my date.  I wasn't texting - promise!

Red Rooster is located on 125th and Lenox Avenue, a main cross street in Harlem.  When you enter inside the restaurant you instantly get a warm vibe.  The front half of the restaurant is dedicated to a large copper-top horseshoe-shaped bar with a tall wall of shelving filled with glasses behind it to separate the main dining section.  The restaurant is large and the tables are actually spaced out decently, so you don't have to hear your neighbors conversation (like in a lot of NYC restaurants).  There are some communal tables, which I sat at, but there was enough space between the dinner parties to feel like you were at your own.  Red Rooster exudes a modern, upscale farm house with bentwood chairs, clean wood tables dressed with leather placemats, and tea towels for napkins.  At the very back was the open kitchen, where you could literally see Marcus Samuelsson cooking.  We sat right next to it, and although it was exciting, it might be off-putting to some since you can hear the line cook yell for the orders throughout your meal.  My favorite part was the artwork on the wall, a mix of contemporary artist, a lot from Harlem.  Oh and there was wonderful jazz singer and small band there too.Overall, this is most well decorated restaurant I have been to in a long time.  I liked that there was a definite eclectic vibe, but it didn't feel forced or cheesy.

Momofuku Milk Bar

If you are in the mood for dessert, and want something off the beaten path, try Momofuku's Milk Bar.  There are actually two locations, one in the East Village and the other in Midtown.  I have only been to the East Village spot.  It is dimly lit with a chalkboard menu behind the dessert-filled counter, along with tall tables with bar stools that fill the space.  I have stopped in there a couple of times for their compost cookies, but the last time I was there I tried their Old Fashioned Donut Soft Serve.  OMG!  It tasted seriously exactly like an old fashioned doughnut, except cold and soft.  I also love the way they serve it - a small cup overflowing with ice cream and a cute wooden spoon to make you feel like you are in first grade again.  Besides their soft serve and cookies, people rave about the Crack Pie, which my friend described to me as pecan pie, without the pecans, just the sugary filling.  Sounds gross to me, but I am not the norm.

If you don't live in NYC, don't fret.  Milk Bar actually ships their cookies, pies, and cereal milk (yes, it is milk that tastes like corn flakes - whoa) now.  February 9th is the last day they are accepting orders for Valentine's Day.  It's coming up people!  Click here to check out their menu.  Click here to see their shipping menu.  And click here if you want to make your own compost cookies.

The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - Patisserie Des Ambassades' Croissant

I am so fortunate to live literally a block away from Les Ambassades, an African cafe that serves the best croissants in Harlem, if not Manhattan.  I will say that Ceci-Cela in Soho gives them some tough competition, but when you live all the way uptown there is no place I would rather go.  Not only are their croissants always buttery and flaky, but they have the sweetest staff, and great coffee with cream and sugar.  It has become a Saturday ritual to stop down at the cafe, and then go back to my apartment and enjoy my croissant in front of the television, watching The Soup I DVRed the night before :)  It is definitely the best thing I had in my mouth this week.

French Fries and Pizza

I went back home for the holidays.  Here are some food photos - there is quite the pattern - french fries and pizza!

French Fries in a mini shopping cart - how cute!  My dear friend took me to Blanc Burgers + Bottles on the Plaza for the first time.  What a treat!  The french fries were awesome, they had a long long list of beers and a delicious portobello burger.

Waldo Pizza - pine nuts, red bell pepper, and spinach.  Delicious, but crust could have been crunchier.

Waldo Pizza - Boulevard Beer flight.  4 for $5 - whoa!

Bye-bye beer.

McDonald's French fries from Bethany, MO.  Eaten in the car of course.

My mom's rosemary and potato hash - yum.

Papa Keno's cheese pizza with green olives in Lawrence, KS.  New York has some competition.

Free State French fries with Ad Astra beer - don't forget their mustard for dipping.

Oh and the next day I tried a "new" restaurant in Lawrence called 715.  Pizza and a salad - soooo good.  If you live around there, I would definitely recommend trying it!  There is the $7.15 special, which is quite the deal :)

OMG - Red Rooster is Opening!

Photo taken by Harlem + Bespoke

Marcus Samuelson's Harlem restaurant called Red Rooster is opening this Friday, December 17th at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue!  I am beyond excited :)  Click here to see the article in the New York Times.

