Cheap Indian Eats at Milon

My friends rave about Indian food, and while I've never tried it, my friends suggested we go to a fantastic Indian restaurant on the lower east side before our friend Adam's show at Pianos. The restaurant was hard to miss because of its bright Christmas and decorative lights inside the restaurant that shined so brightly you could see it a block away! Located on 1st between 5th and 6th Avenues, the restaurant was a teeny tiny walk up called Milon. Although the place was small, it was completely packed! The lights completely flooded the ceiling of the restaurant, so much so, that even I at 5' 3" had to duck so the lights wouldn't hit me in the face! The six of us started off with three orders of assorted appetizers (at $2.75 per order). The appetizer can with one samose, two piaza, and two banana pakora.
I learned a samose is a meat and potato "fritter," a piaza is a vegetable fritter, and the pakora is a fried banana fritter. They were all fried yet tasty in their flavors. We also ordered three orders of nan ($1.50 per order) which is a flat pita bread that comes in either regular or garlic. The bread was a great accessory to our entrees. Before I left my roommate told me to try the tandoori, so I tried the shrimp tandoori ($8.95). It came out sizzling in a metal pan and was served hot on my plate. The shrimp was a bright colored red which scared me because I am not big on very spicy foods. However, the shrimp had a kick, but tasted very flagrant without being too spicy. I would definitely recommend it to someone who hasn't had Indian food before. We told the waiters it was our friend Ashley's birthday (although I must admit we fibbed a bit) the waiter came out with small dishes of mango ice cream for each of us! All the light overhead turned off expect for a big disco ball light that lit up to the music of an Indian version of "Happy Birthday." Overall, our bill left us only paying $14 each! Incredible.
The best thing about this restaurant beside the atmosphere and food is that it is a bring your own booze restaurant! Our friend stopped at Trader's Joe's beforehand and bought six bottle of their "two buck Chuck" (okay, three in the city) bottles of wine. Therefore we got sloshed before the show and had our stomachs filled for the cheap. A side note: if you're really claustrophobic this place might not be suitable for you. It is very, almost too cozy but the cheap eats really makes up for it. So go out to the LES, grab some Indian food, and check out some cool bars and venues in the area. Or even better, you can check out my friend Adam (also known as Saul Ashby) on myspace and listen to some of his sweet jams.

Until next time, happy eating!

Bianca

First Kiwi Bar, Eh? New Zealand Food at Nelson Blue

A family friend of mine has been opening various restaurants around New York City for years, but when she told us about her latest restaurant opening, we were a bit shocked and confused. She mentioned is was called Nelson Blue, and it served New Zealand food. Whenever I hear of New Zealand, the first thing that comes to mind is my favorite HBO show, Flight of the Conchords in which two New Zealanders flock to New York City to gain popularity for their band, but I never heard of a New Zealand restaurant. My mom, a friend, and I had to check it out.

Nelson Blue, located on 235 Front Street is actually the first New Zealand, or as the natives like to call it, "kiwi bar" to exist in Manhattan. The bar regularly shows rugby games, the most popular sport in New Zealand. Surprisingly, the food was not very foreign, and thei signature kebabs were amazing. Nelson Blue is considered mostly a wine bar, but with lots of small plates to share and nibble on. Due to technological errors, my camera punked out before I got to document these tasty treats, so I will try to depict their deliciousness by words.

The wine was great at only $8 a glass, and the atmosphere was very warm and inviting. Since the restaurant is located in Southstreet Seaport, the restaurant was very sea decorative with a wooden ship hanging above a long table and long wooden benches that accompanied the tables. Since we wanted to try a bunch of different items on the menu, we ordered a bunch of appetizers, sides, and of course, the kebabs. We ordered the popcorn shrimp with remoulade sauce ($12) which was sized well for the three of us, and the popcorn shrimp crunchy yet fresh tasting. We mix and matched a bunch of skewers (who wouldn't at only $4 per kebab?). The salmon with curry mayo kebab practically melted in our mouth, the chicken with spicy peanut sauce kebab had a great peanut buttery flavor, and the shrimp kebab with lemon herb mayo was delicious. The dipping sauces really made the kebabs, as well as our side order of french fries with herb salt ($4) where the herb mayo mixed great with the fries.

