Restaurants

The thing about living abroad is that you wind up missing the strangest things.  Particularly strange are the foods and restaurants that lure with a siren’s call each time I return home.  These are places that I want to go to each and every time I find myself stateside.  Scratch that – need to go to and eat at while stateside.  And I’m more than a little embarrassed to say that these must-visit restaurants include the Olive Garden, Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-fil-A and Denny’s.

I know, I know.  I have no excuse.  I should be smacked.  But there you have it.

So imagine my disappointment when I learned that the only Denny’s in NYC is a bar.  Somehow I didn’t think they offered a Grand Slam breakfast platter.  I’d have to find another breakfast venue during my stay and try to make do.

Luckily, the New York Luncheonette was right around the corner from my hotel.  This small, clean restaurant was a welcome respite from my hotel’s overpriced breakfast buffet.  And though it didn’t definitely couldn’t match Denny’s for price, the New York Luncheonette definitely topped them on food quality and service.  The pancakes, bacon and even the corned beef hash were top notch.  My first breakfast there of waffles and bacon was so good that I knew I’d be returning the next day.  And maybe the one after that, too.  And as far as a Manhattan dollar goes, the price wasn’t too shabby either.

So though I’m sure the New York Luncheonette might not exactly appreciate the comparison, they definitely made it so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on my Denny’s fix.  And for an American who has lived abroad for the past 5 years, that’s a pretty big deal.

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The New York Luncheonette
135 E 50th Street
New York, NY 10022
212. 838. 0165

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Photo by gailf548.

Barrachina stakes its claim as the birthplace of the Pina Colada, and there’s a really good chance that’s true. That iconic drink of a tropical vacation was definitely first concocted SOMEwhere in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the mixologist who invented it did indeed work at Barrachina. Close enough to sound legit, so my friends and I were happy to check out this restaurant. In fact, we went twice; this means something, considering that we wanted to sample as many different restaurants as we could on a weeklong girlfriend getaway to Puerto Rico.

Great Pina Coladas and Mofongo at Barrachina (barrachino.com)

Dinner and a Flamenco Show (barrachina.com)

Barrachina is a pretty touristy restaurant, without much of that feeling of being in a restaurants the locals try to keep secret. The waitstaff spoke fluent English, for example, and the courses weren’t particularly spicy. What makes Barrachina worth the trip (besides those pina coladas) are the family-friendly atmosphere, indoor and outdoor seating, and the mofongo. This traditional Puerto Rican dish, made from mashed plantains, was actually better at Barrachina than at another restaurant – the one that the locals supposedly try to keep to themselves! The mofongo with pork was excellent, and the fajitas were also quite good. We ordered the nachos appetizer but, perhaps because this is a Puerto Rican, not Mexican, restaurant, the nachos weren’t quite what we expected. Rather than the huge pile of queso blanco cheese, hot jalapenos, and salsa/guacamole/sour cream, the nachos at Barrachina were kind of tame. Left more room for the entrees, though, which can be considered a good thing! The Spanish sausage, and the shrimp in garlic, were both tasty entrees. I also recommend the red snapper, for those interested in somewhat lighter fare.

Last, it’s important to note that Barrachina hosts weekly flamenco shows every Friday and Saturday. The women are incredible. I tried to take photos and video of the flamenco dancers, but their feet were often moving so fast – without a misstep – that all I got was a blur. This show, with dinner, makes for a special night out while on vacation in Puerto Rico.

The Burger Joint may be the last kind of place you’d expect to find in the lobby of the posh Le Parker Meridien hotel in New York City.  But that may be why it’s expertly hidden — the handmade, cockeyed menu boards and old naugahyde booths might stick out a bit amidst the lobby’s clean, fussy marble.

And this is part of the Joint’s charm.  New Yorkers, you see, seem to be on a never-ending quest to find the best burger in the city.  I know this because I saw it on an episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”  And the Burger Joint is definitely a contender for the honor.  If only because it is the kind of place that requires an insider’s knowledge mixed with a dash of adventure to find.

