Category: FOOD

Last Night for NYC Restaurant Week!

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restaurant week

NYC Restaurant Week, you know it’s happening, you’ve seen your friends snap about it, but have you actually made a reservation yet? Well, tonight is the last night, don’t miss out. To me, NYC Restaurant Week is an opportunity to go to those fancy restaurants you wouldn’t be able to afford without a special pre-fix menu, am I right? As you probably know, $38 gets you an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. Not too shabby. If you are like me, you probably end up at a place where wine is $18 a glass and are forced to throw caution to the wind.

While we are in the subject of not caring about anything and eating what makes you happy, below are some pictures of my NYC Restaurant Week experience. I went to Montebello Restaurant and Artisanal Fromagerie & Bistro. Italian and French, that’s my jam.

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Dinner at Montebello Restaurant was filling and satisfying. Our waiter was super nice and made some excellent recommendations. I got an eggplant parm… as an appetizer! You know you are about to feast when your appetizer is delicious and generous. They also had a nice selection to choose from, as opposed to other places where you can only pick from about two choices. My friend and I, avid eaters as we are, ordered two different entrees and shared. The Crespelle was delicious, think about a crêpe and a lasagna having a baby. Gross in theory, amazing in real life. It doesn’t stop there, we also ordered the Pollo Montebello, a delicious Parmesan crusted chicken, followed by cheesecake AND chocolate cake. Oops.

artisanal nyc restaurant week fondue beaches and brie

Last night, I went to heaven, I mean Artisanal Fromagerie & Bistro. I got my own little Artisanal blend fondue as part of the restaurant week menu. Oh dear lord, hands down one of the best fondues I have ever had. I need to come back and try their truffle fondue, I can’t even imagine the goodness. I really enjoyed my fall cavatelli entrée with roasted squash, orange poppy seed cream and ricotta (yum, ricotta). Prices are a little high, so think about this as a place for celebratory dinners and special occasions.

It’s not too late to enjoy restaurant week, you still have lunch and dinner today, what are you waiting for?

#ReinventSnacking with these Creamy Cheese Options

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Image from The Laughing Cow ®

My love for The Laughing Cow started as a romantic French love affair. I was introduced to their classic, creamy swiss by my loving French host family and it quickly became an integral part of my breakfasts while abroad. It even substituted butter as my top choice to put on bread in the morning. When I was running out of money during my time abroad, I would still chip in to indulge in some creamy goodness. It made my cheap sandwich diet so much more exciting.

Breakfast Laughing Cow Beaches and Brie

Homemade breakfast in Paris, Fall 2010. Man, those were cool place mats.

That’s why I was so excited when I got invited to The Laughing Cow’s #ReinventSnacking event in New York City. Fun event plus a brand I already love? I’m in. During the night, I got to experience three different sessions in which I was able to learn from some talented folks.

My first station was Plates, Style & Photograph Snacks with Kristen Hess, from The Artful Gourmet. Basically, my dream job. Best part of setting up for style photography? If you are lucky, you get to eat the food. I did.

The Laughing Cow Beaches and Brie

The Laughing Cow Beaches and Brie

I then got to meet the lovely Chef Sarah Simmons from City Grit and Birds and Bubbles. In her station, we used different Laughing Cow products to create tasty and unique treats with a touch of Southern charm.

Laughing Cow Beaches and Brie

Lastly, I hit the Stop Motion Snack Video session with Amber Lee and created the video below. Guys, I’m really proud of it. But really, if you like my little video, go check out Amber’s work. Truly amazing.

Fun doesn’t end there, this month, there is another great flavor joining the Laughing Cow family… Creamy Asiago! I got the chance to try it this past month and it’s really good. It pairs well with pecans and pineapple but honestly, I can even eat it plain with one of my favorites, Blue Diamond Almond Nut-Thins. The Laughing Cow Creamy Asiago hits shelves this month.

Laughing Cow Creamy Asiago Snack

Disclosure: The Laughing Cow provided me with product for consideration.

All opinions, ideas and stories are 100% my own.

National Chocolate Cake Day

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Oh yey! Another fake holiday that has us all droolin’ over food. Hey, I’m not complaining.

I can live without chocolate, but why would I want to? My favorite way to indulge in chocolate cake? Top it with some vanilla ice cream.

This chocolate cake is actually a chocolate mousse cake from Montebello Restaurant in Midtown. I had a great dinner there last night, more on that soon!

So what are you waiting for? Grab some chocolate cake and be happy. It’s that simple.

Happy #NationalChocolateCakeDay 🙂

If You Like Piña Coladas

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How did it get to be 2016 already? I’ve been MIA, I know, all for good reasons though. I’m excited to be sharing some things about my blog and my life, just bare with me! 

In the meantime, please enjoy this photo of a piña colada that I enjoyed during my time in Puerto Rico earlier this month. Ahh, to be sipping frozen drinks by the beach. Those were the days. Also, you can always catch me on Instagram, of course.