We also heard great things about the five spiced crushed cauliflower ($4) so we had to order it. The flavors were great and the cauliflower texture was reminiscent of mashed potatoes. With ordering 6 kebabs, 2 side orders, an appetizer, wine, and a $6 chocolate flower cake for my roommate, the bill came to $70! A great suggestion would be to head over to Southstreet Seaport ASAP to try to fare and also because Southstreet has great holiday festivities for Christmas.

Go to Southstreet Seaport for the weekends, and you can see their treelighting celebration and the Big Apple Chorus sing christmas songs in front of the tree. They play 45 minute shows at 6 and 7 pm on Fridays, and 3 and 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Be sure to catch a Christmas chorus show, go Christmas shopping in the Southstreet Seaport mall, and eat up all the New Zealand grub you can handle!

Until next time, happy eating!

Bianca

Cilantro

The Upper East Side can offer many tantalizing treats like Italian, Thai, Chinese food, etc., but sometimes being a college student on the Upper East Side can leave a person in a food rut. Students fill themselves on every food they could think of in the neighborhood to get away from the cafeteria food, but yes, it does get boring after awhile. Since I'm an avid lover of Mexican food I decided to try Cilantro, a Mexican food joint located on 71st and 1st Avenue, an avenue away from my college campus.

The atmosphere was very cozy inside and was decorated to look somewhat like an adobo hut. It was dimly lit with candles which gave a relaxed, yet classy and romantic feel. My friend and I both received complimentary chips, including plantains and a mild salsa. Since we just got out of class, we were itching for some alcohol.
My friend ordered the Wildberry Frozen Margarita ($8) while I ordered there special Sangria of the day ($8.50) complete with strawberry juices, chopped apples, oranges and a cherry to top it off. The great thing about the drinks is that the prices aren't bad since they come in 16 ounce classes so they are generally big.

My friend ordered the chicken quesadilla appetizer, complete with jack and cheddar cheese, corn salsa, and green chilies ($8) along with their chicken tortilla and lime soup ($5). She said the food was fantastic and the quesadilla, although it was an appetizer, was so much food she got to bring half of it home.

I ordered the tequila shrimp enchilada ($16) with red chile sauce, rice and beans. This dish was great because it was entirely smothered in jack and cheddar cheese and the shrimp tasted fresh.

This is definitely not a Taco Bell, so the food tastes a lot more authentic and it's a great place to catch drinks with friends after a hectic day at school. This post is dedicated all who read my blog at school.
Stay tuned for next week where I try an authentic cuisine most people didn't know existed in the city!

Until next time, happy eating!

Bianca

Italian Comfort at Tony Dinapoli's

When people, including myself, think of the words "best," "New York" and "food", the results are usually all the same: Italian food. New York's italian food can never be beat by any place in the world, other than it's motherland, Italy. Sometimes it can be hard to pick and choose a place to get a great Italian meal since there are so many in the city. My friend and I decided to go to our favorite place: Tony Dinapoli's.

Tony's is a great homestyle Italian restaurant where all the dishes are served family style. The portions are huge and can usually serve up to three people, making the prices very reasonable and a great spot to go out and split an entree or two with some friends. My friend and I first glanced painstakingly over the wine list and I finally decided on a glass of Tony's Straw Bottle Chianti for $7. We ordered our favorite appetizer, the mozzarella and tomato salad for $16.95. There was so much for the two of us but we basically ate it all. Plump slices of tomato with mozzarella and shredded basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar made our mouths water. For an entree we wanted something cheesy, which meant their baked ziti napolitano for $19.95. The plate was hot, steamy, cheesy and delicious. The ricotta melded perfectly with the sweet sauce. Other dishes we have had over the past that are amazing is the rigatoni with vodka and mushrooms and "Tony's shrimp," which is their famous appetizer. It's bruschetta of crispy sliced bauguettes with marinated shrimp on top. Definitely worth trying!

What makes Tony's a great bargain is that with all the food comes massive leftovers. My friend and I got our leftovers separate to go and I got ao whole other dinner out of it! My friend and I went to the quieter Tony's location on Second Ave. and 83rd St. but there is also a two story Tony's on 43rd. St. btw. 6th and 7th Ave. It's a great place to go grab something to eat with friends before a Broadway play since there is hardly ever a wait and the portions are fantastic.

Until next time, happy manga!!

