So I am thinking about trying to come back here with a little more force. I have been writing reviews semi-regularly over at Yelp, but I obviously don’t get as in-depth. I’d like to make this a site with a little more variety, a site that is truer to its namesake. Whenever I revisit it, I am plagued by how the title is not reflected in the entries. I’d like to incorporate more of my everyday meals and restaurants, not just swanky-yet-cost-effective Restaurant Week meals. I want to explore my local restaurants and cuisine more. Finally, I need to further document my culinary travels, of which I’ve had many since I kind of let this blog sit here for almost a year.

What do you guys think? Do you have any ideas? Is there anything you’d like to see or not see? Am I boring you already?

If I am gonna do this, I want to do it right.

Sure, I pretty much have a crush on any degree of attractive dude holding a chef’s knife.  But when I was first introduced to Bowles on Top Chef Masters, I was immediately drawn to the rolled-up sleeves of his whites that exposed…what is that?  A Jawbreaker tattoo?!  Who is this dude, and why have I not been following his career since I was born?

Of course, I am always drawn to chefs because we have an obvious common interest.  But first and foremost, independent music is my everything and the single most definitive thing that makes me who I am.  I’ve been going to shows for over ten years, watching (and in several cases, nurturing) bands from my area outgrow basements and side stages and sometimes get too big for their britches.  I travel the country to watch my favorite bands and have been devoted to many for close to a decade.  It’s serious business.

That said, the media has their quintessential bad boys and girls in either demeanor or in physical attributes.  Having tattoos doesn’t necessarily make someone alternative.  Just because Megan Fox has tattoos doesn’t mean we are in the same scene by any means.  So as much as I love the pigeonholed “bad boy” chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Michael Symon, I don’t consider them people to whom I can relate.

There are obvious presumptions that can be made by any guy that is ink-covered and/or beard-clad.  I felt an immediate affection for Kevin Gillespie in the last season of Top Chef because he looked like someone whose crew I could roll with.  But to see Bowles with a tattoo of a band I love, I immediately rooted for him, felt instant kinship with him, and became incredibly intrigued by his cuisine that was seemingly kickass.  I wasn’t left wondering about this dude – I just automatically assumed he was awesome.  And then I started following him on Twitter and saw his exchanges with The Get Up Kids (one of my favorite bands), solidifying every suspicion of awesomeness I had.

I swear this wasn’t supposed to turn into a profession of love for Graham Elliot Bowles.

But, actually, it was – because I finally tried the food and was happy to discovered that my adulation was not in vain.

Graham Elliot was my most highly anticipated meal of my trip to Chicago, largely because of this connection I feel with my fellow music fans, no matter how much or little I know them.  But if I found out that some chef from Wyoming had a Saves the Day tattoo, I would gladly visit his restaurant, too.  I think that a certain level of creativity and artistic merit comes with involvement in punk and hardcore, so I knew to expect some nontraditional combinations.  Not to mention I had read articles about Bowles’ affinity for Cheez-Its, a sentiment I can back entirely and without hesitation.

Thanks to Lauren, we had a primetime reservation: Saturday night at 8:15.  We were a little peeved to arrive about five minutes before our scheduled time and be seated about 15 minutes after our reservation time, but we patiently waited it out in the crowded bar area.  The decor of dark woods was warm and cozy and not at all pretentious.  Lauren noted, and I agreed, that it was awesome that servers were allowed to dress casually and comfortably.  Definitely establishes a level of ease with the clientele.

Once we were finally seated, we were presented with menus and a basket full of popcorn in lieu of bread.  If you know me, you know I have very strong feelings about popcorn.  And by “strong feelings” I mean it is pretty much my favorite snack food and I can wolf down bagfuls at record speeds.  This was absolutely, without a doubt, 100% right up my alley.

My main issue with this popcorn is that I WANT TO EAT IT EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY.  It was freshly popped and warm when it arrived, dressed lightly with white truffle oil and I think parmesean cheese?  Maybe some herbs?  I don’t even know, I just know that it was stupidly delicious and addictive.  I have literally been fantasizing about this popcorn since it arrived to our table.  Is it impolite to ask for seconds?  Thirds?  Because we didn’t and I wish we had.  The popcorn wasn’t greasy or heavy at all – just different, delicious flavors and intensities with each handful.  We concluded that this popcorn would definitely be featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Snacks if Food Network ever puts us on the show.  Graham, if you ever read this, please ship a monthly bucket to New Jersey.

First course – hated the presentation and loved the dish.  It was listed on the menu as tuna carpaccio, but I was beyond delighted when a plate of white tuna arrived to the table.  The slices were accompanied by avocado mousse, passion fruit puree, crispy plantain, and dusted with cocoa nib.  Sounded crazy on the menu, but the combination was brilliant.  I think that the cocoa nib was was really brought the entire dish together and set it over the edge from being good to awesome.  The flavors were bright and distinct; you could taste each ingredient within each bite.  The very definition of clean flavors.

For the main course, I got the Waygu beef with fingerling potatoes, cippolini onions, watercress, and cabernet jam.  I requested my beef to be cooked rare, and rare it was!  Look at the gorgeous, deep crimson of that meat.  The texture of the beef was smooth and buttery, able to be severed with just a single knife stroke.  The cabernet jam was perfectly sweet, tart, and almost a little smoky, like barbecue sauce.  All of the other flavors worked together tremendously, but for personal preference, I would have cooked the onions softer, cooked the potatoes crispier, and julienned the watercress – it was a bit difficult to eat such large pieces of leafy watercress and a couple of pieces stuck to the back of my throat.

