Founding Farmers Washington, DC

This weekend was filled with friends, family, love and of course FOOD!  A friend of mine had set up some great places for us to try while in town.  I must say she did a great job picking.  Thanks Ms Pace! 

Before dining at the choices on her itinerary, I went on a hot date to Founding Farmers.  Of course it was crashed by a mini family member, but you know how it is with college students, if there's a free meal around, they come a running.  Founding Farmers is a great restaurant close by Pepperdine and George Washington University and only a few blocks from the White House.  They have an interesting background story which goes a little something like this:

Founding Farmers is a restaurant that is based of a small family of farmers.  They literally only buy their foods from sustainable American farmers, and bring it directly to their guests.  Everything they create is natural and organic.  Their food is very tasty and you wouldn't believe the difference in taste in the meats, freshness is key.

He (my hot date) ordered the fried chicken with waffles, macaroni and cheese and collard greens.  Sorry but I didn't take a picture.  It was exactly how you would picture it, except the fried chicken was fried soft.  It was pretty tasty. He wasn't that hungry so we nibbled on it the next day as left overs and it was very good. 

I ordered the fried green tomatoes which are some of the best I've ever had and the Farmers Daughter burger which was bleu cheese, bacon and balsamic grilled onions.  The burger was on a type of brioche bun that was slightly sweet.  A great contrast to the tart bleu cheese and saltiness of the bacon.  There was also a small side of natural cut french fries, that at first sight didn't look appetizing but upon touching your tongue, they were perfectly fried and salted. 

I was very happy with my meal and would suggest Founding Farmers for brunch or dinner.  Both menus have something for everyone. 

www.FoundingFarmers.com

@FoundingFarmers

Founding Farmers DC

1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20006

Lobster Roll in NYC....believe it baby!

It's taken me a while to write another post.  I wanted it to be based off of a food truck, and due to the up and down weather, I haven't felt much like food truck chasing.  However, I came across a food truck I was dying to try.  I went on their website to see where they would be, showed up to the location 10 minutes early.  10 minutes turned to 15 minutes which turned to me googling on my iphone where the truck was via my twitter (@tammicupcake - shameless plug opportunity).  Low and behold, I was a WEEK too early. Bad news soon turned great because I saw that they would be at Brooklyn Flea that weekend.  I made my way to the overly crowded flea market and finally dived into a lobster roll...

RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND 

FOOD TRUCK

THE MENU

Given the options, it was only right to try the Lobster Roll...

I had heard from my DC folk that their lobster rolls are covered in mayo to the point of nauseation!  Maybe it's just the ones in DC, because this one I tried in NYC was Ah-Maze-Zing!!!  There was barely any mayo, lots and lots of lobster claw, they poured some melted butter over it and covered it in scallions.  It was literally one of the best I've had.  The only thing that would have made it slightly better was if the bun was toasted!  It was worth ever single dollar. 

I tasted the Lobster Mac & Cheese.  I wasn't crazy with the concept, but once I saw it when my friend ordered it.  I had to have a bite.  

My intuition was right and 1 bite was all I needed.  The top of the mac & cheese was nice and cheesy with the sweet lobster. Once you got to the layers underneath it was like a watery cheese sauce with lobster in it.  If you can imagine cheap Velveeta with expensive lobster in it.   It was semi flavorless and could have used some sort of seasoning...when in doubt, sprinkle with salt! 

The normal full menu (http://redhooklobsterpound.com/), boasts 2 different styles of lobster rolls.  The Maine Style - the one I ordered, and the Connecticut Style, which is just lobster and butter.  I would definitely go back and try the Connecticut.  

If you want to try the lobster truck, follow them on twitter, and find out their daily locations (@lobstertruckny)!! 