Bianca

Warming up with Celsius

Since I was a young girl, my cousin and I would both begin celebrating Christmas the day after my cousin's birthday (September 1st). We were inseparable and would prance around our houses, singing Christmas songs every single day until December 25th. This drove both our mother's incessantly crazy, to the point where a simple rule emerged: Christmas could be celebrated once Halloween is over.

Well, Halloween is over and that means it's officially time to begin my countdown to my favorite holiday of the year. I kicked off this celebration by heading over to one of my favorite restaurants to get into the spirit: Celsius Lounge located within Bryant Park.
Celsius is modeled to look like a Canadian Lounge, equipped with enormous heat lamps surrounding it's outside patio so onlookers can watch the ice skaters that grace the Park's ice skating rink. There is also an indoor area, which is very modern and club like inside.

I went to Celsius last year and fell in love with their fondue. My friend and I ordered our own fondues, which made the Christmas like scenery the more enjoyable. My friend ordered the cheese fondue with mini baguettes for a mere $13.50 while I ordered the cheese fondue with apples, pears, and some mini baguettes for $15.50.
The cheese was a melted swiss that was intimately presented by our own personalized fondue pots. Be not fooled, the prices sound pricey but the fondue is super filling, which means it definitely passes as an entree. Macaroni and cheese, caesar salads, and tomato grilled cheese take up the bulk of the menu. It's delicious easy to make food presented at its best.
There are also some marvelous alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks to accompany the fondue: including hot chocolate and hot apple cider with cinnamon schnapps for $10! Be sure not to drink too many of those before you enjoy the free ice skating at Bryant Park.

Until Next Time, Happy Eating!

Bianca

Burrito 101

If I could pick any sort of ethnic food group I could live on for the rest of my life, it would be Mexican food. Although many may argue I've never had true mexican food since I've never traveled to the south western part of the United States, I will say "New York" Mexican food is absolutely out of this world. Therefore, instead of my usual blogging about a certain place, I've decided to blog about my three favorite places in New York City to grab Mexican food.

1. El Sombrero is located on the lower east side (108 Stanton St., to be exact) and has a great intimate dimly lit setting with candles is perfect for going on a cheap date. The restaurant is decorated with authentic Mexican style paintings along with a sombrero, of course. There's the courtesy chips and salsa as well as cheap yet strong margaritas. A small marg is only $4 and worth it! I always opt for a chicken and cheese burrito which comes in a huge portion for only $10.00. The food tastes very authentic and fresh, with all items only the menu ranging $14.00 and under. With the lower east side being one of my favorite Manhattan spots, after dinner at El Sombrero take your date or group of friends to Pianos on 158 Ludlow Street. They have great music every night and a young hip crowd with well made drinks. Shows are every night, every day of the week and are usually $8 to watch bands play in the showroom. There is also a lounge act which is upstairs and usually free. Every Monday night in the lounge act there is "Smart Ass Rock 'n Roll Trivia" and every Tuesday night there is even a "Guitar Hero" party! It's definitely a great atmosphere and a great excuse to find new bands and music to listen to.

2. Blockheads is located in various parts of the city and each one tastes as delicious as the next location. Their frozen margaritas are $3 every day no matter what! My favorite is the Black Flower which is half sangria, half frozen margarita. I usually mix it with a coconut frozen marg. Their quesadillas as absolutely huge and can usually last two meals worth. I opt for the quesadilla grande for $9.95 with has melted monterey cheese, black beans, salsa cruda, spanish rice, guac, and sour cream. My other suggestion is to go here for lunch. They have $8.95 lunch specials that come with a soda, chips and salsa. This place has become a weekly treat for me because of how inexpensive and delicious it is.

3.Chipotle, again like Blockheads is a big chain. I usually go to the one in midtown on 53rd btw. Third and Lexington because it's closest. The burrito bowl is a great option because its the contents of everything you want for in a burrito without all the bready-ness. A burrito bowl usually ends up being about $8. While it's my favorite place to go, I would say go for an informal lunch date with a friend because with chipotle you wait online and there aren't waitresses who take your order. Therefore, it's not really the "classy night out" type place but the food is something to try out. You must be wondering, what's my burrito bowl of choice? Chicken, rice (I love the cilantro mixed in with the rice!), pinto beans, lettuce, mild salsa, sour cream, cheese and a nice helping of guacamole. Is this making you hungry yet?

