Best $4 sandwich I've ever had

Despite the horrendously chilly and rainy weather, Karen and I decided today would be the day that we embark on our Kwik Meal excursion. Decisive about our meal choice (falafel on pita) with four dollar bills in hand, we sprinted (ok, maybe not, but I want to paint a vivid visual here) down the Avenue of the Americas, avoided any other street food vendors and homeless people, and ordered our beloved sandwiches.

The Vendy Awards attracts serious competition every year and Kwik Meal packed a strong falafel punch. The rolled pita (as opposed to the horizontally-cut pita) was substantial and not soggy despite the hefty amount of slightly spicy yogurt sauce drizzled throughout the pita. The four or five falafel were not at all greasy and very easy to bite. As I made my way down my burrito-style sandwich, I could not help but think when the next time I would be enjoying this street food delight!

The one, the only...Kefi.

What would happen if Michael Psilakis and Stephen Starr became friends? OMG, I can't even think about it. All I can say is that MP's affordable, genuine Greek fare fared better than anyone in my five-party posse ever expected.

Post-Lincoln Center, the girls and I ventured to Kefi's UWS locale and were told our table would be ready in 10-15 mins. This turned into 25-30 and soon we were chomping at bit as we salivated over the menu. However, the young, smoldering waiters scampering to and fro compensated our 10:45 seating.

Let's get down to business. My faves of the night:
-Selection of spreads: something for everyone in a picky party (roasted red pepper hummus, tzatziki with a nice kick, and a light, yet hearty roasted eggplant)
-THE MEATBALLS: super-moist with freshly roasted garlic and olives...we were forced to order two doses.
-Sheep's Milk dumplings: "Slightly chewy and rich little pillows of heaven" - LP (since I can't vouch - it was still Passover...pity party for me!)
-Crispy cod: the smooth whipped potatoes with roasted garlic perfectly complemented the not-super-fried light nuggets of cod
-Mousaka: the super-sweet lamb, roasted eggplant and the thinly sliced potatoes sang harmoniously in a personal casserole dish. I almost licked the plate.

In three words: YOU MUST GO.

OMFG IHOP IS G-R-O-S-S

Vom fact of the day: omelets at IHOP range from 920-1500 calories!

It's lunch time...and I'm neither outside nor eating lunch

The midtown lunch rush is not to be believed especially on days like today when it's 70 degrees and sunny. Since Passover has decided to get in the way of my grilled chicken pressatas and udon noodle soup, I am hungry and vitamin D-deprived in 1285 Ave of the Americas. What's a girl to do?

I'm praying that Mister Softee answers my prayers and is parked on the corner for the critical 3 pm soft ice cream run.

And, just for fun, I can't wait for my return to carbs/alfresco dinner date with LL on Tuesday!

I'll jump on the wine bar bandwagon...

Since it's Passover and I won't be partaking in too many gastonomic delights this week, I decided to dedicate this post to a passion of mine: wine bars.

In Vino: A teeny piece of Tuscany in the East Village, this is a fantastic date place with a wine list that rivals, well, a very prolific one. The 12 or so pages of wines listed are categorized by region in Italy and the waiters are all well-versed in which wine best complements, say, the porcini ravioli with truffle cream sauce. I can personally vouch for the beef carpaccio (the parmigiano and arugula are the key here), the homemade gnocchi (insanely rich yet delicate enough to polish off) and the Tuscan Chianti.

Uva: Another Italian haven on the Upper East Side, Uva is another wonderful place to go with friends or a date. The patio in the back is adorably adorned with vines and space heaters in the winters which made for a super cozy meal of Pinot Grigio, amazingly creamy and fresh (I'm talking straight from the cow fresh) mozzarella with fava beans and yellow tomatoes, homemade papardelle with veal ragu and a duck carpaccio. HIGHLY recommended for both the atmosphere and the incredibly authentic, fresh Italian delights!

Tarallucci e Vino: Probably holds the most wine bar memories for me as the Viognier, Müller Thurgau and Gruner Veltliner completely transport me into white wine heaven. The homemade pastas (tagliatelle and gnocchi with wild mushrooms are a must) as well as the extensive cheese list make this one of those places that you just simply cannot gather the strength to leave.

Runners-up: Gottino (the latest gastroteca), 'ino, Accademia di Vino

Stephen Starr is my hero

Last night's post-apartment hunt, birthday & engagement party (Cara & Stef, respectively) at Buddakan was a little slice of heaven on Ninth Avenue (who knew?)! Since this was my second visit to the monstrous Philly institution, I prepared myself for days to be swept away by Stephen Starr's ingenious Asian fusion dishes.