LAVO NY Restaurant & Lounge

I think I may have found heaven! Lavo, the sister establishment to Tao, has got to be one of the best restaurants I've tried in a long time.  It's not cheap or built for a family of 4, but it has the most amazing entrees.   They greet your table with some soft toasted italian garlic, herb bread with warm marinara sauce.  This bread alone could be your meal.  Besides the free bread, I've had a few things from the menu.  Below are the menu items that I've tasted thus far:

Brick Oven Salmon:  The house cooks it medium to medium rare and it's served with a creamy lemon butter sauce and a side of julienne style zucchini.  It was seasoned pretty well and was very filling.  The lunch portion was enough to leave you with leftovers.

8oz Filet:  Again the house prepares it medium, which for a steak can be closer to medium rare, drizzled with a dark peppercorn sauce.  It was pretty tender and the thin sauce made the steak seem to be even juicer than it would be if it were doused in a thick A1.  During restaurant week it was served with the truffle parmesan fries.  Fries aren't my favorite accompaniment with steak, but the truffle flavor was nice with the steak.

Tuna Tartare:  For my tuna fans!  The tartare was stacked with avocado, a black chili oil and small crispy garlic chips. It was a lot of tuna and a lot of avocado.  The soft avocado mixed with the soft tuna made it seem one dimensional but the oil and garlic chips allowed the dish to enter into a second dimension.

Crispy Zucchini:  Personally, fried zucchini is one of my favorite snacks.  Any restaurant that offers it, I will try it.  I've never seen it done like this tho.  The zucchini strips resembled shoe string fries and were clumped together with parmesan cheese and had a nice salty taste.  I could go to the restaurant just for the zucchini.

Margherita Pizza:  Very tasty.  It was served as an appetizer so it was a bit much to eat with the warm bread that was served.  It was almost like double pizza.  Nonetheless, it was very good with just enough cheese and basil.   (no photo)

Oreo Zeppoles:  These are double stuffed fried oreos served with a tiny malted vanilla milkshake. I think the title speaks for itself and pretty much explains the true meaning of DESSERT!

There isn't one bad thing I could say about this place.  The service is excellent, the food has yet to fail me and their nightlife (featured DJ's) is quite the midtown trend! If you admire quality food done right, don't hesitate to try Lavo....and please invite me!!!!

http://www.lavony.com/
39 East 58th Street (between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue)
LAVO Restaurant is open daily for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
LAVO Nightclub is open Thursday through Saturday, from 10pm - 4am.

Spotlight: Bread & Spoon

I decided to write this weeks post on an amazing Jersey City based company that not only offers catering, but offers classes and home prepared dishes.



Introducing ........... Bread & Spoon

Bread & Spoon creates seasonal meals with fresh organic products obtained from NY/NJ local sustainable farms.  In lamest terms, your food isn't pumped full of hormones or sitting on a grocery store shelf for days on end, stamped with an unrealistic expiration date. This also means that you are helping the livlihood of these local farmers in a time when we are all in a search of the homegrown label: MADE IN THE USA!

Bread & Spoon offers a variety of options from catering/events to cooking classes and trainings.  They also specialize in offering sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and egg-free products. I've had the pleasure of tasting some of their items, and I was surprised at how tasty the gluten-free products were.  Owner & Chef, Colleen Christi Willett has somehow managed to make eating healthy, taste good, really good!!

Check them out!! 
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bread-Spoon/141489565922041
Website: http://www.breadnspoon.com/
Email: breadandspoon@gmail.com

Age old debate: Pork Bacon vs Turkey Bacon

This debate has been the forefront of common society's minds for ages.  Probably since cave man created fire, they wanted to know which is better...the pig or the turkey???

I have done some mionor research and come to find out a few things about both of these interesting slabs of meat our community devours on a daily basis.  This test was done based on your normal bodega selection of both bacons - nothing fancy...no test kitchen here!

