NYC Food Adventure

This past weekend I ventured to NYC and enjoyed a beautiful breezy day with my cousin, FC (don't ask, and it's not Fried Chicken). Now, I know there are a million yummy eateries in NYC, and I am not going to claim places I went this weekend were the best of the best, but hey, they are pretty darn good...

Before going in to the city, the only place that I really wanted to go to was Pho Grand in Chinatown. Ever since the little pho restaurant in my neighborhood closed down, I have been in a pho withdrawal. I recently have heard a lot of great things about Pho Grand, so I have been cravingggg to go.

Pho Grand 

We ordered the Vietnamese spring rolls as appetizers, they were really hot when they came out (perfect!). Wrapped in a leaf of fresh lettuce and stuffed with couple of mint leaves, cannot complain.

Here is Tai Nam Gan Sach (#2)- Combination rice noodle beef soup with fresh eye of round, brisket, tendon and omosa. Whatever those ingredients are, they are banging.

After our yummy lunch, we roamed around Chinatown for a bit. FC got a passion fruit green tea with jelly from Quickly- sweet and tart with a bit of a bite from the jelly, perfect!

FC and I decided to walk to Soho and shop. On the way there, I found Amy's Bread. I have gotten goodies from here before, but every time I went, they are always out of their famous PB&J sandwich. And guess what? WE GOT THE LAST SANDWICH!!

Natural peanut butter with homemade strawberry preserves in between two slices of sourdough bread. Excellent!

After FC and I walked through Soho, we decided to walk further to 23rd street and visit the newly opened Eataly! I have heard a lot about this place and oh boy, was it packed!

This was just the gelato door. This market was huge with a gazillion import goodies from Italy. I must admit that it was a bit touristy but all the food that we got was great, especially the hazelnut gelato. ahhh...

Silky, thin yet smooth, creamy, and rich flavor in hazelnut... I have never had better gelato... it was beyond heavenly.

We also got fresh penne al pomodoro and a pesto-mozzarella sandwich to go, but everyone started eating before I got to take pictures :( It's okay, you just gotta check it out yourself. Make a trip to Eataly, it's worth it!

Alright folks, there was my half day food adventure in NYC. More to come once the weather gets nicer!

Puppy Love

I LOVE my dogs. I came to the realization that I should make homemade dog treats when I (almost) bought them at a store. The prices are high and the ingredients listed are... let's just say... poopy. After doing some research online, I came up with these two great dog treats recipes. They turned out easy with simple ingredients that you already have at hand, and the doggies will LOVE them.


Peanut Butter Treats-

 

New Obsession

Alright friends, I have a new obsession--- Coconut Water!

Image taken from articlediary.com

I can't stress enough how healthy of a beverage this is for you and your body- low in calories, zero fat, high in potassium, no added sugar, all natural, and best of all- IT'S DELICIOUS! Did you know? Coconut water has about 15 times more electrolytes than your regular sports drinks to keep you hydrated!

If you don't have access to any coconut palm trees, my favorite store brand of coconut water so far are Vita Coco, Zico, and Taste Nirvana. Here are the breakdowns-

Image taken from coffeeforless.com

 Vita Coco- Probably the cheapest brand out there. You can find them at your local supermarket. I love the fact that they produce more flavors than just the plain coconut water; they also mix in some tropical fruit flavors- Passion Fruit, Peach & Mango, Pineapple, etc. YUMS!
To learn more about Vita Coco

Zico- In my opinion, Zico is very similar to Vita Coco though the packaging appear a bit fancier. It also has multiple flavors such as Pomberry, Lima Citron, Passion Fruit, Mango, and etc.
To learn more about Zico

Image taken from greenoptions.com

Taste Nirvana- This one is a bit different and I suspect it's because their coconuts come from Thailand (instead of Vita Coco-Brazil, or Zico- Central America). Taste Nirvana has a creamier and richer flavor in its coconut water and may be an acquired taste for some. They also offer a product with pulp and it's absolutely yummy.
To learn more about Taste Nirvana

Instead of grabbing a liter of diet coke at the supermarket next time, give coconut water a try! It's a much healthier option and it's delicious!

Do you have another favorite coconut water brand? Share!

Miami Food Adventure

I escaped the cold weather and took a mini vacation to the sunny South Beach last month. There, I tried many different foods and seriously cannot think of an unsatisfying meal the three full days that I was there. Food was awesome in Miami. We had mostly Cuban food (of course), and somewhere along the 3-day long food adventure we discovered a perfect little Dutch-Indonesian restaurant that just blew me away.

The restaurant was called Indomania. This small but cozy restaurant is located underneath a weathered motel, if it wasn't for the internet, I could have never discover this hidden gem. The owners were super friendly and the two waiters were extremely helpful and gracious. I was a bit confused of the connection between Dutch and Indonesia. Our Indonesian waiter explained that the Dutch owned Indonesia for a long time, and in the Netherlands, Indonesian food is very common. History learned.

Okay, on to the food. We got Rijsttafel for two. It's almost like Tapas, but Asian. Small plates of food with a little bit of everything. Here is the list of deliciousness that was included-

Sateh Ayam- grill chicken skewer with peanut sauce
Ayam Opor- chicken in coconut curry (my fav)
Smoor Djawa- beef in kecap sauce
Babi Ketjap- pork in ginger, vinegar, and sweet soy sauce
Nasi Putih- white rice
Nasi Kuning- yellow rice, lemongrass, kunyit and galanga (YUM!)
Telor Besegnek- hard boiled egg in curry sauce
Sambal G Buncis- crispy spiced green beans
Sayur Lodeh- vegetables in coconut broth
Atjar Ketimoen- sweet and sour cucumber
Rudjak Manis- Indonesian fruit salad
Krupuk Udang- shrimp cracker
Serungdeng- fried coconuts and peanuts

I had to copy the menu on their website, there was no way I could remember the names of all the food!! Needless to say, the food was just wonderful, especially with a nice glass of red :)

The pictures are a bit dark and they might not be too clear, but it was just not the right time/mood to be taking pictures. However, looking at these pictures right now just made me extremely hungry.

Alright, other places in Miami Beach that I highly suggest are:

Puerto Sagua- Cuban restaurant. Very affordable and delicious, went there 3 times during my 3 day stay. Enough said.
David's Cafe- Cuban diner. Local joint, also very affordable. Make sure to order the Cuban breakfast toast, Cuban coffee, and their guava pastry... that sh*t is addictive.

Let's go to Miami, please?!?!