Da Bronx

I confess, I am lukewarm about watching baseball. As a kid, I remember watching the Pittsburgh Pirates with my gram and always looked forward to this occasion as it came with a root beer float. Gram was a master float maker. She would serve these heavenly drinks in these great big beer mugs that practically covered my face they were so big. After the floats always came a rush of sugar to my head and in no time I was fast asleep next to her. She would wake me after the game and tuck me into bed and whisper how much she loved me and that the Pirates would win next time. I always think of her when I watch baseball....

A few Friday evenings ago, I headed up to the new Yankee stadium with my pals. It was chilly out and the rain cloud channel 4 predicted actually came and sat over the stadium for most of the evening. Despite the rain, we had a wonderful evening that was highlighted by a visit to Lobel's meat mecca. Lobel's has been around for over 100 years and I have passed their Madison avenue store many times but never had a reason to visit. Finally, I had a reason and their steak sandwich was calling my name. My pals and I stood in a relatively short line and all ante'd up $15 bucks for the steak sandwich. Since NY law now requires calories to be posted on all menus, we knew that the steak sandwich was 435 calories. The steak was sliced and covered in its natural juice and then placed on a perfectly baked roll. Back at our seats, we pulled the sandwiches out of their bags and all took a bite. Silence. Imagine, 4 girls not saying a word? Impossible, right? Ha! As the rain poured down on us and added more moisture to our rolls, we continued to eat them. Nothing could get between us and our sandwiches. The meat was so tender and the flavors were just perfect. I hate when meat is too salty and this was perfect. The buns were super fresh and the horseradish sauce I added made everything even better.

Wet, cold, but very full, we headed back downtown while the Yanks kicked some White Sox toush in the final inning.

www.lobels.com

Bottom line: skip the burgers and waffle fries and treat yourself to Lobel's. Worth every penny! Too bad I won't be back to Yankee stadium anytime soon!

I was pleased at Apizz

Last night I had the good fortune of dining with 3 lovely ladies at a gem of a restaurant on the Lower East Side. Apizz, pronounced A-Beets, is a wonderful little Italian spot nestled in a cozy space on Eldridge. I have been here maybe 4 times before and everytime I leave happier than when I arrived! The main dining room feels like you are in the Keebler Elves treehouse. It is that awesome. The main star of the room is the open fire pit that cooks everything from pizza to meatballs. Luckily for me, my dinner dates are all people who like to share so I actually got to taste much of the menu.

Our waiter started us off with an usual bread basket: Sullivan Street bread served with ricotta and a little bowl of fresh tomato sauce. Delicious! Each bite was perfect or at least I made it that way! We then ordered 3 starters, two to come very soon and one as a mid-course. The flatbread pizza with chiorzo was out of this world. Just enough cheese and the right amount of Chiorzo. Not one ingredient overpowered the other. The 2nd starter was the Gambero, a dish full of lemon shrimp and chiorzo in a breadcrumb based EVOO sauce. So flavorful and enough sauce to warrant another helping of bread to soak up the herd infused EVOO. We paused for a bit and enjoyed our wine. I had an Italian wine called Orvieto that was so mellow and refreshing. Our mid-course, Meatballs, is what makes Apizz famous. The polpette e pomodori are veal-beef-pork meatballs cooked in the open fire pit. They are made to order so they take 20 minutes. This is really nothing in the grand scheme of it as these meatballs are perhaps the best I have ever tasted. I can't say I have ever had really good meatballs though. A few years ago I tasted Rocco DiSpirito's meatballs at The Restaurant, which has since closed. I thought they were good but I really had no base of comparison. Now I do and Apizz is the winner!

Our entrees were all shareable. We had the gnocchi with the honey braised prime beef, the handkerchief pasta with fresh crab and tomato sauce, an open face ravioli with a mascarpone ricotta cheese and caramelized butternut squash, and the oven baked skate fish. Let's deconstruct the mains, shall we?

Gnocchi: delicious but if you don't have a big appetite skip. The gnocchi are dense and the meat is abundant. Full of flavor and one of the best pasta dishes on the menu.

Handkerchief: everytime my sniffer smelled something divine I knew it was the chef cooking the garlic for this dish. The crab is so delicate yet really stands up to the tomato sauce. It is a great pairing. The flat pasta is merely the conduit to getting this lovely crab/tomato sauce in your mouth!

