Dig Inn: Restaurant Review

While I was wasn’t impressed with the meal I got at Sun in Bloom last weekend, my faith in healthy, vegetarian, natural food options in New York City was restored on Wednesday when I had my first experience with Dig Inn!

With locations all over the city, Dig Inn Seasonal Market is “real food, real quality.” According to them.  But I’m pretty sure I concur.  They have TONS of options- both for vegetarians and meat eaters.  Salads, soups, shakes, juices, and my favorite- the build your own platters.

I must have sat on the website for like 40 minutes trying to figure out what I wanted, since my friend was going to go and pick it up for us.  You can choose either a big plate or a small plate. You start by picking a meat, tofu, or veggie plate.  Meat options include things like lemon herb chicken, spicy meatballs and braised beef.  Vegetarian options are tofu salad and wild salmon- or you can choose the veggie platter option and you get to pick an extra “side” item for your plate. 

Next is deciding between either a green or a whole grain.  Arugula, baby spinach, brown rice or the “specialty grain.”  And then, the hardest part (as if there weren’t already too many options for someone like myself to consider!) The sides! So many delicious sounding options and you need to choose 3! (Or pay extra for more).  The best part is that they change based on what the current available/in season ingredients are. Some sides on the menu right now are roasted brussels sprouts (let’s be real, they’re on EVERY menu), sautéed kale with purple potato, Tuscan white bean seasoned with ham, beets and cucumber salad, kale & apple salad, etc. 

As you build your plate on their website, they give you all the nutritional information too- which is amazing for someone who is guilty of being a calorie-counter (I know, I know, I need to stop).  Lastly, you can add sauces and spreads (guac is $1.38 extra, grr). 

So enough about the ordering process- let’s talk about what I ate, because I really want to relive it.

First of all, love that they serve it in little brown boxes a la Whole Foods that feel earthy and healthy.  Lame, I know. I got a small plate with the organic tofu salad (tofu, green beans, carrots, and raisins in a wasabi aioli dressing). Uhm. Yum. I think this was my favorite part.  Tofu is usually bland, but this actually tasted like something to me- and it was something great. 

I also opted for the “specialty grain” which was cracked bulgur wheat with celery, carrots and onions tossed with a lemon/apple cider vinaigrette and agave, and seasoned with a Mediterranean spice blend.  That’s a mouthful.  After my bulgur salad from FISHTAG that was kind of a bummer, I was a little hesitant to order this.  It was underneath everything else on my plate, and kind of mixed in with all the other sides, but overall I’m glad it’s the grain I went with instead of just plain old brown rice (I’m not the biggest brown rice fan, because most of my experiences with it are like my Sun in Bloom experiences where it’s bland and boring and I’m left regretting the carbs).

My three sides were all great as well, I really have nothing bad to say.  They were seasoned and tasty and not boring in the least- yet based on Dig Inn’s website, it really is healthy! I got the roasted Brussels sprouts (tossed with fresh lime juice and a touch of maple vinaigrette), the broccoli with roasted garlic and almonds (red pepper flakes and maple vinaigrette) and the roasted carrots and parsnips mixed with dried cranberries in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.

(I Dig it- HA)

For just $7, I wasn’t left feeling ripped off at all, considering the price of lunch in midtown Manhattan can be pretty insane. Although I will say, I TOTALLY could have eaten more- next time I may go with the large plate. Also throwin’ it out there that my friend had amazing things to say about the spicy meatballs, and I tried his kale & purple potatoes and sweet potatoes and they were great as well!

I think my favorite part about this menu, is that for every ingredient, Dig Inn lets you know the exact farm that it comes from.  It’s kind of incredible that I can know the Brussels sprouts I’m eating come from Bayview Farm in Jamesport, LI (Long Island, represent!)

The one thing I have to say, is that most people seem to agree that this place is usually PACKED at lunch hour and that the employees there are less than friendly- rushing customers and coming off as rude. They should be happy about working at such an awesome place, is what I say!

I will definitely be back for more Dig Inn (if I ever make it through my bucket list…)

With so many different locations, pick-up, delivery and online ordering, you really have no excuse not to try this place! Go! Do it!

Sweet Spring Saturday

After my out-of-this-world, amazing, spectacular, super, wonderful, incredible, bomb-diggity run on Saturday morning I was ready for some SUNSHINE! Hallelujah to warmth and sun – two things that instantaneously make me a little happier. I got to do 3 things that I would like to share with ya:

1) Union Square Farmer’s Market

For me, farmer’s markets generally entail wandering around until I have found every possible stand giving out free samples, and then leaving empty handed because there are too many options and I’m overwhelmed and full at that point.

Saturday was no different. Although I did decide that next weekend, I’m buying sunchokes and experimenting with them.

2) Vegan Shop-Up

I ventured to Brooklyn for the Vegan Shop-Up which was pretty awesome! They had TONS of vendors, and again, I wandered, trying a bunch of samples and not making any decisions on actually buying things. 

Beyond Sushi was there, and I came THIS close to buying a roll, but I need to hold out until I can get to the restaurant and thoroughly enjoy it. I took pictures though, of course, because it’s all so freaking pretty!

(Sushi, artwork- same difference)

I also tried really tasty chocolate covered rice cakes!

Yeahdawg had a stand set up there, and I almost bought their vegan dog with all the toppings, but then I was like “You’re right near Smorgasburg, why don’t you go get something on your Smorg list?!” And Barry’s Tempeh was sold out which made me sad.  So I hoped back on the L and: 

3) Smorgasburg

Again- samples before any type of decision was made.  But at this point I was beyond starving so I needed to actually eat something instead of nibbling on samples.

(Smorg is BAAAAAACK)

I went with the Ethiopian BunnaCafé.  I asked the woman working what her three favorites were and said gimme that!

(Bunna Cafe's Smorg menu)

Basically, it’s 3 sides served with injera- which, according to the always reliable Wikipedia, is “sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea.” Sounds about right! It was totally the weirdest, most unattractive texture.  It came with 2 injera, but about 3 spoonfuls of filling for $6. It was a rip off.  But, whatever. 

(Spongy texture? Check.)

I got my injera with yater kik alicha (yellow split peas cooked with red onion, ginger, garlic, herbs and turmeric), misir wot (red lentils cooked with a spicy berbere sauce) and shiro (ground chickpeas simmered with garlic, ginger and herbs).  I think the shiro was my favorite! All the fillings were a great combo of spices and herbs, but the injera was weird, not flavorful, and cold. 

I wrapped up my day with a crazy insane walk from 14th street and 1^st Avenue up to 92^nd street- because it was sunny and I didn’t want to get on a subway or in a bus!

By the time I got home dinner was definitely necessary, so I made myself a delicious personal pizza using a Joseph’s flax pita (if you haven’t tried Joseph’s you seriously need to like, yesterday.  Get with it people! 60 calories for the most amazing, moist, tasty pita EVER).

I topped my little pie with some tomato sauce, spinach, roasted baby eggplant and asparagus, some goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and pecans! Yeah, pretty impressive, I know.

I then proceeded to fall asleep by 10 p.m. on Saturday night, because apparently sometime in the last few months I have gone from a party animal to a farmer’s market goin’ runner freak.  And I’m totally loving it. (Ok, to be fair I definitely went to a tailgate on Friday night with an open bar and rum punch- balance, people!)

Happiest Run

Let’s talk about how my run on Saturday morning was probably the happiest I have been in a very, very long time. I’ve talked to people who have cried happy tears during races before, and I honestly came close to having my first run-cry, although I held it together. 

I didn’t run for a week.  It was rough. After the Scotland Run last weekend, my body was muy muy unhappy with me.  “Why did you run that fast, up and down hills?” the giant, painful knots in my calves kept asking me with every step.  No joke. My shins were in pain while I was walking and I was having serious flashbacks to my stress fracture, crutches, boot nightmare from earlier this year.  So I (shockingly) tried listening to my body and not pushing it.  Which is something that I’m very bad at. So for 6 days I didn’t run.  I took one spin class, and did 20 minutes on the elliptical, but that was pretty much the extent of my cardio for 6 days.

And then, Friday night was a really emotionally not fun night.

So when I woke up Saturday morning, I wanted a good run.  But the worst thing ever is when you want and need a good run, and you get yourself all excited for an awesome run, and then it ends up kicking your butt and sucking.

Part of me was expecting that.

LUCKILY, I was beyond pleasantly surprised Saturday. The sun was shining. I was wearing shorts and a tank top.  There were tons of people out for the group run.  I’m starting to feel like I fit in with this group.  My legs felt like they were rested (gee Lauren, maybe rest CAN be a good thing) as we ran the now familiar 10-mile Randall’s Island run from the UES Jack Rabbit store.  I felt like I was running so easy, yet I was somehow leading the group the entire time? I seriously felt like I was on Cloud 9. I didn’t listen to music for a second.

And when we got back to the store, I had multiple people come up to me as if I was some legit runner, asking me questions and complimenting me and telling me I looked great out there today.  

What?! 