Lauren’s lamb entree came out perfectly cooked but cold.  She understandably asked for it to be redone – I mean, if you are spending a pretty penny on a dish, you want it to be worth what you’re spending.  The staff could not have been more understanding and accommodating, insisting they remake the dish.  They even offered to remake my dish, so as to not make either of us uncomfortable.  For reasons of waste , I declined.  I thought the offer was very generous and considerate.  When the lamb came back, it was cooked a little over, but Lauren said it was still incredible – just took it down from being an 11 to a ten.

I don’t even know where to begin with this dessert.  On the menu, the combination sounded a little weird – chocolate torte with Frangelico financier, apricot jam, salted caramel, and cream cheese ice cream.  Sure, chocolate and caramel, or chocolate and cream cheese – but all together?  I love all of the elements separately (seriously, I wish it were socially acceptable to eat cream cheese out of a tub), but my curiosity was piqued by the combination.  However, I firmly believe that if a trusted chef puts seemingly weird things together, it has to be good and I usually trust his/her judgment.

The plate arrived and I examined it with wonderment.  I was expecting something much richer, much heavier – and I couldn’t have been happier that it wasn’t what I was expecting.  I love chocolate, but I think a lot of places are a bit heavy-handed when it comes to chocolate desserts.  This was like nothing I had ever seen and nothing I had ever tasted.  Definite Best Thing I Ever Ate status.

I got all of the elements onto one forkful – the financier (which is essentially spongecake), the torte, the jam, the caramel, the ice cream, and the crisp cookie that was set atop – tasted it, and was instantly sent into total dessert euphoria.  My eyes widened and I immediately slapped my palm against my forehead, giggling with delight at how blown away I was.  The cream cheese ice cream was cheesy but still mild (unlike Ben and Jerry’s Imagine Whirled Peace, which is disappointingly and vomit-inducingly sour) and the sea salt sprinkled on the chocolate provided the perfect balance among the sweet and sour elements.  The cake itself was light and airy, but still not overpowered by the chocolate.  Overall, it was delicate, satisfying, and in a word, perfect.

Aside from what I thought to be a small main course, my dinner at Graham Elliot far exceeded my already-high expectations.  I had read in reviews that the staff was pretentious, but I found nothing of the sort.  They were attentive and knowledgable, and in fact, I appreciate the honesty of our server.  When Lauren ordered her dessert (strawberry shortcake) and an iced darjeeling tea, our server made a face and suggested that the tea was really plain and would probably overpower the dessert.  Most places probably wouldn’t offer that advice, but I was impressed that she felt that would be valuable to us.

Bowles is slated to open a new sandwich shop, Grahamwich, any day now.  It will feature sandwiches, snacks, housemade sodas, and housemade soft serve – so, pretty much, it’s going to be awesome.  From the articles I have read, I’ve gathered that the truffle popcorn will be featured.  And the second the opening is announced is the second that I will be researching when to go back to the Windy City.  I miss it already.

It seems that, when “normal” people travel, they plan food around their activities.  Grab a quick bite in between attractions.  Pack sandwiches or snacks.  Grab a hot dog here, or a pretzel there.

Not for me.  This past weekend, I got on a plane and it was pretty much solely to eat.  Sure, we (my friend Lauren and I) did some fun stuff in between.  Visited some parks and piers, rode some rides, did some shopping.  But really, food is always the main attraction.  The typical “attractions” take a backseat.

I’d been to Chicago several times, but always with purpose.  Never before had I the chance to walk around and savor the city with its gorgeous parks, sprawling river, lively pier, and rich culinary landscape.  I just knew that I loved it every time I went and this past trip validated that love even further.  If it weren’t for the horrendous winters, I would take serious considerations into moving out there.  It’s the perfect city – and so clean!

Chicago is a serious culinary contender, which is one of the reasons I was so anxious to go back with Lauren and really test the waters.  Several Top Chef notables (contestants, judges, and Masters alike) have rooted themselves in the Windy City, including Grant Achatz, Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand, Stephanie Izard, and the list goes on.  When we were booking our trip, there were three established chefs we knew we had to experience during our visit: Art Smith, Graham Elliot Bowles, and Rick Bayless.

Mexican is arguably my favorite cuisine and Rick Bayless is the master (the Top Chef one, too).  I was anxious to try Frontera Grill (and eventually Topolobampo and XOCO) and Bayless’ infamous mole and ceviches.  Frontera Grill is his casual dining option – bright, friendly, warm, and with exceptionally knowledgable and attentive staff.  It was definitely casual dining with five-star service, treatment, and ingredients.

We got two starters.  The first, for $8 per person, is a sampler platter.  I would definitely recommend trying this if you want to get the most out of your experience.

Our eyes widened as this giant metal platter made its way to our table.  Maybe I was expecting something a little smaller and daintier, but I was happy that I was allowed to get a little messy.  Pictured here are cheese quesadillas, chicken taquitos, guacamole, jicama salad, and ceviche tostadas.

The cheese quesadillas were definitely the highlight of the plate.  Creamy cheese oozed out of the crisp batter, making more of a Mexican mozzarella stick than a traditional quesadilla.  The flavor of the taquitos was spot-on, but they were served cold – major downfall for an otherwise delicious item.  The guacamole was good, but needed more acid to make it spectacular.  The jicama salad was crisp and refreshing, kicked up with spices on top and chopped pineapple underneath.  The ceviche tostadas were my least favorite.  Sounds silly, but maybe I am not used to the texture of cooked fish because it was really off-putting to me.  The chips that were scattered around the plate, however, were SO GOOD.  Very filling, yes, but they were thick, sturdy, corny, and perfectly seasoned.  Really stood up to the thick, chunky guac.

What really impressed me was that you could really taste how fresh these ingredients were.  Bayless is renowned for is contributions to sustainability, manifested in part by the rooftop garden in which many of the restaurant’s ingredients are grown – including the tomatoes and chiles used to make the salsas.  This passion was evident in each component, from the creamy, rich cheese to the perfectly ripe avocados used and bold, bright citrus flavors.  Yum!

