Friday - July 2, 2010

Houstons

407.740.4005

215 South Orlando Ave

Winter Park, FL 32789

Check out the Menu!

Today, my boyfriend and I went up to Orlando to spend the weekend in Disney World with his friend Jorge and girlfriend, Lulu. Although the parks here are great, finding good food in the Orlando area can be a challenge (both inside and outside the parks). Not even a Google search can solve this food dilemma. I Googled “best places to eat in Orlando” and the search engine put Perkins on the top 20 list. Really, a chain pancake house qualifies as a city's top dining option?!? My thoughts: what is this World coming to, and YUCK!!

Driving around on the main drag (International Drive) until you find something isn’t an option either, unless you’re okay eating some variation of fast food that is. Sure, you can find the world's largest Checkers (which they proudly boast on their sign) and the McDonalds with the largest playroom in America, but chances are that your not going to want a burger after all the greasy amusement park food you've eaten during the day. However, if you are a buffet lover and “all you can eat” is your kind of thing, then International Drive will have you moaning in ecstasy because they have managed to make every kind of cuisine into a buffet style—typically for less than $11.99 per person! You think I'm kidding? Here are some snapshots of what you can find food wise on International Drive:

Not calling you? Didn’t appeal to us either. However, we did realize that chain restaurants would be unavoidable in Orlando, so our plan was simply to find the nicest chain. We got lucky and found out that there was a Houstons about 20 minutes away from International Drive, where our hotel was. Houstons is an upscale, relatively small chain restaurant, owned by the Hillstone Group. My boyfriend and I go to the one in Coral Gables all the time and we were ecstatic to find one just outside Orlando. We all agreed that it was the prettiest Houstons any of us had been to, complete with outdoor patio seating that overlooks a lake.

The food at Houstons does not resemble that of a chain restaurant. In fact, I never even knew that Houstons was a chain until very recently. My favorite thing on the menu (so good I’ve only ever ordered one other thing) is the Famous French Dip Au Jus. It is the most perfect thing that I have ever tasted. Slowly roasted prime rib, sliced thin and piled high on a house made french roll…I’m salivating now at the thought of it. It is served with a mug of hot and salty au jus for dipping, and a mountain of golden shoestring fries. If this sandwich is not served in heaven, then quite frankly, I don’t care to go. The only time I have ordered something other than the french dip, was because my boyfriend told me that I had to try something else on the menu to give the restaurant a more complete review. So I ordered the Thai Steak and Noodle Salad, which has your choice of marinated filet or rotisserie chicken with avocado, mango, and herbs in a Thai dressing. It was very good and flavorful, but obviously not quite as satisfying at the french dip. I have since then remained loyal to my favorite sandwich, and of course had it tonight!

The other must have at Houstons is the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which is served gooey and hot in a crock with a side of tortilla chips. Additionally, they give you homemade salsa and sour cream to enjoy the rest of your chips once the delicious dip is gone. If you go in a group and order this as an appetizer, be prepared for the awkward moment that will inevitably arise when the chip pile gets down to about 2 or 3 chips. This dip is so good that no one will just passively sit back as the last couple are eaten, so there will be an uncomfortable moment when 4 people reach for the last chip and the don’t back down to offer it to the other person. You might just have to flip a coin to decide who gets it…

Also very good at Houstons are the Barbecue Pork Ribs and the House-made Veggie Burger. My roommate, who is a semi-vegetarian—I say semi because she makes exceptions for the Crunch Wrap Supreme at Taco Bell around 4 am—swears that this is the best Veggie Burger to be had and orders it as often as I order my french dip!

On top of the great food, Houstons also has impeccable service. The wait staff is all very experienced and professional (aka no teenage, or even college student, waiters). You will never have an empty glass, no request is too much, and your food is always brought out piping hot!

GO TO HOUSTONS!

Tuesday - June 29, 2010

Novecento

305.403.0900

1414 Brickell Ave, Miami 33131

Check out the Menu!

