beXnlog

Assorted Bits

After a patience-testing, two-hour drive from Co-Op City in the Bronx to downtown Manhattan during rush hour this evening, i am sure glad to be home! The event was good, but it was more fun to see the few Amherst students i knew, eat pastries from Henion and stay in my very own Colonial-style hotel room with wooden back porch and fireplace!

We didn't get a chance to have pizza at Antonio's, but Di and i agreed that the best slice is the one with avocado, black beans and cheese. I know you New Yorkers must be gasping (and yes, i do like NY style the best, deep dish sucks (except the biscuit crust at Pizzeria Uno!)) but if you give it a try, it's actually really good!

Speaking of cheese, congratulations to Di for her semester away in Paris! She's a big cheese freak so she'll fit right in. This past summer Anjali, Di, Melissa and i had lunch at Artisanal, a French restaurant which specializes in imported cheese. The risotto i had was okay, but i loved their cheese assortment platter with fresh and dried fruits, dates and nuts (plus pate and meats). I hear the brunch and fondue are good, so if anyone wants to cheese out, let me know!

Another congrats to Marika who's spending a semester in Oahu, Hawaii! I informed her that they still serve the "fried pie" at McDonald's, banned many years ago on the Mainland, along with saimin (noodles) and pineapple with an extra value meal. The veggie burger is slathered in BBQ sauce, but at least they even serve one! Besides New York, where else can you get a decent veggie burger at McDonald's? Check out a picture of what truly defined our Hawaii trip:

Fried Pieness, Double Shot

Driving through Northampton, MA, i wished we had time to eat at the Amanouz Cafe, this really good Moroccan restaurant we used to go to all the time in college. My most favorite item there is the Moroccan mint tea. They use real strong green tea leaves, fresh mint and honey, all served in little fancy glasses. I haven't found something similar in New York, so anyone with info, pass it on!

P sent me an interesting link about Pichet Ong, the pastry chef of Spice Market. He's invented a drink he calls Vietnamese coffee tapioca affogato, which consists of Vietnamese coffee (espresso) poured over condensed-milk ice cream, topped with tapioca pearls (boba) and served with walnut cookies. Has anyone been to Spice Market? Does anyone else think this drink/dessert sounds awesome?

Right when i got home we headed to Jackson Heights for Mama's Empanadas. They serve 35 kinds of empanadas, most with a delicious crunchy outside. You can get the usual suspects: cheese, chicken, beef; but also "The Elvis" with peanut butter and banana, "The Greek" with spinach, feta and mozzarella and the "Viagra" with shrimp, crab and scallops! I brought two bags of frozen ones to my mom and she ate them all in a freaky-fast amount of time. Also of note is their hot sauce. The red one is okay, but the green one, although not super hot, has a great cilantro flavor. I had 1 queso empanada and 1 vegetable + 2 little cups of green sauce, be had 2 queso ones only. Now we aren't hungry for dinner but be is still grilling mushrooms in my cast-iron grill pan; it makes the house smell juicy and smoky.

posted by beXn @ 10:42 PM