Our second starter was the Trio, Trio, Trio – a trio of three of Bayless’ famous ceviches: tuna with mango-grapefruit salsa, shrimp and calamari with jicama, and Hawaiian sunfish.

Tuna and mango are two of my favorite things in the world, so it was natural that this ceviche would be the obvious winner of this theoretical contest.  Actually, it prompted a conversation between Lauren and me…

Remember in the movie Coneheads when Ronnie (Chris Farley) takes Connie to Subway and she annihilates the Subway sandwich in one impressive gulp?  Lauren and I agreed that we would similarly like to eat slabs of tuna the same way.

Anyway…

The shrimp and calamari ceviche came in a close second.  It was accented with lime and orange juices with habanero peppers cutting through with great heat.  It was the most interesting of the three.  Different flavor profiles were evident with each bite and within each bite.  I felt like I wasn’t tasting the same thing twice.

The sunfish was the ceviche that we received on the tostadas prior, and I simply didn’t like it.  The texture threw me off and completely distracted me from noticing anything besides how badly I didn’t want to eat it anymore.  It could’ve been completely acceptable for someone who is used to it, but it wasn’t for me at all.

Finally, to the main course: enchiladas de mole poblano.  Essentially, chicken enchiladas with mole sauce.  Trying Rick Bayless’ mole was sort of on my mental food “bucket list,” if you will.  I hadn’t had mole up until this point, so I don’t really have a basis for comparison.  But if this is the standard by which all future moles are measured, the rest of the mole-making world might be in trouble.

My experience with enchiladas is much different than those pictured above.  I am used to them smothered with cheese and salsa roja.  These are much more minimalist and, I assume, authentic (judging on Bayless’ respect for Mexican food and culture).  Just pulled chicken, tortilla, and mole – lots of it.

The chicken was quite dry, but the sauce was heavenly.  This is the very definition of layering – it was savory and sweet, smoky and warm, and it was like nothing I had ever tasted before.  The chocolate that characterizes mole poblano was an ever-so-slight background note – and as subtle as it was, it elevated everything to an unfamiliar level.  It kept me guessing, as a well-crafted dish should.

The enchiladas were presented with a side of black beans.  No words can properly depict how much I love fresh, uncanned, gummy (in a good way) black beans topped with queso fresco.  I wish I could have them more often.

Lauren and I were already well into food coma territory before the entrees arrived, so we, sadly, had to skip out on dessert.  We saw several desserts walk by, and I think we’re both still hurting that we didn’t have it in us to try the flan.  But there will be other trips and other chances, and certainly visits to XOCO and Topolobampo in our respective futures.

Yes, New York Restaurant Week is upon us and, thankfully, has already been extended until September 6.  Not only does this bode well for my schedule (I was on vacation for the first week of NYRW), but makes a belated-as-usual blog relevant for a while!

My first Restaurant Week experience this summer was quite an exquisite one.  Anxious to try out new places this time around, my friend Lauren and I scheduled a lunch date at Quality Meats.  I was feeling something hearty and, well, meaty.  With a name like Quality Meats, you provide diners with high expectations before they even walk through the door.  It’s straightforward and challenging, and I am thrilled to report that the name is entirely well-deserved.

The decor at this place is absolutely stunning.  Medium woods, industrial light fixtures, exposed brick, and glass accents make this place feel upscale yet homey and, though it entirely feels like a steakhouse, it doesn’t have the masculine, supper club ambiance of other steakhouses.  Floor-to-ceiling, glass-encased wine racks act as the centerpiece of the room, setting off the cozy alcove in which Lauren and I were seated.

Restaurant Week choices can be tricky as far as calculating how much of a value you’re actually getting.  Some places I have dined, such as Craftbar, are places I could realistically eat without the specials because the prices are pretty reasonable (and they don’t skimp on portions, ahem).  Quality Meats is not one of these places.  Their Restaurant Week menu has pretty generous offerings of about four choices per course, and these items on the regular menu definitely get pricey.

I’ve said it before and I’ll underline it again – restaurants should be putting their best feet forward during Restaurant Week.  They are likely getting more economically-conscious customers (especially in the present climate), so restaurants should look forward to giving new demographics a special meal and potentially tapping into a new customer base.  A lot of restaurants try to get through Restaurant Weeks while others tackle it head-on and provide unforgettable meals.  Quality Meats definitely falls into the latter category.

That being said, the variety and portions were unbeatable.  Lauren and I both opted for the steak tartar appetizer, and we were both awestruck when this beauty arrived to our table.

Gorgeous, is it not?  The Quality Meats “QM” logo adorned a lot of the tableware, including knives, napkins, and this adorable mini-cutting board.  A very nice, classy touch.  The perfectly yellow egg yolk atop the raw meat was a more-than-pleasant surprise; I broke it with excited caution and admired as yellow goo enrobed the steak beneath.  It was served with super crispy, buttery crostini and an array of condiments and seasonings: salt, pepper, shallots, capers, and dijon mustard.  These seasonings were hardly necessary, though, as the tartare with egg was heavenly on its own.  Slightly spicy with a sensual richness that cannot be achieved with anything but yolk.  I couldn’t get through consecutive bites without the necessary “mmmmm”s and “oh my God”s.  And look at that portion!

I chose the baby back ribs for my entree, and wow.  There’s something strangely romantic and therapeutic about bone-in meat.  It’s so barbaric and sexy; there’s no question about what you’re eating.  You get your hands dirty and you have to work for your prize.  That also explains why buffalo wings are so important to me.