Pork bacon and turkey bacon have a very similar caloric count, avg 35 calories per slice.  Yes, different brands vary, but this test was not conducted with every bacon brand made.  Turkey has a naturally higher sodium level, some brands are double that of a normal (not including low sodium) pork bacon brands.  The fat in both turkey and pork averaged out to about 2.5%.  However, pork has a higher saturdated fat content, which is one of the reasons for high cholesterol.   The kicker is, turkey bacon actually is significantly lower in protein than pork bacon.  With either one you are risking either high saturated fat or high sodium...choose your vice! 

I've chosen and only pork belongs on this fork!  Besides the obvious that pork bacon is found naturally in a pig and turkey bacon is a processed man made "bacon" from the dark meat of a turkey and processed in a factory somewhere to taste and look like bacon, pork bacon just TASTE better.  Turkey bacon companies aren't fooling me when it comes to look, taste and texture.  I am onto their games and schemes and I will stick with pork bacon.

Choose your bacon because of taste (or religion), not because of the health reasons because...well...it doesn't seem to make that much of a difference.  It holds true that you should eat everything in moderation, even turkey bacon.  To find out what the masses really eat, lets take it to the polls...

Pork Bacon or Turkey Bacon?

Philly Eatery: RELISH

This weekend I traveled back to where my adult life began and where the best University exists, Temple University...Go Owls!! A place known as good ol' Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. While there, I was introduced to a restaurant located in West Oak Lane.  It's a restaurant with live Jazz, known as Relish.  This African-American owned establishment serves a fancy spin on southern comfort food.  We tried about 3 or 4 different appetizers and 3 entrees.  My review is below:


APPETIZERS:
 1. Skillet Cornbread w/honey butter - amazingly soft with a slight resemblance to cake.
 2. Seafood Mac & Cheese - it had a great creamy but not over nauseating texture, with crab and lobster.  It still tasted like mac & cheese and was not overpowered by the seafood.
 3. Grilled Diver Scallops - giant scallops wrapped in a soft cooked turkey bacon with a mango chutney.  Anyone that knows me, knows that I absolutely despise turkey bacon and this appetizer gave my decision to stick to pork on this fork, merit.
 4. Fried Calamari and Okra - Nothing special, it was your run of the mill fried calamari and okra.  The aoli was quite tasty and actually made the calamari have flavor.  I would have preferred the appetizer if it was all fried okra!

Appetizers

ENTREES:

 1. Lamb Shank - By far the best entree on the table.  It was served in a Mediterranean style sauce and was a lot of food. Accompanied with your ice cream scooper mashed potatoes and collard greens.

 2. Honey Glazed Duck Breast - a very juicy, tender cut of meat with a cherry sauce.  This cherry sauce was a little over cooked for my taste.  It no longer had the intense cherry flavor that usually is a great contrast with meat such as duck. Accompanied with those single scooped mashed potatoes and garlic string beans.  The string beans were without a doubt cooked to perfection.

 3. Roasted Herb Chicken - well not much to say....chicken is chicken!  One thing I never order when I dine out is chicken.  It doesn't take the top graduate from the French Culinary Institute to be able to make a decent chicken.  So, not only did I not order this, but I didn't even taste it, I don't even remember what it was accompanied by. Nonetheless, this entree will not be reviewed by moi.  If it's any consolation, from what I heard, it tasted like....chicken.   Maybe the photo will help. 

In sum, I would definitely go back to Relish, and would recommend you try it as well.  The service was impeccable.  The waitress was sweet and knowledgeable about the food.  The food runners were timely and everything came out at the right temperature, at the right time.  The manager was there to greet guests and even made sure our glasses stayed full with wine.

Website and contact information below:

RELISH Philadelphia

7152 Ogontz Avenue

Philadelphia, Pa 19138

215.276.0170

http://relishphiladelphia.com/home.html

SPOTLIGHT with Chef JJ

I had the honor of interviewing friend, and professional Chef, Joe Johnson.  Just to say a little bit before diving into the thick of it, the man known as Chef JJ is the 1st winner of Rocco's Dinner Party on BRAVO, chef at Morgan Stanley, and creator of the show Kids Love Cooking with Cheff JJ.  Find the interview below:

BE: How do you describe yourself as a chef?
JJ: A "What's In Your Fridge" kind of chef.  Food is my expression. I don't want to be characterized by any one type of food.  Coming from a Caribbean and African American background, my choices are endless.

