EAT! NYC / Dominique Ansel DKA
You've probably heard of Dominique Ansel by now- named the "Willy Wonka of NYC" by The New York Post. His Cronut - a croissant doughnut hybrid - has been seen on countless televisions programs, TIME Magazine named it one of the 25 Best Inventions of 2013, and has been known to fetch 20x its selling price on the black market.
Dominique Ansel is so much more than the Cronut creator though! His bakery is the highest rated Zagat bakery in 2013. He was named one of Business Insider’s “Most Innovative people Under 40”. Daily Mail UK called him the “most feted pastry chef in the world”. Nominated a finalist for the “Outstanding Pastry Chef” award by the James Beard Foundation. Named one of the “Top 10 Pastry Chefs in the United States” by Dessert Professional magazine. Chosen by Time Out New York as one of the city’s “Top Ten Pastry Chefs You Need to Know”.
You could say he is kind of a big deal.
Some of our interns just could not live any longer without a Cronut and volunteered to wait in the line. Fine, sure, if they want to we were going to let them, but when I mentioned that they were heading to Dominque Ansel to a friend he said forget the Cronut, get the DKA (Dominique’s Kouign Amann), so I asked them to snag me some.
He was right.
The outside is caramelized to perfection. The interior was flaky with layers of butter and dough.
Yes, of course the Cronut was delicious, but why wait in the line for hours before they open, get on a wait list or pay someone to wait in line for you when you could just stroll on in and get yourself a DKA, which in my opinion is superior?
Watch Anthony Bourdain give them both a taste here and see what he has to say.
See the process of making this mind blowing, buttery creation here (Yes, thats a slab of butter he is wrapping the dough around!).
So the verdict at 128johnst is, DKA all day everyday. Have you ever had a DKA, what do you think?
NYC Eats! / Luke's Lobster Food Truck
Dude. Lobster Roll. I know, your mouth is watering just at the sight of the word.
Last week Luke's Lobster food truck, Nauti Mobile, was blocks from my office, so I obvs had to grab myself a roll.
"Served chilled on a buttered and toasted New England Style roll, with a swipe of mayo, a sprinkle of lemon butter and a dash of secret spices." - Luke's
My friend Adam got himself the Lobster Grilled Cheese and was nice enough to give me a bite. WHOA. I mean, LOBSTER GRILLED CHEESE, it just can't be bad.
I was a happy girl with a lunch like this. Check out there list of locations or follow them on Twitter to track down the truck and get yourself one next time your in town
Eat: New Orleans / Cochon
When I go on vacation, I like to eat. I mean, yes, there are other things to do, sightseeing etc etc, but I think an important (maybe the MOST important) part of a trip is tasting the food.
When I went to Portland, I ATE LIKE CRAZY. No, REALLY, it was ridic how much I ate. I shared with you two parts, the best of FOOD & DESSERT.
This time around, I didn't FORCE my travel partners to eat the way I usually would, but we still ate some AMAZING food which I am of course going to tell you all about.
My FAVE you ask, Cochon. In case you're wondering, Cochon means PIG in French. *oink oink*
I'm not sure if you know this about me, but I'm a vegetarian. Well, I guess I am technically a Pescetarian, because I LOVE ME SOME FISH. So, why did I want to go to a place called PIG?! Well, for one, one of my gals on the trip loves her some meat, so I gots to allow her to get-it-done, but REALLY it's because Anthony Bourdain visited it during his Layover New Orleans and it looked ace (and WAS).
We actually planned on going there on a Monday. We figured because it was Monday, it would be empty and we could just stroll in, get a perfect table and a lovely evening. GOOD THING WE CALLED TO MAKE SURE. When we called on Monday around 5 to see if they needed a rez, they informed us that they were COMPLETELY BOOKED until 9pm THE NEXT NIGHT. Whoa. Tony (yes, I refer to Anthony Bourdain as TONY now) must be right about this place.
We took the 9pm rez and anxiously awaited.
It was worth it.
Chef Link of Cochon is known for the traditional Cajun Southern dishes he grew up with. He works with local pork, fresh seafood and ingredients. Fresh. Authentic. Perfect. Just what we wanted.