I am back in Miami for the week, celebrating my 1-year anniversary with my boyfriend, Roberto (the only thing in my life that I have managed to commit to), and he has been speaking my love language by taking me out for some incredible food while I’m here. Today, he told me that we were going to Novecento in Brickell to watch the Spain v. Portugal world cup game and of course, I got all sorts of excited to be included in the ethnic festivities, since soccer isn’t really as big of a sport here in America. So I put on my Spanish Saints bracelet, which somehow always makes me feel slightly more ethnic when going to places such as Novecento, and sure enough I found myself blending right in with the 200 something Spaniards who had gathered at the restaurant to watch the game. And as if my bracelet wasn’t enough to disguise my inner gringa, I even referred to soccer as futbol!!

But on to the food! For lunch I ordered the Milanga de Pollo (aka Chicken Milanese), which was very, very good. I believe that a Milanese should always be pounded to a ¼ of an inch thin, and this was so I was pleased. I had mine with a side of mixed greens and my boyfriend had his with a side of fries, which I ate half of and thought were delicious! My boyfriend’s brother, Juanmi, ordered the Pollo al Curry, which I thought was odd to appear on a Spanish menu but it both smelled and looked delicious (I would probably order that the next time I go to Novecento). Juanmi’s girlfriend, Lidi, ordered the small Chicken Caesar Salad (she’s a swimsuit model….I wish I could order that and be satisfied) and the chicken to lettuce ratio was way out of proportion—“Would you like some salad with that chicken?!?” If your trying to get your protein in then you’d probably love it, but if you just want a salad I wouldn’t suggest it.

So we have finished our food and Spain has just won the game against Portugal, much to everyone’s delight (they cheered so loud you would have though the won the whole world cup), and now we are ready for another meal. To celebrate the win we order a bottle of champagne, which was half price (not sure if it’s a daily special or just because of the game) and some more food—Ceviche Con Tostones (white fish ceviche marinated in lime juice, jalapenos, avocados, plantains, and fresh basil and served with tostones) and Entrana Con Chimichurri (grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce). I didn’t care to try the ceviche, but the chimichurri sauce for the steak was so delicious that I even dipped a couple fries in it!

Overall, Novecento serves good food and has a great atmosphere. In my opinion, it is a little over priced for the simplistic nature of the food (my lunch portion of Milanese was $13) but it is an enjoyable experience and a perfect place to watch the game.

Monday - June 9, 2010

Walnut Sage Fettuccine

(Mom’s very own creation)

I mentioned in the previous blog post that my mom and I made three different pasta sauces for dinner tonight, and this Walnut Sage Sauce was one of them. I have never tasted anything like it before, and it is awesome!! The flavor of the walnuts really opens up when they toast in the pan and who doesn’t love the taste of butter?!? This simple recipe is the product of my mother’s culinary creativity, and I hope you will all enjoy it as much as we did tonight!

Ingredients

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 stick unsalted butter

Kosher salt

¼ cup roughly chopped sage leaves

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cooked out fettuccine

Directions

Place the walnuts in a saucepan over medium heat and allow the walnuts to toast until fragrant. Add the stick of butter in pieces and then stir so that it melts completely. Once melted, add the Parmesan and the sage leaves until they wilt slightly. Season with kosher salt, to taste. Pour over desired amount of fettuccine pasta and serve with freshly grated Parmesan!

Monday - June 9, 2010

Linguine All’Amatriciana

(Adapted from an Anne Burrell recipe)

When I come home from college, I bring my appetite because my mom is truly a fabulous cook. She is the one who really got me interested in cooking and food in the first place…I mean lets face it, serious “foodies” are not the kind of people who were raised on SpaghettiOs and Ramen Noodle Soup. In fact, I had never even tasted jarred tomato sauce until college!! My mom always cooked gourmet meals when I was growing up and so she taught me to appreciate the flavors of fresh herbs and vegetables at an early age, which slowly developed into a passion as I got older.

Although I love all of my mom’s food, I love her pasta dishes the most! Tonight, her and I cooked out a box of linguine and made a trio of pasta sauces to have a little Italian pasta sampling of sorts! I made my Pesto recipe (which I have blogged about), and my mom made an impromptu Walnut Sage Sauce (which I will blog about) and an Amatriciana Sauce (which I am blogging about). This Amatriciana sauce is an excellent and easy red sauce to make for any kind of pasta, even though I prefer it with linguine. The pancetta gives a great hearty depth of flavor to the sauce and the San Marzano tomatoes are so sweet and delicious. It is really important that you spend the extra $1.50 and buy the San Marzano tomatoes for this dish, because other brands do not taste the same. There isn’t too much more to say about this simple sauce other than that it is delicious, so enjoy!

