BEST Dumpling Soup

Since my first dumplings about a year and a half ago, I haven't been able to get enough of them. The dumplings here may very well be the BEST dumplings around - and for a while, they were - but then I discovered their dumpling noodle soup (9C on the menu, I believe) - and their dumplings, while being absolutely excellent to begin with, suddenly became UNBELIEVABLY excellent. While I love a good soy-based sauce with my dumplings (and this is why it took me so long to try them in the soup, without it), the dumplings swimming in a light broth makes them even more succulent. The soup is layered with wide noodles on the bottom, fresh green vegetables in the middle, and a generous helping of steamed pork dumplings on top. (Note: there is no graceful way to eat this soup. I've tried a spoon for the broth, I've tried chopsticks for its components - no matter what, I end up having an obvious splatter-zone around me by the end of the meal.)

Where to enjoy this yourself:

Big Bowl Noodle House
418 East College Avenue
State College, Pennsylvania

My awesome roommate Katie last year introduced me to Big Bowl, which is now one of my favorite restaurants, as well as the dumpling soup. (Another note: Katie somehow manages to eat the dumpling noodle soup gracefully...so maybe that's just me.) This place is not to be confused with the fancy, reservations-only eatery you may find online if you google "big bowl:" this is a tiny little place sub-terra just of the main intersection of downtown State College.

Linguine with Fresh Marinara

A marinara of tomatoes and fresh basil over a bed of wide pasta is perfect no matter what the weather or season. Fresh ingredients in a sauce always makes for a lighter flavor, which is why it's especially nice in the summertime. Sprinkle over some fresh chopped parsley, black pepper, and Romano cheese, and you have a great lunch meal!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Blue Bay Diner
5850 Francis Lewis Boulevard
Flushing, New York

It's worth noting that the portions here are massive. I ordered the lunch special, which came with soup, and salad, and entree, and dessert, and tea. The soup was a hearty appetizer and the salad was a meal in itself - then the dessert was almost too much for the four of us to split between us (all for $15!). Don't get me wrong - all of the food was really good - but be sure to pace yourself.

Belgian Waffles

First thing in the morning, what could beat a fresh, hot, deep-pocket waffle with fresh strawberries and a tower of whipped cream?? I'll tell you what: almost nothing. For me, the fresh strawberries and whipped cream are implied in the name "Belgian waffle" - just a regular waffle by itself can't be considered a Belgian waffle in my book anymore than two slices of bread can be considered a sandwich (I've learned the hard way that most dining establishments don't agree with me on this, however). At Fred's, a very special breakfast "club," they do waffles right: loaded with fresh strawberry halves and whipped cream sky high - and they won't complain if you ask for more! The thing, too, about their waffles is (what I've discovered to be a secret ingredient in waffles and pancakes) they have just a little bit of malt in their waffle mix. Or that's my best guess - a little malt and a lotta butter.

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Fred's Breakfast
13 East Randolph Street
New Hope, Pennsylvania
http://www.fredsbreakfast.com/

Now, the thing about Fred's is that it's all a big secret. You can read more on their website about details, but the general gist is that you need to be a member in order to dine at the 31-seat counter surrounding the open kitchen. How do you become a member? By recommendation of a current member! It's an exclusive breakfast club with a retro-diner feel and very casual atmosphere, located right on the Delaware River. If you happen to know someone (like me!) who is a member, ask them for a Guest Privilege card to check the place out. Fred's is one of New Hope's best kept local secrets.

Crab & Artichoke Dip

So far as I'm concerned, "dips" should be featured somewhere in the song "My Favorite Things." What could be better?? You have your crispy, crunchy, bite-sized chips paired with a sometimes smooth - sometimes creamy - sometimes fresh - sometimes baked - creative expression of flavor. I can't get enough of good dips.

I'm a fan of crab, and a fan of artichoke - though I can't say I ever would have thought to pair the two. But it works - really well. It's a rich dip, though it's hard to decide if the flavor of crab is right and artichoke is light or vice versa. They blend together seamlessly in creamy combination that's served (ready for this?) - hot - which opens a whole new set of doors!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

It's Nutts
1382 Rivier Road (Route 29)
Titusville, New Jersey
http://www.itsnuttsrestaurant.com/

BEST Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms will change your life.

I almost want to just leave it at that, because no words can fully describe the culinary phenomena of an experience it is to eat these stuffed mushrooms. You simply have to go. Try them. And wonder how billions of people have lived their lives without ever having experienced the incredibly elegant, sophisticated, and passionate explosion of flavor and joy you just consumed. If I had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life...these very well may be it.