The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - The Spotted Pig Steamed Mussels & Cockles

A couple weeks ago I was treated to a special dinner at The Spotted Pig.  The Spotted Pig is my favorite restaurant of all time.  I guess it is a bit weird for me to say that, since the restaurant is all about meat, but I love their casual atmosphere, cool-but-not-too-cool staff, and of course their perfectly cooked food.

My friend and I ordered some steamed mussels and cockles.  They were bathed in a spicy tomato broth with a crispy piece of bread hidden at the bottom, soaking up all the spicy brothy goodness.  The bread was so out of this world delicious, that two weeks later I can still imagine the flavor in my mouth.  So as I was researching for this post, double checking exactly what I had at The Spotted Pig, I read on their menu: steamed mussels and cockles and duck fat fried bread.  My jaw dropped, hands over my mouth - duck fat!  Well, even as a vegetarian, this was still the best thing I had in my mouth :)

For my meal, I had the pan roasted striped bass with tomatoes and saffron, and my friend had the popular chargrilled burger with Roquefort cheese and shoestring fries.  I of course, had to get my own mountain of fries, and yes, I pretty much ate them all.  I washed it all down with a cask beer too.  Although, neither of us could barely move, we still managed to waddle over to Magnolia Bakery for some cupcakes.

Besides the cupcakes, Magnolia's most popular items are the banana bread pudding and the double fudge brownie.

My friend's dad made that honey bear - all the way from KS to NY :)

Cafe Habana

A couple weeks ago, I met up with friends in Soho after the Food Truck Festival fiasco.  We decided to eat dinner at Cafe Habana, a place my friends have been raving about for a while.  Because it was early evening, we didn't have to wait long and soon got seats at the bar - the best spot in the house to see all the action.

We ordered mojitos, micheladas, and just a plain old beer.  The mojitos were fresh with tons of mint, although a bit on the sweet side for my taste.  The michelada was good, but Caracas Arepa Bar's are much better.  All around though, it was a good start to the evening.

My friend insisted we start out with the corn, and I was not going to fight her on it.  I mean, she has been talking about Cafe Habana and its corn as if there was no other reason to go there, but for the corn.  It lived up to its reputation; it was to die to for.  The grilled corn comes on a skewer, and the corn is rolled in cotija cheese and chili powder.  Spicy, sweet, salty, and a little zip at the end from the splash of lime juice.

For dinner I got the Baja style fish tacos.  Although the fish was fried, it did not seem greasy, and the cabbage and tomatoes really brightened the whole dish up.  Seriously though, the best part of the meal was the soupy black beans.  I am guessing they were probably cooked in some animal fat, because they were so flavorful.  They were so good in fact, that I stopped feeling guilty for eating them after the second bite.

One of my friends got the Cuban sandwich, which was voted best NYC.  The pressed sandwich is filled with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles, and is served with a side of fries.  As a spectator, I thought the sandwich looked delicious, but my friend said it was a little underwhelming.  I snuck a few of his fries while he was in the bathroom, and they hit the spot.  They were slightly flimsy but still crisp, and were only enhanced with the soft and fluffy centers.

If you are in Soho and in the mood for a little Cuban fare, I would definitely recommend trying Cafe Habana.  The place is pretty small, so if you do not feel like waiting for a table, there is always the take-out joint next door.  You at least have to come and try the corn!  But if you cannot make it in, then you can always try the drippy Mexican corn, posted here.

UK Food Adventures - Part Two

Okay, last post about the UK.  Sorry I have been so slow, but I have been tied up with other things.  After our trip to York, we headed up to Glasgow to see our favorite Scots - Robert and Mhari.  We woke up early and hopped on the train, but unfortunately our ride up North was cut short, due to some landslides from all the rain Scotland had gotten from a couple days before.  The train ride ended in Newcastle and was not suppose to leave until the following day, which was a total bummer.  What was so surprising is how calm the other passengers were.  No one became irate, everyone just went along with it, understanding that anger was not going to move the train any farther.  It was then that I realized I was not in America.  Fortunately, after a two hour wait in line outside we took a bus to Edinburgh.  The wait wasn't that bad because train employees came around with hot tea on a cart.  Our next train ride from Edinburgh to Glasgow we got tea and a Kit Kat bar.  Kit Kats in the UK are far superior compared to American Kit Kats.  They actually taste richer and more like chocolate - whoa.