These weren’t the baby back ribs I am used to: grizzly and drenched in thick, syrupy sauce that is intended to hide the fatty meat beneath.  Nuh uh.  The bone held a smoky, crispy char and ridiculously tender, fall-off-the-bone, sweet meat.  The sauce was not thick and sticky, but more like a thin glaze with a hint of sweetness.  They were served with wilted greens of some sort (smelled like basil, but I didn’t taste) and thin, delicate chips.  I think they were potato, but when paired with the meat, they took on sort of an onion taste.  And eating the chip and the meat within the same bite was critical to maximizing the enjoyment of both.

We shared a side of parmesean fries that were absolutely divine.  Perfectly seasoned waffle fries with shaved parmesean and herbs, served with a side of some kind of mayonnaise-based sauce.  The fries were good enough on their own, though.

The dessert options were the toughest, I’d say, because Quality Meats had some amazing choices for ice cream.  In addition, they have a cakery on site, so they really have to know what they’re doing in the dessert department.  But I just couldn’t pass off something called “coffee and doughnuts,” so I (and Lauren) went for it.  I was expected just a flavor of coffee and doughnuts, but I was presented with something entirely different:

This dessert has three layers.  The bottom was a fresh, crumbly cookie whose flavor resembled gingerbread except with less spice and more cinnamon.  The top was a delicious doughnut of similar, but more delicate flavor with chocolate drizzle.  Coffee ice cream was sandwiched in between, and if you were lucky enough to get all three layers, it was the perfect balance of flavors and textures.  To be honest, I don’t generally like coffee flavored things (besides coffee) because they always taste fake and tinny.  This ice cream, on the other hand, tasted like a freshly roasted cup.  The doughnut on top was the highlight for me (solely because it was a doughnut), but I was impressed by the size and presentation of this dessert.  It wasn’t a typical throwaway dessert (nor was the appetizer a throwaway salad).

More than any new place I have been in a long time, Quality Meats truly showcased their capabilities and didn’t dumb down their menu for the customers that are looking to save money.  Steakhouses on Restaurant Week, in particular, seem to underestimate their customers and limit their menu to the bare bones.  They rely on name recognition and hope that people won’t realize that other restaurants will really give diners more bang for their buck.

Quality Meats is a classy establishment with excellent food and attentive service without pretension.  Most importantly, they treat their Restaurant Week customers like their full-paying customers.  As a result, your experience is worth way more than what you pay for it – and really, isn’t that the point?

New Brunswick is 15-20 minutes from me.  I grew up going there and have known my way around the city since I was a teen, at least.  My brother and I both attended Rutgers University.  The crowded college streets and headache-inducing parking have always led me to steer clear of the city for recreational purposes.  The weekends are always a nightmare, but when school is out and the bar crowds and backpack-clad students have largely diminished for the summer, it’s quite a pleasant and sometimes relaxing place to be.  And it, apparently, has some wonderful restaurants that I never think to take advantage of, being so close to New York.

My brother, Jim, chose Due Mari for his birthday celebration.  A restaurant called Nova Terra used to occupy the space on the corner of Albany and Neilson streets, and I’d always been intrigued by the building – it always looked nice from the outside.  I was excited to finally be able to go inside, and after perusing the menu online, I was practically trailing saliva in with my footsteps.

The service was friendly and informative, if not a little pretentious.  Our server admitted that he was a culinary school graduate and, as a result, a tad overenthusiastic about the food.  While service went off without a hitch, it could have been more streamlined.  For example, five separate people took drink orders, distributed bread, poured water, took food orders, and delivered the food.  It’s one thing when people seem to be covering for one another or helping out, but it was obvious which roles were assigned to whom.  Maybe this is typical in finer establishments (I am used to two or three different people), but it got confusing and not all diners understand this protocol.  In that regard, the service was too good.

As far as the food was concerned, our server’s enthusiasm was completely warranted.  I have felt a severe dearth of fine dining in my life as of late, and I was welcomed back with a memorable meal from Due Mari.

Our table appetizer was a traditional antipasto with proscuitto di parma, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and balsamic vinegar.  Everything on this plate was insanely delicious and fresh.  The proscuitto was like no proscuitto I had ever tasted: salty, meaty, and not slimy, fatty, or greasy like proscuitto you’d find in a supermarket.  The mozzarella was milky and salty, tender enough to be easily slice with the edge of a fork.  The elements were delicious on their own, but as usual, the roasted red peppers brought them all together with their bright, sweet tang.  Perfectly fresh and classic.

My brother and I each got a tuna tartar appetizer, naturally.  Although I loved the pop of green on the plate, the wasabi-infused roe atop my tartar was really off-putting (as I am not a wasabi fan at all).  I scraped mine off and enjoyed a good tartar – not as citrusy, bright, and flavorful as I like, but good.  The little poppy seed crackers were delicious and airy.  I wish the dish had come with more of them to provide textural contrast throughout the dish, not just for a couple of bites.  I am glad I tried it, but since I know how good tartar can be (Metrazur), I probably wouldn’t order it again – especially because Due Mari offers an impressive and tantalizing selection of appetizers that I want to try!

Whenever I am out, there are select buzz words that will always catch my eye on a menu.  “Tartare,” “risotto,” and “braised short rib” are among them, as if the chef had highlighted them on the menu just for me.  These words usually give a significant disadvantage to the menu’s competing offerings, although a roast chicken is always a formidable competitor.  “Truffle” is another one of these buzz words, so when I saw “Garganelli with proscuitto, English peas, and white truffle butter,” the rest of the menu ceased to exist.

The word “truffle” has a profound effect on me.  When it comes to mind, I am filled with warmth and thoughts of the autumn months.  And when this dish hit my tongue, its buttery, earthy aromas warmed me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  The pasta, all made fresh on premises, was cooked perfectly and you could taste the love and care with which the chefs prepared it.  To my knowledge, it was the first fresh pasta I had ever eaten at a restaurant.  Before I started cooking fresh pasta at home, I always assumed that fresh pasta was all hype and there wasn’t that huge of a difference.  But it’s truly something you have to taste and experience to believe.  It’s delicate and tender and fresh, and there is something very homey and comforting in knowing that each hand-rolled piece is unique.