I honestly didn’t know what to say.  “Wow, you really run.” “You must run a LOT.” “You must have run in high school right?” (HA, that’s a funny joke). “Thanks for leading today” the leader said as I left…I honestly was dumbfounded.  I mean, I kept insisting to everyone that I am NOT by ANY means an incredible runner.  Today I just felt amazing, I had been off for 6 days, usually my entire body hurt…I had every comeback for the compliments (and thank yous as well).  But I’m not going to lie, when I walked home from the store, I was kind of floating.

I still don’t think I’m an amazing runner by any means- but I AM a runner.  Running makes me happy. Running is when I get some of my best thinking done.  A good run can make or break my day.  Running is like therapy for me.  And now, apparently, running is something I’m actually good at, thanks to sticking with it even through the runs that are painful and long and slow.  

And you know what? I would take 2387492 of those not so great runs for every one that was like todays. 

Oh my god, I might cry. I need to stop.

RUN HAPPY PEOPLE. 

Sun in Bloom: Restaurant Review

Spring has arrived here in NYC- and I find myself stopping to take pictures of flowers blooming and being willing to walk a lot more frequently.  It’s also a lot easier to crave veggies and all-natural food when you aren’t freezing and just wanting a nice big skillet of mac and cheese from S’mac.

(Flowers are blooming all over NYC, hooray!) 

So Sunday I went for a lovely stroll from Nolita to the Financial District to cross another place off my bucket list– Sun in Bloom.  The original Sun in Bloom is a sit down restaurant in Brooklyn, but the new location on church street mainly services take out- although we opted to sit at the counter.  The shop was SO cute- and totes instagrammable (that was intentionally disgusting sounding).

They aren’t serving their full menu yet- but they said it should be ready soon.  There were still plenty of options, as well as a fridge with pre-made food for people on the go!

Based on the look and feel of this place, along with a m enu featuring things like 3 bean chili, sweet potato soup, and a chickpea miso soup- I had high hopes! Everything served at Sun in Bloom is vegan and gluten free.

I ordered the macro bowl, which comes with brown rice, the daily bean, steamed greens, wakame, the daily veggies, and house made raw sauerkraut with sesame ginger dressing.  That afternoon, the daily bean was black beans and the daily veggie was parsnips and sweet potatoes.

(Meh to the macro bowl)

I was underwhelmed by this meal- especially for the somewhat steep $12 price tag.  I was full by the end, but left wishing it had been better than the bland brown rice and dry black beans I experiences.  I really wasn’t impressed at all.

My friend ordered the sunrise scramble- ginger-miso glazed aphrodisiac tofu fusion served with steamed greens, the daily bean and brown rice.

That aphrodisiac tofu fusion saved the day- and possibly secured Sun in Bloom another show one day.  Again, not sure the $10 price tag was worth it considering everything it was served with was less than stellar- but the seasonings used in this tofu scramble were pretty spectacular. And the seaweed salad was tasty too!

(An improvement over the macro bowl) 

I may check Sun in Bloom out again one day when the entire menu is ready to go- but for now I’ll pass on the over-priced, under-flavored food.  For a place whose menu features some of my favorite ingredients, this was a bummer.

What do you think? Is it worth a trip to the sit-down location in Brooklyn?

14 Things Foodies Will Fight to the Death About

This recent post on BuzzFeed had me cracking up! I don't know if I'm able to call myself a foodie yet, but this article made me feel like I'm well on my way!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Let's be real- choosing the perfect filter is key when insagramming your food, or anything for that matter! Including gym selfies...are you going to go HD on that veggie burger? Lofi that lobster roll? Very important questions. 

I'm totally on board with the current brussels sprouts craze- it seems they're on every menu! "It" ingredients I could do without? Fennel and radishes. GTFO my salads! 

The other night I thought I could name my favorite cheese. JOKES! I ended up going through a list of about 8 before giving up. (But in case you're wondering, I'm a big fan of ricotta, feta, blue, and goat- to name a few) 

So, totally, me.  I was called a "little Nazi" at Spice Market the other night. 

Read the rest of them on BuzzFeed! 

China Grill: Restaurant Review

I’ve been lucky enough to eat at China Grill at least 3 times- but never with the intention of reviewing it, like I did on Saturday night.  Though the size of their plates has noticeably shrunk- it was still as delicious as I remembered (thanks in part to the presentation- my dad always says you eat with your eyes first!)

I started with a cocktail at the bar that was just screaming my name- a spicy cucumber margarita! The rim had some spicy seasoning that was HOT but good and the cucumber made it refreshing! Plus I just always love tequila.

China Grill is my favorite type of restaurant because their dishes are meant to be shared.  We started with 3 appetizers and a salad.

The salad is one I have had many times before- the crackling calamari salad with lime miso dressing. 

The calamari is the perfect crispiness, and something about that dressing is addictive!  Ever since the crackling calamari salad from Gray Goose Café in Connecticut though, this can’t be #1 in my book- there’s has slices of banana and cashews in it! (And now that I’m thinking about it, it should definitely be added to my listof life-changing salads).  

(Sorry China Grill, but this crackling calamari salad from Gray Goose Cafe takes the prize)

Lack of banana and cashews aside, the calamari salad at China Grill is pretty killer.

The spicy beef and scallion dumplings with a soy ginger sauce were up next- although I couldn’t sample them because, beef.

No trip to China Grill is complete without ordering their lobster pancakes- bursting with stir fried wild mushrooms, red chili, scallions and coconut milk.  They’re so pretty!

(Obsessed with the presentation) 

The taste of the lobster definitely comes through, and the mushrooms are divine.  I don’t LOVE coconut, so I always question how much I’m diggin’ the sauce, but it’s so creamy that I usually decide I’m cool with it!

(One more picture of the lobster pancakes so you can see how stuffed they are!)

The last appetizer we got was the tempura tuna sashimi with hot mustard champagne sauce.

(Dem was some good bean sproutz)

This was good-but not wow worthy.  I actually enjoyed the bean sprouts in the sauce the best!  And the flying fish eggs! Love that pop-rock texture boost!

Before the next course I switched up my drink and got a China Blossom with Bombay Sapphire Gin, St. Germaine and fresh grapefruit juice.  I think I found a new favorite cocktail! It tasted like they handed me a grapefruit with a straw in it!

First entrée was the duck two ways- pan seared breast with a chocolate-orange sauce and “moo shu” style confit of leg with spicy hoisin sauce.

Again, I couldn’t eat it but I sampled the chocolate-orange sauce because it intrigued me and I can’t say I loved it.

According to my dad, we also HAD to order the grilled garlic shrimp with black fettuccini and red curry coconut sauce. It comes out MOVING because of the bonito flakes on top! They were my favorite part – smoky and delicious.

(Not the prettiest picture, but it was MOVING)

After not being sold on ordering the shrimp dish, I must say it might have been my favorite! Good call, dad!

My pick was the pan-seared spicy tuna with avocado sashimi and wakame seaweed salad.  YUM!

(This picture makes me crave seaweed salad!)

The tuna was crusted perfectly with black pepper and salt0 it was just enough so that it didn’t take away from the tuna.  Anything with a hunk of avocado is good in my book- and I’m now officially addicted to seaweed salad!! And I totally ate the majority of that deep-fried seaweed…oops.

For sides we got the 5 vegetable fried rice and bamboo vegetables- both things you can’t really screw up! And they didn’t.

Obviously, ordering the Great Wall dessert was necessary. Oh. My. God.  So giant. So amazing. I want it every day! Can we just take a moment to appreciate this picture?

(Seriously incredible.)

It’s got everything.  Ice cream, caramelized bananas (and not a stingy little piece of banana like Spice Market’s dessert!), cookies, whipped cream, and macaroons!  I was in a sugar coma for hours after this (but 4 of us DID manage to finish every last bite, no problems!)

This is a place I’m sure my family will continue to frequent.  It feels classy, the shared dishes way of eating is my favorite, the food never disappoints, and damn those cocktails were good! 

FISHTAG: Restaurant Review

When reading an article on the best salads in the city (yes, I do that in my spare time), I came across the bulgur salad at MP Taverna.  My research led me to the discovery that chef Michael Psilakis has a Manhattan restaurant as well.  Named FISHTAG, the restaurant is located on the Upper West Side.  After looking at the Mediterranean menu and seeing that it had a ton of fish dishes (based on the name, who would have guessed?) AND the bulgar salad- I quickly added it to the bucket list.

I got to go to FISHTAG with my dad and his friend on Friday night and it was PHENOMENAL. The restaurant itself is pretty unremarkable, but the food more than made up for what was lacking in the décor department.

The menu at FISHTAG is set up differently than most restaurants- appetizers and entrees are mixed together and instead the menu is organized from lighter to heavier dishes (there’s also wine and beer suggestions for different areas of the menu).  Appetizers and entrees are distinguished by black and red colored text.

We decided to start with 3 appetizers.  The first was the smoked octopus with fingerling potatoes, hearts of palm, snow pea leaves, pumpkin seeds, date & green olive puree. 

(Octopus done right!)

My only complaint is that I wanted more more more.  The octopus was perfectly cooked- super tender, not at all chewy, and an amazing smoky taste.  I’ve had some good, and bad, octopus ever since I fell in love with it in Greece- and this could potentially be the best I’ve ever had! The hearts of palm and pumpkin seeds were a great touch- everyone was loving it. 