Gifts For That Foodie In Your Life

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It’s that wonderful time of year! Yes, it’s almost Christmas, even though New York City weather wants to tell us otherwise. Today, instead of sharing mouthwatering pictures, I took the time to compile a list of a few awesome gifts to get that special foodie in your life (even if that special foodie is you!).

This past month I discovered Shoptiques, thanks to the fabulous FabFitFun Winter box. Yes, I may have been living under a rock if I just heard of this website, but if you know me, you know that I’ll take a fancy cheese plate over a pair of expensive shoes anytime. That’s just how I am wired. However, that does not mean I can’t appreciate the wonder that is Shoptiques. It basically lets you shop online from boutiques all over the world, all in one seamless experience.

I got to play around with it and it was really useful to be able to shop by category, but also being able to switch and focus on one boutique at a time. My first purchase arrived in basically 24 hours and the boutique owner even wrote me a handwritten note! Simple, yet meaningful.

Need it by Christmas? They guarantee delivery on time if you order by December 20th. Also, I can now basically give you $15 dollars to spend! Just click on this link, and once you purchase and take advantage of the $15, you will get your own link to share out with friends. The gift that keeps on giving, right?

Start browsing below, hope you find something that you like!

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Porcelain Yes Mug ($16)

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Got This Tumbler ($16)

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Antipasto Tray ($20)

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Carry-on Cocktail Kit, Gin & Tonic ($24)

Foodie Dice

Foodie Dice ($24)

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Gift Boxed Cheese-Knives ($47)

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Chez Elle Coasters ($47)

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Dot Martini Shaker ($50)

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Cheese Board Set ($60)

[Brunch] Al Vez

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Al Vez Enchiladas - Cristina Nogueras

“Let’s have brunch in the financial district!” is not quite what would come out of my mouth any given Sunday. What’s great about New York is that if you look close enough, there will be an amazing spot anywhere you need to be. That’s how I ended at Al Vez on a Saturday morning.

One of my good friends was visiting and he wanted to go up the One World Trade Center. I used my trusty Urban Daddy app to find a brunch place worth taking a tourist, a balance of quality and excitement. Al Vez for the win!I had been to Al Vez in Philadelphia and had a really nice dinner. Sure, their dinner was nice, but oh boy, their brunch I dare say is even better.

Al Vez Brunch Breakfast Quesadilla - Cristina Nogueras The breakfast quesadilla was toasted to perfection, filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, pico de gallo, cheddar & jack cheese.
Platains Al Vez Brunch Cristina NoguerasWe ordered a side of plantains con queso or like we Puerto Ricans like to call it, amarillitos. They hit the spot.
Al Vez Huevos Rancheros Brunch Cristina Nogueras  My friend ordered the huevos rancheros. The combination of the two eggs sunny side up, chorizo, black beans, guacamole and salsa ranchera over a crispy tortilla was the perfect mix. Topping any bite with the plantains was just glorious.

On top of the great food, it had a really nice vibe for a Saturday morning. Looking forward to trying this spot for dinner some day.

What brunch spots do you recommend around the financial district?

[Brunch] Bareburger Hoboken

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It’s no surprise that I love food. Like, I really, really love food. A fun part of the process when I share things here is that I like to take the time to learn more about where I went or what I ate. Sometimes it’s just a simple Google search, but even that gets to be really fun.

I love Bareburger, not just because I love burgers in general, but they really do serve some really good quality stuff there. Last weekend, I did the unimaginable, I went to Bareburger and I did NOT eat a burger. I know, crazy. Instead, I opted for their brunch and boy, was it delicious.

My boyfriend went for the Hungry Bear, a plate with 3 eggs, french toast, Canadian bacon and sweet potato wedges. The sweet potato wedges were something in between regular sweet potato fries and home fries, perfect for brunch. I obviously had a few myself.

Although tempted by the sound of such a plate, I ordered an avocado toast with a sunny side up egg and a side of their quinoa hash. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this quinoa hash, was it going to be a mashed potato situation or more like regular quinoa? What did I get? Two delicious hash brown-like patties with quinoa and some other amazing things that made it the best companion to an otherwise quite simple (yet fresh) avocado toast.

Bottom line, there’s more to Bareburger than burgers. Those guys can nail a breakfast meal too. However, if it’s your first time going, definitely get a burger. It only makes sense.

Fall Foliage, Sleepy Bee & Cow Poop: My Trip to Ohio

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I was in Ohio last month for work. Being the lucky girl in charge of driving the rental car, it felt kinda cool to drive from the airport in Kentucky all the way up past Cincinnati. The fall foliage was just beautiful! Maybe it was best that I was driving, otherwise I would have filled up my phone with pictures.

Still, I got a chance to walk around and briefly hang out with nature at Sharon Woods Park. See some iPhone shots below.

   

   
Also, if you are ever in Cincinnati, I recommend you drive to Oakley. From what I’ve heard, it’s up and coming and from what I saw, it’s very lovely. I had lunch at Sleepy Bee, delicious food and great service.

  
I had the Beekeper, which takes your BLT up a hundred notches and right up to the perfect level. Ideal first choice would have been the Buzzy Grilled Cheese but I felt that was too much cheese before a work event. You know how it is.