Enter the hotel, wander, and you’ll soon see it.  A small neon burger displayed on the wall, nearly hidden behind a large, red curtain shows you where to go.  And if that one small indicator of the Burger Joint’s location is obscured, then the line of hungry NYC natives, representing all walks of life from Wall Street to panhandler, happily queueing up behind it will surely point you in the right direction.

I’ve heard tell of the Burger Joint on several previous visits to the city.  But as soon as Le Parker Meridien was mentioned as the location, I’ll admit that I balked.  Not that I have anything against the hotel – it’s a gorgeous property with a great bar.  But, you know, I can get a $30 hotel burger just about anywhere in Manhattan and not have to go on what amounts to a quest to find it.  And I don’t have to wait in line in a dark, crowded hidey-hole for the privilege either.

But this time around, my host insisted.  “It’s the best burger in Manhattan,” he said.  “Plus, they have fantastic milkshakes.”  But it was his final sentence that sealed the deal for me.  “And the burgers are like only $7.00,” he exclaimed.  A $7 burger in New York City?  Was that even possible?  I had to find out.

And sure enough, it’s all true.  I don’t know if it is the “best” burger on the island – I don’t know if I can afford to sample them all – but it was really, really good.  But keep in mind that the Burger Joint is definitely a no muss-no fuss type of operation.  You stand in line, ask for a burger from a guy who aspires to be the Soup Nazi, pay in cash (and only in cash) and then hope against hope that you’ll manage to snag one of the few tables before your order is up.  If not, you’ll snarf your food standing against a fake wood-paneled wall adorned with a Sopranos poster, get some ketchup on your shirt in the process and like it.

But you know, maybe they put something in those burgers, because I’d happily return.  But this time, I’m holding out for a booth.

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The Burger Joint
Le Parker Meridien New York
119 W. 56th Street
New York, NY 10019

212.245.5000

http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat4.php

Hours:
Sunday through Thursday: 11:30-11:30
Friday and Saturday: 11:30-midnight

Another Fictional Fable with Food … by Sharon the BloggerQueen

Jasmine was in town for a Bikram Yoga conference.  She didn’t go every year, but this time it was to be held in Santa Rosa with close proximity to wine tasting, vineyards, and the ocean.  Being from Phoenix, she was looking forward to some change of scenery. She stayed in the historical Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa and, upon asking the concierge for a recommendation, Jasmine was swooned into trying out a new restaurant called Sushi to Dai For.

Jasmine was wearing here yoga pants and a tight sleeveless tank. She felt pretty comfortable walking into the restaurant.  It was clearly casual and progressive.  She opted for the Sushi bar, the perfect landing zone for lonely single from out of town.  Ironically she was placed next to a sign that she’d hoped would work on her.

Dining Alone?

Tuesday is bargain hand-roll night at Sushi to Dai For.  Only $2.50 per roll.  Since she only had $15 in her little yoga pocket she decided on that.  She ordered two Spicy Tuna, one Maguro, and a BBQ Eel.  It did not come with anything but water and edamame beans.  Luckily she was a light eater.

The sushi master was from Japan, a rarity in Phoenix and he spoke to the servers in Japanese but all his customers in English while he playfully teased her about her yoga convention.  “I do yoga six days a week!” she proudly spouted.  Immediately after she told him that she realized she was bragging again. That was something her ex always hated about her.  Embarrassed by her big mouth, she stuffed the Unagi hand-roll in it.  The meat was prepared perfectly and the sauce was light and flavorful, unfortunately the avocado was a little mushy and it squirted out the tail of the seaweed cone.  It was rather unappetizing. 

The next three rolls were fresh and tasty.  The spicy tuna was mixed with enough wasabi to make her sinuses open, but not enough to make her cry.  Good.  Looking around she noticed a very light crowd, but she heard they were packed for lunch.  All in all, it was a nice sushi dinner $15 bucks.

Since the sign did not work, Jasmine returned to her room alone and did the Child’s pose to comfort herself.