Until next time, happy eating, and let there always be peace, love, and guacamole!

Bianca

An Ode to Bar Food

I promised myself I wouldn't write another blog about greasy, unhealthy food, but last week when my friend begged me to go to a bar in the village with her to watch the Red Sox game, I couldn't resist. Phebe's is a tavern/bar located on 359 Bowery. It's quaint atmosphere is a great after work/after school place to hang out, and most notably it was a great place to watch the Sox game in the World Series. With knowledge of Boston being a huge rival with New York, I was skeptical that this bar would actually be a bar filled with Boston fans, but I was surprised to see the bar completely filled to the brim with the fans. I watched them scream and cheer at every possibly moment, and more importantly I got to taste their amazing bar food. If you come to Phebe's on Monday through Friday from 4-8pm there is half price on all appetizers. My friend and I split this heaping pile of nachos which came out to $4.95! We stuffed our faces and our belly's just in time for the game to start. However, the lingering aroma of buffalo wings got the best of us. On Mondays and Wednesdays, there is a pitcher special. If you buy a pitcher you can get wings for only 10 cents each! We bought a pitcher of bug light and munched on these amazing and meaty wings. The bill came out to only $25 for the both of us and we left- her happy the Red Sox won and me leaving happy because of my buzz and delicious food. Of course there are many other great bars in the city with great bar food, but this bars great deals and great sporty and hospitable atmosphere is a place I will definitely be returning to.

Until next time, happy eating!

Bianca

Drag Dining at Lips

It was my mother's birthday last week and I didn't know where to take her to celebrate, until she suggested Lips. Lips, located on 2 Bank Street, isn't any old restaurant. It's actually a restaurant where your servers are none other than fabulous drags queens! I've been to Lips once before, but Diva Thursdays was quite a spectacular experience.
Every Thursday night, the Lips ladies put on a performance where they dress up as various famous divas that lip sync and dance for the crowd. My mom and I saw Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, Madonna, and Cher closed the show, with Joan Rivers as the announcer.

(From Left to Right: Joan Rivers, our waitress Ginger doing her best Bette Midler impression, and Ginger getting "up close and personal" with a customer; Below: Cher serenading the crowd)

Besides the crowd pleasing "waitresses" is the $8.50 famous Frozen Cosmopolitans (I had two and was feeling tipsy!) and the food. Surprisingly the food is extremely tasty and not overpriced considering the show is free (except for a $10 entertainment fee on Fridays and Saturdays). My mom and I split the $7.95 "Paulina" chicken fingers that came with a chipotle mayo dipping sauce. The dipping sauce was awesome. When it came to entrees, I chose the "Gloria Wholesome," salmon with white wine tarragon butter sauce served with jasmine rice and baby greens (19.95) and my mother stuck with the "Mirkala Crystal"- Chicken and sauteed mushrooms in parmesan cream sauce over fresh spinach fettucine ($15.95). My mom raved about her pasta and I loved the pan seared salmon with the rice and the light baby greens. I ended up feeling full without feeling stuffed for cake.

(Left to Right: Paulina, Gloria Wholesome, Mirkala Crystal)
We ordered the Chocolate Sin cake ($6.50) and Ginger came out with a cake and crown for my mom to wear. After Ginger seductively danced on my mom, we all cheered for her and we split the most amazing chocolate cake ever! The night definitely ended on a positive note and it was a birthday to remember.
A suggestion for anyone interested in Lips: make a reservation a week or two in advance. It gets extremely packed but it is well worth checking out. Lips throws different themed parties every night. Next time I go, I'll definitely check out Wednesday nights, otherwise known as "Bitchy Bingo" night.

Until next time, Happy eating!

Bianca

I've Got Soul..at Amy Ruth's

Fall has finally hit full force. With the cold air and leaves falling, it was a perfect outing on this lazy hazy Sunday. My friends and I decided to catch an early dinner at the best soul food restaurant in Manhattan: Amy Ruth's. Amy Ruth's has been opened since 1998 on its 133 w. 116th St. address and caters to everyone from family, friends, to celebrities such as John Legend and Denzel Washington!