Since there were 11 of us, our fantastic waitress Gloria simply asked us what we liked, what we were allergic to/disliked and how much we wanted to spend (Harlan, if you're reading, PLEASE get some tips from Gloria, stat!). So, we didn't really know what we'd end up with but seriously, it was pretty much the best that Buddakan had to offer. And, it didn't hurt that they had one of my favorite Chardonnays, Sonoma-Cutrer, by the glass! So now, my picks of the night:

APPIES:
-Tuna spring roll:looked like a small cigar. Not too fried, light on the shallots. Simply divine.
-General Tso's soup dumplings: perfectly steamed and not too spicy.
-Edamame dumplings: don't let the name fool you. The edamame was pureed and flecked with shallots and a light broth to make for the perfect vegetariam dumpling.
-Chili rock shrimp: my favorite dish of the night. Reminiscent of Nobu's famed dish, the fried little prawns had just the right amount of kick and weren't overly gingered. Delish!

MAIN DISHES:
-Wild Mushroom Chow Fun: my roommates would have called this the "long broads." The wide rice noodles and several types of mushrooms (shitake, trumpet, et al) made for a substantial side dish
-Charred Filet of Beef: the playing card-size rare slices of filet and the slightly spicy mustard sauce definitely won my heart
-Sweet and Crispy Jumbo Shrimp: just what the name promised - huge prawns drenched in a citrus flavor but remained crisp and not at all soggy

DESSERTS:
Chocolate Mille Feuille: DO NOT MISS THIS! Think: bananas foster on the bottom, chocolate mousse on top. Accompanied by a to-die-for spicy cinnamon chocolate ice cream.

Surprisingly, the big name, big hype restaurant delivered again. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next birthday dinner party I'm attending there on May 1...

Test taste #1: Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate Chunk

In celebration of today's 65-degree and sunny weather, Karen and I decided to take a gander downstairs to the Ben & Jerry's ice cream counter. As my first victim of the Mint Chocolate Chip taste test, the single scoop left me confused. Was it the obvious presence of milk fat in the after taste that I was not used to (I'm a die hard fro-yo or low fat Haagen-Daz kind of gal)? Was it the almost-too-large-to fit-in-a-single-bite chocolate chunks?


Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Ben & Jerry's and everything that they stand for. But, I found the chunks to be a bit too over-sized for my taste and frankly, have enjoyed other mint chip/chunk brands better. I'll give this one a generous 7. Next stop: Dylan's Candy Bar.

Calling all talented tongues!

So I think it's time I start reaching out to my ginormous fan base out there. Basically, I'm tasking you all to leave a comment about what food dish (lobster roll, pad thai, etc) I should taste test at many restaurants so that I can find the "best of" in NYC.

And, just for fun, I might extend this "best of" list to the entire US (and Europe, Katie!!) since I'm super excited about going here:

Never get a waiter named Harlan...

Today's much-anticipated lunch excursion ended up a culinary success but a service nightmare. The restaurant, Ted's Montana Grill, became one of our team's favorite midtown lunch spots after my welcome lunch last month. The bison burgers are decidedly to-die-for and hey, wasn't there an article that just came about how much better bison is for you than beef? So, I went with the cheddar and bbq sauce bison burger (I actually ordered sauteed mushrooms, but alas, our waiter forgot them) and could not have been happier. The biodegradable straw in my Diet Coke, however, was an eco-friendly disaster.

Our novice waiter, Harlan, seemed to not understand the basics of working in a restaurant. After forgetting my mushrooms and botching up the check, the team decided that waiters named Harlan just can't be all that experienced. We'll probably be back to Ted's, we'll just request to not sit in his section.

I forgot how tasty olive oil can be...

Last night's opening at Fig and Olive Midtown could not have been more perfectly executed. The space reminded me of the uptown location more so than the Meatpacking outpost with its long marble communal table and narrow dining area. The girls praised the evening's cocktail, a sweet cucumber mojito, although you probably guessed by now that I didn't venture too far from the Sauvignon Blanc which was poured a little too freely throughout the night.

The food was just as I remembered from the many months spent in the Lex location with Katie - delightfully light scallop crostini, swordfish ceviche (a bit dill-heavy, but tolerable) and a lightly seared tuna tartare.

All I can say is thank goodness this new location is a mere block away from my office - it definitely will be my go-to happy hour/appie spot...

So this is what blogging is, huh?

So I've decided that since I'm completely food-obsessed in this food-dominated city, I think it's time I start documenting all of my food-related experiences.

Thank goodness tonight marks the opening of Fig and Olive Fifth Avenue otherwise I might not have something to blog about. I'm very much looking forward to wine, champagne and olive oils. Will the opening be a disappointment?

Luckily, I've only had positive experiences at both the uptown and downtown locations. The prosciutto, ricotta, fig and walnut crostini is not to be missed, along with the Salade Saumon Marine et Crevettes. Heaven!