The second was the smoked sablefish dusted with paprika. Wowza this was good! Again, the perfect smokiness! This was my first time having sable, and it won’t be my last! 

(Sablefish, had never heard of it, but now I'm a fan)

The sable was also served with a killer sauce of some kind and a little bowl of tasty pickled vegetables and olives that we all really liked! It wasn’t just your typical pickled vegetables- there was a persimmon, cauliflower, and caper berry!

I saved the best appetizer for last- and probably my most favorite thing of the whole night. The Bacala and Skordalia Brandade “Melt.” I had read a review of it on Chew York and knew I had to order it, even though I didn’t really know what to expect.  

The review was actually really helpful when the melt arrived at my table in all its glory, with “kefaloteri, smoked eggplant and oven dried tomatoes.” Here’s what it is:

First of all, Bacala is colloquially called “salt cod,” (although, it’s soaked over and over in water before it’s ready to be cooked, which removes most of the saltiness), and a blended mixture of salt cod and olive oil is called a “Brandade.” Secondly, a “Skordalia” is a traditional, thick, greek spread- consisting of pureed garlic with other lumpy things (potatoes, walnuts, etc). At FishTag, the Skordalia consists of smoked potatoes, garlic, yogurt, and shredded Kefaloteri cheese, which lends a smoky robustness like a cross between a Gruyere and a Pecorino. These two blends are then themselves blended with a finely pureed smoked eggplant and nestled betwixt seasoned oven-roasted tomatoes and perfectly toasted French bread.

(Ridiculously delicious)

Jon is right when he says that this is just “one of the most delicious things ever.” It’s hard to write about it because there are so many components working together to make it taste so incredibly amazing that I think everyone just needs to go and eat it!

Now here is where the meal got REALLY awesome. I guess the bartender had overheard me talking about my blog, and then during the appetizers they saw me meticulously photographing everything. So we were bestowed with a tasting of three of FISHTAG’s new “Happy Hour Bites” on the house.  Usually only served at the bar, we were the first people ever to nom on these delicious snacks in the dining room! Two of the three samples were meat-based…and although I gave up meat for Lent, I thought God would forgive me if I cheated just this once!

The first was a braised short rib fritter with ginger aioli and micro greens. 

(Hey there little fritter!)

The ginger aioli was dreamy! The fritter was good too- something about the consistency of the short rib wasn’t working for me, but it was also my first time eating meat in weeks so that could have had something to do with it! And I’m pretty much a fan of anything deep fried, so the fact that this was a fritter was great.

The second was definitely my favorite – an anchovy and polenta fritter with black olive and micro greens.

(Anchovy & Polenta Fritter)

Fried anchovy? YUM! The polenta + the saltiness of the anchovy, it was definitely working for me!

The last bar bite was the braised pork belly with red beet relish and crispy pork skin.  I wasn’t a huge fan, because I’m not a huge hunk-a-meat with fat and bone kinda girl- but there is no denying the fatty deliciousness of some crispy pork skin.  And that beet relish was something I could eat for days!

(Mmm beets!)

Aside from tasting yummy– I think my favorite thing about these were the beautiful presentation! I’m a sucker for photo-worthy food!  

(LOVED the presentation!!)

FISHTAG’s new happy hour features $1 oysters with pomegranate and yogurt (uhm, need), and happy hour bites like the ones we got to try – 2 bites for $5, 4 for $8 or 8 for $15! Happy Hour is from 5 – 6:30 Monday through Friday and the drink specials are bangin’ too- half price glasses of wine and $8 cocktails.  I’m definitely going to check out their happy hour because I also had a GREAT glass of wine with dinner and I’m not even a wine fan!

Next up were our entrees! My dad ordered the Lobster Bucatini – butter poached lobster, shellfish nage, brussel leaves and tarragon. I tried a bite that was delicious, and they didn’t skimp on the lobster, which was nice to see!

(Look at those hunks of lobstah!)

My dad’s friend ordered the Grilled Swordfish and Greek Sausage served with loukaniko, grilled kale and middle eastern spiced bulgur salad. I didn’t try this, but I took a picture!

(Grilled Swordfish and Greek Sausage)

I opted for two appetizers instead of an entrée.  The first was, of course, the Chopped Bulgur Salad that originally drew me to FISHTAG.

(Colorful!)

Funny enough, this was probably the least impressive thing I ate that night!  According to the menu the salad is filled with medjool dates, pomegranate, olives, breakfast radish, peppers, grilled onions, smoked almonds and pistachio. I was a little disappointed by the bulgur to filling ratio! Maybe I’m just not a fan of bulgur, but something with this salad just wasn’t working for me, unfortunately.  I took most of it home, but I don’t even know if I’ll end up finishing it.

The other appetizer I got was the Catalan Shrimp with patatas bravas, garlic and zatar.  Ready for my favorite phrase? HOLY YUM.

The patatas bravas, which I had every intention of eating very few of, were so crispy and delicious in the sauce that I ended up eating the majority of them.  The shrimp were great, and the sauce to die for.  There were also some peppers and onions in there soakin' in the sauce. I think I used my spoon to eat it like soup at the end…maybe.  Whatever the spice zatar is, I’m a fan.

My dad’s friend ordered the Chocolate Ganache Cake for dessert, which I gladly sampled. 

(Chocolate chocolate chocolate)

Served with white chocolate crunch, raspberry coulis, caramelized white chocolate soil and chocolate ice cream, I was in choco-heaven.  And I was a little scared that the Spiced Pear Tart the waiter has slyly convinced me to order was going to be a let-down because of its lack of chocolate. I should not have worried. My pear tart came to the table and first of all, it was gorgeous.

<3

The center of the tart had pears sliced so perfectly, it was like artwork. And the taste? Out. Of. This. World. The pastry was so flaky and buttery and the pears were so sweet and not overly dripping in fake sugary stuff. This dessert was huge. And I ate every last bite. 

It was served with almond cream, caramel sauce, olive oil cremeux and killer caramel ice cream!

For the quality of this food, the price was great. The awful review written by The New York Times when it first opened was completely unwarranted.  FISHTAG was an amazing meal – I definitely think the food here was better than Spice Market (obviously, very different).  I don’t like repeating restaurants- but there’s no way I won’t eventually be back for anchovy & polenta fritters, the bacala & skordalia brandade melt, and the catalan shrimp (lucky me, all my favorites are on the happy hour bites menu! SCORE!)  Ok, and I might need another one of those amazing pear tarts! And I’m not sharing! 

Spice Market: Restaurant Review

I was so excited for dinner at Spice Market last night- one of Manhattan’s most talked about “it” restaurants.  Get comfortable, because this could be long! (Speaking of long, we had a hellishly long cab ride and showed up late for our reservations, oops! Someone from our party may or may not have been left no other option but to pee in a water bottle on the way there…)

This year is the 10^th anniversary of Jean-Georges trendy meatpacking district restaurant that features Southeast Asian street-food inspired cuisine.  The space is HUGE and voluminous- a rarity in this city.  It’s the type of restaurant I love- reminiscent of places like Tao, where you just feel like being in the restaurant has instantly made you swankier and more sophisticated.  At the same time, it makes you feel impossibly un-cool to look around at your fellow diners who look like they’re straight out of a fashion magazine.  I mean literally, a new reality show was filming at the restaurant during our meal. 

(So cool inside! (Picture taken from their website))

To our surprise, we were led through the maze of seating areas to a separate back portion of the restaurant with curtained off dining rooms, where we were seated at a table with a couch and pillows galore.  I was feelin’ pretty classy.

(Private dining room? Don't mind if I do!) 

First things first: Cocktails needed to be ordered.  My mom and I were both instantly drawn to the Thai Smash- Tito’s ‘Handmade’ Vodka with Thai basil, Grapefruit and Lemon.  I was happy when it came and I saw that it was green.  So happy that I made my mom take a picture with them on our big comfy couch (Loonette and Molly..anybody? anybody?)

(Momma and me with our Thai Smashes on the big comfy couch!)

(Remember this comfy couch from your childhood?) 

The Thai Smash was refreshing and delicious and I’m totally on a grapefruit loving kick after this drink and the lobster salad from Keen’sSteakhouse.

We were then served complimentary lentil chips with a tomato jam. The lentil chips were crisp and airy- a really cool consistency that everyone at the table commented on.  They definitely reminded me of the black bean chips I tried recently.  The tomato jam was sweet and spicy and pretty stellar.  I may have even taken a few spoonfuls of it sans lentil chips. 

(Definitely delicious)

Confession time: When I’m excited about a restaurant, I can be a little bit of a jerk.  Ok, a big jerk.  Luckily, my parents still love me.  I was pretty controlling over what we would be ordering.  But this was serious business! We had to hit on a few key dishes! The phrase used to describe me last night was “little Nazi.” Uh, sorry guys.