This is a great place to experience the authentic soul food cuisine. It's also a place that will give you a food coma afterwards. The best time to go is on Sundays, around two or three in the afternoon. It's got a good crowd and this food can serve as your breakfast, lunch and dinner because of the great helpings and huge portions.

My friends and I were starving so we quickly glanced over and salivated over the menu. Everything sounded incredibly but a friend of mine and I decided to order the "Terry Rivers" which was honey dipped fried chicken that came with any two sides of your choice. My other friends chose on a platter of waffles with fried catfish, the fried seafood platter, and fried chicken platter. Before our main courses came out, we munched on the best corn bread I have ever had. The bread was extremely soft, fluffy, and free!

When our main courses came out we almost jumped for joy. The aroma is this homey joint can make any full person hungry again so needless to say we were famished. Here is a depiction of the honey dipped fried chicken. I ordered the mac and cheese and green beans sides while my friend ordered the mac and cheese with mashed potatoes and gravy. All of this food was only $13.95 each! My chicken was a really generous size and the drizzled honey made it more worthwhile. All of the food prices were no higher than $16 a course which made it a cheap yet delicious place to go. My other three friends were also satisfied with their meals, and while we were getting ready to take a nap and unbutton our jeans, we couldn't deny ourselves dessert.
Depicted is the peach cobbler ($4.50) and the red velvet cake ($5.00) complete with cream cheese icing. We also ordered the creamy banana pudding with nilla wafers ($3.00) but it disappeared before I even had time to take the picture! The dessert portions were perfect for the five of us, and we left Amy Ruth's with only dropping $25 per person on the bill. Amy Ruth's is definitely the perfect place to catch up with friends in a laid back and friendly atmosphere with only the best comfort/soul food.
Afterwards, you and your friends might want to check out the Harlem Shabazz Market, on 116 st. btw. Lenox and Fifth Avenues (right down the block from Amy's). It's an outdoor lot filled with African clothing, paintings, jewelry, pottery, etc. and is run by Africans who are complete in their kente clothing. It was interesting to see all the African instruments and jewelry that were made by the Africans on the premises. My friend and I both bought this really neat snake necklace for $10. It's definitely a place worth stopping by to experience African culture and find some really unique and cheap jewelry.

Until next week, happy eating!

Bianca

Vynl

One of the best places to catch up with a friend is at the diner. Even Sex and the City shows the girls meeting at least once a week at their favorite diner to catch up on their lives as well as their favorite comfort food. Needless to say, a close friend and I opted for some comfort last night at our favorite diner. However, Vynl is not just any old diner. Located on 78th and second (there are three other locations in the Upper West Side, Chelsea, and Hell's Kitchen) we sat in a booth and enjoyed the scene. Vynl is a diner that mainly absorbs itself in the music scene.
There were obviously vinyl recordings lining the disco ball glittered walls along with various memorabilia such as New Kids on the Block dolls and Spice Girls lunch boxes. Sitting down, our waiter created us with some Vynl vinyl album menus. The drink menu always post a problem because everything sounds so great and all the names are funny to say. There's the Fiona-Appletini, The Purple Rain, but naturally my friend and I chose the Pearis Hilton, which consisted of ketel one, pear liqueur, and pineapple juice. It was really strong and so delicious that I next decided on trying the "Who's-da-man-go?" which was a take on a mango mojito (my favorite). For $8 each on a well made drink, it was worth having more than one, and it was worth the smile on my waiter's face when I told him I wanted a "Who's-da-man-go?"

The food on the menu is unique as well. Besides the usual diner foods, there is also Thai and Asian stir fry on the menu that always smells amazing, but my friend and I always stick to our usual faves. I ordered the caesar salad with salmon topped with harissa paste. Harissa paste has this nice spice and kick to it that made my taste taste even better, and for only $11.75 it was really worth it. My friend always gets the grilled cheese with tomato that comes with a pickle and homemade potato chips that comes to only $5.50!


Even though we were stuffed we definitely were in the mood for something sweet. The dessert menu was so tempting, and since each dessert was only $5.50 each, we decided to split the banana bread pudding. It was coconut banana bread pudding with whipped cream, berries, and caramel sauce that was so amazing we didn't even bother taking a picture and it was seriously scarfed down in two minutes!
Towards the end of the night, we had to go to the bathroom, which is one of the my favorite places (no, I'm not weirdly obsessed with bathrooms). The bathrooms are noted as "Halls of Fame" where each restaurant has different bathrooms that worship some of the greatest of all time pop and rock stars. My friend situated herself in the Madonna bathroom while I was in Beyonce. Each bathroom plays songs from that particular pop star. My bathroom was playing songs from Dream Girls, with a Beyonce doll encased in the wall and on the opposite wall was a huge mural of Beyonce.

