Grill, grill, Grilladelphia!

Hey food blog!  Remember me?  It’s Jess, your neglectful owner who abandoned your many moons ago.  Albeit unintentionally, but I abandoned you nonetheless.  I’m really sorry.  But now, it’s a new year and among my resolutions was to get back into the swing of things.  And here I am!

I’ve missed the opportunity to document some excellent food exploits due to my laziness and forgetfulness.  There’s still a draft in here from September about my trip to New Orleans and all of the cheap and delicious food I ate.  Beignets (Cafe du Monde), muffalettas (Central Grocery), gumbo (Coop’s Place), and the best fried chicken I’ve ever had (also Coop’s).  Heck, I could give Guy Fieri and the sunglasses on the back of his head a run for their money.  Sadly, I missed the boat on so much of it.  But the great thing is…there will always be more food to eat, and thus always more food to write about!

Speaking of Guy Fieri, I am starting off 2010 with a place that should be on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives if it hasn’t been already.  A couple of nights ago, I headed into Philadelphia to see one of my favorite bands, The Loved Ones.  Since I was heading in by myself and had been hankering for a cheesesteak, I decided to do some research to find a good one in Fishtown, where Kung Fu Necktie is located.  I noticed a showering of praise for a place called Grilladelphia, located inside the Rock ‘n’ Roll Exxon on Aramingo Ave,  Yes, I was puzzled too, but I decided to give it a whirl.

I’ve had sort of a fascination with “elevated” gas station fare since I saw a place called Roberto’s Mexican on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  It’s generous to call any of this stuff elevated, but whatever.  I think it’s very cool and convenient to have fresh food to-order at a gas station instead of picking up a prepackaged turkey sandwich that is God-knows-how-old.  And if the food is as good as some of it seems to be, then I am all about it.

I pulled into Rock ‘n’ Roll Exxon with excited apprehension.  The exterior was very cool and lived up to its name.  And, as one who loves music, I can always dig a music-themed anything that isn’t traditionally music-themed.

Very cool-looking building from the outside.  The interior, on the other hand, had me wondering whether this Grilladelphia I had read so much about was still even operational.  And, if it was, whether I was willing to trust it with my health and with my dinner.  It was the kind of place where I wasn’t even sure whether I’d want to buy a bottled water, but I remembered the excellent reviews and perused the press coverage that lined the walls.

No one was behind the counter.  It looked pretty dead, and all of the prices on the menu were blank.  I was convinced that it was closed (despite being open 24/7), but a couple moments later, an employee came and took my order: a quarter-pound cheesesteak, whiz without, with fries and a fountain drink.  I was more than pleased to hear that the total for my entire meal was under $6 – less than a value meal from McDonald’s these days, and a hell of a lot better.

After a few minutes, my food was done and I assumed a seat at the empty counter that overlooked the gas station, finally at ease with my surroundings and stoked to finally try some sought-after gas station grub.

I’m not a cheesesteak expert by any means, but I’ve had a few, and this one has to be my favorite thus far.  Honestly, I’ve never met a cheesesteak that I didn’t like.  I’ve never been to Pat’s, Geno’s or Tony Luke’s, but from what I’ve read, this sandwich gives them all a run for their money.

First, the pouch concept that Grilladelphia has employed is genius (and possibly wasteful): they take rolls, hollow them out, and stuff the meat inside, thus maximizing amount of beef and not interfering with it.  Perfect ratio (for a meat lover, especially).  Second, although this sandwich looks like an artery-clogger, Grilladelphia apparently steam grills their meat.  So instead of cooking the steak with oil, they grill it with water, cutting down on calories and allowing the steak to taste more like steak and less like grease (Really, oil doesn’t add much flavor.  If you wanna add fat, make it good and use butter!).  Finally, the meat was very lean and chopped superfine.

The pouch concept, though brilliant, didn’t assist much in the ease of eating.  I probably could’ve prevent leakage through a better biting pattern/strategy, but I wasn’t willing to put that much thought into it once I tried this delicious sandwich.  The meat was well-seasoned and the whiz was distributed evenly throughout – very important for anyone who finds burritos from Chipotle to be a little too much work to get a good bite each time.  I don’t know if it was the meat or the combo of the meat and the ketchup, but there was an awesome zip of flavor that hit my palate in a way that kept me “mmm”-ing throughout.

I did go later in the night, around 8:30, so the roll wasn’t at its peak of freshness.  However, for a cheesesteak, the meat is the highlight for me.  And since the roll takes up so little of the sandwich, I let it slide.  Not to mention that a superfresh roll would’ve gotten soggy against the meat.  I’ve been debating whether a crustier roll would’ve lent itself better than the smoother, less crumby one.  I’m still not sure, but I think I approved of this roll – the sandwich was already messy, and who wants to screw with the little pouch of perfection?

The fries were average, just tasted like a typical diner french fry.  Didn’t stop me from eating them, of course.  They just made me wish I had ordered the half-pound cheesesteak!

Once again, the Internet led me in the right direction toward Grilladelphia.  This is the place that reminded me why I call this blog “The Indiscriminate Foodie” – my last blog (long ago as it was) was about New York Restaurant Week, and now we’re analyzing gas station fare.  Anything goes for me, really.  If it’s good, I’ll eat it.  And if it’s less than $6, we definitely have ourselves a winner.

New York Restaurant Week Summer 2009: Mesa Grill

(Sorry for the delay!)

The “official” Summer 2009 Restaurant Week is sadly over, but many restaurants have extended their Restaurant Week menu offerings through Labor Day.  My beloved David Burke Townhouse is included among those restaurants, so check out the list at the Restaurant Week website and try to fit some good, cheap(ish) eats into your schedule.  I know I will!

I have two more notable RW’09 meals that deserve a good bloggin’, and this time, I am featuring a RW and otherwise favorite, Mesa Grill.  I’ve eaten at the New York and Vegas locations before, and this was my second Restaurant Week experience…that should say something in itself.  I went with my good friend Lauren last winter and had an exquisite meal, including a cauliflower soup that I will, sadly, probably never eat again.  Anyway, I generally feel that Bobby Flay has some delicious, exciting, and surprising food.  We decided to come back for another round and see what he was cooking up this summer.

Flay creates a new and unique menu for Restaurant Week each winter and summer, so you can really expect something special and, most importantly, fresh.  According to our waitress, all of the dishes on the RW menus are exclusive RW menu items that aren’t typically available on the restaurant’s regular menu.  This may explain why Mesa Grill reservations are some of the first to “sell out,” so to speak.  Or, it could be that he just makes delicious Southwestern food with layers of great flavor.