Something to note about Spice Market: the dishes are served as they are prepared in the kitchen.  Meaning, dishes will continuously be brought to the table, in no type of order.  Everyone won’t receive what they ordered at the same time.  And it’s assumed that everyone in the party will be sharing the dishes.  So this place could get a litttttle bit awkward if you’re with people you aren’t comfortable with. The way my group did it was that we each ordered an appetizer or smaller plate/side along with a larger main dish, as well as a few sides to all split.  But as the things started coming out haphazardly, we naturally settled into the meal the way it is meant to be enjoyed. Whoever ordered a certain plate would claim it when it arrived at the table, but pretty soon they would be passing it around saying, “You gotta try this! Take some!” Personally, I love this way of eating.  You get to try tons of different things! You can all take a bite and talk about the flavors! I think it’s great. But it’s definitely not for everyone! OK, PSA on how Spice Market serves their food = over.

I had read about the Lobster Summer Roll online and knew it was one of their most-ordered dishes.  It was the first to arrive at the table, and my mom and I dug in. Described on the menu as a Lobster Summer Roll with Citrus-Dill Gelée and Sriracha Emulsion, I can say that all of those things were certainly present. 

(Lobster Summer Roll)

The first thing I said when I ate a piece was “Oh my God mom you’re gunna LOVE this- it’s got so much dill!” And I was right, she loved the dill.  But it was a little over-powering.  Same with the “gelée”- a citrusy gelatin cube that I’m not sure I appreciated in my lobster roll.  The Sriracha Emulsion was essentially spicy mustard like you would find at any sushi restaurant served on the side.  Solid.  My biggest complaint? Despite an obvious hunk of lobster in each piece of the Lobster Summer Roll- I tasted absolutely no lobster.  Overall, a disappointment.

The other appetizer that my mom and I had decided to try (ok, I decided it was what we were going to try…) was the Spiced Carrot Broth with Kale and Tofu Dumplings. 

(Carrots = my favorite) 

This was a definite improvement over the Lobster Summer Roll.  The broth was sweet, carroty and light, and I liked that it wasn’t a heavy, creamy broth.  We weren’t exactly sure what the black flecks floating on top were, but they added a smoky taste that I liked.  The dumplings were filled with delicious kale.  I love you, kale.  The tofu wasn’t noticeable, but then again, tofu isn’t usually noticeable.  The soup gets a thumbs up from this carrot and kale lover.

I also got to try everyone else’s appetizers- hip hip hooray!

The Avocado and Radish Salad with Chinese Mustard and Tempura Onions was avocado with radishes and some four leaf clover lookin’ things.  Nothing to write home about.  The tempura onion rings were pretty tasty, probably because I haven’t had anything fried in a while. 

Someone ordered the Shaved Tuna, Chili Tapioca and Asian Pear and Lime, but I was still feeling shy at that point in the meal and didn’t try it.  I wish I had, because the chili and pear flavor combo intrigues me.  Next time.

My dad ordered the Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Lobster and Shitake Mushroom Sauce, which was a crowd pleaser.  They were tasty, for sure, but I was really expecting some game-changing stuff from this place, and this wasn’t that.

(Oof, ugly picture of the Shrimp Dumplings)

The last of the starters was the Crispy Sushi with Chipotle Mayonnaise (Salmon, Scallop, Tuna and Snapper).

(Sushi is always so pretty)

 These beautiful pieces of salmon, scallop, tuna and snapper sashimi were sitting on top of blocks of fried white rice.  So bizarre to me.  Completely unnecessary.  Why?

Next up were the bigger dishes and sides.  My mom and I had ordered the Striped Bass with Wok Fried Napa Cabbage, Jicama and Cucumber. How I failed to take a picture of it, I do not know!

I’ve been seeing tons of recipes for dishes with jicama which was the main reason I wanted to try this dish.  I was a fan of the jicama! I was also a fan of this dish in general, although it was HOT HOT HOT.  I don’t know what exactly was so spicy in it, but it was definitely the spiciest of the dishes.  Other people’s meals had come with either jasmine or brown rice, and it was definitely necessary to eat some with the striped bass to cut the spice a little bit.

Sadly, I didn’t try the Roasted Atlantic Salmon with Spring Pea Broth and White Asparagus that someone had ordered, but I did get a picture of it!

(Greeeeeeeen!)

I also didn’t try my dad’s Red Curried Duck with Pineapple Sambal because I gave up meat for Lent and all.  He ordered a side of the coconut sticky rice though, which came served in a steamed banana leaf.  It was super sticky and deliciously sweet!

Someone else had ordered the Vietnamese Chicken Curry with Snap Peas and Cilantro which I also couldn’t really try, but I dunked some rice in the curry to try it and it was…curry? Not much to say about it.

I do have something to say about the Braised Chick Peas served with Crispy Naan and Lemon Yogurt though. Drunken Munkey’s chickpeas kicked these chickpeas’ bootay.

(Chickpeas 'n stuff)

For something that was supposedly “braised” it didn’t seem like the chickpeas were cooked for very long at all- they were kind of hard.  And I was so excited for naan, I thought it would be perfect for dealing with the spiciness of the striped bass dish…but when it came to the table, it was DEEP FRIED NAAN.  I mean, I could taste it clogging my arteries.  It was legit like eating fried dough at a carnival minus the powdered sugar.  Delicious? Yes.  What I wanted when I ordered braised chickpeas with naan? No.  

Another side we got was the “famous” Ginger Fried Rice- topped with a fried egg, you could taste the unhealthiness of this side dish.  But it tasted oh so good! Obviously a popular dish for a reason.

(I took this picture from Yelp because I thought this dish deserved a picture)

Last but not least was the Pearl Noodles with Smoked Tofu and Black Bean Sauce.

(MMM! Coolest noodles ever.) 

This may have been my favorite! The black bean sauce was delicious but my real obsession with this dish was the pearl noodles.  I rarely eat pasta or noodles so I was loving indulging in them.  And the texture of them was SO COOL.  Just look at them!

After stuffing myself with all of these different dishes, I was ready to pass on dessert (plus, I knew I had Magnolia Banana Pudding waiting for me at home- if you haven’t had it, go, immediately.) But when I got back from the bathroom, they had ordered me the dessert I had been eyeing- the Ovaltine Kulfi- Caramelized Banana and Spice Milk Chocolate Sauce.

(Not as great as it looks)

This dessert, while impressive on the presentation- was a major let down.  It may not look like it…but that piece of caramelized banana that I was led to believe was the centerpiece of the dessert, was minuscule.  And instead, the majority of the dessert was a boring chunk of chocolate fudge. I mean, yeah, I ate all the chocolate fudge, because I’m a girl and it was chocolate.  But all I wanted was more caramelized banana, gosh darnit!  The chocolate log was topped with some caramel popcorn which was kind of like, what? Ok, cool. 

So, I just wrote a whole lotta words.  Bottom line?  I had very high expectations for Spice Market.
+Loved the atmosphere. Felt super chic.
+Loved the overall experience, with food coming out when it was ready and everyone trying each other’s plates.
+Everything was good.  Nothing tasted bad.
+Spiced Carrot Broth with Tofu and Kale Dumplings
+Pearl Noodles with Smoked Tofu and Black Bean Sauce

-Overall, not as “WOW” worthy as I had hoped for.
-Why are you deep frying your naan? Why are you deep frying white rice? (You can continue to deep fry your onions).
-Why does your lobster taste like nothing?
-Why are there gelatin cubes in my summer roll?
-Give me more caramelized banana.
-I felt like they were trying a little too hard to be innovative and different but not in any exciting ways.

I would definitely go back, because there are still things I would like to try, and just because it’s a really awesome dining experience. I had a great time and enjoyed everything I tried. I only sound critical because I expected so much!

Since it’s the 10 year anniversary- they also have a tastingmenu for $52 per person! They have a vegetarian one for $48 as well. And they have a lunch prix fix AND brunch! So check it out and see for yourself!

I Do More Than Eat

This weekend, in between eating ALL THE FOOD, I ran my first New York Road Runner’s race! The Scotland Run 10K was also my first NYC race, first race in Central Park, and really, the only race I’ve ever run besides my half-marathon last year.

I went into it having no idea what to make my goal time.  A friend from my running group gave me a goal of 45 minutes, which seemed a little crazy to me.  I still think of the days when going out for a 3 mile run meant running for 30 minutes. A 5 mile run, 50 minutes.  It really wasn’t all that long ago that 10 minute miles were all I knew how to run. And even now, I know I run faster, but I’m not big on timing myself- I’ll look at Map My Run to see my pace at the end of a run, but it’s not my biggest concern.  Working towards my first half-marathon and now working towards my first marathon has made me a very distance-centered runner.  But for a 6.2 mile race, I wanted to get out there and see how fast I could go.

I got to sleep early the night before and got to stay in a wonderfully comfortable hotel bed. I woke up at 6 and struggled hardcore with what I was going to wear. I knew it would eventually be warm and sunny out but it was 6 am and I didn’t feel like freezing for the next 2 hours. I decided the hassle of bag check was worth it to bring a few extra layers with me! Then I went down to the hotel gym to use the foam roller and grabbed some breakfast.

(The granola bar's name is an accurate description of when it was eaten)

That granola bar was pretty great. I may have also eaten like half of my friends bagel because…carbs.

When we got to Central Park I was pretty frozen. Despite the long sleeves and jacket, I was wearing shorts and my legs were a giant goosebump. We picked up our packets before getting some tats of the Scottish flag.