Although the butter sauce was rich and decadent, it wasn’t heavy and it didn’t stick to the palate like one would expect.  Cream sauces have the tendency to make you feel gross and greasy.  This sauce was rich in flavor but delicate on the tongue and didn’t cause any regrets later.  The salty proscuitto and burst of peas made it hearty.  A perfect dish that was loved by all who tried it!

A birthday always calls for dessert, and the second our party read “chocolate fondue,” we knew we had to have it.  This gorgeous platter arrived to a choir of “ooh”s and “ahh”s.  This was a truly epic presentation.  A huge, deep, top hat-sized bowl of chocolate place above a burning flame, surrounded by the freshest, sweetest strawberries I’d ever tasted, bananas, fresh homemade marshmallows, and fresh homemade graham crackers.

The chocolate was too bitter for my taste, but the presentation and the care given to the other ingredients overshadowed that.  The homemade graham crackers were (disappointingly) cinnamon as opposed to honey.  Aside from that fatal flaw, they were crisp, crumby, and wonderful.  The fresh marshmallows were the highlight, though – sweet and creamy an encased in sweet, crisp sugar.  A perfect ending to a memorable meal, for sure.

And, for good measure, a couple other dishes from the table:

Spaghetti with a full lobster tail, shrimp, garlic, and tomatoes

Pan-seared scallops with asparagus butter sauce

Considering the quality of the food, the prices are pretty reasonable and the portions are huge.  Everyone at the table did his/her fair share of sharing, and we all left happily and comfortably full.  Since we were celebrating, we did kind of go all out.  It would be pretty easy to keep a meal at Due Mari reasonable, though.  They even have a bar menu, a pizza menu, and an express lunch option.  And, with summer on the brink, you’d be a fool to not take advantage of their outdoor patio.

Judging from everyone else’s reactions to the meal, I feel like this might become a staple.  And most importantly, it’s opened my eyes to the potential culinary mecca that exists right next door.  Now I’m a little more apt to explore it.

While reacquainting myself with the menu, I noticed the macaroni and cheese on the kids’ menu, not noticing that it was also available in an adult-sized portion.  When my cashier told me that there was not only an adult portion, but that it could be used as one of the items in a “You Pick Two” entree, I was thrilled but also a bit apprehensive.

When macaroni and cheese is produced to please a large demographic of varied palates and tastes, I get a bit nervous about the quality and flavor profiles.  First, how good can a mass-produced mac and cheese be?  And second, the macs that I consider memorable aren’t necessarily ones that would be widely accepted by the general public – not because they’re not good, but I just don’t think major restaurant chains would take risks and experiment with truffle, or different cheeses, etc.  I also think that the general public knows what it likes, and it likes Kraft.  Basically, in this environment, I expected day-glo orange, user-friendly mac and cheese.

What I received was nothing of the sort – Panera uses a creamy, velvety white cheddar sauce that is buttery, tangy, and cheesy.  I commend the use of white cheddar over yellow cheddar, making it a little more mild and a little more “adult,” really.  But staying in the cheddar family makes this approachable to a wide audience, for sure.  The mini shells are familiar and great for holding sauce.  While I find a lot of mass-produced mac and cheese to be gummy and obviously fake-tasting, this has definitely become my go-to mac when the mood strikes and I am too lazy to make my own (which is usually the case).

I commend you, Panera, for trying your hand (and succeeding) at making a great mac that’s easy to obtain but doesn’t skimp on flavor or quality.  I’ll be back soon!

I obviously can’t go in-depth on a month’s worth of meals, but I’m here to show you guys some highlights from my culinary travels.

Las Vegas, NV: I don’t drink and I don’t have enough (or am not willing to spend enough) money to gamble heavily, so I primarily look forward to eating when I am in Vegas.  It’s among my favorite culinary paradises.  We made our usual go-arounds to the Wynn and Paris buffets, but primarily focused on casual dining for budgeting purposes.  In Vegas, you can eat well at any price range, really.

Our first stop out of the plane was to In-n-Out Burger.  Like, our cab driver drove us there!  I hadn’t eaten a burger from this west coast mecca since my trip to Vegas in 2005, and this was Lauren’s first time.  It was even better than I remembered with fresh, well-seasoned beef and their deliciously tangy “secret” sauce.  One of my favorite things about In-n-Out is that you can ask for your fries well done, so if you’re a lover of crispy fries like I am, that’s definitely the way to go.

Per Lauren’s recommendation, we checked out the lunch at Emeril’s Table 10 in Palazzo.  From the moment she got home from her last Vegas trip, she had been raving about the fried pickles at Table 10.  I love all things pickle and all things fried, and had yet to come across a mindblowing fried pickle.  These were them, folks: thinly sliced, lightly battered, crispy-chewy-soft.  They’re a hint of sweet, a hint of sour, and pleasantly light.  They weren’t greasy or heavy like I expected, just a perfectly unique treat unlike anything I’d ever had in the category.  I am salivating at the thought.

To add to the western U.S. experience, we finally tried Del Taco!  I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical about receiving fries with my taco and burrito, but the fries were awesome!  I ordered a spicy chicken burrito and chicken soft taco.  It’s really a glorified Taco Bell without the guilt and with a little more authenticity in ingredients, but I enjoyed it and am glad that I’m getting closer to mastering more regional fast food chains.