Named one of the 20 Most Important Restaurants in America - you need to go, NOW.
We got there a little early, and it was no problemo. We actually even got a table outside (it was a fantastic evening weather wise as well!).
We snatched up a few drinks and apps immediately.
The grilled shrimp with cucumbers, peanuts, chiles & goat yogurt (for only $11!) was a perfect combination of flavors. Fresh and light, which was a great way to open a meal!
I think Nicole and Amy would agree with me that the Wood-Fired Oysters were the star of the show. These plump Louisiana Oysters, topped with a butter mixture which including Vietnamese Chili sauce, melted in your mouth. After slurping up the oyster, we literally drank the rest of the mixture, because we wouldn't imagine leaving anything behind in the shell. I would eat these every day the rest of my life if I could. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
I'm not going to lie and say I remember what was actually in this, although I did find a recipe here, which I plan on attempting, but I CAN tell you, it is one of the best things I ever put in my mouth. It was a thick stew with the most incredible catfish. This photo does not do it justice, at all (cut me some slack, it was dark and I had a few glasses of wine). My gals had some incredible things as well, but THIS was the entree winner. OMG. As I sit here, I am dreaming about it, my mouth is watering, and I contemplating buying a plane ticket to go back and get it. YUMMMMM.
ok. DESSERT. OBVS. Pineapple Upside Down cake, freakin' cornmeal cake with coconut served with lime sorbet and dulce de leche. YES, I'LL TAKE 10 PLEASE. The cake was perfectly moist. Like. Perfectly. Moist. (Did I mention I don't even like the word MOIST but I simply cannot think of another word to accurately describe this cake.) I honestly didn't even need the ice cream, but it was lovely as well.
So the summary here. GET IN MAH BELLY. I'm feeling very inspired by this meal. It was simple, yet complex. He really does stick to homestyle cajun that simply does not disappoint.
Have you ever been to NOLA and/ or eaten at Cochon? NOOOOO? I think it's time you book a trip.
ps- I was so inspired by this meal, I decided to give one of the recipes a go, and I'll be posting it this Friday, can you guess which one I gave a go?
Eat Ohio: Tom + Chee
I graced Ohio with my presence a bit back and I totes forgot to tell you about it! When I travel, I obvs look up what to eat, but I was in Ohio with work, by myself, and had little time. I asked around, searched the interwebs, but came up short UNTIL I heard of Tom + Chee. I adore Adam Richman from Man vs. Food (Adam, will you marry me?) so when I saw that he paid a visit, I knew it had to be good.
We have all seen this type of specialty restaurant. There's Mac 'n Cheese spots, Meatball shops, Chicken 'n Waffles ... they pop up everywhere ALL THE TIME, but not all live up to the hype. TOM + CHEE DOES! A GRILLED CHEESE DOUGHNUT, YES PLEASE!
Yes, I was dining alone, but NO I was not ordering just one... how many times will I be in OHIO? Not many. At $4.50 why not?! The above is the HIppy + Chee - grilled whole wheat with greens, tomato, cucumber, homemade hummus and cheddar. YUMMO. The mix of warm and cold, smooth and crunch. It just can't be wrong! (I have to remember to make these babies at home!)
Ya'll know I have a sweet tooth, so how about a doughnut. DONE-ZO. Anywhere that calls themselves "Home of the Grilled Cheese Doughnut" is somewhere I want to live. A glazed doughnut, cut in half, grilled up just right, layered with blueberry compote, bleu cheese and mozzarella was simply heavenly. I was skeptical but you should not be. Go there, and get more than one, its affordable enough you can! TOM + CHEE, please open in NY!
Graeter's Ice Cream deserves an honorable mention if only for the size of the cookie in my Cookies 'n Cream scoop. LOOK AT THAT DARLING!
All over the windows, there are posters with this old biddie, which absolutely cracked me up. "I make all my pastries with the finest ingredients and if you ate a little slower, doll, maybe you'd notice." and "Everyday I make more pastries then you can eat in a week, thats why God made next week." are two that caught my eye. Grab a scoop (or two) if you're in town.
Get down with your bad self Ohio, thanks for having me!