BE: Tell me about Oatmeal Juice Joy and where can we find it?
JJ:  Well I'm currently in the process of getting my label approved by the FDA.  Oatmeal Joy is a drink that has a consistency a little thicker than milk.  Its totally natural and vitamin efficient.  Not only does it have a
     15 day shelf live but it can also be used as a meal replacement.
It started at work, I made some for my menu, and it instantly was a hit.  I decided to bottle it and try to get it on shelves.
     You can't find it anywhere yet, since it is still in the approval process with the FDA.  However, I would love to have it in all grocery stores, especially those low-income communities.

BE: Is there a reason why?
JJ:  Basically, I want something that will be good and healthy. Something that even kids would enjoy drinking.  There needs to be more healthy, taste good options everywhere, but especially these communities.

BE: You mentioned it being kid friendly as well as on your website you discuss a show: Kids Love Cooking with Cheff JJ.  Are you hoping to aim your food/brand towards kids?
JJ: I want to be the voice of food through kids.  Making food fun, healthy and easy.  On one of my shows I put skittles and beets in front of one of the kid chefs and I make them taste 1 at a time and ask which is sweeter.  We know, no kid is going to admit that the beet is actually sweeter than candy, but 9 out of 10 times they say 'Wow that beet is really sweet'.  It's the awareness that may help their parent choose more healthy food if the kid suggests it.  Or if they hear 'beets' they are more inclined to eat them, because they remember how sweet they are.

BE: Any kids cookbooks in the works?
JJ:  Of course, cookbooks, possibly a restaurant, Oatmeal Joy . . . I have a lot of things in the works.  Not to mention a Food Social Network: Ur Palate.

BE: What's the deets of this restaurant?
JJ: Well it's just in talk and location shout phase, but it would basically be a Wine & Burger Bar.  With all types of different burgers, crab and lobster burgers, chicken, fish and all paired with different wines.  It will be a new spin on American food, and will include non-burger menu items as well.

BE: Sounds like my kind of place. If you would send me to any other restaurants to eat in NYC, where would u recommend?
JJ: 1.) Gotham Bar & Grill 2.) Alta 3.) Danji (order the KFC Chicken - to die for) 4.) Thai Market  

BE: Are these million dollar restaurants or places we can actually try and not break our banks?
JJ: They are restaurants with great food.  Price isn't an issue when I decide on great places to eat.  I would rate taste over price any day.  But for the record Danji is very affordable!

BE: Just what we needed to know.  Thanks so much Chef JJ for your time and sharing your thoughts with my readers!
JJ: Anytime!

You can find Chef JJ at the 1st annual Kids Food Festival in Bryant Park, January 21 & January 22  and sometimes hanging at Nectar Wine Bar (they have a $20 brunch with unlimited wine/sangria), the links, including his website, are below:

http://kidsfoodfestival.com/
http://www.nectarwinenyc.com/
http://chefjoejohnson.com/

It's Restaurant Week time

It's here again folks! New York City Restaurant Week has blessed us with their discount menus for 20 days, January 16 - February 10 to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Click the link below to see if your favorite dine in spot or always wanted to try location, is on the list. 