If you’re ever in Vegas, I’d highly recommend renting a car for at least one day.  This was our first time renting a car there, and I thought it was a really rewarding experience to drive around off the strip a bit and see the surrounding area.  One of my favorite parts of traveling is getting the chance to drive around and get the feel of new places.  And, shockingly, valet AND self-parking are both FREE at all of the casinos on the strip.  Crazy stuff, huh?

Since we were traveling with a vegan, we decided to try to find a vegan-friendly place for her.  We stumbled upon a lovely little cafe called Red Velvet Cafe.  About 10 minutes off the strip, it’s a restaurant with an extensive menu that offers all of their entrees in vegan versions.  It was friendly for omnivores and vegans alike.  I was immediately sold on it because it was called Red Velvet Cafe, but the food was pretty good, too.  Lauren and I split some delicious bacon cheddar fries; I had an Asian noodle salad with chicken.  The fries were just awesome: super duper potato-y.  The salad was more like a creamy noodle dish than it was a noodle salad, but I enjoyed the fresh flavors.  Jackie had a vegan pizza so good that even I wanted my own!

Not pictured, but worth mentioning: Le Cafe de St. Louis in the Paris has the best pancakes and coffee I’ve ever had.  Also try the sourdough toast – it will change your life.  Jean-Phillippe Chocolates in Bellagio is home to the world’s largest chocolate fountain and a sprawling selection of picture perfect desserts (and sandwiches, too).  Todai, the sushi buffet in the Miracle Mile shops, has coupons at the half-price ticket windows and has a great selection of quality food.  I hope to be adding much more to these lists as future Vegas visits approach!

Richmond, VA: Richmond is one of my favorite cities in America: small and quaint but still has an urban vibe and elements.  Great college area, great coffee shops, excellent music scene, a lot of decent music venues.  I consider it a home away from home for many reasons, and I take every chance I can to head down there.

We were in Richmond on Valentine’s Day, so we were looking for an agreeable cuisine at a restaurant that didn’t have a ridiculous prix-fixe menu and where we wouldn’t be surrounded by couples.  I had read gleaming reviews for Ichican in Richmond’s Short Pump area, and I am glad that I trusted them.  Reasonably priced, remarkably fresh and delicious.  I got a couple of basic rolls, but their menu was inventive and the photo album of specialty rolls was impressive and artistic.

Urban Farmhouse is a new installment in Richmond’s Shockoe Slip and has immediately skyrocketed as one of my favorite spots of all-time.  This market and cafe specializes in creating menus based on seasonal, locally-grown ingredients.  We didn’t eat here, but the coffee is excellent.  But just look at this space!  From the oversized windows and couches to the cozy farmhouse kitchen, it’s the perfect hang out spot.  The staff was extremely sweet, too.  When you add free wi-fi into all of that wonderfulness, you’re just begging to have me sign a lease for the apartment upstairs.  I will be visiting this place much more frequently in future southern excursions!

I picked this up at For the Love of Chocolate, a charming and extensive chocolate store in Carytown.  This chocolate bar is by Vosges, whose chocolate I tried at one of their stores when I was in Vegas last year.  This is their milk chocolate bacon bar and it is AMAZING.  Previously a fan of the chocolate/bacon harmony, I came in with no apprehensions about this bar.  But I was not able to foresee the perfection that this 3.5 inch piece of heaven.  The chocolate:bacon ratio was spot-on so that the flavor of one element enhanced the other – the sweet, milky chocolate and the salty, smoky bacon complemented one another flawlessly, and only with tiny flecks of bacon dotting the bar.

Not pictured, but worth mentioning: The Village Cafe is an awesome diner near the VCU Campus.  The vibe is cool, they serve their soft drinks in mini-pitchers, and their menu has a lot of options and everything I have had is good.  Definitely a staple when I go.  Strawberry Street Cafe has an awesome salad bar that is served out of a bathtub, bursting with fresh veggies and salads.  Their crabcake sandwich is also delicious and, when prepared right, their French onion soup is some of the best I’ve ever had.  Check out their brunch, too, which I’ve heard is top notch!

Boston, MA: One of my favorite cities in America for its cleanliness, its enormous college population, it history, its pride, and its excellent music scene.  Unfortunately, I’ve never visited Boston for more than a day or so at a time, so I haven’t really gotten a feel for its culinary landscape (though I have a shortlist of places to try).  But we did sample a slight bit of Boston fare in our short time there…

From what I gather, UBurger is Boston’s version of Shake Shack except indoors, without ridiculous lines, and with a lot more variety.  Trust me, that isn’t an insult to the Shack – I happen to think their burgers and cheese fries are worth the wait.  But UBurger is Boston’s local burger joint, using fresh, high-quality ingredients and offering tons of toppings.  I went with a regular beef patty with buffalo sauce and bleu cheese crumbles…and a side of fries, of course.

The burger was good: the meat was well-seasoned, the bun was EXTREMELY soft and fresh, but the patty wasn’t nearly thick enough.  I felt like I was getting too much bun and not nearly enough meat and I had to literally ask myself, “Where’s the beef?”  It was high-quality beef in a fast food-sized container.  Next time, I’d double up on the patty.  The fries, on the other hand, we fresh cut, freshly fried, piping hot, seasoned well, and delicious.

After the show, we were seeking a 24-hour establishment for some grub.  My friend Jordan had saved the name of South Street Diner, so we ended up there where I got some breakfast.  I don’t know why I order scrambled eggs anywhere besides Waffle House because I am always disappointed, and these were no exception.  However, these home fries and toast (yes, the toast) were awesome and the diner itself had a very cool, vintage, almost rockabilly vibe to it.  If I lived in the neighborhood, it’s somewhere I’d imagine myself habitually sipping coffee with friends at 2 AM.  Great staff and service, as well.