Ravioli: the cheese paired with the butternut squash is so heavenly it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. So yummy but a few bites is all you need.

Skate: lovely lemon/caper sauce that adorned the fish. Perfect slices of potato infused with rosemary served as a side. Nice, but the pasta is a better bet!

Dessert: no room at all but the choices were great!

If you put me in a corner and asked me to pick my entree, I would say the handkerchief crab pasta. Loverlee!

The only ding I have to make about Apizz is our waiter. He was weird. He forgot to bring stuff and we had to ask multiple times for a few things. Also, he told us that Apizz's sister restaurant The Orchard was nowhere near the deliciousness of Apizz. Weird, right?

Bottom line: Great date spot men!! Order any pasta but the penne (I had on a previous occasion and didn't like) and make sure you get the meatballs. Opentable takes resi's for them so you can even earn your 100 points! The prices are in the middle, not as cheap as I would like, but not super duper outrageous. I am sure you will also be pleased at Apizz:)

www.apizz.com

Next Up: Yankee Stadium dining!

The Perfect Date Meal

Many of my friends have called me in a panic and asked, "Kjerstin, I am having so and so over tonight and I don't know what to make! I can't cook and I can't go to Citarella and try to pass off their prepared food as my own. Help me!" Like any good friend, I heard this cry for help and came to the recipe...I mean rescue:)

Here goes my recipe for a perfect dinner (some of my friends are so darn sick of this meal but I could eat it again and again). The inspiration for this dish comes from my friend Sarah B. who is a quite the little chef herself.

Mustard Onion Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons good mustard (I prefer the grainy Dijon)

4 tablespoons fried onions (Trader Joe's sells them or you can buy French's brand)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim all the fat off the breasts and pat dry. Take each breast and coat with the mustard evenly. Roll each breast in the friend onions. Don't worry that the breast isn't entirely covered. Place both breasts on a piece of foil that has been sprayed with some kind of non stick. Bake for 35-40 mins. When you take out of the oven let them rest for 5 mins.

Now, you can't have a protein without a veggie. So, I always serve my Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with this chicken recipe.

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts:

1 pint of washed brussel sprouts

EVOO

A good balsamic vinegar

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

Take your washed brussels and quarter them. Immediately put in a frying pan with a splash of EVOO. Put the heat on low. Move them around for the next 20 mins. Slow cooking them is really the secret to a good brussel. After 20 mins, they should be a bit brown and much softer. Increase the heat to medium and continue stirring for another 10 mins. Add salt and pepper. Keep stirring. The brussels should be soft and have a crispy exterior. Take your balsamic and splash on the spouts. Increase the heat to high and keep stirring. Once the vinegar has been absorbed, remove from the heat and shave fresh parmigiano-reggiano on top. You haven't tried anything this good!

I am absolutely in love with beets. They are so healthy and taste so good! Funny enough I remember being a kid thinking they were so gross ! I love to mix up the golden beats with the bright red ones.

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad:

4 beets, peeled.

1 ounce goat cheese

Dressing (recipe below)

Start by boiling a pot of water. Add your beets. Cook for 20 mins or so until they are soft but not mushy. In the meantime, make your dressing. Combine 1 crushed garlic clove with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons EVOO. Add a tsp. of dijon mustard and a squirt of honey. Shake and voila, you have your new favorite dressing! I serve my beets cut into discs atop a mesclun mix. [Sidebar: I highly recco SATUR FARMS for all your lettuce needs. They are a farm based on the North Fork and they rock!] I then crumble goat cheese over the salad and finish with a splash of dressing. Buy the expensive Balsamic vinegar. Don't skimp and don't drench the beets!

www.saturfarms.com

Bottom line: A sure meal to satisfy any heart. Very healthy too! Don't do this with fish. I tried to substitute the chicken for the fish and it didn't work. If you hate brussels, take sugar snap peas and lightly saute them and finish the same way. If you make this meal or a variation of it, tell me what you think!

The Land of Lean Cuisine

A few posts ago I told you all how I was going to be eating my share of Lean Cuisine meals over the the next couple weeks. Well, that started and in celebration I thought I would critique these meals nonetheless. I am the foodie chick after all ;)

Night One: Hunan Stir Fry with Beef

Fat - 6g
Calories - 260

A solid meal from Lean Cuisine. The meat was moist and the tangy sauce was actually good. I am not lying. Promise. Out of 1-10, I give it an 8. I will definitely buy more at Grotty Gristedes.