The menu had about three choices for each course and had a little something for everyone, vegetarians included.  For my first course, I was torn between the roasted corn chowder and chicken taquitos.  It was a tough decision, but I opted for the chicken taquitos because my entree was going to be meatless and I didn’t want to give myself a chance to leave hungry.  Besides that, it was disgustingly humid outside and did not facilitate my palate for something hot and creamy.  I am saddened that I’ll never have the chance to try the chowder, though.  It sounds exquisite (did anyone try it?).

Now, this truly wasn’t what I was expecting when I read the word “taquito”…I was expecting a plate of fried, oozy, cigars.  This was unexpected but certainly not off-putting.  This “deconstructed” taquito, as Lauren and I called it, was beautifully plated (look at those colors!) and just as pleasurable to eat as it was to look at.  A bright purple cabbage slaw rest atop strips of jerk chicken, with a pillow of lightly fried, thick, homemade tortilla underneath.  It wasn’t as gooey and cheesy as I had expected, but it was divine!

I’m not generally a fan of red cabbage (which I knew when I ordered it), but this slaw was bright and slightly sour, a perfect accompaniment to the lightly seasoned chicken.  The cool crispness added the perfect textural contrast and bit of refreshment to make this more appropriate as an appetizer than as an entree.  The slaw also had jicama, so I was automatically sold on it.  The mango-habanero salsa mentioned in the menu was barely present, but there was a hint of sweetness that wouldn’t have been distinguishable without the menu discription.  This dish was perfectly balanced in both texture and flavor.  It’s a shame I will never eat it again!

For my second course, I chose the cotija-crusted quesadilla stuffed with asparagus and goat cheese.  There were three distinguishable sauces on the plate; the menu mentioned only a tomato jam and a cilantr yogurt.

I wish I had taken a photo of the cross-section of this dish, because the cheese oozed out in creamy, buttery, stringy deliciousness.  Flay is famed for his rubs and sauces, and these sauces did not disappoint.  The quesadilla was toasted to perfection, with the classic combination of asparagus and goat cheese waiting to greet me beneath the cheesy crust.  Although this dish was meatless, it was surprisingly hearty and satisfying because of the pronounced flavors.  The tomato jam tasted like it was roasted with chipotles.  It was smoky-sweet, almost-barbecue sauce.  The cilantro yogurt was cooling, and the sauces combined with the innards of the quesadilla hit every flavor profile flawlessly: spicy, sour, smoky, salty, and even a little sweet from the tomatoes.  Also, I absolutely love when you get different flavors in different bites of a dish and this one certainly delivered and kept me wanting to try more.

There were two options for dessert: chocolate-cherry layer cake and peach cheesecake.  As mentioned, it was grossly humid outside, so Lauren and I both chose the cheesecake as a lighter option (although the cake did sound amazing).

Peaches are among my favorite fruits, so I was really excited about this deesert.  The cheesecake was very obviously homemade: really light, fluffy, and airy with a freeform crust of ginger snaps.  It wasn’t cheesy or sour enough for my personal taste, but definitely still good.  There were distinct hints of vanilla and visible flecks of vanilla bean throughout.  The peaches were the highlight for me, slightly grilled to bring out the sweetness.

As much as I love ginger snaps, I thought the spice from them really overpowered the delicateness of the cheesecake.  As you can see from the photo, the crust was pretty thick and probably would’ve worked better with graham instead of ginger.  A good and passable dessert, but not mind-blowing by any means.  Overall, a well-balanced meal.

I hope to make it back to Mesa Grill for the next Restaurant Week.  I think that their menus are always unique and surprising while remaining approachable for diners that aren’t as adventurous.  The food is thoughtful, thought-provoking, and always keeps me wondering what’s coming next.

New York Restaurant Week Summer 2009: Craftbar

I experienced Craftbar for the first time during Summer Restaurant Week 2007 and have tried to make it back several times since.  I recall that time being one of my more memorable meals, being thoroughly impressed by the size and variety of the menu and its generous, heaping portions.  That was the day that I learned that I could entrust Tom Colicchio as a reputble and credible judge on Top Chef.  It was also the day where I first savored his life-altering pecorino-stuffed risotto balls.  And, as an extra perk, the restaurant gave each guest a $10 gift certificate to join them again for lunch.  It was an overall wonderful experience and certainly made us inclined to return.

I did return a couple more times, and then once again for this summer’s Restaurant Week.  My meal was delicious, yes, but lacked the qualities that had previously set it over the top for me.

Craftbar is the “casual” member of Tom Coliccho’s Craft family of restaurants.  This cozy, industrial-style space is located in New York City’s Flatiron District, only a few blocks away from Madison Square Park.  The exposed beams and high ceilings keep the space open and airy; the dark woods, white tablecloths, and brown paper table covers keep it warm and inviting.  It’s a gem buried beneath a ton of uninviting scaffolding on Broadway.

To Craftbar’s credit, their Restaurant Week menus have been consistently large with a wide variety of options.  There are at least eight choices in each the appetizer and entree sections of the prix-fixe with a little bit of everything for everyone.  For my appetizer, I order my beloved, oft-craved and rarely consumed pecorino-stuffed risotto balls with marinara sauce.

I have only had these little spheres of heaven a couple of times, but I remembered them being much bigger before.  My friend Lauren said that they have always been this size, though.  This measly portion (at least compared to the amount I wanted to eat) held three thumb-sized balls in a dogfood-sized bowl, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t absolutely divine.  They are like the grown-up, refined fried macaroni and cheese.  Once you’ve cracked its light and crispy breadcrumb crust, you are greeted by an oozing center of silky pecorino cheese surrounded by creamy risotto.  The crispy-to-creamy ratio is delicate, the light breading providing a subtle-yet-necessary contrast to the creaminess beneath.  Unlike a lot of fried cheese dishes, the breading isn’t thick and shell-like, causing a separation between the breads and its filling.  These two elements are perfectly integrated in this dish.  The cheese is tangy, the textures are perfectly complementary, and the marinara sauce adds a bit of zesty heat that makes this a perfectly balanced dish.  And, quite honestly, I could (and have) rave(d) about it forever.