Once we got to Glasgow, Robert and Mhari made a delicious coriander pasta with pesto from scratch.  While finishing dinner, we sampled a selection of Scottish beer. 

One of my favorites was Innis & Gunn which is a beer that has been placed in oak barrels for thirty days, creating a unique malty taste.  Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Ale was another beer that we tried.  It literally tasted like candy, it was hard to believe I was drinking beer.  I don't think I could drink another, but my friends seemed to enjoy it.  Dark Island and Fraoch Heather Ale were also two I really enjoyed.  

After finishing the dinner, Mhari and Robert made Cranachan, which I was told is one of Scotland's best sweet summer fruit recipes and one of the simplest to make.  It is just whipped cream mixed with honey, whiskey and raspberries; the final ingredient is toasted oatmeal.  It was very delicious.  Below is Mhari's recipe: 

Mhari's Cranachan - serves 4:
60ml/ 4 tablespoons pinhead oatmeal
280ml/ 10fl oz/ 1 1/4 cups double cream
30ml/ 2 tablesoons whisky
45ml/ 3 tablesppons liquid honey
250g/ 8oz raspberries

1. Put the oatmeal in a small pan and toast it in the oven on a low heat for 20-30minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until the oatmeal is lightly browned.
2. Meanwhile, whip the cream until it is thick but not stiff. Add the whisky, and the honey to taste.
3. Reserve a few of the best raspberries for decoration and fold the rest gently into the cream.
4. Spoon the mixture into 4 glass dishes and chill until you are ready to serve.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle the toased oatmeal on top of the cream and decorate with the reserved raspberries.

The following day in Glasgow, we walked the whole city seeing the sights, and stopping for some tea in a cozy little spot near the university called Tchai-Ovna.  They had a multi-page menu of tea.  I got my favorite gen maicha tea, but there was a lot of variety ranging from Russian to oolong to regular Earl Gray.  The place felt like a hobbit might live there.

Later that evening we stopped at this amazing Russian restaurant known as Cafe Cossachok.  The restaurant had a very eye-catching atmosphere - red walls, scarf-lined ceilings, and high-backed wooden chairs.  This was definitely one of my favorite meals in Scotland.  We ordered off the  pre-theater menu.  I had the babuscka blintzes, which are crepe-like pancakes filled with cabbage, carrot, onion, mushroom and spices, and topped with orange sauce.  I was a little leery about the orange sauce, but it was seriously tasty.  For dessert I got torta fantastika which is a cappuccino ice cream cake with creme anglaise and currants.  It was just alright.  I washed everything down with a very good Czech beer called Korsovice dark beer.

Next stop was the Glasgow Print Studio's Tunnock's Teacakes exhibition, where one of Mhari's prints was shown.  Tunnock's teacakes are a famous treat in Scotland.  They are a small dome of marshmallow filling with a graham cracker base, covered in milk or dark chocolate.  These aren't really my thing, but it was so fun to see all the artwork based on the famous treat, and you can't help but love the foil wrapper.  We definitely bought some to take back to the States, as well as sneaked several in our pockets for later that night.  For more photos of the artwork, check out this article here.

Stolen Tunnock's teacakes.

The next day we took the train East to Edinburgh to visit Robert's home town.  We went to many great art galleries the first night, and the second day was dedicated to seeing the city.  After climbing Arthur's Seat, we stopped by a coffee shop called Artisan Roast to meet up with a friend.  The coffee shop was so cute and cozy and the barista was super chill.  I got lavender hot chocolate.  The lavender made the hot chocolate taste lighter with its floral notes - oddly refreshing.

Later that night Robert prepared haggis, both the authentic meat version and a vegetarian version.  I would go into detail of what haggis is, but I don't want to lose my breakfast, so I just click here to learn more.

Meat haggis.

Veggie haggis.

Ok, so we ended the trip on a haggis hoorah.  It was such a fun trip, and even better having such dear friends guide to all the charming spots.  We headed back to the US the next day, dreaming of Chipotle.

Last year around this time: I made homemade pizza, wrote about asparagus, and made these absolutely delicious rosemary butter cookies.