Sunday Night Dinner Can't Be Beat

Hillstone a.k.a Houston's is one of my fav casual restaurants. Yes, it is a chain and you all know how I feel about chains. But this is no ordinary chain. [Sidebar: Because it is a chain in NYC they now have to publish calories so to avoid this they changed their name!] I seem to find myself there once every 2-3 weeks* and everytime I make a visit, I always leave happy and full. When I am having a bad day, Houston's is always the place I want to go. The prices aren't out of this world and at the 27th and Park location you can even make a resi (SSHHHHH on that tip). The 54th street location is a bit bigger so the no resi policy there is OK. Plus, the live Jazz band makes up for it.

My usual "throw the diet out the window" order is as follows:

“THE ROCKEFELLER” --> warm spinach and artichoke dip with tortilla chips and salsa.

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN SANDWICH --> skinless with melted Jack, red onion, tomato and arugula (I always ask for the garlic buttermilk dressing in addition to put on the chix)

A Diet Coke OR a glass of Pinot Noir from the A to Z Winery in Willamette, Oregon ( I think you have all figured out by now I am obsessed with Oregon wine).

No dessert...I mean really foodie friends, haven't I indulged enough already?

*I have a wedding to prepare for in mid October and that includes fitting into a bridesmaid dress that is a wee bit snug on me at present. Great motivation but sadly I won't be going to Houston's for quite some time.

Bottom line: I love it. If I was forced to eat at one restaurant for the rest of my life and not gain a single pound this would be the one! HA! OK, don't judge. I too like haute cuisine but let's be realistic ;)

www.hillstone.com; several locations all over the US.

One Thumb Up for Julie & Julia

Last week I attended a screening of Julie & Julia at the Angelika theater with two friends. A bonus treat after the film was a Q&A with the real Julie. I have to be candid my foodie readers...I only liked half of the movie. Which half? Naturally, the Julia Childs half played by the incredible Meryl Streep. Don't get me wrong, I like Amy Adams but I just couldn't get into her story. Her character bothered me and her babyness was annoying. Julia's story on the other hand was fascinating and not only made me hungry for her Beef Bourguignon, but also made me proud of her for being such a classy woman. The real Julie was not at all what I expected. I will leave it at that my dear readers.

Bottom Line: Go see the movie as Meryl Streep's performance is Oscar worthy. Skip the book. Trust me.

Austin, TX Part Deux

Our taste of Texas continues....after House Pizzeria came Chuy's, The County Line BBQ, and the airport version of The Salt Lick.

CHUY'S

Chuy's is the real deal my foodie readers. Yes, it is a chain in Texas but as chains go, it is delicious. Crispy chips and a spicy salsa greet everyone who settles into their very comfortable booths. The menu is completely overwhelming and I was determined at the time not to have order envy! Sarah highly recco'd the fish tacos. I kept thinking how can I come to a famous Tex-Mex joint and not get a burrito? It felt wrong. I bowed to the burrito gods and ordered up the chicken fajita topped with a creamy salsa (heavy cilantro, tomatoes, and sour cream). It was the best burrito I have ever tasted (see pic). The honor was once held by the Burrito Bunker in Chapel Hill, NC. No longer. I have awarded Chuy's the title! My burrito was fairly big but since the chips were far from my reach, I had just enough room to finish my lunch. Sarah and Jasper's fish tacos smelled so good. They were breaded in a sweet panko and then fried crispy. Sarah ordered this "special sauce" that she dipped her taco in that really kicked it up a notch. Our waiter called this sauce Ranchero. A spicy ranch with a definite Texas kick. Get it if you go! Georgi's combo platter was an interesting array of little goodies that she made quite a dent in. I had a little bite of her tamale and it was tasty but I was too consumed with my burrito to cheat on it. Scott, Sarah's hubby, had something cheesy and yummy that looked just as good as mine!