Vynl is definitely a place you can spend all night hanging out and getting drinks with your friends, listening to music and joking around with your humorous waiter. Hope you enjoyed the blog, foodie friends.
Until next time, happy eating.

Bianca

Essex Restaurant and Brunch Celebration

Unlike most people that take Sunday as a day of rest (or to cure their hangover from the night before) I awoke early this Sunday morning to venture off to brunch and celebrate Sunday with great food and drinks. The Lower East Side, probably one of my favorite New York City neighborhoods, was the place to go. One place to check out if you're in the area is Essex Street Market on Essex Street. It's a huge venue filled with different merchants selling the best and most gourmet sorts of produce, from meats to pastas and sauces. If you're a great cook, it's a great place to pick up some ingredients for a home cooked meal. If you're not (ahem, myself) a cook by any means, it's still a great place to go and check out some great foods to make some simple recipes with.

Located within the Essex Street Market is brunch haven: Essex restaurant. The interior of the place is the perfect ambiance for a fun day of drinking and dining, with it's modern decor and DJ spinning pumping jams.
Most notably, is the brunch menu. Brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays every weekend during the afternoon, and it is only $16 (yes, you heard me correctly) for brunch and three glasses of either mimosas, bloody mary's, or screwdrivers. The best part is that the waitresses honestly don't count your glasses, so I ended up having about five glasses of mimosas! The food and the presentation are amazing as well.
I chose a veggie favorite, which consisted of spinach over eggs benedict. It came with homefries, mixed greens, and the hollandaise sauce was superb.

My friend ordered the crispy potato pancakes with sauteed apples, honey cream sauce, and spinach shitake black bean hash. It looked absolutely amazing!


Last, but certainly not least, my other friend ordered the "Aristocrat" (see below) which was a potato pancake topped with salmon, poached eggs, and salmon caviar.


All this food talk is making my mouth water. Next time you're being lazy on a weekend morning, suggest to your friends a day out to brunch at Essex and scout out the Essex Marketplace (note: while the restaurant is open the marketplace is closed on Sundays) on 120 Essex St.

Until next time, happy eating!

Bianca

Rachael Ray

To my food fans,
I would take Rachael Ray any day. Her Thirty Minute Meals and her $40 a day is a guilty pleasure of mine to watch while I attempt to cook myself some dinner (notice the word attempt). Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to do what Rachael Ray did on her show of $40 a day and show everyone how to have a great time on a tight budget. Can you really only spend $40 a day on dining in New York City? Mad TV doesn't seem to think so. Here's their little joke about Rachael's $40 a day segment when her budget goes farther than expected.

I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams (of food of course)!
Bianca

Getting Cosi with Republic

Hey Food Fanatics!
The days are slowly winding down to the official days of fall, so I thought what better than to drag my friend down to Union Square to indulge ourselves into some good hot broth noodles. Republic is an amazing Asian restaurant with a cool twist: They make their noodles fresh daily. The dishes are inexpensive and leave you with the warm, satisfied feeling without that food coma of other foods. First, we started off with the tequila mojitos, a twist of a mango mojito because of the different juices such as orange and lime with a kick of tequila. There was no specific reason to cheers or celebrate, except that we got to drink these, delicious (and very strong) drinks which were $10 a glass. Glancing over the menu, I always rush to the broth noodles section because I love the texture of the fresh rice noodles smothered in a hot broth. My favorite is the seafood broth noodles, which comes with noodles, shrimp, scallops, watercress, carrots and bean sprouts for a mere $9 and it never fails to fill me up! The watercress definitely gave the broth a bit of a kick which makes it my favorite dish on the menu. Republic also serves pad thai and many rice dishes so people who are wary of the broth noodles definitely have other options. Besides the great food, the atmosphere is great. The dim indoor lighting and clean structured wooden tables along with the low yet adrenaline pumping music keeps the crowd satisfied. Republic is located at 37 Union Square West (by 16th Street) so hurry up before fall begins so you can sit outside, slurp on some noodles and enjoy the beautiful view of Union Square which is directly across the street!