Admittedly, nothing from the list of Craftbar’s entrees was particularly tickling my fancy.  There were a lot of options – chicken, steak, pasta, etc. – and I appreciated that there was a little something for everyone.  I wasn’t feeling any particular leanings towards anything, and opted for Tom Colicchio’s supposedly famous veal-ricotta meatballs.  The waitress (who was quite sweet and attentive, may I add) asked if I’d like the meatballs served over pasta for a $5 supplement.  I took it because…what’s a meatball without pasta?  She offered me a choice between orecchiette and linguine, and I opted for the former because I am generally a fan of bite-sized pastas.

This was another small (but ultimately filling) portion.  Upon receiving it, I was honestly a bit flabbergasted that a restaurant would charge $5 for less than a handful of pasta.  I mean, c’mon – pasta is cheap and I can get a one-pound box for two bucks.

I sliced open a meatball and was introduced to the “ricotta” portion of it.  It gave the meatball a velvety consistency that had a really good mouthfeel.  These meatballs were my first experience with veal, and I don’t know if I enjoyed it because I liked veal or because cheese makes everything better.  The meat was rich in flavor, the ricotta added a sweet butteryness to it, and the ball itself was very herby and fresh-tasting while still reamining hearty and rustic.  The marinara sauce was zesty and a little bit spicy.  The $5 pasta was necessary for some flavor and textural contrast, so I became even more enraged that it wasn’t included.  While these meatballs were very good, I don’t think I’d order them again simply because they’re not something I’d generally order.

Dessert on the other hand…whew.  Lauren (my usual dining buddy) ordered the panna cotta, and I opted for the chocolate brownie with caramel ice cream.  Add the word “caramel” to something, and I will more-than-likely eat/order it.  There were a couple of other dessert options, but I got distracted by the word “caramel” to remember any of them.

At first glance, I was hesitant about the brownie becaue it looked dry, cakey, and not chocolatey.  However, looks can be deceiving, and this turned out to be a perfectly decadent ending to the meal.  The brownie was warm, moist, and chocolatey (could’ve been a bit fudgier), and the caramel ice cream was the perfectly creamy sidekick.  The caramel flavor in the ice cream was a little too subtle for my caramel-obsessed palate, but it wasn’t bad by any means.  Just be warned!  I don’t like whipped cream, so I donated that to Lauren.  And, as you can tell, this plate was “drizzled” with chocolate sauce: the element that really brought these together into perfect dessert harmony.

I enjoyed my food well enough and the service, as usual, was top-notch at Craftbar.  It’s a very casual, comfortable dining space that exemplifies casual elegance.  And though this experience was mostly positive, it may be getting dropped from my Restaurant Week essentials list.  The RW portion sizes are considerably small (this has gradually changed over the seasons) and the food on the regular menu isn’t so expensive that I couldn’t splurge to come here every once in a while.  I’d rather shell out the money and feel like it was worth the expense than feel nickel-and-dimed on a passable meal.

For me, Restaurant Week is the fine dining restaurant’s chance to showcase its best dishes and let people who wouldn’t otherwise try it, do so.  I think the way a restaurant handles its Restaurant Week customer says a great deal about the restaurant and its owners.  The menu and execution should both be representative samples of what that restaurant has to offer, and the restaurant should do everything in its power to try to gain a new clientele through this event.  When I tried Craftbar during RW’07, I was so impressed that I came back for more: mission accomplished.  After visiting David Burke Townhouse, I am a believer and am anxious and excited to return.  Now that I have seen the decline in Craftbar’s Restaurant Week quality, I probably won’t return for the next Restaurant Week.  Customers and critics notice when these restaurants are trying to cut corners.  It should be the restaurant’s responsibility (and in its best interest) to put its best foot forward and try to win a new customer that they wouldn’t have baited otherwise.  Sadly, Craftbar did not deliver in that aspect this time around.

New York Restaurant Week Summer 2009: David Burke Townhouse

After participating in New York Restaurant Week for a couple of years, my friend Lauren and I finally decided to do it right.  We usually make it to one, maybe two, and then just kind of forget about it after that.  This year, we’ll be doing four meals: two at two of our favorites, and two at new places.  Restaurant Week started this past Monday, the 13th and we had our first reservation on Tuesday.  I am usually pretty passive and go-with-the-flow with RW reservations, but this year, I had the time and did a lot of research.  When I perused the menu for David Burke Townhouse (formerly David Burke and Donatella) in the Upper East Side, I knew I wanted to put in on the must-try list.  From what I gathered, lunch had more variety than dinner, so Lauren and I met up for a 2:30 and the results couldn’t have been more spectacular.

Upon entering David Burke Townhouse, I was left almost breathless by the effortlessly elegant decor.  The all-white walls were broken up by coral-red accents and a dark wood floor.  It was light and airy, and just screamed brunch (which is a good thing in my book).  While the decor was undoubtedly extravagant (as displayed by the white leather walls), it was not at all stuffy, intimidating, or uncomfortable.  I am not one to go on about decor (although I do appreciate how it complements the meal), but this place was just too cozy to go unnoticed.  I made it clear to Lauren that my future bridal shower will be held there.

We were seated in a cozy corner booth (not the one pictured) and promptly given menus, water, and bread by a consistently polite waitstaff.  The bread alone was just as adorable as the decor, with each person receiving his or her own personal pan.  The bread itself, though, wasn’t anything special.  It was good and the stalk of rosemary gave it a subtle flavor, but it was really distractingly crumby and messy.  The butter presentation was absolutely exquisite.  The butter sculpture was served on a slab of salt stone, allowing diners to slice the butter and then scrape the stone to their desired saltiness.  I was so impressed by the bread presentation alone that I was almost nervous about the rest of the meal!

The $24.07 prix-fixe menu featured a lot of variety, which is why we chose DBT in the first place.  I ordered what made urged me to try this restaurant: an appetizer of a pretzel-crusted crabcake with confit orange and poppy seed honey.  It was a $6 supplement on the lunch menu, but it sounded too good to pass up.  The plate arrived in a timely manner and the presentation was truly a work of art.

The plating was so elegant and delicate that I barely wanted to eat it, just gawk at its prettiness.  But upon seeing it, I really thought, “THIS is what fine dining is supposed to look like.”  I took one bite of this crabcake and was immediately transported into culinary heaven.  My mom, a Baltimore native, has raised me to be a crabcake critic and this certainly passed the test.  David Burke’s upscale take on the crabcake hit every note I hoped it would.  It was stuffed with delicious, fresh blue crab, which was so fine that it was almost creamy in texture.  The pretzel crust added the necessary dimension of crunch, and the jam on top topped it off with a little heat.  It was spicy, salty, sour, and sweet all in one bite.  I prefered the mustard-y sauce (left) to the one on the right because it stayed truer to the tradition crabcake flavor.  The shrimp was a nice little treasure, but not entirely necessary.  I think the outside was crusted with mustard seeds, but whatever it was, it was delicious and everything I hyped it up to be in my head.

