TAO Restaurant

TAO: A spiritual dining experience. That's what they say on the sign outside the Venetian in Las Vegas, and that same idea is certainly reflected in the interior decor of this restaurant. Dim lighting, lots of small candles, and a giant Buddha sitting atop a koi fish pond, dining at TAO was a fun experience. The food is a little on the pricey side, but it's a fine dining Chinese establishment - we felt a little underdressed in our jeans. The food was great though! We started with some plum wine - sweet with a nice fruity taste to it (and I usually can't *ever* taste 'fruit' or anything in wines...) then ordered a number of dishes to split between the two of us: shrimp and sweet potato tempura, TAO lo mein, and steamed vegetable dumplings with sesame and pickled cucumber.

First, what absolutely surprised me the most: the pickled cucumber was REALLY good. Cool and refreshing little slivers that you could easily eat a whole bowl of. They were a great palate cleanser between each different part of our dinner. The dumplings were the softest I've ever had and were a nice texture comparison to the other dumplings I've enjoyed. The lo mein was in a dark, rich sauce, and chock full of a nice array of vegetables. I'd definitely recommend stopping into TAO (they have locations in Vegas and NYC) - but get some of the more unique dishes (for instance, the tempura was good, but you can get it almost anywhere).

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

TAO Restaurant
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.taorestaurant.com/

Japanese Gyoza

Having now established my love of dumplings, I'm always looking to expand my dumpling horizons. Also known as "pot stickers," these are the Japanese version of dumplings (apparently!) and have a slightly thicker and different skin than wontons. The ones I tried were available on a lunch buffet, and after my first I went back for a second...and a third...and a fourth. Steamed and filled with a pork mixture, they were so light and delicious I couldn't stop eating them! I highly recommend giving them a shot if you've got the chance.

Where you can enjoy these yourself:

Golden China
119 Floral Vale Boulevard
Yardley, Pennsylvania
http://mygoldenchina.webs.com/

The interior of the restaurant is classy, but not fancy - another great spot to bring friends or colleagues. The food is always fresh and my favorite is the lunch buffet - good food and great variety!

Greek Pizza

On a thin, flatbread crust that maintains a great balance between soft and crispy (and firm enough to hold all those toppings!), marvelous Greek flavors come together for a light-feeling but certainly satisfying lunch meal. Toppling with fresh olives, feta cheese, artichokes, red onions, and a little roasted pepper, and finished with a drizzle of balsamic, the flavors are great and the combination is even greater. I've ordered this twice now and have not been disappointed. A perfectly refreshing and nicely dressed side salad accompanies the pizza as well.

Where to enjoy this yourself:

Canal Street Grill
27 East Afton Avenue (->right in downtown Yardley)
Yardley, Pennsylvania
http://www.canalstreetgrill.com/

This restaurant really is a great place to stop in - with friends, family, colleagues, or by yourself. Recently redesigned inside - and with a nice seating area outside, as well - the service is great and the food is very good. A cup of soup or a side of their french fries is also highly recommended! You can't go wrong with the Canal Street Grill.

BEST Perogies

Sauteed in butter to perfection, these potato and onion filled perogies are as good as they get. Not only are they delicious - but during happy hour (5 - 7, I believe) they are CHEAP! We're talking 50 cents a piece. That's jaw-dropping cheap for great food - for the BEST food, especially. The stuffing was creamy and filling, and each platter of three perogies is served with some sour cream (blech...) and sauteed onions (score!). Bottom line, these are the BEST perogies I've ever had, and you can find them in a little dive Polish bar in downtown Pittsburgh. Who knew??

Where you can enjoy these yourself:

Bloomfield Bridge Tavern
4412 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
http://bloomfieldbridgetavern.com/

Hotcakes

Hotcakes: not quite a pancake, not quite a crepe - but definitely delicious! These are unquestionably the only "breakfast wraps" I would ever consider eating (let-a-lone recommend). Pamela's hotcakes come in a number of delicious varieties, including blueberry, strawberry, chocolate banana...the list goes on. I was a little hesitant because most of them (for instance, the blueberry and strawberry) are both stuffed with brown sugar and sour cream - and I'm not a big fan of sour cream. But! They were great. The combination of ingredients all wrapped up in a piping hot hotcake was great. But beware...one platter is an awful lot for breakfast!

Where you can enjoy these yourself:

Pamela's
Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.pamelasdiner.com

Here are all the different locations they have throughout Pittsburgh. Check out their website for exact locations of each branch:

- Mt. Lebanon
- Squirrel Hill
- Shadyside
- Millvale
- Oakland
- Strip District

Wolfgang Puck

Lupo's, in Las Vegas, is the first Wolfgang Puck restaurant I've been to. The food and ambiance was great, though I was a little disappointed with my dish (our server explained it to be quite different than it was, so I was expecting something else). The menu, about two pages long, is easy enough to read through but hard to make a decision about - everything really sounded wonderful. My dish was Scialatielli "Ai Quattro Passi" con Salsicce alla Bolognese, Basilico e Lamelle di Parmigiano - House Made Thick Noodle Pasta alla 'Quattro Passi', Sausage Bolognese, Cream, Basil, Parmesan. It was essentially a bolognese sauce over square-cut homemade pasta (that looked a lot like worms, actually). Their regular bolognese sauce is much brighter tasting, but my sauce had nice warm tones to it and the fresh basil added a nice light, fresh contrast to the dish.