Ohhh, there is just one more thing that makes this sauce even better…it freezes really well! So if you set some aside before tossing in the pasta, you can put it in the freezer and enjoy it a couple weeks later!

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces Pancetta (cut into small bits)

1 ½ large Spanish onions (diced)

½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

2 (28-Ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through the food mill

**Seeds make the sauce bitter

1 pound linguine

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish

Directions

Coat a large saucepan with oil and allow pancetta to cook over low heat until brown and crispy. Remove and set aside the pancetta and then increase saucepan to medium heat, adding the onions and crushed red pepper. Season generously with kosher salt, to taste. Cook onions until they are translucent and turning golden. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically. Adjust the salt, as needed.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water (should be as salty as the Dead Sea) to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook al dente (about 1 minute less than the instructions on package call for). Then drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan of sauce. DO NOT rinse the pasta because then the sauce will not adhere to it!! Stir to coat the pasta with sauce, then add in the cheese and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss to coat and serve with additional shaved Parmesan and fresh chopped basil!

Sunday - June 8, 2010

Pesto

Over the past two years I have both made and tried several different pesto recipes. However, being a college student on a budget, I could only make pesto when I had enough money to buy the outrageously expensive pine nuts (ohh how I dreaded buying the pignolis!!). But as my mom always says, “budgeting inspires creativity,” and sure enough I found a substitute for pine nuts….WALNUTS!! Same great taste, quarter of the price! This recipe, which is my own, uses equal parts of pine nuts and walnuts, giving the dish a greater depth of flavor and making it more affordable. I use this sauce on everything…pasta, grilled chicken, roasted veggies, sandwiches, and even as a salad dressing (equal parts pesto and balsamic vinegar). If you’re using it over pasta, add more olive oil (between a cup and a quarter to a cup and a half) so that the sauce is thinner, and when using it as a spread on sandwiches only add about a cup of oil so it is thicker.

Buen Provecho!

Ingredients

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons minced garlic

4 cups packed basil leaves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup good extra virgin olive oil

*Possibly 1 ½ if you like your pesto thinner

Directions

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process for about 30 seconds and then ass the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. While the food processor is running, slowly pour the amount of desired olive oil through the feed tube into the bowl and process until the pesto is pureed. Then add the Parmesan and pulse for one minute. Serve or store in fridge!

Saturday- June 5, 2010

Gardner’s Market

305.476.9900

3117 Bird Avenue, Miami 33133

Hours: Monday-Sunday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Check out the Menu!

- Sandwich Menu -

This morning I woke up and said goodbye to the heat and humidity of Miami as I headed to the airport to catch my flight to my hometown, Philadelphia. I rushed my boyfriend out of bed and out of the house not even letting him shower, reminding him that my having time for one last meal in Miami was imperative…a “last supper” of sorts! I knew exactly what I wanted too, a Tuscan Sandwich from Gardner’s Market.

As far as prepared foods go, Gardner’s is the simply best. No joke, I’m there about four or five days a week. Gardners is a small market with a decent selection of groceries and produce, but their specialty is really prepared foods, which range from soups and sandwiches to turkey piccatta and twice-baked potatoes (not to mention their ridiculous salad bar). Everyday there is a selection of four homemade soups and some of my favorites are the Wild Mushroom Bisque (orgasmic…but rich), the Turkey Chili (a staple meal in my boyfriend’s diet), and the Butternut Squash Bisque. All of the soups are amazing though and you can sample any (or all) of them on your own before deciding which one to get!