It’s a sad thing when you run out of actual restaurants in your own area to review and you have to venture out and check out new places. Not that I mind, but I sometimes have to work at my other job and run short on time. Hawaii is where I want to be right now, so Hawaii is what you get.

That said, if you are on the island of Maui and are getting ready to head out on the road to Hana, I know the perfect place to stop for breakfast. Colleen’s at the Cannery has a great selection of breakfasty items, but they are famous for their breakfast burritos. How do I know? It says so in the brochure that we received at the hotel.

A couple of things to remember about the road to Hana, 1. there are all kinds of great places to stop and play in waterfalls and hike back to. 2. All that activity will make you hungry. Well, that and the nail biting journey, especially so if you come across the locals. 3. There is little to no food once you get to Hana. Yes it’s beautiful, but why not stock up a hearty breakfast on the way.

We stopped and  partook of the famous breakfast breakfast burritos and a bagel with smoked salmon, tomato, onion, capers, cream cheese. Yes, it was divine.

The breakfast burritos were very good as well. It was chock full of scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar, green chile, salsa and sour cream wrapped in a toasted tortilla. How could that not be good?

In looking at the website I see that they’ve given themselves a little makeover. I hope they didn’t lose their charm and the locals with their new look.

Colleen’s was the first place I put brown sugar in my coffee and  then fell in love with the idea of brown sugar in my coffee. Next time I’ll try lunch or dinner, the menu looks delish.

Colleen’s At The Cannery
Cannery Marketplace
810 Haiku Rd.
Haiku, HI 96708

Tel (808) 575-9211
Email info@colleensinhaiku.com

Hours of Operation:
Everyday 6am to around 10:00pm      Photos-Courtesy of Colleen’s

Blast from the past

I’ve been a fan of queso as my meal for years — since Chi-Chi’s used to run a happy hour in its bar and serve all the queso you could get up and spoon into your bowl for free. (What can I say? I had college loans, I was cheap.)

I do have a few rules as to what I consider queso when I visit a Mexican restaurant: It has to coat your chip when you stick it in the bowl. If you have to extract it in strings and wrap it around your chip to get it to your mouth, that is cheese dip and it’s a pain in the butt. Second, queso has a few ingredients to spice it, and maybe one meat mixed in. Anything more, and it qualifies as a side dish and they better bring a fork instead of chips.

So, with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, red-blooded Americans need a primer to make sure they match their queso to their mood:

Because Chili’s queso is chock full of seasoned beef chunks and served in a skillet, we choose this dip when we have something of grave importance to hash out: what to cut out of the household budget, whether to trade in the car, how to tell someone unwelcome news. Its hearty taste is also welcome when you’re simply hungry and feeling cheap. As a bonus, the chips are very salty.

Moes Southwest Grill: Great Substitute for Salsa

No, I don’t like any of the salsas at Moe’s. So sue me — I order the queso instead because I’m not really that hungry and trying to stick my chip in that little cup of cheese is so frustrating, it’s a sneaky diet plan.

On the Border: Party Time

On the Border’s queso is downright pretty with the poblano peppers cut through the creamy cheese. This is the closest recipe we’ve found to Chi-Chi’s version, so naturally I’m partial to it from a sentimental standpoint alone. It practically screams “party time,” which explains why we order it during football games in the bar; when we’ve invited our friends out to dinner because we’re sick of looking at our own four walls; when we’re so excited about those plans we made at Chili’s, we’re not sure we can wait another day. 

They recently added a loaded queso, but by the time you add all the seasoned ground beef, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and jalapenos, you’ve kinda lost the purpose of queso. Save those for the Guacamole Live! appetizer. 

Abuelo’s: Almost Like Home

It looks similar to On the Border’s bowl when Abuelo’s servers arrive at your table with the chile con queso: happy, smooth, delicious. It delivers all that. The difference is that this recipe stays thinner longer, so if you don’t wolf it down in the first 10 minutes, you’re still good to go for another 20 minutes of conversation before you have to ask your server if he can rewarm it.

El Torito Mexican Restaurant: What Queso?

You mean someone asks for something other than the tableside guacamole here? What is wrong with you? Nobody should substitute cheese for the things these chefs do with an avocado.