Bottom line: Delicious. For some reason, I think I might have been to a Chuy's in Ft. Worth but I can't recall exactly. It was several years ago for a wedding. The one thing I can't understand is how places like Chile's make it in Texas when there are places like Chuy's. Oh well, some people just don't get it. More for me!

www.chuys.com; several locations all over Texas

THE COUNTY LINE BBQ

We left Chuy's and headed to the Hill country to check into The Barton Creek Resort. If you find yourself in Austin, take a night and go out to the Hill country. The landscape is really beautiful and not something you would imagine in Texas. Our resort was completely swish. Let me say that one more time. TOTALLY SWISH! After settling into our rooms, we headed for the pool and health club. Sadly, due to the drought, the hotel creek had dried up. We decided to investigate for ourselves and took a little Texas nature hike. Post hike, we sucked down several of Sarah's homemade mojitos, and then we finally made our way to our dinner feast.

The County Line is certainly the largest BBQ joint I have ever visited. Set atop a hill, the inside of County Line is like a ski lodge in Colorado or Park City, cozy, homey, and a smile on every workers face. There is a patio out back that overlooks the hills but only drinks and starters are served. Our server, Daryl, was the sweetest guy you could imagine. He was so authentic and happy to have a table of ladies to serve. I think he was also impressed by our ordering skills. We didn't skimp and told him to bring it on! We ordered up a pitcher of local beer that was refreshing and cool. As a complement, we started with their beer battered onion rings and homemade ranch dip. The menu, know as BIG CHIEF, was filled with options but I decided to do a combo platter so I could have the brisket (sorry arteries), the BBQ ribs, and the jalapeno sausage. As my sides, I did the homemade coleslaw and then their mac n' cheese. The brisket was the best I have tasted thus far in life. So moist and tender it just melted in your mouth. The BBQ ribs had so much meat on them I was shocked. They fell apart in my hands. The sausage was good but a bit spicy. My slaw was excellent but the mac n' cheese was just OK. No cheddar kick and it looked more like a massacre of Velveeta. I wouldn't order it again. We all had the same thing except for Jasper who didn't do ribs and instead opted for BBQ chicken. As a last order, we added their homemade sweet bread to the table that was perfect for slopping up the juices and meat that fell from our mouths. As I was eating all these amazing flavors, I had to laugh at the table next to us. It was a group of tourists from Asia and Germany that didn't have one single piece of meat on their plates. They had salads and some kind of fish dish. Who the heck does that?! If you are going to do BBQ, do it right! Completely full and dreaming of my pj's, we headed back to our resort for a night cap.

Bottom line: Another winner in Texas! I would repeat my exact meal sans the mac n' cheese. It was pure pig heaven at The County Line!

www.bartoncreek.com

www.countyline.com

THE SALT LICK @ the Austin Airport

Just when you think I couldn't get anymore BBQ, I happened upon The Salt Lick at the Austin Airport. Georgi and I both had time to kill before our flights so we stepped up one more time for some delicious BBQ. I had the chopped brisket sandwich and Georgi had the sliced brisket sandwich. Both were amazing and the BBQ sauce they gave you was out of this world. I couldn't get enough of it! Talk about not getting yucky airport food! Even though my flight home to NYC was delayed, I was a happy girl and I have The Salt Lick and Georgi to thank!

Bottom Line: If the airport test run of The Salt Lick is any indication, the real place is sure to rock. I am putting Driftwood, TX on my travel to do list!

www.saltlickbbq.com

Last BBQ thought.......

Living in NYC has afforded me the pleasure of eating lots of BBQ. I have tried Wildwood, Hill Country, Blue Smoke, Southern Hospitality, and Brother Jimmy's. Out of all five, I prefer Hill Country as I think the wood they bring from Texas makes a difference in the pit. I stepped out this year for The Big Apple BBQ but didn't get to try that much food as it went fast (Insider tip: I had a fast pass and that didn't help all that much. Next year I need to get there when they open). One of my friend's highly recco's Town Line in Sagaponack so I think that is next on my BBQ list. Giddy up friends!

www.townlinebbq.com

Austin, TX Part One

The last time I went to Austin was for my friend Sarah's wedding celebration party. I flew down and back in 36 hours and didn't get to really put my chompers into the city. This time around was much different...I have ten extra pounds to prove it!

HOUSE PIZZERIA

Full disclosure foodie chick readers. House Pizzeria is owned by Sarah who is one of my dearest friends in the world. This did not influence me in any way and my review is objective and honest. That said, I was lucky enough to visit House twice!