Lancaster, PA: It has been notably and significantly dreary every time I have entered the city of Lancaster.  In my 4-5 times there, I have never encountered weather that wasn’t wet and cold in some capacity.  That said, I have been pleasantly surprised by the area and by the culinary gems I have encountered there in my travels.

First, but not pictured, is a little joint called Senorita Burrita.  Most of my trips to Lancaster have been to a venue called Chameleon Club, and Senorita Burrita is across the street from the back of the club.  I’ve been there a few of times since 2006, and each time has been wonderful.  They have a wide variety of fillings including three different kinds of rice, a few different kinds of tortillas, different cheeses and beans, etc.  They even offer tofu as one of their proteins, making it vegan-friendly.  The two people I was with were disappointed with their meals, but my burrito with chipotle rice and chicken was bursting with fresh, bright, and unique flavor.  The burritos there are, admittedly (and confusingly) watery once you get to the bottom…but once you get to the watery part, you’re full enough to accept it.  If you’re lucky, bands or patrons will be around playing the piano that graces the space.  Super cozy and super cool.

My favorite post-show spot has to be the Prince Street Cafe, right down the street from Senorita Burrita.  A wide selection of delicious potted teas, coffees, and baked goods.  If you get there in time, you can catch them making hot food, soups, salads, and sandwiches.  I’ve unfortunately never had the honor of trying their hot food, but their pastries and teas are heavenly.  Pictured above is a chocolate-peanut butter cake with a cookie-like crust.  I can also speak volumes about their homemade whoopie pies!  Aside from the great food and beverages, it’s a really chill, comfy space with a great vibe and lots of space.

And back nearer to my home turf, my friend Mike celebrated his 24th birthday in New York City.  After he had retired for the night, my girlfriends and I were looking for a spot to chill out, grab some food, and potentially drinks if it came to it.  Lauren recommended a bar/restaurant in the Lower East Side called The Blue Seats, a long, space odyssey-like, futuristic room lined with booths and mini television screens in every eyeshot.  In addition, they have a droolworthy menu with burgers and sliders, sandwiches, snacks, wings, and most importantly, macaroni and cheese.  I went for a barbecue pulled pork slider and a side dish of truffle macaroni and cheese.

The pulled pork slider was impressive in portion and in taste: creamy pulled pork on a crispy, crusty, toasted bun with pickled red onion and cabbage slaw.  The sauce was much hotter than I expected, but it was outstanding: everything came together for a spicy, sour, sweet, cool, and crispy bite.  Definitely trying the buffalo chicken slider next time!

Lauren had raved to me about this macaroni and cheese, and I was impressed for the most part.  The perfectly browned top invited me right in and I was excited about the usage of orecchiette pasta, arguably my favorite pasta shape.  The first bites were excellently cheesy and tangy, but I wished I had tried the original mac first so I could taste the difference between the regular and the truffled.  As I got through the rest of it, it lost a bit of its luster for me: it became more oily and heavy than I would’ve liked.  It would’ve benefited from a creamier sauce and a deeper dish (rather than that enormous shallow dish pictured above).

Also closer to the home turf is Philadelphia, and Philadelphia means cheesesteaks.  A couple of friends and I went to see Copeland at the Theatre of Living Arts and had some amazing steaks and Jim’s Steaks right down South Street.  Don’t be intimidated by the lines, because they whiz (:rimshot:) through it with ease.  After you receive your steak, head upstairs, snag a window seat, and people watch to your heart’s content.  You might have trouble, though, because you’ll be distracted by this delicious concoction.  Pictured here is my steak with whiz, no onions or peppers.  The steak looks overdone and grizzly, but it’s not: it’s perfectly seasoned and doesn’t have any semblance of oiliness or fattiness.  Pair the delicious meat with the fresh, sturdy, crusty roll, and you have a perfect steak.  The meat:roll ratio is perfect, and I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to wait for  second…I know I did.  The only downside to Jim’s is that they don’t have fries, but I think that aids in efficiency and speed in the long run.

Salt Lake City, UT: And finally, we come to the end of my travels.  Thanks to the JetBlue 10th birthday sale, I was able to score an excellent and amazingly coincidental fare to Salt Lake City, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.  Granted, the Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh billboards were a bit offputting, but Utah is a gorgeous state: a postcard everywhere you look.  I was also surprised to see that I had a breadth of culinary options from which to choose.

Thanks to love-to-hate-him superstar Guy Fieri, I found out about the Lone Star Taqueria in SLC.  This bright, funky shack (with drive-thru!) is famed for some great Mexican food, so I just had to try it out.  Diners are greeted by a station wagon plastered with stickers and an invitation to try their fish tacos.  Enter the neon green building and you’re in a small, sunny, and welcoming room filled with soccer moms, their daughters, and snowboarders seeking a fresh bite after spending a day on the slopes.  The menu as the usual Mexican items and I opted for a carnitas taco and a half chicken burrito.  Many props for offering a half-sized burrito, by the way!

The taco was just okay, if that.  The pork was dry, fatty, and almost flavorless.  I had to douse a fair bit of salsa on it to achieve an enjoyable eating experience.  The burrito, on the other hand, was much, much better.  At first, the flavors were a bit muddled.  However, after adding a bit of the avocado creme that came with it, I was in pure burrito heaven.  The avocado creme was exactly what the burrito needed to wake up all of the other flavors.  It was hearty and bold, aligning itself among the best burritos I’ve ever had.  I was floored by what a difference the avocado made!

In addition, Lone Star has extraordinary homemade chips: thick-cut, sturdy, and salted to perfection.  They also brew their own spicy iced tea with, from what I read, cloves and bay leaves.  It was delicious and interesting, but I had to resort to water because the heat from the herbs wasn’t quenching my thirst the way I needed.