I have officially added a trip to Kentucky and surrounding areas to my travel list. I’m interested in checking out the bourbon trail and see a very unique and interesting part of the US.

P.S. You can buy Ohio Cow Poop at the airport. Not interested? Maybe you would like to purchase Cincinnati Pig Poop instead. Yes, it’s a real thing. Yes, I almost bought a bag for my boyfriend.

P.P.S. Reading around about Cincinnati, I found that some people call it the Paris of America which is funny since I just heard Chandler say today that Tulsa is the Paris of Oklahoma. With that, I leave you.

Komeeda Chef Showdown #3

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(Photo from Komeeda)

Comida, Komeeda, Food.

A while ago I got the chance to meet the great mind behind Komeeda, a community that is passionate about discovering and tasting new food. I remember being immediately sold on the idea and I’ve been happy to see Komeeda keep on growing and evolving from group dinners to the most recent Chef Showdown series. Komeeda, just like me, believes that food makes people come together and through food, we can all have new and exciting experiences.

This month, I attended the 3rd Chef Showdown at District CoWork. It was a night buzzing with flavors and excitement as 3 chefs faced each other, providing delightful plates for everyone to taste and judge. My kind of evening, if you ask me.

(Photo from Cristina Nogueras)

Before even getting to the three main judges, we were welcomed by some delicious treats from the past chef showdown winner, Chef Flo from Eemas Cuisine. I’m sad I missed his first round of sweet potato & apple gyoza, but his pumpkin & mushroom bolognese on cornbread was delicious, pictured above. Seriously though, that cornbread was on point. I really enjoyed the Hawaiian cuisine twist he brought into the mix. Which makes me thing, I think I want to explore more Hawaiian cuisine, something else to add to my list.

(Photo from Cristina Nogueras)

Then the action began. The clock started ticking and we were tasked with tasting and judging everyone’s food. First for me was Chef Brandon Walker. He had a fall squash custard and a turkey confit croquette, pictured above. The croquette was DELICIOUS. I’m used to the classic Spanish croqueta, but I like the twist that Chef Brandon brought into the mix. I could have easily eaten a full plate of those croquettes dipped in a variety of sauces, no problem at all.


(Photo from Cristina Nogueras)

Next came Chef Amy with her beautiful, colorful plate. As she describes it, she made “delicata delights” for the vegetarian portion of the dish, delicata moons on rosemary skewer sprigs with sun dried tomatoes and collard greens, drizzled in a cashew aioli. For the meat dish, she made “squashta ragu”, baby bella mushroom cap stuffed with spaghetti squash “squashta” with lamb ragu, topped with homemade dehydrated onion crisps and freshly sliced basil. I wish the spaghetti squash with the lamb ragu had been a bigger portion because it was delicious.

(Photo from Komeeda)

Last but not least, Chef Paula delighted us with her winning plates. For the meat plate, she prepared a delicious adobo braised porkbelly over pork fat red bliss mashed potato, garlic sautéed spinach topped with adobo sauce and garlic chips. Again, another moment when I wished I could have kept on eating beyond what was on my plate just because it was so good. For the vegetarian plate, Chef Paula served Kare-Kare- Japanese eggplant, green beans, baby bok choy and onions on top of bibb lettuce drizzled with peanut sauce and topped with toasted “bagoong” peanuts. All of this was vegan, which to me, is quite impressive! Learned a lot by just reading more on each of the ingredients chosen which is almost as fun as eating the food itself and one of the reasons I like to go to events like this.

After a busy tasting session, we got to meet some of the sponsors of the event. I was especially intrigued by The Foodstand, a food community that not only shares good dining spots, but helps you find the freshest ingredients and more. I just joined the community this week and already I have discovered some new great food lovers to follow and new spots to try in the city.

We all got to vote and Chef Paula was crowned the Chef Showdown winner! Seriously, everyone’s plates were flavorful and down right delicious. Excited for Komeeda’s next culinary adventure, Friendsgiving! Be sure to follow them on Instagram or Twitter for more information.

Buen provecho!

Congrats again to Chef Paula! (Photo from Komeeda)

First Time Apple Picking + Fall Sangria

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Deamarest FarmsI grew up in a tropical island. The closest I had to apple picking was having a lime tree in my backyard or grabbing a fallen coconut from the beach. You got apples from the super market, that was it. The concept of making it a full day activity to go apple picking, riding on the back of a truck, wearing boots, eating apple cider doughnuts and drinking apple cider was totally foreign to me. To me, it was all fun because it was a new experience. To my friends, it’s a tradition and a moment to relive memories from growing up.

Demarest FarmsSummer is my favorite season but fall comes in second, bringing with it so much beauty… and apples!

I tried out this great sangria recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, it was delicious! I followed the recipe pretty closely, except I did not add the orange slices and I went easy on the club soda. It was a nice twist to my average sangria and it allowed me to use my freshly picked apples in a fun way. I also realized that nothing tastes bad with cinnamon.

This apple picking thing, it’s not bad at all. Next time though, I really need to get one of those famous apple cider doughnut.