I have to start experimenting with grilled cheese combos... What's the craziest grilled cheese you've ever had?
All You Can Eat Press / Doughnut Map
Ok, I have to tell you, I am a shopaholic, an impulse purchaser, an addict, BUT its mostly of AWESOME items and PRINT goods (usually under $10 always seals the deal)... SO when I saw the NYC Doughnut Map by All You Can Eat Press I just couldn't resist at just $8! A combination of my favorite things, print design and sweets, boy-o-boy, it had to be mine!
images All You Can Eat Press
Their first publication is amazing. 35 Doughnut shops from Brooklyn to Queens to Manhattan oh my!
"All-You-Can-Eat Press is an independent publisher based in Brooklyn, NY. Specializing in food-related printed matter, we follow our hearts (and our stomachs) to find our favorite edibles, restaurants, markets, and specialty shops." - allyoucaneatpress.com (I'd be a perfect addition to their team, no?)
Designed by Jim Datz this sweet map comes complete with a wax bag! The map is a piece of art that can be saved and passed on from generation to generation. Brilliantly laid out with a simple two-color palette, this gem will always have a home in my collection.
We all know I love me some sweets, so to have a map that illustrated so magnificently DOUGHNUT SHOPS is a dream come true. They are sweet. They come in all different types. They are heavenly. The map includes our standard go-to's like Peter Pan, but tantalizes your taste buds sending you into Greenpoint to connect with the areas Polish roots at Rzeszowska Bakery and Despaña for some churros con chocolate the "Spanish Breakfast of Champions". I NEED. I WANT. I HAVE TO HAVE!
Not only does the map show you where to get these treats, the key has categories from Old School to New Wave and International to Less Guilt, any type you want, you can get! Good thing winter is coming and I'll be able to cover up the additional pounds these doughnuts will be adding to my waistline with lots-o-layers of clothes as I try my best to try 'em all. (A few of the shops are within walking distance from my apartment, and I believe that walking there counts as exercise which means I can have two, no?) ... Don't you worry, I'll blog all about the adventure!
This map takes it above and beyond and provides you with a brief history of doughnuts, offering up four different stories on how the hole was born. Get a copy of The New York Doughnut Map HERE and decide which story you want to run with.
I lurve pamphlets, have you seen any out on the interwebs as cool as this one? What are your favorite doughnuts shops?
Eat Toronto: Kupcakes Bakeshop
Oh Toronto, how I loved thee. Well, it did help that I was there for a food show (a vegetarian food show!). I know I have told you that I fail at baking 25-50% of the time, but you probably don't believe me, but it's true, we are all human.
For example, I attempted to make a friend Gluten Free cupcakes, and boy was that a failure. The batter smelt like acrylic paint, they were the consistency of Nickelodeon green slime, didn't rise properly, and wound up tasting like NOTHING. NOTHING I tell you! No taste at all, but the weirdest consistency. Gross, with a CAPITAL G!.
So when I went to try a vegan cupcake, I was skeptical, but I'll try any cupcake once. Kupcakes Bakeshop in Toronto says their goal is to "...change the age old opinion that vegan baking is bland offering up all-natural vegan treats that taste better than their non-vegan counterparts! This is achieved through using only the highest quality ingredients and baking lots of love into each bite!" and they succeeded with me!
Citrus poppy-seed Cupcake - A Poppy-Seed Cupcake Containing a Blend of Fresh Citrus Zest and Juice, Topped with a Velvety Cream Cheese Frosting. Oh.Mah.Gawd. It was as good as it sounded. As I said, I was skeptical, but the cupcake was moist and served up everything it promised in its description. The contrast between the smooth frosting and poppy seeds was perfection, giving a mix of textures and flavors with every bite.
I believe this was an Apple Cobbler Cupcake. Kupcakes Bakeshop has an Apple Spice and a Peach Cobbler on their flavor list, and this one felt more like the cobbler. I have to tell you, no matter what they call this, I would rate this cupcake top 5 best I've EVER had, and it was VEGAN! The icing was devine. The apples scattered about the cupcake were perfectly sweet, and cooked just right. I could have eaten a bakers dozen of these (if they weren't almost sold out of everything!). This is a recipe (maybe not vegan...) that i am going to have to try.