(Tatted up!)

Next we hit up the porta potty village, checked my bag, and then the waiting around began. Which meant time for pictures!

I loved the atmosphere. Runners everywhere! Central Park! Greatest city in the world! Sun coming up over the skyline! Most people still sleeping and here we all were ready to work itttttt.

I was in the fourth corral and stupidly forgot to look at the clock to see what time we actually got to the start line- so the clocks at the mile markers throughout the race were pretty much worthless to me.  I don’t know if that helped, or hurt, because not knowing my time, I just kept going as fast as I could!

I’m not sure racing is my thing- I hated the start when there were so many people around and I just felt like so much time getting in my grove was wasted by having to maneuver around people! At the same time, the added adrenaline of running in a race definitely helps in the speed department!

(Lots 'o people)

I felt pretty good the entire race- I even powered up the hills like they were no big thang, which was shocking because I am usually the world’s biggest baby when it comes to a slight incline. The fact that I full-out ran down the hills is making my shins very unhappy a few days later though.

By mile 5 though, my ears started doing their crackly popping thing that is my body saying, “Damnit Lauren, why didn’t you drink more water? Hydration! It’s important! Are you stupid?” Wooops.  Did that stop me from running the entire race without stopping at a water station? No. Ain’t nobody got time for that! This is probably about the time where the sun was fully out and my black long sleeved shirt was starting to seem like far too much clothing. And my chest was starting to burn a little.  And then it was 5.5 miles and I was pissed at myself because I like finishing strong and saving myself some gas for that last sprint.  Instead I crossed the finish line feeling like absolute death BUT also knowing that I had pretty much given it my all and that I had done pretty well.  I also knew I started with runners in the 4000's and finished with bibs in the 2000's (speaking of, I should probably adjust my 9:00 pace on my NYRR profile).  Of course, since I didn’t know when I had started, I couldn’t really calculate my actual time.

So I spent the next few hours obsessively refreshing the NYRR website, obviously.

As soon as I finished I chugged a cup of water, destroyed an apple in like 3 bites, and obviously I needed another cinnamon raisin bagel because…carbs? Then I stood around at the finish watching for a little while, saw some cool peeps from Jack Rabbit, found my friend, and headed to meet my dad for brunch!

(Egg white omelet with spinach, tomatoes, peppers and onions!)

During which I CONTINUED to obsessively refresh the NYRR website until one time, when my results popped up! 45:23! 23 seconds over my goal of 45 minutes BUT my pace was 7:20 and that made me feel pretty awesome.  And out of 276 female runners between the ages of 20 – 24, I came in 12^th!

I took a WONDERFUL 2 hour nap that afternoon.  It’s CRAZY how different my body felt after racing 6 miles vs. if I had just gone for a 6 mile run. 

I’m a little worried because Sunday I tried running an easy mile on the treadmill, and my shins are owwy. And something feels wrong in my right knee.  So no running Sunday. We’ll see how I feel on Monday I suppose!

I’m really impressed with how organized the race was. And we got shirts which is always a plus! Go NYRR! I’ll definitely be signing up for more races soon.  Need to figure out my favorite distances and all that jazz! I love the wonderful world of running :)

Keen's Steakhouse: Restaurant Review

My parents are in town for a conference this week, which means Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night I get treated to dinner out at nice Manhattan restaurants! On Wednesday, we went to Keen’s Steakhouse- not my choice, and not on the bucket list, but I’ll write a review regardless because it actually ended up being a pretty enjoyable meal despite not being able to eat meat! (It hasn’t been that  difficult for the most part, but I’ve definitely been getting some weird “I want a burger” cravings- and I don’t even love burgers!)

(Side note: Before we went to the restaurant, we sat down at the hotel bar where my parents were staying, and they had seriously addictive nuts out!  Covered in salt to the point of being a little ridiculous, the cashews were spicy, the almonds were sweet, and it was so hard not to eat the entire bowl!)

(Salt alert, salt alert! Look at it all!!) 

We got to Keen’s and you can immediately tell that this place has been around for a while.  Since 1885 to be exact.  Apparently, they’re known for their pipes.  Old pipes decorate every inch of the ceiling and they have a display case at the entrance with pipes used by people like Herbert Hoover, which was pretty cool.  It’s a big restaurant, but very cozy feeling inside.  The tables are close together, the ceilings are low, the lighting is dim, and I was obsessed with the filament bulbs!

They have a HUGE bourbon list, if that’s your thing.

The bread that they brought to the table was so lame looking that I wasn’t even tempted to have any.  But along with the bread, they brought out a dish that brought a tear to my eye (ok, not really, but my eyes DID light up with excitement).  A plate full of carrots, celery, new pickles and olives! And a side of the most delicious, chunky, cheesy, creamy blue cheese I’ve had in a long time.

(World's most boring looking buns)

(That's more like it!) 

My dad got clams on the half shell to start, and I enjoyed two of those bad boys immensely.  There’s just something so great about a freezing cold clam topped with cocktail sauce.  Mmmm! 

(Hello, seaweed!)

My mom and I started with the lobster salad appetizer, which I spotted on the menu at the last second and THANK GOD because it was such a wonderful combination of flavors.  The lobster salad came with greens, string beans, fennel (BLECH), and ready? Wait for it—avocado and grapefruit! 

(Holy yum)

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the taste of the lobster despite the fact that it wasn’t drenched in melted butter.  It was so sweet and delicious! The lobster + the refreshing grapefruit + the creamy texture of the avocado – my taste buds were LOVING IT.  Seriously.  I was obsessed.  I can’t stop talking about it.  The salad overall isn’t worthy of being added to the “life-changing salad” list, but the flavor combination of lobster, grapefruit and avocado is one that I’m definitely going to try to recreate multiple times this spring/summer. How amazing would a lobster taco with grapefruit guacamole and cilantro be? 

My entree, though not as incredible as the lobster salad, was also tasty.  I ordered the arctic char (after asking my dad, “What’s arctic char?”) and instead of getting the carrots and spinach that it’s usually served with, I was difficult, and ordered it with the seasonal market vegetable side. 

(Fish & Veggies, always a favorite!) 

To me, there was no discernible difference between arctic char and salmon, which was fine by me.  It was incredibly flakey, yum.  The seasonal market veggie side came with roasted red pepper, asparagus, a giant Portobello that could have been cooked a little more and delicious roasted carrots.  Satisfying and tasty, I finished every bite. 

I also tried my mom’s porcini mushroom cream sauce, which was KILLER and I may have dunked a couple forkfuls of baked potato in there.  Also delicious was the creamed spinach side- I liked it because it wasn’t drowning in cream but was still rich. 

Something else I noticed at this place while passing the bar on the way to the restroom- entirely populated by 30-40 year old businessmen.  Go check it out ladies.

When the check came, I laughed. And when I left, I was grateful for chocolate mint candies! 

(Clever, Keen's!)

Half-Fail Banana Protein Muffins

Lately, I’ve been on a roll with my stuffed sweet potatoes, paninis and baked chickpeas.  But I recently had a little bit of a cooking fail.  Well, half a failure.  I was really excited when I found this recipe for banana bread protein muffins on Dashing Dish.  The ingredient list (oats, Greek yogurt, banana, egg whites, protein powder, etc.) was right up my alley.  And the nutrition facts?

58	Calories per serving
9 g	Carbohydrates
7 g	Protein
2 g	Fiber
1 g	Sugar
1	WWP+*

*Weight Watchers Points per serving

Yahtzee!

At the time I tried to make them, however, I didn’t have one important tool- a blender or food processor.  So I gave this recipe a whirl by using a blender bottle instead.  Note to self:  shaking the ingredients by hand is not the same as blending them with an electrically-powered device.

The consistency was so weird and they were completely stuck to the sides of the cupcake liners.  OOPS! They most likely stuck because I didn’t heed the Dashing Dish’s warning about removing the paper liner and only using the foil part…and I pride myself on my reading comprehension skills…ashamed.

That being said- the taste was absolutely delicious.  Delicious enough that instead of being discouraged, these muffins may be the first thing I make with my new blender! I may even add some raisins, almonds or pecans!

If anyone else tries the recipe, let me know how it turns out! :)

Recipe Courtesy of Dashing Dish:

Ingredients

3/4 cup	Ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
3/4 cup	Egg whites
1/2 cup	Plain low fat greek yogurt (I used plain Chobani yogurt)
3/4 cup	Oats (use gluten free if sensitive to gluten)
2 scoops	Vanilla protein powder (I used Designer Whey™, or you could use any flavor you would like!)
1/4 cup	Baking stevia OR 1/2 cup sweetener of choice that measures like sugar 1
1 tsp	Baking powder
1 tsp	Baking soda
1/2 tsp	Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, or line with silicone or foil liners, (spray liners if using).

2

Place all of the ingredients in a blender, (or food processor), and blend until mixture is smooth.

Divide mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins.

4

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

(Note: be sure to use either silicone or foil liners with the paper insert removed because they will stick, as does any muffin made with oats rather than flour!)