For my entree, I decided on the organic grilled chicken breast with English peas, wild mushrooms, and roasted fingerling potatoes.  I was absolutely floored by how enormous this portion was, especially on a Restaurant Week prix-fixe.

Is that not a ridiculous portion of chicken?  Anyway, I don’t know if it was the cooking or the type of chicken used, but this was literally the best piece of chicken I have ever eaten.  It was simply seasoned and grilled.  No frills, no fancy sauces or rubs…just rustic, grilled-on-the-bone chicken.  They may have grilled the chicken with a brick because the skin was delectably crispy and charred, revealing a succulent and juicy portion of white meat beneath.  It was cooked perfectly above the point of raw, allowing it to maintain its tender juiciness.  In addition, the chicken was just really meaty.  When I eat chicken (which is usually boneless), I enjoy it but it doesn’t feel hearty.  This meat was coming off the bone in big, sturdy chunks.  The skin was cripsy and perfectly seasoned (a little peppery, but I like it that way) with a warm, smoky grill char.  The grill marks were perfection, as well.

The roasted fingerlings were perfect, too.  I tend to need to load poatatoes up with salt, but there were perfectly seasoned and flavorful.  My only complaint about them is that there weren’t nearly enough of them, just a measly sprinkling of about eight tiny pieces.  But I savored the pieces that were there, with their perfectly browned skins and fluffy insides.  The other side, English peas and wild mushrooms, was warm and echoed the hearty peasant vibe of the chicken.  A good chef will make you try and enjoy food you wouldn’t usually eat, and shockingly, I finally found a set of mushrooms I thoroughly enjoyed.  They, along with the peas, added a great earthiness when paired with the chicken.  Despite the intimidatingly large portion, I finished most of it (and happily) before the arrival of our dessert.

I had heard about David Burke’s cheesecake lollipop tree for years and was so thankful that it was available on the Restaurant Week menu (with an $8 supplement or in lieu of two desserts).  It arrived to the table in all its majesty, paired with a trio of sorbets: blood orange, mango, and mint.

Each stick has a ball of chocolate-dipped cheesecake on the end, and the sticks are inserted int this delightful tree.  I felt like a kid at Christmas when it arrived to our table.  It was just a further extension of the whimsical elegance of David Burke’s presentations.  Some pops were dipped in milk and white chocolates, some in simply white, and some in dark.  All were rolled around in cookie crumbs.  The bottom of the tree housed a bubblegum whipped cream.  Fresh raspberries adorned the top and completed it (with the help of the interwoven leaves).  The trio of sorberts was served in a bed of crushed chocolate cookies.

The cheesecake lollipops were absolutely divine.  The hardended shells of chocolate encased a luxuriously creamy cheesecake filling.  My favorite was the one dipped in both milk and white chocolates.  The combination of milk and white chocolate itself is so smooth and creamy, and it paired so well with the cheesecake.  The cheesecake could’ve used a slight bit more cheesy tang, but that is a personal preference.  The bubblegum whipped cream, though creative and intriguing, was almost gag-inducing for someone who doesn’t particularly like bubblegum in general.  The flavor was overpowering but admirably convincing.

The included sorbets were all delicate and delicious.  I am partial to mango anything on general principle, but the other flavors were good too.  The blood orange, in particular, was obviously fresh and zesty, doing its original fruit justice.  The mint sorbet, though I don’t like mint, was very good.  It didn’t taste pepperminty like toothpaste or candy.  Rather, it had the fresh burst of real mint leaves and tasted fresh and herby.

As for the service, it was generally attentive.  My water glass became desperate a couple of times, so I would’ve appreciated a bit more attention paid to it.  But the servers were warm and helpful, not demeaning or snooty as one might expect from a restaurant of this calibur.

This was quite honestly one of the best dining experiences of my life.  Everything – the food, the decor, the presentation – all worked together for a refined, classic meal and an interesting, creative take on New American cuisine.  I am so thankful that this restaurant has a year-round prix-fixe menu, because I have every intention of going back and sampling everything they have to offer. You really can’t go wrong for the price.

Next week, Lauren and I are checking out Mesa Grill and Craftbar for Restaurant Week.  Those are two of my favorites, so I look forward to revisiting them.  Be on the lookout!

Your thoughts: Regional cuisine

In an attempt to make this a bit more interactive (my stats show you guys read this!), I’m gonna start making some posts with some discussion questions for a to-be-named feature of this blog.  This is the first, both because I want to spark something and because it’s legitimately been on my mind:

I have passively (but increasingly actively as of late) been looking for jobs.  I earned a degree in Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers University back in January, and have really been doing nothing notably worthwhile since.  I’ve traveled, seen my fair share of concerts, and started this fine blog that you are reading now.  I’ve even cleaned bags upon bags of garbage out of my room that I have promised an overhaul for years.  Those things are all coming along nicely, but the whole job thing has fallen by the wayside.

I’ve been tirelessly reminded that my job search should not be restricted to my area, and at some point, I may need to relocate.  This hasn’t even crossed my mind, as I’ve been exploring the offerings in two major cities – New York and Philadelphia, as well as options here in New Jersey.  I’m 23 and “relocation” is a scary word.  My heart and my home are in the northeast and, more specifically, the tri-state area.  “Relocation” implies that I had a professional location in the first place…so I guess it’d simply be moving?

Anyway, since I am obsessed with all things food, I often think about which foods, regional specialties, and restaurants I wouldn’t want to leave behind if I were ever faced with the relocation dilemma.  Aside from the convenience of living in/near a metropolitan hub and national thoroughfare, I have also based a large chunk of this crazy life obsessing about and building a life around my food options.  I know (mostly) where to good for the best of whatever I want.