If you are in the Toronto area, or plan on visiting, check them out, they will for sure convert you to believe that Vegan baking can be as good as other baking if done right.
Have you ever baked vegan or gluten free? How did it work out?
Portland Part 2: Food Edition
As I said in my Portland Sweets Post, I went to Portland really just to eat. We filled out days with not museums and sightseeing, but with restaurants, snack shops and naps (in between meals). Impossible to get through all of the fantastic places to eat of course, we did our best and the ones that did their part as the best are below.
The Parish- 231 Northwest 11th Avenue / Well, they did it again. Last week, I posted my top 5 favorite desserts in Portland, and The Parish took the spot for number one, but there is no doubting that their food is the tits as well. I noted in the dessert post that I planned on eating so much at The Parish that I would have to unbutton my pants, but alas, 7 days of eating left me in bad shape. Although i didn’t indulge as much as I had hoped, no oysters for me, i decided to stick with a vegetarian option and it was amazing. Black eyed peas, onion, tomato and cheese, cooked so perfectly I tried to duplicate it when I got home, but failed. Oh well, looks like I am going to have to head back to Portland just for the food. (Corn pictured above also from The Parish).
Broder - 2508 Southeast Clinton Street / It is always so exciting when you find something you have never had before, and Broder gave me that. Lefse is a traditional soft, Norwegian flatbread. Lefse is made out of potato, milk or cream (or sometimes lard) and flour, and cooked on a griddle. Special tools are available for lefse baking, including long wooden turning sticks and special rolling pins with deep grooves. (thanks wikipedia). Broder has a Lefse of the day and I wish I could go back everyday of the week to get this. Although sweet (for me) for breakfast, this untraditional (for the US) dish was a perfect start to the morning (read afternoon- c’mon, we were on vacation!) and I urge you all to go and send me pictures of which you had. Note: we also has some Apple fritters that were aces.
Pok Pok - 3226 Southeast Division Street / Cha Ca “La Vong” (say that 10 times fast) holds strong at number 3. Catfish marinated in turmeric and sour rice, fried in turmeric oil with scallions and dill, served on rice vermicelli with peanuts, mint, cilantro and mam nem. Yum, all that in one plate! Although a lot to say, it was a perfect balance of flavors.
Choose carefully at PokPok, I may have loved my dish, but the person I was with would say otherwise. Tears. Tears flowing down his face as he burned his palette one bite at a time.
Riffle NW - 333 Northwest 13th Avenue / Scallops. I. LOVE. SCALLOPS... So when I was doing research on where to go in Portland and I stumbled on a catch-inspired seafood restaurant influenced by coastal regions around the world I knew it would be our first stop, and it did not disappoint. In the about us section of Riffle NW’s site, it explains that the chefs live by the philosophy of “one house” and thats what it felt like. The service was phenomenal, the vibe was relaxed and the food melted in your mouth.
The Screen Door -2337 E Burnside St / I’m not going to pretend to remember what phenomenal fresh veggies were mixed into this heavenly plate, they have offered so many, but it was the best MEAL not just BEST BREAKFAST but the BEST MEAL we had. The menu changes daily at screen door, based on what they have available to them.
The Screen Door is dedicated to connecting the farm directly to the plate, using local fresh and organic produce and meat from the northwest, and wowing you with every plate.
No one says it better than Screen Door themselves so here it is
““Screen Door’s menu is a survey of the south, from South Carolina Lowcountry cuisine to soul food and Cajun one-pot cookery to the refined Creole and French preparations found in New Orleans. We explore all methodologies and preparations from the historical to the modern, from the rudimentary to the refined, from the low-brow to the high-brow, cutting across class distinctions to get at the heart of the matter, the food.””
Get there, and get there now (be sure to check their hours- brunch is not everyday). There will be a wait, but I promise it is worth it, unless that is, you don’t love good food. Get up. Now. Stop reading, put your shoes on and head over.
Honorable Mentions!