Photography: Julie Sturgeon, Abuelo’s

My Favorite Person

We, my husband and I, wait all year for the Festival of Books to make it’s way to the UCLA campus and Saturday was the day. Woo hoo, we were excited. We like to make a day of it and consider it to be a “date” kind of a thing. We drop the kids off at Kiki’s house and head out, never looking back.

We enjoyed the day and needed to grab a snack before heading to a dinner party a few hours later. We decided to go to the P.F. Changs in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, it’s on the way home.

First off, it wasn’t busy, which was nice for us. They were getting ready for their dinner rush so our 4 o’clock snack was not a big intrusion. Our server Luke, was a nice guy, we took bets on whether he was from New York or New Jersey, but then forgot to ask him.

We ordered the Pork Dumplings, pan fried, as a starter. They were pretty good, though I think I’m used to a dumpling that has vegetables in with the pork, I like the combination of textures.

YUMMY!

Luke recommended the Changs Spicy Chicken as a choice between the three items we were torn between. We’re little piggies and ordered Chicken Fried Rice instead of steamed white or brown rice because do I need to say it. YUM! We like fried rice so much better.

The chicken was spicy as advertised. I’m a glutton for punishment and love the feeling of cleared sinuses that hot Chinese mustard can give you, so I threw a couple of spoonfuls on my rice.

We had plenty of food, we probably didn’t need the appetizer, but we were on a “date” so we splurged on one. Everything was well seasoned and the chicken in the rice was plentiful, I hate when they only give you a tiny bit.  Everything was better because our server was nice and attentive, which makes all the difference in the world.

Check out your local P.F. Changs, take a friend and share an entree and feel good about the sticker price.

P.F. Changs

Enjoy "old school" atmosphere at Presidio Social Club in San Francisco

As you can guess from my previous writing here, I love “old school” restaurants, bars, hotels and other destinations here in San Francisco. We are fortunate to live in a city that has survived fires, storms and earthquakes and thrived.

An incredible area of San Francisco that has thrived is the Presidio of San Francisco, built in 1776 and now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  Many of its officer’s housing, airfield and barracks have been either restored or converted to commercial or residential uses.

In Building 563, across from Lucas Digital Arts on Letterman is the Presidio Social Club, located in converted barracks. With its large bank of windows and open floor plan inside, this old school restaurant is perfect for dinner or a large group event.

We stopped in for an early dinner on one of the hottest days this spring and had a great time. They have a long bar underneath a row of fans, combined with the sound of cold drinks being shaken and it felt like we could have been in Hawaii or a plantation setting.

We started with an appetizer of grilled baby squid with artichokes that were fabulous. We ate them way too fast. We skipped salads to go straight to our entrees, though we did get a side of roasted tasty Brussels sprouts. I had their daily special of mashed potatoes and meatloaf while my husband had the grilled hangar steak.

Savory Meatloaf with Brussels Sprouts side

Though we were definitely full, the dessert menu was too tempting to pass up so we shared the home made ice cream sandwiches, served with hot liquid chocolate to pour over them, along with a killer banana cream pie that was out of this world. Easy parking as well makes this a cool place we will return to with friends and family.

Killer Desserts

563 Ruger St
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 885-1888
www.presidiosocialclub.com

Photo credits to my iPhone.

Another Fictitious Food Fable by the Sharon the Blogger Queen

Robin had been on every diet, but this one was the worst.  The Hallelujah diet called for a strict vegan diet with all raw foods.  She was saving a ton of time on cooking, but she couldn’t seem to complete a thought without fantasizing about grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon. ”I’ll be in shape for the bikini season by June.” she mumbled inaudibly while one eyelid slacked half closed. 

She was doing a little shopping in the town square of Windsor on her way to a restful weekend in Healdsburg when all of a sudden a sultry scent gently awoke her.  Her eye opened a little and her mouth started watering.  She was ready for her barley supplement and raw vegetable salad but it was in the portable ice sack in the car.  She took a couple of steps further along the sidewalk and spotted the sign that explained the aroma. David’s Hot Dogs.