Here are some things you’ll be required to ship to me if I ever have to move (some are already kind of far to begin with, but still obtainable):

• Pork roll/taylor ham
• Surf Taco (multiple locations)
• Wawa (multiple locations)
• Peterpank Diner’s chicken fingers (Sayreville, NJ)
• Menlo Park Diner’s chicken noodle soup (Edison, NJ)
• 24-hour diners in general
• Tastee Sub Shop (Edison, NJ)
• Tokyo Sushi (Edison, NJ)
• Real, good pizza (nowhere outside of NY/NJ can do it right, trust me)
• Real, good bagels (same applies as pizza)
• Macaroni and cheese from Cafeteria (New York, NY)
• Chocolate peanut butter mousse cake from Teany (New York, NY)\
• Red velvet cake from Billy’s Bakery (New York, NY)
• Pecorino-stuffed risotto balls from Craftbar (New York, NY)
• New York City’s infinite array of food options and my proximity to them
• Bobby’s Burger Palace (multiple locations, mine is in Eatontown, NJ)
• Burrito Royale (Monmouth Junction, NJ)
• Jack Creek Steakhouse (Allentown, PA)
• TastyKake products (based out of Philadelphia, PA)
• Great American Diner and Pub (Bensalem, PA)
• Center City Pretzel Company (Philadelphia, PA)

That’s probably a really long and unreasonable list, but I’m sure that I could easily come up with more.  But I have another, of places that I wish would relocate to the tri-state area so I could savor their goodness without a plane fare!

• Country Flame (New Orleans, LA)
• Cafe du Monde (New Orleans, LA)
• Taco Time
• Porto’s (Glendale, CA)
• Whataburger (infinitely better than In-n-Out!)
• Pink’s Hot Dogs (Hollywood, CA)
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
• Bojangles (Dear Lord, bring me those biscuits!)
• Waffle House (There’s one about 90 minutes away, but I want a closer one!)
• Sonic (same as Waffle House…easier access to corn dogs and apple juice slushies, please)
• Fewer Starbucks, more independent, fair trade coffee and tea shops
• Pike Place Market (Seattle, WA)
• Authentic Mexican food (I’ve had the best in Texas)
• Macaroni and cheese and desserts from Hot Chocolate (Chicago, IL)
• Village Cafe (Richmond, VA)

I am sure there are tons more, but I think you get the idea.

So tell me, everyone…what places would you miss from YOUR area?  Which places do you wish you had, or were closer that you could visit more frequently?  Leave a comment and tell me!

My first IKEA Cafe experience

I’m all for one-stop shopping, but also became slightly confused upon hearing about the IKEA Cafe several years ago.  It was a little while before the now-defunct Hellfest was about to hit Elizabeth, New Jersey’s RexPlex.  Everyone was looking forward to crossing the parking lot in-between bands to feast on IKEA’s meatballs and cinnamon buns.  These two items, in particular, were spoken of in high regard.  Sadly, I never made it there that weekend and thus never got to experience the food I’d heard so much about.  With no home renovation plans in my future, I never got around to trying the illustrious IKEA cuisine.

IKEA’s meatballs came back into my life thanks to my wonderful friend Lauren (a different one than usually mentioned in this blog).  She bought a bag of the frozen treats on one of her trips to the store, brought them to  my house, and we feasted like I had never feasted before.  These teeny, most balls of meat were unprecedentedly delicious and unlike any meatball I had tasted before.

So now that my room cleaning/revamping is fully underway, I had to go buy some storage boxes from IKEA and finally try their cafe.  I didn’t know what to expect, really, but what I saw wasn’t what I was expecting: cafeteria style, some pre-prepared items, and a great deal of selection.  For some reason, I thought the meatballs were the beginning and the end.  But they had penne with marinara or alfredo, buffalo chicken wraps, chicken tenders, chocolate cake, oh my!  And Wednesday nights are baby back rib nights, mmm.

I grabbed a tray, feeling tinges of nostalgia from my middle school’s lunchroom, except with much better dishes and slightly more pleasant staff.  I ordered the Swedish meatballs, which come with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.  Lauren had raved about this jam for months, so I was excited to finally try IKEA meatballs the way they were supposed to be eaten.  I also saw that they had a passable-looking macaroni and cheese, so I ordered a side.

Side note:  I feel weird typing “jam” and having it literally refer to the food “jam” and not a song or something being “my jam.”

First of all, look at all that food I got for less than $8.  You could add five more meatballs for another dollar (I’m glad I didn’t), but that is an award-winning plate of food right there.  And that side order of mac and cheese was HEAPING.  I also loved the cute little bowl in which they served it.  Great portion, great presentation.  White plates make all the difference in the world for showcasing meals.

I don’t know what it is about these meatballs, but my research suggests that they are as exceptionally good as I thought they were.  They’re super moist and perfectly bite-sized.  I don’t know what spices they use in here (some recipes suggest allspice), but there’s a distinct woodsy nutmeg flavor that really sets them apart.  The meatballs are served in a simple white gravy-type sauce.  I was a bit hesitant to mix the gravy and meatballs with the lingonberry jam, but…wow!  I am a huge fan of salty/sweet and fruit in savory dishes, so this combination blew my mind.  The tart jam was the perfect accompaniment for the nuttiness of the meatballs.  The combination hit so many different nodes that it was impossible to not load up on the jam.

The mashed potatoes were awesome, too.  I am actually very picky about mashed potatoes, but these were awesome.  I appreciated that the potatoes were mashed with the skin on, makes them seem like they were homemade and not mass-produced to be served in a cafeteria line.  They were creamy with a great scallion/onion flavor in the background.  They also had a noticably good mouthfeel.

I’m virtually positive that IKEA uses the same macaroni and cheese as my beloved Wawa.  A good standby, but not worth traveling for.  It’s basic, a little gritty for my taste, but hits the spot when you’re jonesing for some mac.  It was super fresh, though, and the heaping side portion they gave me could’ve been a meal in itself.

For less than eight bucks, IKEA provided a hearty, satisfying, and welcome break from venturing through the endless maze of flawlessly designed spaces and temptingly low prices.  And when you’re only 30 minutes away, it’s hard to resist going for the food itself…

(A new level of) Crazy Burrito

I’m always on the lookout and hankering for excellent, preferably authentic, Mexican food.  I love my Qdobas and Baja Freshes, but sometimes, I just wanna sink my teeth into something with more spice, more heat, and more cheese.  And since I live in New Jersey, the times that I get to enjoy mind-blowing Mexican food are few and far between.  I’ve had it in Texas twice, and both were two of the most deliciously memorable meals of my life, and frankly, tough acts to follow.

I’ve been driving past Crazy Burrito in Edison, NJ for several years.  I think my dad brought me disgusting takeout from there once, but I could be mistaken.  Anyway, I’d been seeing this sign and thinking, “It looks dirty and sketchy enough from the outside to mean it probably tastes awesome.”  And besides, it’s called Crazy Burrito!  I found myself wondering how crazy these burritos actually are.  The thing is…it’s across the street from my favorite local sushi place (Tokyo Sushi) and my favorite sub shop (Tastee Sub Shop), and those usually win out over Crazy Burrito.