Olympic Provisions - 107 SE Washington St. / Best known for their meat (hence the large lit sign when you walk in), I am probably not their number 1 client (I stick to fish and veggies), but the reviews were so great, and my travel partner was eating meat, so we headed in for an afternoon snack. The interior was exactly what I would expect, of both Olympic Provisions and Portland in general. I stuck with a cheese plate, that was served with the most wonderful fruit jam. Go there, and tell me all about it.
Tasty and Sons - 3808 N Williams Ave / Honorably mentioned for both the savory and the sweet side of the meal. The Summer muffin and Chocolate Potato Doughnut (with créme anglaise) were both lovely and should be eaten by many.
Portland Part 1: Sweets Edition
Portland. I've heard many times that Portland is like a spread out Brooklyn, a wanderers play land filled with trees, air and artists, that I'd love it, need it, have to have it, so I went... It was planned, Summer 2012 Portland but I did little research on what to do, where to go and what to expect. I knew one thing, they could eat. I scoured the interwebs for what to fill my belly with, and came up with quite the list, filling all 7 days with spots to hit for breakfast, snacks, desserts, lunch, dinner and cocktails.
If I could always start with dessert, I would, and here I can, so below please enjoy my 5 favorite Portland Sweets and stay tuned for the Food edition coming soon...
St. Jacks Patisserie- 2039 SE Clinton / Greeted by a counter displaying beautiful French sweets under grand bell-shaped glass lids, and the scent of sweet in the air, this quaint space was a perfect spot for a late afternoon sweet tooth. Although I had heard I must have the eclair and the madeline, I walked in at not the greatest time, when the patisserie was beginning to close, but don't fear dear readers, there was still a wonderful selection to choose from. We indulged in Frangipane and Canelé (pictured above). The Frangipane was a perfect little almond treat. The Canelé had a delicious soft custard center and a thick caramelized crust. Perfect. Make sure to go before closing time (4pm) and try the madelines, baked fresh to order, and tell me all about them!
Le Pigon- 738 East Burnside Street / Chef Gabriel Rucker has been bestowed a Food & Wine "
Ruby Jewel Downtown- 3713 North Mississippi Avenue / Ice cream, who doesn't love it? Its creamy, sweet, cold (it was 95 degrees while I was in Portland!) and just delectable. Lisa Herlinger of Ruby Jewel gets ice cream right, filling the gaping hole she saw in Portland in the artisan ice cream section. It is made with Northwest ingredients including Oregon-grown berries, lavender, mint, honey, and vanilla. I decided to go with something more standard as my flavor choice, strawberry, but I sandwiched it between the homemade chocolate chip cookies. If being the perfect ice cream sandwich isn't enough, the reclaimed wood walls, rustic details and candy room alone should send you in to get your scoops.
The Pie Spot- 521 NE 24th Portland / This gem was not something I specifically went looking for, but was overjoyed to find. Somewhere between pasty at St. jacks and dinner at Pok Pok, we found a small food truck "park" called D Street Noshery, with everything from Indian cuisine, to craft beer, to single serving PIES. I have to admit, I have a love for tiny desserts; cupcakes as opposed to cakes, munchkins instead of doughnuts.... so TINY PIES= irresistible. Grab a mouth watering pie (banana cream pictured above), and a cold beer from Captured by Porches and take a seat at the picnic table area. The crust was crumbly and buttery, the filling sweet and fruity and the topping finished it just right. They also have savories, which you should go try and tell me about.
The Parish- 231 Northwest 11th Avenue / Ethan Powell and Tobias Hogan, formerly of EaT: an oyster bar have it right at The Parish. This Creole restaurant and oyster bar is mainly known for, well, the creole cooking and oysters, but having saved The Parish for my last day, as a special goodbye treat, I found myself full and tired, and grouchy and in no need of oysters, although they looked amazing. We kept it simple food-wise (it was of course, AMAZING), but this dessert was a perfect ending to a fantastic trip. Chocolate bouchon with roasted Viridian farm cherries and bourbon caramel sauce, finished with Vanilla ice cream. Take that in for a minute...
ok, now lets talk about it. The warm cake absorbed the ice cream and bourbon caramel sauce. It melted in my mouth, danced on my tongue and warmed up my soul. Go there, get the oysters, but save room for dessert because it is my A#1FAV.