BURN Class at NYSC With Will Jackson

Twice now, I’ve used my lunch hour to go to a class at NYSC (don't get me started on my love of NYSC). I’m not a huge fan of the midday workout- I would much rather get up and get it done in the morning, and if that’s not possible, I’ll settle for end of day as a way to transition into “me” time. But William Jackson’s 12:15 “Burn” class was so great the first time I went that it might become a regular part of my routine! I almost want to keep my lips zipped, since the class is already packed, but I’m going to write a review anyway because if you can take classes with this instructor at some point, you really should- he’s great.

I can usually tell whether or not I’m going to get a good workout from a class as soon as I see what the set-up is.  When I walked into Burn I saw that each person needed a step with risers, a barbell with between 10-20 pounds worth of plates on each side, a mat, and an assortment of different dumbbells.  (Is the phrase “assortment of different” repetitive?) I was totally on board with this!

When Will walked into the class he wasted no time in telling everyone to put away their cellphones and not to touch them…for the next 45 minutes we were here to WORK. When people walked in after 12:15, he legit had them get down and do pushups! He's no joke about not wanting people to waste his time! 

The class is a great mix between cardio and strength training- my heart rate stayed up the entire time thanks to toe touches, speed skaters, runners and mountain climbers on the step combined with jumping jacks, burpees and single count squats (the barbell was used for squats and lunges).  Will touched on all the main muscle groups for strength training with a squat/curl/press sequence, row/tricep kickbacks, ab work on the mat, pushups and other stuff I’m sure I’m forgetting.

Throughout the class Will has you count down to the end of each exercise- and if you aren’t as enthusiastic or loud as he wants…you’ll keep counting down until he’s satisfied!

 

This isn’t the most killer class I’ve been to, as I’ve left boot camp classes literally drenched in sweat and panting, but it’s definitely an enjoyable challenge and Will is a great instructor.  He isn’t afraid to call out people in the class who aren’t giving it their all.  When I stopped using the barbell and switched to dumbbells for my squat and press, he said, “Don’t feel like using the barbell?” as he passed me. Oops, busted!

The music was great, and worked good for keeping your pace based on the rhythm (BPM perfection makes me happy!)

Apparently, Will Jackson also has his own project- WRKNYC.  They do outdoor (and indoor) training classes that I really want to check out! He’s super motivational and doesn’t take any shit, and clearly knows what he’s doing!  He’s also super upbeat and happy (even while he’s yelling at you!) I’m definitely going to be checking out the WRK community and you should too! 

"I Can Go the Distance"

This might be a really boring post for everyone out there to read, but I want to write about it as something to look back on, and it’s my blog so I’m gunna do what I want!
Before Saturday, the furthest distance I had ever run was a half-marathon.  I ran my first half-marathon in March 2013 and finished in 1:59:21 (read about it here if you want!) Then, when I was working in LA this winter, I went out intending to run 7 miles and ended up (according to Map My Run, so take it for what it is) running 13.27 miles in 1:48:33. 

Saturday, the plan was to head out with the JackRabbit UES running group for a “Boogie Down Bronx” 12-mile run, which ended up being a 14 mile run- my furthest distance ever! Hooray for progress! 

I never really know how to write about a run, but I’m going to attempt to anyway.  We started out by running along the east river and crossing over to Randall’s Island, where we looped around and crossed over the Bronx footbridge.  I like running on Randall’s Island! It was windy though, and colder than I thought, and I definitely should have been wearing more clothes.  But at least for this part of the run it wasn’t raining! Everyone was running pretty slow, which was fine by me. 

Once we got into the Bronx we headed to St. Mary’s Park. The pace was still slow, and I felt fine, but lazy…every time we passed a 6 train, there was a definite urge to just head home and wait for my parents to arrive.  But I kept going and soon enough we were at St. Mary’s where we stopped for a quick picture.  Ok, a not so quick picture.  I like laid back runs, but the longer we stood around chatting, I knew the harder it would be to start up again.  Plus this was ruining any sort of semi-acceptable pace.  And it was actually raining now.  Eventually, we set out from St. Mary’s to Crotona Park, which was a supposed 2 miles.  Well it felt like 200 given the weather.  For this stretch of the run, it was raining pretty consistently, it was windy, and I swear the temperature was dropping.  I had to stop at a bodega for a plastic bag for my phone, and my fingers were so numb I considered buying a pair of gloves while I was at it!  It seriously felt like we would never reach Crotona.  But sure enough, we did! We stopped for another picture and I decided it was time to take my first ever gel! I seriously had my doubts that it would have any kind of noticeable effect, but I was starving and figured it would taste good so why not? My first ever gel was the Clif Double Expresso Shot Turbo.  

(Yummy!) 

It was a LOT thicker than I ever imagined it would be, but delicious nonetheless.  After some dilly-dallying/walking out of Crotona Park, we headed back towards Manhattan on Willis Ave. and that gel for SURE had an effect.  My stride noticeably opened up and for the first time all morning I felt like I was in the groove.  It also helped that I was so OVER the rain that I just wanted these last 6 or 7 miles to be DONE.  Once we crossed over the Willis Avenue Bridge, I was on a mission to get back to JackRabbit AFAP (as fast as possible, duh).  
And I did! And Map My Run said 14 miles as soon as I got to the door of the store! Myself and another girl had finished first, and it was her first time running that far either! I was so excited, but I got even MORE excited when I told the store manager and SHE got excited FOR me! It was so great the way her face lit up and she ran to get me the foam roller and congratulated me and gave me Cliff bars :) I seriously LOVE the running community.  While running isn’t a team sport like I grew up playing, it’s seriously true that you can get to know people extremely well by running with them.  And since I started going on group runs at the different JackRabbit stores, I have met some incredible people and seen just how much camaraderie there truly is between runners in NYC.  I’m obsessed.

I rolled out my legs a little bit but then I had to run to meet up with my parents (what’s another .7 miles to run back to my apartment?) But the feeling of accomplishment stayed with me all day! Maybe it wasn’t a fast 14 miles, and maybe we took some stops along the way, but my legs carried me further than they ever have before (even pre-stress fracture) and for that I am grateful!

And I’m super thankful for that gel.  I also find it strange that for someone who hates the rain, I have now had 2 runs in the rain that haven’t completely made me miserable (only slightly miserable).  It’s so true that the discomfort you experience while running completely vanishes as soon as you finish and instead, all the curses you said in your head are replaced with “Wow, that was actually kind of amazing, I feel great now!”

Restaurant Review: Drunken Munkey Indian Cuisine on the Upper East Side

My Saturday plans of feasting on shellfish at Flex Mussels with my parents were quashed by a 5 p.m. opening time and a very starving family at 3:30.  But that wasn’t going to stop me from crossing another restaurant off my bucket list! So we headed to the Drunken Munkey in Yorkville – because that is by far the most amazing name for a restaurant that I've ever heard.  Also because Indian food is exotic and exciting and they apparently have great cocktails!

The restaurant was super tiny, but the bar was really nice and the décor featured lots of monkeys, which I was totally digging.  I was starved and dehydrated so I passed on the cocktail, but after asking the waiter for suggestions my dad ordered a Bramble- fresh blackberries, simple syrup, blackberry liquor, lemon and lots of gin! I tried a sip, of course, and it was DELICIOUS! I used his spoon/straw combo to pick out all the blackberry schmutz when he was finished.

(Sweet and refreshing Bramble!)

ENTREES

Since I gave up meat for Lent, I decided to order the Bagara Baigan – baby eggplant in a coconut curry. 

(Bagara Baigan)

The baby eggplants were so cute! But this dish was a little disappointing. I just felt like I was eating 4 baby eggplant that had been floating in a bowl of coconut curry.  They didn’t really come together in the same way a curry with meat would have.  I literally ate the eggplant and then used a spoon to eat the coconut curry like a soup (don’t get me wrong, the coconut curry was still delicious!) I was a little jealous of my parents Goan Pork Vindalu (hunks of pork in a spicy chili vinegar tomato sauce- too spicy for me though!) and Lamb Shank Rogan Josh (braised lamb, seasoning spices, tomato curry). 

(Mom and Dad's meat-based curries may have had me a little jealous...)

Each dish was served with long grain ghee rice (with a cashew on top, yum!) and 4 pieces of naan.

Some of the naan was delicious and doughy while some pieces were a little too crunchy for my liking.

Either way, the naan and the rice are probably the reason I wasn’t completely in love with this meal- I try to stay clear of carbs.

My Bagara Baigan proably would have been much more enjoyable had a mixed my rice into the dish and scooped it up with naan, so I suppose that’s my own fault!

SIDES

The table is also presented with a bunch of traditional Indian sides during the meal- raita (basically a tzatsiki yogurt sauce, which was great), lemon dal (a type of lentil soup that I thought was incredibly delicious and may have hoarded from my parents), pickled onion (strangely delicious in small bites), and a little pot of cucumber salad!

(I'm always a fan of extra stuff brought to the table! Clockwise: Lemon dal, raita, pickled onion, cucumber salad)

Of course- I didn’t stop with just ordering a meal.  I had to have two sides as well.  And they were probably my favorite part of the meal!