Tonight, I was struggling with the age-old question:  What do I want for dinner?  I’m always kind of left to fend for myself when it comes to dinnertime around here, as we don’t eat as a family really anymore.  And I’m usually too lazy to actually cook something (if we even have the ingredients).  I decided to peruse the Internet for delivery options in my area.  I spoke with a snide employee at Cluck-U Chicken who claimed they don’t have buffalo sauce (even though the menu clearly states they do) and that their “most mild buffalo (non-BBQ) sauce is the mild” as she proceed to chuckle at my supposed stupidity.  Click.

In my lurkings, I re-stumbled upon Crazy Burrito to find several praises of authenticity and quality.  AND that they deliver!  But would they deliver to me?  I was kind of far.

We called the restaurant to be greeted by a very sweet woman who spoke very little English.  We slowly and carefully gave our order, which she seemed to understand.  We provided our address and phone number.  She seemed to understand well enough, so we hung up.  A few minutes later, she asked for us to repeat the address.  After struggling on the phone for about five minutes or so, she said we’d have to arrange our order for pickup because we were out of their coverage area (which is true).  Pickup?  Tempting, but we’re lazy…

Enter our heroes over at Tokyo Sushi.  We have been ordering from there for years and were some of their first customers when they were still called Otaya Express.  They don’t usually deliver as far down as my house, but they consider us good customers and go the extra mile (literally) for us.  My mom decided to run the idea by them…she ordered some sushi and asked them to pick up the food from Crazy Burrito across the street and bring it to us.  I had this idea a while back, but certainly not the guts to execute it.  Apparently, the people at Tokyo thought this was hilarious and said they’d do it.  “This is why I never burn bridges,” my mom said.  Brilliant!

A bit later, the doorbell rang and the Mexican food (and sushi) arrived!  I tore through the bags like Christmas (and Hanukkah) presents to unveil my pollo enchiladas rojas (chicken enchiladas with red sauce).  And chips and salsa, naturally.

The first impression could not have been better…look at how deliciously melty and cheesy that looks.  And with the moat of black beans?  Stunning.

I took the first bite of the enchiladas and sighed dreamily.  They weren’t the best I’d had, but they were damn good considering they came from a small strip mall in the next town.  The enchilada sauce was smoky and spicy with a nice kick; the chicken was shredded.  I could’ve used something more in the chicken, maybe a little more of the enchilada sauce.  It was a bit dry, but the spice was there.

As I got to the center of the enchilada, I was disappointed by the layers of tortilla I was encountering instead of chicken.  And as wonderful as the flavors were, the texture was a bit too mushy.  This can easily (and probably rightly) blamed on the wait time between the cooking, packagaing, and delivery.  Foods with so many components don’t do well if they’re not eaten immediately after cooking.  The wait made the sauce seep into the tortillas, causing them to be a little too moist and almost slimy.  If I had eaten it fresh, it probably would’ve been a much better texture.  I’ll definitely go back and try it fresh from the restaurant.

The rice was an asbolute throwaway with zero flavor.  The black beans were the only thing that could save them.  The beans were just black beans.  I liked them, especially mixed in with the enchiladas to give them a little more savory mmph.

I must rave about the chips and salsa, though…I’m virtually positive that the chips were fresh (there was oil on the paper bag that contained them).  The salsa, at first dip, had a tiny bit of heat.  But that heat really piled on as I continued to shove them into my mouth, and it was SO GOOD.  You don’t get that bright, fresh flavor from jarred salsas.  The guacamole was a bit too runny for my taste, it was more avocado cream than guacamole.  Good, bright flavor but needed more body because the chips were so sturdy.

I thought my findings at Crazy Burrito were good, but not great.  I’m willing to give them another chance on their home turf where I can samples these flavors while they’re still fresh.  Maybe I’ll give you all a follow-up.  I’d like to give special ups to Tokyo Sushi for making this meal and blog possible!

Pizza on the grill

Your summer grilling options are not restricted to burgers, hot dogs, and the occasional chicken breast.

A couple of summers ago, my brother came over with ingredients for pizza and the intention of grilling it.  I thought this was weird, but he said, “You can grill anything!”  This realization, brought to us by grillmaster Bobby Flay himself, has proven 150% true.  I’ve come to crave some of my brother’s grilled creations, from pizzas to grilled fruit.  And although I haven’t grilled as much as I’d like, I can appreciate the breadth of culinary options that a grill offers.

It’s June 22 and, here in New Jersey, we’re supposed to be hitting temperatures up in the 80’s.  However, it has rained nearly every day for over three weeks.  This was the first year we opened our pool super early because we wanted to maximize our quality swimming time.  Sadly, due to the weather, no one has put it to use.  On Saturday, in the spirit of summer, I decided it would be a great idea to grill up some pizzas (in the rain) for my friend Becca, my mom, and myself.

I went with two “recipes” that my brother and I had already tried together: Hawaiian-style and buffalo chicken.  We use store-bought pizza crusts (I prefer Stop and Shop’s brand to Boboli) and canned sauces.  The rest is up to your imagination.  The possibilities are endless for homemade pizza.

Uncooked pizzas on the grill

To prepare, you want to preheat your grill on high and dress your pizzas.  I start off by seasoining the crusts themselves, which makes an extraordinary difference in flavor.  Rub both sides of the crusts with olive oil (this also prevents sticking), salt, and pepper.  Then go nuts and add your toppings!  Here are the ones I used:

Hawaiian-style

• Tomato sauce with garlic, basil, and oregano (Hunt’s)
• Fresh mozzarella
• Freshly grated pecorino romano
• Thin-sliced proscuitto
• Sprigs of fresh basil
• Chunks of canned pineapple

Buffalo chicken

• A generous helping of buffalo sauce (used as the pizza sauce)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Pecorino romano cheese (a light sprinkling)
• Chunks of buffalo chicken wings (from prepared foods section)
• Bleu cheese crumbles

After dressing up your pizzas, throw them on a hot grill.  Turn then as needed and let the crust get a nice char on the bottom.  Once you have achieved the bottom crispiness that you want, turn the grill off and let the pizzas sit underneath the closed lid for a while.  This will act as an oven and make the top ooey-gooey and deliciously melted.  I’m a huge fan of super-crispy, super-charred crust.  Here were the end results:

Hawaiian-style pizza (and Becca's BlackBerry)

Buffalo chicken

I don’t wanna toot my own horn, but these pizzas were crazy delicious (I thought).  I love the smoky-sweet burst of pineapple on the Hawaiian-style, especially with a nice bite of crisped proscuitto.  The last time we made the buffalo chicken pizza, we used boneless buffalo pieces (I cut mine off the bone) and bleu cheese dressing.  Next time, I am going to look harder for boneless pieces (the store didn’t have boneless wings when I went) because the breading on the boneless pieces adds a nice textural contrast that wasn’t present in the regular wing chunks.  However, the decision to go with bleu cheese crumbles was an excellent choice.  I thought the random glops hot dressing on the first run was unappetizing.  When I got pleasantly tangy bites of bleu cheese in my version, I was very happy.