The dinner might have been over but I knew there was one place I needed to head over to before the night was over. To make a day out of a Union Square trip to Republic, you can run over to Trader Joe's and stock up on $2 Buck Chuck, their delicious cheap bottles of wine (well $3 in NYC because the city is so damn expensive) or go shopping at the various retail stores in the area. However, I opted for dessert. Most of you have probably passed a Cosi (on 13th and Broadway)or two in your lifetime while wandering aimlessly through the city. They are seen merely as something to overtake the corporate lunch crowd with soups and sandwiches. What a lot of people don't realize is they have the best dessert ever: S'MORES! There's nothing like a fun way to celebrate the start of fall than sitting down to two cups of hot chocolate (with whipped cream, of course) and some s'mores for two.
The s'mores come complete with their own fire pit, Hershey bar, graham crackers enough for two s'mores each, and lots of mellows! The only thing you have to do is the roasting.
With the s'mores package for two at $7.50 and each cup of hot chocolate ranging at around $3, dinner and dessert altogether leaves me more than enough money for lunch tomorrow. What better way to stay warm and have fun with friends or even a date and say cheers to fall?

Until next time, Happy Eating!

Bianca.

Show Your Hospitality, in a Southern Way

It's the beginning of September, which means back to my final year of school and me moving back into my Upper East Side apartment. One of the first places I dragged my friends to was Southern Hospitality, a Memphis BBQ joint located on 77th Street btw. 2nd and 3rd Avenues. While most people might wonder why this was my restaurant of choice, I have only two words: Justin Timberlake. The Southern BBQ place is owned by no other than international music icon Justin Timberlake, so I was curious to check it out. Once walking in the restaurant, I noticed the back wall had a red painting of Elvis, as well as photographs of Johnny Cash and that pleasant aroma of BBQ.
Our first course was the fried pickles. Being a pickle fanatic, I was eager to try these fried yet sour treats, and I think I found a new love. The side of spicy mayo to dip the tangy pickles in made them all the more amazing. Afterwards, I worked my way over to my entree. I chose the fried catfish, complete with fries, coleslaw, and corn on the cob for only $16! While it tasted more like "fried" than "fried catfish", the sides really made the meal all the more better. The big question is, would I rush to go here if it wasn't JT's restaurant? Probably not, but for cheap prices ($5-$22 per appetizer or entree and $6 draft beers) it's definitely a place to show your hospitality, even if you're not southern!

*SIDE NOTE
After the meal, you might want to check out Housing Works Thrift Shop on 202 77th St. (btw. 2nd and 3rd). It's a thrift shop filled with designer pieces up for auction (an Escada beaded coat for $95) or even designer items ready to buy, such as the $50 Prada flats. It was too bad they were too small for my feet! It's also great for apartment furniture shopping because of their $200 couches in mint condition. The best part is that you're actually helping homeless men, women and children who are HIV positive get proper meals and shelter. Housing works is a nonprofit organization filled with volunteer employees and all of the money for the donated items goes towards this organization! So get your bid on and do something good for yourself as well as others.

Until next time, Happy Eating!
Bianca

Glamour and Gluttony

For as long as I can remember, food has always been a passion of mine. Whether quiet dinners with my family, or late night dinners with friends, food is something that brings everyone together. Once moving to New York City, my sincere interest in food was anything but obsolete. I am constantly going to new spots with new types of cuisine and culture to test my palate, but most important is having a great experience in fine dining without breaking my budget (the word "income" is still pretty foreign to be, being a senior in college).
Creating this blog will allow me to have food lovers experience my dining options and to allow a dull afternoon with friends turn into a delicious dining frenzy. Not only will I be scouting out restaurants (complete with food pictures, of course) but also taking into account proper price options for those on a tight budget. I will be commenting on taste, prices, specialties and specialty drinks.
Another side note to my blog will be interesting places in the area I am dining in. Mainly thrift shops, dessert bars, coffee places, anything that is unusual or can bring friends together and create a lasting experience. I hope everyone reading this blog is as passionate about food as I am, and I can't wait to offer you these tasty choices. After all, they're digitally delicious!

Cheers!
Bianca.