First was the Cauliflower Foogath (turmeric roasted cauliflower with cilantro and cumin) which was an amazing blend of some of my favorite spices! Second was the Chana Massala (chickpeas, mango powdered, black pepper, onion).  I decided that I’m just going to order this from Drunken Munkey, put it in a pita at home, and voila dinner is served! It was delicious and I ate entirely too many chickpeas for one sitting but I didn’t really care.

(MMMMMMM)

My parents LOVED Drunken Munkey and were super excited by the meal.

I think my mental block against the rice and naan probably ruined my experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed the baby eggplant, lemon dal, Chana Masala and cauliflower…vegetables are great.

I will now order lemon dal whenever I see it on a menu, of that you can be sure!

Drunken Munkey has brunch on the weekends and pretty great hours, and you can also order from them online!

Weekend of Theater, Food & Running!

Weekends are great, although it’s always a bummer when they’re rainy.  I think rain should only be allowed on the week days, when I’m trapped on the 14th floor of an office building anyway!

When the clock struck 5 on Friday it was off to a nearby bar to watch the Quinnipiac Men’s Ice Hockey team play Providence in the NCAA Tournament.  Unfortunately, it was a total disappointment and the team lost 4-0. LAME! Not only did they lose horribly, but I’m pretty sure I looked like a total weirdo as I ate vegetables from a Tupperware in the middle of the bar…oops!

But the night turned around when a friend and I went to see Heathers at New World Stages.  I’m lucky enough to get to review shows foroffoffonline.com, so I got to go for free to this incredibly entertaining musical adaptation of the cult-classic film.You can read my review here.

By the time the show ended and I got back to my apartment it was 10:30 at night and I was STARVED! I made myself an egg white/spinach/feta omelet in a flax pita and baked myself a Quest bar for dessert before heading to bed in preparation for a busy Saturday!

When my alarm went off at 8 on Saturday it was time for a RUN! Not just any run- unbeknownst to me, this run would end up being my LONGEST RUN EVER! It was so exciting (to me, at least) that I’m going to dedicate an entire post to it, which you can read here

But long story short, I ran 14 miles! And by the time I got back to the store, my parents were parked outside my apartment, waiting for me to help them move even more stuff into it…meaning I had to run back to meet them and immediately start making trips up my 5 flights of stairs (69 stairs, yes I counted).  

(Whoah, did I really just do that?)

The next couple of hours were spent unpacking, organizing, building furniture, and almost having a complete breakdown about how disastrous my apartment looked.  I hadn’t showered after 14 miles, I had only eaten a handful of carrots and hummus, and my NYC apartment’s floors seemed unbearably slanted.  A shower and a trip to the hardware store and it was finally time for a late lunch. Nothing puts me in a better mood than food! I was so excited to bring my parents to a place that immediately made me think of them when I had first heard of it- Flex Mussels.  But after walking 10 blocks in the cold rain and arriving at their doorstep at 3:30…we were informed that they didn’t open until 5. Womp womp! It was one of those days where finding out I couldn’t get a bowl of mussels was almost enough to send me into tears.  But I held it together and made the executive decision that we would head back to my apartment and go to the Indian restaurant across the street- because it’s called the Drunken Munkey which is the most amazing name ever, especially to someone who is OBSESSED with monkeys.

(One of the most exciting days of my life was meeting Mindy the monkey!) 

I stuffed myself silly with Indian food (which I of course justified by repeating to myself, “You ran 14 miles this morning!”) You can read my review of Drunken Munkey in the Restaurant Review section of my homepage!

(Yummy Indian food!) 

We went back to the apartment and finished the projects I had left for my mom and dad- fun stuff like picture hanging and extension cord running, etc. and then my parents headed out. 

All I wanted to do was head to my bed.  But friends were in town, so instead I found myself drinking a vodka/lemonade concoction in a cab, a vodka and diet coke at the Pony Bar, a Red Stagg and diet coke at Mercury Bar (delicious), and a “make her something chocolatey and dessert-like with lots of alcohol.”

(The "something choclately and dessert-like with lots of alcohol," a Mercury Bar specialty)

For me, alcohol means eating everything in sight.  So when I returned to my friend’s apartment, I demolished his bag of BBQ pretzels and a huge helping of guacamole and then I may have broken into the freezer for a spoonful (or 10) of Oreo Blast ice cream. I sucked it up and cabbed it home instead of taking the subway because I HATE RAIN and because I couldn’t wait a minute longer to fall into my bed.

(Rain sucks! But friends who hail cabs for you while you wait under an awning are great!) 

Sunday mornin’ rain was fallin’ (I hope you sang along). I woke up, read some Divergent, fell back asleep until 10:30 (UNHEARD OF for me!) and then made myself some delicious oatmeal and macadamia nut coffee before beginning my marathon cleaning session.  By the end of it, my apartment was BEAUTIFUL and organized and finally felt like home!

(Home sweet home!) 

I headed out for a 5 mile run through Central Park (I may have gotten a little bit turned around and thought I was exiting on the West Side but was in fact on the East Side) came home, showered, read more, and then it was time to use my new Panini press to make me a Panini! YES!

I loaded my flax pita with hummus, spinach, tomato, peppers, tuna fish, balsamic roasted eggplant and feta cheese, squuueeeezed it in the magical press and VOILA, beautiful, delicious Panini!

(Look at those grill lines!) 

I was asleep by 10 Sunday night! And a day reading and lounging around was seriously just what the doctor ordered!

(Totally into Divergent right now!) 

My early bed time and relaxing Sunday left me feeling GREAT Monday morning. After work I even got to go to a spin class in a perfectly matching workout outfit.

(I love when I match!) 

And then I made myself another wonderful dinner- Quest pasta! I’m going to eventually write a post on this kind of pasta, so stay tuned…but in the meantime, LOOK! Pasta dinner with eggplant, pepper, cauliflower, tomato sauce, and blue cheese GUILT FREE.

(Drooling?) 

Let’s just keep going through the week shall we? Woke up bright and early Tuesday morning for back and bis at the gym and I have hockey tonight! Best part of the day? Definitely the 2 boxes of Quest bars that were delivered!! I finally got the variety pack- so you can be sure I’ll be posting about all the new flavors I’m about to try! 

Slightly sad how excited this makes me. 

The 4 Best Salads I've Ever Eaten

I’ve alluded to “Salads That Have Changed My Life” multiple times in my few short posts so I thought it was probably necessary to write a little bit more about these superior salads, since I’m a self-proclaimed salad sommelier (who really likes alliteration).

1) Public house chicago - quinoa chopped salad

This "Quinoa Chopped Salad" had 14 ingredients that worked together to create magic in my mouth. They were: corn, red pepper, snow peas, red onion, cannellini beans, quinoa, cucumber, celery, tomato, black beans, avocado, mixed greens, basil vinaigrette and last but not least a HUGE chunk of perfect grilled salmon.

This picture is a very poor, sad representation of how amazing this salad really was. You want to know what else was sad? I forgot the leftovers on the table.  I will never forgive myself. 

2) panera - mediterranean shrimp couscous salad

I'm shocked that a salad from a chain restaurant made this list too, but the Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous Salad from Panera is incredible (and only 360 calories)! Baby spinach, romaine lettuce, lemon balsamic vinaigrette, couscous, shrimp, feta, kalamata olives and tomatoes. Yes please.

(I clearly need to work on my salad photography)

3) V-Note organic wine bar and vegan bistro - Wilted spinach salad

I wrote about my delicious dinner at V-Note recently, and here I will reiterate that they’ve found sweet, savory, salty perfection with this salad that includes spinach, shiitake mushrooms, corn, tempeh, cashews, soy bacon crumble and warm balsamic vinaigrette. 

4) society cafe - chopped salad

While on a work trip to Las Vegas, I ate this salad twice in two days.  It’s from the Society Café in the Wynn Resort.  

(#wynning)

Check out the ingredients of this Chopped Salad (I opted to swap roasted turkey for grilled shrimp!) 

• Perfectly grilled/blackened shrimp
• Avocado
• Jicama
• Carrots
• Havarti Cheese
• Radish
• Edamame
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Dried Corn 

Honestly, what more could you ask for in a salad? Mayyyybe some sort of fruit would have added a refreshing, sugary pop to the salad, but I have a newfound obsession with jicama, which definitely has a sweetness to it, so really, the salad was perfect. 

Welcome to the club, Society Chopped!

Restaurant Review of V-Note: Vegan Eats on the Upper East Side

On Wednesday night I got to check off another restaurant from my bucket list. This time, we went the healthy route and decided on V-Note Organic Wine Bar and Vegan Bistro (1522 1st Avenue Between 79th and 80th Streets).  Exciting news?  There’s was a Groupon for V-Note and we were able to snag $30 off our bill for $15! Hooray!

We walked in and were seated near the door- which meant a nice view of the street out the windows (and of a man running in a thong) and being away from the more cramped main dining area- but it also meant I was a little chilly. 

First Course

V-Note was cute- the booths for groups were especially cozy looking.  We contemplated the appetizers but nothing was jumping out at me, mainly because most of the items were fried or in phyllo dough…and I was at a vegan restaurant and wanted to eat healthy, damnit! The salads on the other hand were calling my name.  After some debate, we accepted the fact that decision making is not our specialty and that we were going to order 2 small salads and pass on the apps. 