Next on the list is a Mexican-style pizza, maybe with enchilada sauce, chicken, pico de gallo, black beans, Mexican cheeses.  And I’m sure there will be more where those came from.

All I can say is, if you have access to a grill (and the weather to enjoy it), do this.  You really can’t go wrong by choosing the combination that’s right for you.

Memphis Pig Out

My feelings about barbecue have always been a bit weary.  I’m not as well-versed as I’d like to be, as I have neither the experience nor frame of reference to differentiate between the good and the so-so.  From what I understand, there’s a fine art to good barbecue, and it differs by region.  Different regions specialize in different flavor profiles, and I’ve always been too busy fantasizing about macaroni and cheese to perform extensive research.  With that said, I don’t consider myself an overly knowledgable judge of barbecue – but I am a very knowledgable about good food.

In my feeble mind, Big Ed’s BBQ in Old Bridge was always the standalone winner for best barbecue in New Jersey, no contest.  I never particularly liked it, but I had always heard so much about it and they claimed the title so emphatically that I just assumed that was the case.  Their flagship location in Old Bridge has been operating for over 15 years.  Other locations in Piscataway, Waretown, and Mays Landing (among several others) have opened and closed their doors, leaving Old Bridge as the original and only operational location.  Maybe I should’ve taken that as a sign of their quality…

In addition, I’ve always liked, but not loved, Famous Dave’s.  It may be a general preference towards independently-owned and unique restaurants, but I always thought it was good.  Not great, but hit the spot when I was craving some saucy goodness.  I liked it more than Big Ed’s, though, and their sides were pretty tasty.

My brother and fellow familial foodie, Jim, told me about a place called Memphis Pig Out in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.  He and his lovely buddy Beth had gone once and insisted that we’d love it.  He lives and knows the Jersey Shore towns and restaurants more than I, so I trusted his input.  Since our dad appreciates some good BBQ and Father’s Day was right around the corner, my mom made a reservation for us to go there for the holiday.

Now, I warn you – DO NOT TRUST A GPS NAVIGATOR TO GET YOU TO THIS RESTAURANT!  My dad’s GPS, which has never led him astray, took us pretty far out of the way.  Google Maps seemed to have more accurate directions.  According to Jim, these small shore towns like to nestle themselves and make themselves hard to find to avoid being overrun with tourists and thus getting overcommercialized.  I understand why, as Memphis Pig Out is located in a quaint, quiet, and independent downtown area a few blocks down from the bay.  Not what I was expecting, but in a good way.

The second you walk through the doors of the First Ave. establishment, you are endearingly greeted by pigs EVERYWHERE.  I’m disappointed in myself for not properly photographing it.  Pig-themed figurines, statues, pictures, weather vanes, a carousel “horse,” and even PIG WINDOW TREATMENTS!  I’m sure this is common in BBQ restaurants.  However, unlike Big Ed’s or famous Dave’s, this collection of pig memorabilia is not at all gimmicky.  There isn’t a pig greeting you at the door, asking you to eat it.  You are moreso surrounded by a personal collection, a tribute, an homage to the delicious animal.  So even though the restaurant is called Memphis Pig Out, it doesn’t make you feel like a pig.  Even though I am a pig, I am still a lady and would prefer to not feel like I’m being mocked.  I found the decor to be warmer, more endearing, and more welcoming than others.  Small (at least the area in which we were seated), but still roomy.

The back wall houses a small yet adequate salad bar with the basic ingredients, some unique salads (like carrot raisin and a few varieties of pasta), and some ridiculously good bread (which they ran out of after my first slice).  The salad bar is included with most entrees; mine was not one of them.  I did, however, opt for a cup of their New England clam chowder.  I think I got the bottom scrapings of the batch.  My cup was served a bit gloppy and lukewarm.  Beth’s bowl, which came out shortly after my cup, was creamy and piping hot.  Considering, my soup was pretty good.  I thought it was a bit underseasoned, but that was easily aided with a few shakes of salt and pepper.  I did think it was weird that they would serve two people at the same table two drastically different portions of the same dish, so that was a little bit of an execution/service flub.

I do have to say that the name “Memphis Pig Out” is a bit misleading, and the menu doesn’t appear to offer any all-you-can-eat options.  How one expects to “pig out” without the choice of mass quantities of food is beyond me, but the rib portions themselves were pretty hearty on their own.  My dad and brother went for the rib combos with spare ribs and pulled pork.  Mom got the (quite puny) barbecued chicken breast and Beth ordered an appetizer of rib tastings.  I went for my old standby: a pulled pork sandwich with fries and, of course, a side of macaroni and cheese.

Neither looks particularly appetizing, but at places like this, I don’t think that is what they are going for.  The pulled pork sandwich also includes a hearty cup of cole slaw, but I pawned it ff on my mom before I took the photo.

As always, before going to Memphis Pig Out, I did some extensive research on it and New Jersey BBQ joints in general.  The restaurant got mixed reviews, but I also noticed that a lot of reviewers thought that Big Ed’s was severely overrated.  I agreed and never had a basis for my agreement until I tasted this sandwich.  Big Ed’s pulled pork is dry, chunky, and grizzly.  Pig Out’s was served on a fresh hamburger bun, and the meat was absolutely heavenly tender and thinly shredded.  I prefer shredded to cubed pork for the same reasons I prefer shredded to cubed chicken in my Mexican food: I love the melt-in-your-mouth, almost creamy consistency of perfectly cooked and finely shredded meat.  Aside from the perfectly cooked meat, their homemade BBQ sauce was divine – sweet, tangy, smoky, and lick-your-lips delicious.  I’m finding myself wanting another sandwich now!  The fries were still piping hot and glistening with oil from the fryer.  They weren’t my ideal fry (I favor shoestring and crinkle-cut), but they were delicious and fresh for what they were.