My first night in town was absolutely perfect. I went to House with Sarah and Georgi while we waited for Jasper, our 4th partner in crime to arrive from Washington D.C. First of all, the restaurant reminds me of the ocean and I love the ocean. The floor is this dark, rich blue color complemented by the wooden tables that are peppered all over. Insider fact: the tables are old basketball courts that have been refurbished! Sarah asked us how hungry we were and Georgi and I gave two big thumbs up that we wanted to taste it all. Lucky for us, she has some pull and could deliver on our expectation:) We started with their house salad with crumbled goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and apples atop a fresh mix of local greens. The dressing was light but just enough to add some extra flavor. To complement the salad, I ordered some red wine while the others had Texas beer. Next thing you knew, the pizzas arrived. Yes, plural pizzas came! We first feasted on a rosemary infused Yukon gold pizza topped with goat cheese. It was off the charts. The rosemary was perfect and the pie had just the right amount of cheese. Our 2nd pizza was the Margherita Extra, a bright red pie with tomato, buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil. The pie was cooked perfectly and the buffalo mozzarella was a nice addition. Our last pizza was such a delightful surprise. Blue cheese with a port reduction. Genius! Again, my love of cheese made this a winner. While I do think basil if the best gift mother nature gave us from the ground, I must say I was partial to the potato & goat cheese pie. Blue cheese was a close 2nd.

The pie-maker and Sarah's husband:

My second visit to House Pizzeria was even better. We ordered more food and tried more of the pies. We again had the house salad but this time we also ordered the warm olives and the spinach salad. The olives were served in a very hot ramekin that also had multiple cloves of garlic soaking up the olive oil. The olives were a nice variety and a good snack with the salads.

The spinach salad was nice but I am really not a raw spinach lover. The spinach was tossed with crispy salami and grated Parmesan and then finished with lemon. Very light and a nice size salad that wasn't too overwhelming.

The real stars of the night came next:

1. Potato & Goat cheese - #1 and still my favorite (pic 2)

2. Sausage & Peppers- #3 favorite (pic 3)

3. Eggplant- # 4 favorite (pic 2)

4. The Noble - tied for #1 (pic 1)

Here they are in all their glory!

What is the Noble? This pie is local cured bacon, arugula, dates, and mozzarella cheese. It is probably one of the most creative pies I have ever eaten. The salty bacon mixing with the sweet dates is a bite made in heaven. No joke. The potato & goat cheese was still a winner but I really enjoyed the sausage and pepper. This pie was sweet with a kick and the peppers were not overwhelming. I hate when I order this kind of pizza and its all peppers and no sausage. That makes me feel cheated! Balance is key with a successful sausage and pepper pie (Mr. Batali, you should take this advice at Otto). The eggplant pizza was very tasty but not something I wanted to overdose on like the others. I think the flavors are rich and one slice is plenty. At the end of the dinner, we had a few slices left and both Jasper and I stuffed one more slice in our bellies for fear it would be too long till the next time.

What did we drink with our carbohydrate overload? Sarah's own recipe for white sangria. Perhaps the best alcoholic drink to have when it is over 100 degrees! Here is our proud host serving her sangria recipe!

Congrats to Scott and Sarah for owning such an awesome restaurant!

Bottom line: If you live in Austin you should go here at least once a week. If you don't, you should get on a plane and go. It is that good. The prices are so reasonable and the jukebox makes for a perfect evening. If you like the outdoors, try sitting outside on the covered patio. I will be seeing you real soon House!

www.housepizzeria.com

Perfecting the S'more

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been **obsessed** with perfecting the s'more. Over the years, she has tried making these tasty little treats on the grill, over a fire pit, on the gas stove, and in the toaster oven. She almost set the porch on fire once when she attempted the fire pit:) Each time she would test her latest attempt on me and I would give her my honest feedback.

Two thumbs up! I must confess, she FINALLY got it right. Mr. S'more is a little gadget mom picked up at Wal-Mart for $10 bucks. You might think it looks ridiculous (I laughed out loud when I saw it) but the damn thing actually makes the perfect s'more. Put in the microwave for 30 secs and voila! For the perfect s'more, I recco Honey Maid grahams, Jet-Puff marshmallows, and Hershey's chocolate.

Before (check out the little s'more man hands):

After (2 perfect little s'mores):

Mr. S'more is my go to gadget!