I went with the Curry “Unchicken” Salad which came with grilled soy chicken (I couldn’t believe how chicken-y it really was!), romaine lettuce, celery, apple (I love fruit in my salads), roasted potatoes, grilled onions (they were SO SWEET and delicious!) and toasted macadamia nuts (I definitely think these are one of my all-time favorite nuts and they’re also a huge reason I ordered this salad, if we’re being honest!).  It was all tossed in a curry veganaise.

(Curry "Unchicken" Salad)

The salad was good, and I definitely enjoyed it for the reasons I mentioned before- soy chicken was impressive, macadamia nuts didn’t disappoint, apples and onions added the perfect hint of sweetness.  That being said- the romaine did nothing for this salad and I could have done without the potatoes.  I think raisins or cranberries could have added to it and I thought the curry veganaise was tasty but nothing to write home about.  Maybe I was a little disappointed because I was expecting it to look more chicken salad-y- with the ingredients more chopped/mixed together.  Either way- good, don’t get me wrong, just not life-changing.

The other salad we ordered, however, has been added to the "Life-Changing Salads" list.

(Salads can change your life, I swear!)

Everyone do yourself a favor and go order the Wilted Spinach Salad from V-Note.  Served with spinach, shiitake mushrooms, roasted corn, tempeh, cashews, soy bacon crumble and tossed in a warm balsamic vinaigrette, this salad blew my mind with its deliciousness. I really can’t pinpoint what made it so great, but the flavors all worked together to make my taste buds really happy.  The savory balsamic and shiitake with the sweet corn and salty soy bacon- I wish I could eat it every day!  Plus, I had mention that I was cold sitting near the door, and this was a warm salad which made it even more enjoyable.

We ate every last bite.

(Bye bye salads!)

Before I move on to our entrees let me note that they don’t serve Diet Coke at a vegan bistro and organic wine bar, go figure.  But they do serve China Cola?  Clearly I’m not up on my organic and vegan product lingo so I stuck with good old H2O.  At this point in the meal we also switched tables to be away from the door because I’m a baby.  But it meant a booth and a pillow and warmth so it was hard for me to feel bad about being a pain in the waiter’s ass.  (And for once I didn’t make special requests on anything I ordered!  Progress?)

Main Course

OK, moving on to the main event.  Shockingly, I struggled when it came time to choose my meal (more sarcastic words have never been typed).  For a long n time it looked like I was going with the Raw Zucchini Papparadelle (zucchini pasta, almond butter sauce, diced avocado, olives, cherry tomatoes, marinated onion, oyster mushrooms and red pepper tossed in a cashew cream) but at the last minute I changed it up and ordered the Poblano En Nogada- and I’m so glad I did!

When it came to the table, I’m pretty sure I squealed…it was the meal they used in their Groupon picture! And it was beautiful.

(<3)

Yes, I just called a stuffed pepper beautiful.  If there’s one thing I love more than delicious food, it’s delicious food that has wonderful presentation! And I also LOVE stuffed peppers.  My dad’s are pretty epic, so this one had a lot to live up to! 

(Fun fact: a picture of my dad’s stuffed pepper is still one of my most liked Instagram posts! Another fun fact: I’ve made quinoa black bean stuffed peppers which were pretty great if I do say so myself). 

Anyway, back to the V-Note Poblano En Nogada.  The poblano pepper was sweet and subtly spicy (perfect, since I can’t handle a ton of spice).  It was stuffed with a seitan, peach, raisin and apple picadillo that I’m drooling thinking about right now.  I really can’t describe it except that it was a delicious blend of flavors.  It was a little on the watery side, but that’s probably my only slight complaint! 

The pepper was topped with an almond-walnut sauce that was so creamy I cannot believe it contained no dairy products!  And the best part?  The pomegranate seeds on top that added the PERFECT textural diversity to the dish. 

On the side was a perfectly shaped patty of cilantro-lime rice (again, the attention to presentation was obvious) topped with beet marinated shiitake mushrooms.  You could really taste both the cilantro AND lime in the rice.  I devoured this meal.

(Okay, mine didn't look AS pretty as the Groupon pepper, but still, beautiful presentation!)

I can’t really comment on the other entrée because I was so enamored with my pepper that I only tried one bite.  I remember it being tasty and lemon-y.  It was the Pistachio and Pepper Dusted Tofu- served over roasted root vegetable filled crepe, lemon truffle emulsion and topped with frisee salad in a red beet vinaigrette.  I asked my friend if he had anything I should include in my review about the dish and he said: “It was phenomenal, and I’m a carnivore by trade and would put it up there with the best meals I’ve had.”

(Pistachio and Pepper Crusted Tofu)

This was a great 1st vegan dining experience and it definitely won’t be the last, although I do feel like I should point out that V-Note, and restaurants like it, aren’t cheap!  Had we not gotten the Groupon, V-Note would have set us back about $75.  But you pay for quality, taste and presentation- all things V-Note did very well! 

All You Need to Know About Endorphins

E

Exercise leads to the production of endorphins, which relieve stress and lead to feelings of euphoria, often referred to as a “Runner’s High.”

N

Neurotransmitters are what endorphins technically are- a brain chemical that transmits electrical signals in your nervous system.  At least 20 different types of endorphins have been found in humans.

D

Decreased pain is one of the benefits of endorphins.  Ladies- can’t imagine working out while you’re on your period? Give it a try! Exercising can help relieve cramps, I swear!

O

Opiate drugs likemorphine and codine interact with the brain the same way as endorphins to reduce pain.  But endorphins aren’t dangerously addictive! (Although exercise “addiction” is a hot topic!)

R

Researchers in 2009 found that college crews who rowed together reported a higher endorphin level than those rowing alone, suggesting that group fitness classes and exercise may add to even more of an endorphin boost!

P

Peppers and other spicy foods can lead to endorphins being released! The spicier the pepper, the more endorphins you’ll enjoy (if you aren’t busy crying about your burning mouth).

H

Hypothalamus- the part of the brain that produces endorphins.

I

Intensity affects endorphin production and the longer and harder you workout, the more you’ll reap the benefits of endorphins.

N

Nom on some chocolate for an endorphin boost! Studies have found that the delicious treat contains chemicals that lead to the release of endorphins.  Hooray!

S

Sex is another way to increase the amount of endorphins you release, so feel free to get busy in the bedroom (not to mention it’s a great way to burn calories)! 

(I agree, Elle Woods)

Recipe: Baked Chickpeas

When I’m trying to eat really healthy, I find that I’m constantly craving something crunchy to snack on.  Instead of reaching for a bag of potato chips- try out this quick, easy, cheap (it’s literally only 3 ingredients) and nutritious snack!  Baked chickpeas that you can season however your heart desires!

Ingredients

• Can of chickpeas
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Seasoning of your choice- go crazy! (And share your creations in the comments!)

Instructions

1.Pop open the can, drain the chickpeas

2. Dry the chickpeas and remove whatever skin comes off as you dry them

3. Toss them in some olive oil until they've all got some EVOO lovin’

4.Season with whatever you choose- you can go as simple as sea salt, as sweet as cinnamon and sugar, as spicy as chili powder, or as sassy as cumin and curry powder!

5. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the perfect crispy/crunch level is attained for ultimate munching happiness.

I made cinnamon ones last night :)

Les Mills BODYPUMP Review at New York Sports Club

I've been writing a lot about food because I a) eat a lot of food and b) think a lot about food.  But another thing I love a lot is exercise! Yay endorphins! Last night, I took my first Les Mills BODYPUMP class, which is a barbell-based weight class that focuses on high reps.  I walked in not really knowing what to expect- it’s a fairly new offering at New York Sports Clubs. 

What I Liked

1) It focuses on each major muscle group individually- going through legs (squats), chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders, legs again (lunges), and abs.  For each muscle, you go through 3 “tracks” with 304 different exercises and a high number of reps.

2) The instructor was great at her quest, counting and explaining what weight you should have on your barbell based on your warm-up weight and how new you were to class.  So for instance, she wouldn’t say- “Do shoulders with 5 pound plates on your bar.”  Instead, she would say, “Go up 2.5 to 5 pounds from your warm up weight for shoulders.”

What I Didn't Like

1) I didn’t really sweat.  I wish there was some type of cardio element worked into the tracks to get my heart rate up.

2)It’s hard for me to choose a weight for the barbell and stick with it for the full 3 tracks per muscle.

I like that with dumbbells I can easily switch between 5s and 10s based on how I’m feeling.

That being said- I can see how the barbell method can add to the challenge if you choose a challenging weight because then you’re stuck with it.

Unfortunately, I think I was a little wimpy last night!

I could have pushed myself more.

3) I’m not sure I’m sold on the fact that high reps/light weight > heavy weight/lower reps.

I think I need to do some research.

Any reading suggestions?

4) The ab section was super lame.

Afterwards, I felt like I needed some cardio so I did this routine:

(Love me some burpees...not)

I got my sweat on and naturally snapped a selfie when I spotted some arm definition in the mirror! (No shame). 

(Hey arms!)

I'm glad I pushed myself to do the extra cardio at the end, because after the gym I headed to V-Note Vegan Bistro for dinner! You can read my review here!