As for the macaroni and cheese…bleh.  I should learn my lesson to not order macaroni and cheese from a place that doesn’t serve it on their regular menu.  It was edible, just not cheesy or sharp enough…a little gummy and just haphazard.  I found three different styles noodles on the plate, including farfalle.  Nothing special at all.

The desserts, on the other hand…wow!  Now I know why they don’t offer an all-you-can-eat option, because you will really want to save room for these.  They had a great selection of desserts.  I think that it’s important for restaurants to have balanced dessert menus…one chocolate-based, one fruit-based, and maybe a cheesecake so everyone can enjoy something.  Memphis Pig Out had plenty of delicious-sounding options (we almost ordered three desserts!), so we decided to split the Snickers Bar Blitz and their famous strawberry pie.  My mom, who worked at Shoney’s in her teens, says that their Tennessee Hot Fudge Cake and strawberry pie were taken directly from the Shoney’s menu.  I’m glad I didn’t have to go south of the Mason-Dixon to try them!

The Snickers Bar Blitz is pretty much just Snickers bars pressed and frozen into a pie crust, covered in chocolate, and served with ice cream and hot fudge.  I generally love Snickers, so I thought it was delicious, especially paired with the slices of ice cream.  My favorite part was the strings of caramel that came up with each bite, mmm.

But this strawberry pie…oh my LAWD!  It was a beautiful, heaping pile of perfectly red, ripened, fresh, sweet strawberries.  Held together by some gelatin or syrup, topped with whipped topping, and set into a flaky pie crust…I wanted to take a picture of it, but everyone at the table devoured it before it even crossed my mind.  I love strawberries in almost any form, but this one took the…well, pie, I suppose.  I was afraid that it would be too sweet or too bitter, but everything was perfectly balanced and refreshing.  It really hit the spot.  According to the Memphis Pig Out site linked above, Gourmet Magazine once asked the restaurant for its strawberry pie recipe.  I think I’ll need to follow their lead, because this dessert was among the best I have ever tried.

A lot of criticisms I had and read about Memphis Pig Out were of things that are not their specialties – I don’t expect much of their mac and cheese, of their soups, of their burgers, even.  My mom’s chicken portion was disappointingly small, but she said that it was tender and delicious.  The service was a bit slower than desired, but it was Father’s Day and I can therefore understand about some backups in the kitchen and in the front of the house.  There were a few kinks, but if you go for the pork that gives them their namesake, you will not be disappointed.

Momofuku Milk Bar

If you follow any food blogs (besides this one), you’ve heard about David Chang’s Momofuku family of restaurants – Ko, Noodle Bar, Ssam Bar, and the Milk Bar – Bakery.  My foodie-friend who gets tons of press in here, Lauren, and I have spoken a great deal about sampling a Momofuku establishment.  The Momofuku Milk Bar and Bakery had a table at Choice Eats that we didn’t hit up before they ran out of food.  So when we made our trip to S’Mac (see below), we were trying to think of bakeries and dessert shops in the area to end our meal with a bang.  After Lauren shot off some bakeries and ice cream shops, I cautiously asked, “Isn’t Momofuku Milk Bar around here?”

With slight hesitation and not-so-subdued excitement in her voice, she replied, “Yes, I think it is!”

My BlackBerry was whipped out almost instantly to find the address of the dessert bar we’d been aching to try.  Already full, we exited S’Mac and sluggishly yet enthusiastically made our way to the corner of 13th and 2nd Ave.  This is also were Ssam is located, so we had to walk a couple doors down on 13th to find the Milk Bar.

I don’t know why, but I was a little surprised by its simplicity and decor:  a counter area and case full of baked goods with a bunch of long, bar-style tables lined up alongside – no chairs!  It was fine, though, because I can’t think of a better bar in which to meet people than a dessert bar.  Call me, boys!

The Milk Bar is known for its crazy flavors of soft-serve that change pretty regularly and their flavored milks.  On the last go-around, they had doughnut ice cream that we, sadly, never got to try.  This time, the soft-serve flavors included fireball, sour gummy, and red licorice (plus one more that’s slipped my mind).  They also had cereal- and coffee-flavored milks, and an assortment of crazy cookies, cakes, and pies.

Lauren and I tried samples of the licorice and sour gummy soft serves, and they were amazing.  I’m not really a fan of red licorice, but I was absolutely shocked by how 100% identical it tasted to a Twizzler.  The sour gummy tasted exactly like the sour glo-worms that I love so dear.  It was a little weird, honestly, to get such distinct flavors with such entirely different mouthfeels that the flavors’ derivatives.  It’s kind of like eating Jelly Belly’s buttered popcorn jellybeans – they taste like buttered popcorn (which is amazing), but they feel like jellybeans.  It’s a very weird thing to reconcile in mind and palate, but once you can let it settle within you, it’s a truly amazing culinary creation.  Lauren opted for the fireball ice cream with fudge.  I, on the other hand, had a little more trouble.

I was so overwhelmed by all of the awesome things on the menu.  I was stuck between two, in particular: the candy bar pie and the dulce de leche cake.  The pie contained peanut butter, caramel, chocolate, and pretzels (among other things) and sounded right up my alley.  Option B, the dulce de leche cake, was a milk-caramel cake with creamy caramel in between and milk flakes sprinkled on top.  I ended up choosing the dulce de leche cake because I was in a cake-y mood, but don’t worry, candy bar pie…I’m coming for ya soon!  And plus, my loyalty to caramel and dulce de leche far exceeds my loyalty to…okay, a lot of things.

My goodness, just revisiting this photo…does that not look like a little (or obnoxiously large) slice of heaven?  I was completely overwhelmed by its size, but that didn’t stop me from beginning to devour it (no sexual innuendoes intended).

At first, I was a bit disappointed with the texture and consistency of the cake.  I think it was because the cake had already been sliced and therefore my slice had already had one of its sides exposed, causing it to be kind of crusty and tough.  Once I got through that, though, the cake was moister.  It was a bit denser and not as “fluffy” as I am used to, it was more spongy.  Once combined with the rich, creamy caramel, everything began to work together.  The caramel layer on top combined with the milk flakes was absolutely delicious, as well.  I couldn’t even get through half of it, and for just under five bucks, it was an absolutely excellent dessert choice.  I will definitely be back to sample some more of their creations…I’m looking at you, compost cookie!

A cookie with potato chips in it?  Consider me in.