Things to Remember: 
$24.07 for lunch; $35 for dinner
Monday thru Friday only
Some restaurants REQUIRE reservations

http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek/

LA Eats: Food Review

Readers, I issue my disclaimer now... normally I don't condone eating at the "famous" restaurant food chains when traveling out of town.  However, I had to do it.  On my trip to Los Angeles to visit my family's new pad,  I decided I must embark on the famous food trail and eat at all the so-called LA hot spots.  Needless to say they all tantalized my taste buds and definitely earned their right to a spot on Bitten Euphoria.  Hopefully, I will soon regain your trust, given this small (and it is small) relapse to common folk food.  Just in case your curious about my hot spot opinions, check it out below:

1. The Hudson
-Amazing little (overly crowded) bar with reinvented nostalgic organic eats that are out of this world.  You haven't had a grilled cheese until you've had one from here.   O and if possible try not to walk into the giant trees that are growing up through the floors! Did I mention it's also a micro-brewery?! They even have a photo booth, which is suited for 2 people but we managed to squeeze in 3!
To Die For--> Brioche Grilled Cheese: Toasted brioche slices housing American, Cheddar & Provolone cheeses (To top it off you can add even add in short rib) with a side of hand cut french fries with parsley and parmesan cheese.  Heaven in a 6 inch thick bite!

Brioche Grilled Cheese

2. Roscoes Chicken & Waffles (Don't Judge Me)
-Worth the 27 year wait!  This place was not only all I expected it to be but blew any expectation, down to the 20 minute wait for a table for the ORIGINAL Roscoes Chicken & Waffles.  I have had this combo at many places, and it's never my favorite considering it's fried chicken and a waffle how difficult is that to make (insert dramatic pause) ...until I ate Roscoes. My chicken & waffles desires will never be the same and unless it's Roscoe's I will refuse to eat it.  I learned, the trick is in the waffle and the butter.  They have somehow mastered the perfect combination of sweetness, thickness and creamy butter to present what has made them famous!  Behold the beauty.
To Die For --> The Country Boy: 3 chicken wings & a waffle. And The Oscar: 3 chicken wings, a side of cheese grits w/ extra butter (again please hold the judgement) and 1 scrambled egg.

Country Boy

The Oscar

3. Pink Taco

- This rock star establishment is known for it's celebrity diners, and fish tacos! There is rockstar memorabilia covering the walls, rockstar waitresses and their rockstar tacos speak for themselves.  They have an endless list of tacos, burritos, fajitas, guacamole and all other types of Mexican tasties.  

To Die For --> Baja Fish Tacos: white fish with cucumber cabbage slaw, avocado, pico de gallo, jalapeno mayo dished with mexican red rice and refried pinto beans!   To start your Mexican dish they start you off with endless chips and salsa (3 different types) and margarita's that will have you speaking Spanish...!!

Baja Fish Tacos

Trinidadian Culture Shock

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am an All-American girl who would lay face down in the middle of Madison Avenue during rush-hour for some Cuban food with a side of bread...any bread!  I was introduced to possibly the best bread of my life.  Two different kinds of Trinidadian breads grazed and danced on my palate this week.

1. Sweet bread  -  Freaking AMAZING.  It has a wheat dinner roll texture sparsely scattered with tiny currents.  It has a sweet simple sugar glaze brushed on the top - by far the best part.

2. Butter Loaf  -  It's a super dense, soft bread that has the taste of butter already baked into it.  When its warm it almost melts in your mouth.  The sheer weight of the bread in your hand is soo heavy, I swear after 3 bites, I instantly gained 3 pounds.  It's clearly worth it!!

So far, Royal Bakery & Roti House in Brooklyn is the place to get your goodies!!  Trust me, you will thank me later.  Address below:

Royal Bakery & Roti House

618 Nostrand Ave (between Dean and Pacific Sts) Brooklyn NY

(718) 604-0200

Subway: A, C to Nostrand Ave

Mon–Sat 9am–8pm

Average dish: $5. Cash only

Welcome wondering tastebuds

I started this blog to share my amazing food finds, restaurants, food trucks and concepts that I come across in my everyday life.  I ask that you follow along and remember that these are opinions and thoughts from my own mind and unless otherwise stated are just that....THOUGHTS!  When I am granted a penny for my thoughts, I will be sure to let you know.

I hope to one day come across the dream location, a place that matches, savory foods, desserts, fancy and your everyday all american, that's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and delivers to any and every location.  Until then, my search continues...