Gardner’s Market also makes the best sandwiches. They use the best gourmet ingredients to make their sandwiches and have about 20 different combinations to choose from, or you can always create your own! My personal favorite is the Tuscan Sandwich, which has sliced chicken breast (not lunch meat, but actual grilled chicken breast!), spring mix, goat cheese, tomato, and pesto served on Ciabatta bread. Another great one is the Napa, which has grilled vegetables (cold), tomatoes, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. It is served on whole wheat French bread, but I find that the soft bread becomes soggy with the vinaigrette so I always get Ciatbatta instead and add pesto (yummm!). Gardners also makes a few hot sandwiches such as The Jeremy, which is roast beef, cheddar cheese, and spicy aioli all melted on Ciabatta bread. Now if you find yourself torn between ordering a sandwich or a soup as I often do, Gardners offers a solution. You can get a ½ sandwich (any sandwich…even modified if you want) and a small soup for just $4.99!!!! And this special runs all day, not just during lunch. However, it is NOT advertised anywhere in the store (probably because it’s not profitable…at that price it can’t be) so you just have to ask for half a sandwich at the sandwich bar, and they will gladly make you the special. That’s the other thing about Gardners, the people who work there are super friendly and will do just about anything to get your order right. The way that they make their sandwiches is so meticulous that it is almost an art form. They cut up all the vegetables tiny, and space out all of the ingredients evenly so that every bite taste the same. It’s perfection!

On days that you want a lighter option, Gardner’s Market has one of the most incredible salad bars that I have ever seen. They have every topping imaginable, along with a great selection of gourmet pasta salads and homemade dressings (no “Wish-Bone” salad dressing packets here!). Everything is kept clean, stocked, and cold at the salad bar, so you don’t have to worry about the chicken or feta cheese that you’re putting on your salad being spoiled.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the Gourmet Burgers, which my boyfriend and I just discovered about a month ago. They are available at the sandwich counter upon request every day and they are delicious! They start with a ½ pound freshly cooked beef patty and then all the condiments of your choice come free, including bacon and/or cheddar cheese. It is served on a fresh Kaiser roll and costs just $6.99!

Basically, you can’t go wrong at Gardener’s Market so try any and everything and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Friday - June 4, 2010

Café Sambal

305.913.8358

500 Brickell Key Dr, Miami 33131

(In the Mandarin Oriental Hotel)

Check out the Menu!

My first time at Café Sambal was about 8 months ago with my boyfriend, and while we were driving there he said “baby, I’m taking you to a restaurant with one of the prettiest views in Miami.” He certainly wasn’t kidding because the outside of the restaurant is on the water, overlooking Brickell key and the rest of the city with a breathtaking view. Just make sure that you go on a warm night if you plan on sitting outside, because the water does create a breeze that can get rather chilly. If you end up sitting inside, you will find that the décor is very modern with clean lines, which seems fitting for the Japanese-inspired cuisine.

Tonight I went with my boyfriend and his family to Café Sambal for dinner, which was fun because as a group we ordered lots of appetizers and so I got to try a whole bunch of new things on the menu (I couldn’t wait to blog about it all!!). We started with the Steamed Edamame with Hawaiian sea salt (sounds fancy, but it was like the Edamame at every Japanese restaurant), the Lotus Chicken Wraps (really delicious, puts PF Chang’s version to shame), the Te Corvina Ceviche (not really my thing, but everyone else enjoyed it), and Dim Sum samples with chicken, vegetable, and beef (the beef was my favorite). For my entrée I ordered the Korean-Style Kobe Skirt Steak in spicy brown sauce, which is probably my favorite dish here to date. But I was disappointed that it wasn’t served with any sides…just steak on a plate. The brown sauce was good, but not even remotely spicy, so I asked for some type of hot sauce to put on my steak and they brought me a little dish of hot pepper heaven!! If you like spicy food then you have got to ask to try their hot sauce….it’s divine!

On other occasions I have also had the Chicken Pad Thai, which is very good and unusually light on oil (I can only imagine how god the hot sauce would be on this dish!!). I have also had the Crispy Tamarind Chicken, which good but very small. Although it did come with some mashed potatoes and string beans, the dish was not filling and I left the restaurant wanting to eat another meal. It’s not something I would ever order again.

Overall, I like this restaurant but I don’t love it. The menu is not inspiring or unique. The food is good, but not exceptional. There is no dish that I crave or feel that I can’t enjoy somewhere else. Basically, Café Sambal makes good Japanese food, but doesn’t take it to another level or create any signature dishes of flavors of their own. I think the restaurant is over priced for the rather average food that it serves, and I believe that there are many other Japanese restaurants more reasonably priced that offer a similar menu. I think that the beautiful view is the most inspiring thing about Café Sambal (the food certainly isn’t) and although I would eat there again, it isn’t a place that I’m dying to go back to.