Not pictured, but worth mentioning: The Raw Bean came to me at the suggestion of a friend Kristen, and I could not have been happier to end up in this place.  This coffee house and drive-thru offers excellent drinks and a cozy-contemporary space.  TVs with the yule log illuminated, giving the illusion of warmth in the blustery SLC weather.  I can’t wait to go back!  Also, I didn’t try, but I heard rave reviews of the Red Iguana and their moles.  The Pie is a pizzeria right in the heart of the University of Utah campus and offers some inventive pizzas.

So thank you if you actually got through this entire weeklong work-in-progress.  Now that I am home (for now), I’ll be blogging a bit more regularly.  I already have a few things lined up.  I hope to post many more culinary travels soon.  The only thing I love more than eating is eating at new places in new cities.

Metrazur, like many other restaurants participating in New York Restaurant Week, has a year-round prix-fixe special.  The Restaurant Week menu had a few special items, but the $25 menu had a lot more options.  There were several items divided among sections of warm small plates, cold small plates, entrees, etc.  Instead of going with the Restaurant Week menu, I went for the $25 two small plate + dessert option.  I could not have been more pleased with the quantity and quality of the food I received.  I was a bit hesitant because you never know how small a “small plate” can be.  I was relieved to received hearty, satisfying portions all around.

If any of my readers ever have the pleasure of sharing a meal with me (many of you have, I’m sure), they will discover a trend: if there is tuna tartare on the menu, I am going to order it.  It’s something I don’t eat nearly enough but crave on a regular basis, usually to no avail.  Metrazur’s tuna tartare was divine: fresh, citrusy (almost more like a ceviche), bright, and bold.  It was served with a side of taro chips and a dollop of guacamole.  The taro chips were light and crisp, but were very inconsistently salted.  The guacamole was, for lack of a better word, RIDICULOUS.  I didn’t expect the combination of the tartare and guacamole to work so well, but it was just an explosion of creamy, tangy perfection.  I am salivating just thinking of it…good work, Charlie Palmer.  I’m hooked!  You have set the bar for future tartares.

Aside from the mind-blowing tartare, I also tried Jim’s butternut squash soup, which was also exceptional.  It was savory, buttery, slightly sweet.  Warmed the soul, just as any good soup should.

For the next “small plate,” I tried the balsamic braised short rib with parsnip risotto.  This was the plate I was concerned about as far as size was concerned, but my worries were unwarranted.  This gorgeous plate was perfect, especially for a lunch portion.

I was giddy when this plate was placed in front of me.  There is something so intoxicating about a bright white plate that showcases a dish and really lets it shine visually.  It makes eating that dish even more enjoyable.  I thought the contrast between the risotto and the balsamic glaze was striking, and the brightness of the herbs to finish it off…stunning.

But looks aren’t everything, and thankfully, this dish delivered in the flavor department.  My short rib was small and not as tender as David Burke Townhouse, but it was bursting with sweet meatiness from the balsamic.  The risotto was cooked perfectly, too.  The flavor was warm and delicate, enrobing my palate.  A plate of good risotto can be compared to a warm hug, really.  It was comforting and rich, but not heavy at all.  Combined with the sauce from the short rib, the risotto was perfectly balanced.  So, so good.

For dessert, Jim and I each got the key lime pie.  I’m not an expert by any means, but I was looking for a more refreshing dessert.  The pie was incredibly tart for me, but the crust was delicious.  Some bites were less tart than others, and those were the ones I enjoyed more.  It became more of a chore than it was worth, so I ended up leaving about half of it uneaten.  It was served in a glaze with cantaloupe and peaches, which I happily ate.

Overall, Metrazur was one of the better Restaurant Week experiences I’ve had.  The cuisine is right up my alley, the price is right, the selection on the $25 prix-fixe is excellent, and it’s a delicious way to take in a piece of New York City iconography.  I’ll definitely be back as soon as I hear the tuna tartare faintly calling my name.

I went with a group of five on a sunny Sunday afternoon, so the timing and atmosphere just begged for brunch.  The menu, available year-round, is large and inventive with tons of variety from omelets to burgers.  For $24, diners choose two dishes with their choice of dessert (two options).  And although I was in a Jean-Georges restaurant and could’ve gone for pretty much anything on the menu, I opted for pancakes.

I have yet to experience a life-changing stack of pancakes (hence my desire to go to Clinton St. Baking Company), but these were passable.  Slightly burned, but hit the spot.  The syrup was overwhelmingly sweet, however.  Use in moderation!

The fried chicken was definitely the highlight of the meal.  I was thankful that I wasn’t going to be forced to eat it with my hand.  It was a petite breast, lightly breaded, perfectly crisp, and topped with lemon zest for a bright, refreshing finish.  The side order of spaetzle looked deceptively like macaroni and cheese, but the lack of flavor was infinitely more disappointing than the fact that it wasn’t mac and cheese.  Bland is hardly the word – a complete throwaway.

For dessert, we had a choice between chocolate molten cake with caramel ice cream (pictured) and fruit salad with ladyfingers and white pepper ice cream.  I don’t know whether I misheard, but the ice cream tasted more life coffee than caramel.  The molten cake, though good, was way too rich and decadent combined with the other items I ordered.  I couldn’t even finish it.

My meal at Perry St. was overall enjoyable, but not mind-blowing like some of my previous Restaurant Week experiences.  I think this was entirely based on what I ordered, though.  I sampled some of my friends’ dishes, and most of them were outstanding: the tuna burger and fried calamari, in particular.  The menu was so expansive that I would definitely be open to going back and sampling some more.  However, I definitely give Perry St. props for the value, variety, and for trying to expand their clientele in the current economic climate.  Their casual elegance and warm, friendly service is definitely an incentive to give them another shot.

Where are you going?  And, more importantly, have you hit up the New York Restaurant Week TRUCK?!  I wish I lived or work in Manhattan, because I would be eating there every day.