David

The Hallelujah diet also included a lot of spirituality.  So naturally Robin attributed this miracle as a message from God “Robin, eat a hot dog.”  So she obeyed.  She walked into a restaurant owned by man, obviously.  A man who is enthusiastic about sports, especially locally.  There were jerseys hanging from the ceiling and team pictures on the walls.  She noted flat screens tvs but as she was only half conscious, she could not decipher whether it was CNN or an info-mercial. 

The beautiful young girl working behind the register greeted her with a warm smile, another sign from God she thought, and asked her what she’d like.  “Hmmm. Do you have any raw vegan dogs?” she asked hopefully.  “No, but our hot dogs are Vienna Beef Dogs and we have skinless too, if you prefer” she smiled uncomfortably.

Robin hastilly ordered a Mock Ruben.  It came with mustard, swiss cheese, and cole slaw or sourkraut. “Ah ha! raw cabbage!” she twittered.  There was a tall pub table by the window from which she could watch the people playing with their dogs and kids in the park.  The little restaurant was occupied with young people in their 20s.  People who didn’t have to worry about saturated fats, carbohydrates, and sodium yet.  “God bless them” she said somewhat sarcastically.

Her order was ready fast and she almost tinkled with excitement as she admired the fresh fat bun with poppy seeds on top.  She grabbed a pile of paper napkins, to hell with the environment, and sat there ready for her feast.  For just a snap moment a voice inside her head said “what about bikini season?” She knew that was the devil talking to her and that God had surely placed this perfect Mock Ruben in front of her today for a reason. ”And He will surely help me find a tummy flattening one-piece too” and then she scrunched the soft bun loaded with beef, coleslaw, cheese, and mustard into her waiting mouth. 

Mock Ruben

Every bite made her stronger.  She almost didn’t want to wipe her mouth so that she could wear her mustard and coleslaw dribbles proudly into the Windsor shops exclaiming “Behold bikini heathens!  Rise against the famine and eat a hot dog from God!”  But she was never one for speaking in public so she just dropped a tip in the jar and left.

Mock Ruben: $4.50

Soda: $1.50

Napkins: Free

And that’s what you get for ten bucks!

My friend did the unthinkable after our scrapbooking club last Friday.

Scrapbooking makes you hungry

Neither of our husbands were home — they were, in fact, together at a Toastmasters speech evaluation contest, which proves there are worse ways to spend an evening than pasting colored paper to cardstock — so I asked if she wanted to get a bite of real food to go with the cheese and crackers and Dove chocolates we’d snacked on for two hours already.

You know how these negotiations go: The first person invites, and the person who accepts has to name the restaurant. She picked (and I heard her the first time, I just didn’t believe it) Qdoba Mexican Grill.

My opinion on this Mexican fast casual chain is well documented here at the Uptake restaurant blog. But if there’s someone out there who hates Qdoba more than I do, it’s my scrapbooking buddy. I wouldn’t be surprised if she makes the sign of the devil every time she drives by one, as she can tell you in explicit detail what she dislikes about every item on the menu. She knows because her tennis group loves the place, so for a while there, she dragged herself there to lunch once a week.

So I thought for a second she’d cut herself with the scissors and was bleeding out on me, reaching the delusional stage.

She was serious. In her desperation to find something to eat after running all over the court for several hours, she stumbled on the pork quesadilla, sans pico. If anyone else had tried to recommend an entree at Qdoba, I would have declined, but this was monumental enough it probably was good.

Qdoba's quesadilla

So we split one, and she was right. It was delicious — salty, cheesy, and cooled off with sour cream. Formerly my beef with the place was that the chicken is dry, the hamburger tastes fake, and the steak is rubbery. But the pork! Ah, it has the juicy flavor every Mexican dish should boast. Not to mention the fountain serves both Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke, which combined gives you dessert in a cup.

It hit the spot better than the Dove chocolates, and no, I’m not bleeding out.

Photographer credits: Qdoba, karine.imagine, I am the Jeff