The mushrooms themselves are indeed very fine - large, plump, and fresh, they would burst with flavor even without all of the extra mushroom, breading, butter, and fresh spices (red pepper? garlic? parsley?) in their stuffing. There's something light about their flavor, but the richness and breading and size of each mushroom beg to counter that point - it would be difficult to eat many more than the six mushrooms in this appetizer on your own. The smooth texture of the outer mushroom shell combined with the savory, coarse texture of the stuffing cannot be argued as anything but divine.

One of my favorite parts of this appetizer is the lemon on the side. I often overlook garnishes as having little value beyond aesthetics (though there's nothing wrong with aesthetics), but adding a squeeze from the lemon truly makes these mushrooms pop. There's no other way to describe it: adding a little fresh lemon juice just makes them come alive with flavor. Definitely do not disregard the garnish on this one!! It's an absolute necessity to the overall experience.

Where you can enjoy these yourself:

Lombardi's on the Sound
44 Fairway Drive
Port Jefferson, New York
www.lombardisonthesound.com

It should also be made known that this very well could be the best restaurant I've ever experienced. We came upon it by pure chance one day driving around and, despite its exclusive country club exterior, the restaurant is quite open and welcoming to the public. I've been there three times over the past two years and verifiably would drive all the way out there just for their food. Every single time we've gone, everyone's meal has been incredible - not just good, but really, excellent. They price accordingly - I couldn't make a habit of dining there five nights a week, or even one night every week - but I cannot stress enough that it is worth every penny. If you go during the summer, there is a beautiful view out over the Long Island sound; the staff is pleasant and attentive, with a host regularly making the rounds to assure your overall satisfaction; the atmosphere is relaxed and calming. Throw in truly excellent food, and you have nothing short of a five-star winner.

Penne alla Vodka

This was quite a delicious dish. I'll first explain the photos: Looking at the first two pictures, the plate doesn't look too intimidating. But closely examine the third photo (discreetly taken of a table next to us): it only becomes intimidating when you realize you aren't being served a plate, you're being served a BOWL. Now, I'm not opposed to large portions, so long as you plan accordingly. I think I even prefer large portions when you're dining at an expensive restaurant (such as this incredible one) - that way you really feel that you're getting your money's worth. Plus, what's better than eating a delicious meal once?? Eating it again as leftovers, the next day!! There is absolutely something to be said for not wasting food, and for the "perfect portion," but I for one don't mind taking a little bag home at the end of the night, either. It should be noted, however, that at Lombardi's on the Sound, one of their pasta dishes could EASILY feed a family of four, especially if you throw in an appetizer (and you absolutely MUST throw in one of their appetizers - more on that coming soon though!!).

Now, back to the actual food at hand: the vodka sauce was on the thinner side overall (often the case with vodka sauces - completely personal preference if you prefer thinner or thicker) with a few nice tomato chunks spread throughout. The flavor was light enough to make a nice meal in the summer but heavy enough to not get lost against the penne. What was especially unique, and at first a little odd, was that the meat in the sauce wasn't pancetta or anything pork-based (again, as is frequently the case): it was ground beef. Not enough to make it a heavy meat-sauce, just enough to flavor it and add some "beef" to the dish. It was surprising; I don't think I've ever had a vodka sauce with beef in it before. But they made it work!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Lombardi's on the Sound
44 Fairway Drive
Port Jefferson, New York
www.lombardisonthesound.com

It should also be made known that this very well could be the best restaurant I've ever experienced. We came upon it by pure chance one day driving around, and despite its exclusive country club exterior, the restaurant is quite open and welcome to the public. I've been there three times over the past two years and verifiably would drive all the way out there for their food. Every single time we've gone, every single person's meal has been incredible - not just good, but really, excellent. They price accordingly - I couldn't make a habit of dining there five nights a week, or even one night every week - but I cannot stress enough that it is worth every penny. If you go during the summer, there is a beautiful view out over the Long Island sound; the staff is pleasant and attentive, with a host regularly making the rounds to assure your overall satisfaction; the atmosphere is relaxed and calming. Throw in truly excellent food, and you have a five-star winner, by my standards (which I like to think are pretty high).

Strawberry Banana French Toast

What could be a better way to start the day than with crunchy cinnamon-sugar toast saturated with strawberry juices and banana?? I'll give you the bad news now: this is a family recipe, so there's no public place you can go to enjoy it. But it just looked (and tasted!) so good, I couldn't resist posting it here! Each portion is served with a hearty slice of French toast atop a bed of succulent sliced and baked strawberries and bananas. The crunch of the bread paired with the juicy softness of the fruit is a great combination of textures. Rich, filling, and delicious!