The desserts were also delicious. I haven't seen zeppole ("zeppies") outside of a pizzeria - and they're a rare find even there. Traditionally small round donuts made from leftover pizza dough, the dough is fried and then tossed in a mountain of powdered sugar. They're messy, but delicious. But! These were ricotta zeppole, made with a ricotta dough base and served with a warm caramel and cool vanilla dipping sauce. They were great. I also have a photo of the tiramisu, ordered by my friends (very picturesque, but I'm not a big tiramisu fan) which got rave reviews from everyone else at the table.

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Lupo by Wolfgang Puck
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/trattoria.aspx (menu available!)

Sorry for the hiatus! I've been out of town for a while (that means lots of new places I'll be posting about...soon) and have been all around busy catching up with things. So don't lose hope, I'll be back with more great food and photos soon!

I've also joined Yelp and started writing reviews, so you may want to check out my new link on the lower right to hear reviews of entire restaurants (instead of specific dishes at said restaurants). I'll prioritize updating my blog over Yelp, however, once I am all caught up. Hope to see you again soon, and thanks for stopping by! :-)

BEST Western Omlettes

They also have great home fries:These tri-folded, three-egg omelettes are mixed right up with perfect portions of fillings (fresh mushrooms, green peppers, ham, onion - and I get mine without cheese) so that you get a savory mix of perfectly cooked "egg, etc." in every bite. They're my favorite not only for the flavoring, but how they come out perfectly every time, with a sort of juiciness from the fresh ingredients - not from runny eggs. The home fries are a great side, too: soft and white on the inside but crispy, golden brown on the outside, tossed with sauteed onions (my favorite)!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Original Waffle Shop
1610 West College Avenue OR 1229 North Atherton Street
State College, Pennsylvania
http://www.originalwaffleshop.net/

If you are in the area, there is "The Waffle Shop" and also "Original Waffle Shop." They are extremely similar (used to be owned by the same people) but their menus, recipes, and prices are slightly different. For the best omelettes, go to the one on West Beaver Ave or on Atherton Street. (The other ones have the BEST chocolate chip pancakes!) As a side note, the Waffle Shops also have INCREDIBLE waffles, but I recently came into a waffle maker of my own, so I usually like treating myself to an omelette or pancakes when I go out - but definitely try the waffles, too!! They're great at both locations.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

About a year ago, I became obsessed with pita and hummus - just regular, plain hummus. Recently I've started expanding my hummus horizons and have really enjoyed trying homemade hummus with fresh chips or pita when I'm out - there are some really creative things you can do when you add in some seasoning and extra flavors. I usually prefer toasted pita to grilled (it better retains its shape with the former method) but This roasted red pepper hummus was very smooth with light flavoring, great to prep the palate before your main course!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Empire Brewing Company
Armory Square
120 Walton Street
Syracuse, New York
http://www.empirebrew.com/

Deviation: Hot Day, Cold Soup!

Normally I feature restaurant dishes, but these soups were just so pretty, I can't resist posting them here. The best part is, the recipe is at the end of this post! They were simple to make - but my family had a hard time guessing what color was made from what - even after tasting them. Since there were four of us, and each recipe makes about four servings, I made all four recipes and figured if I filled each bowl half way, somehow that would render the right amount of food per person...which was almost right. We each got through about 3 of our 4 bowls, haha.

So here's the magic break down!

RED - Chilled roasted tomato - tangy and savory
PINK - Cool mixed berry - fruity with a tart bite
GREEN - Cool zucchini - unusual (but tasty!)
YELLOW - Cold velvet corn - creamy and SWEET!

Of all of them, the yellow was my favorite. No sugar is added, but it has such a sweet flavor you won't believe it. The green I could take or leave, but it was still a big hit to everyone with a mature palate around the table.

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

At your very own home: Recipe HERE!

Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas

I'm not big on anything with lots of gooey, oozing cheese, so I usually steer clear of quesadillas. However, I have a great recipe for Italian quesadillas, which use a mild cheese and roasted red peppers - and being able to control how much cheese goes in has really helped open my eyes to the world of quesadillas. So when I saw it on the menu with a variety of yummy roasted vegetables, I went for it. And what a great decision!

Enveloped in a crunchy tortilla and drizzled with a Chipotle-tomato sauce, roasted peppers, mushrooms, squash, and onions are bound together with havarti (a mild cheese that has the same stringy consistency as mozzarella) to make a perfectly fresh and light summer lunch meal. The only thing better than my roasted vegetable quesadilla was possibly the cup of creamy tomato soup I started out with. The atmosphere and style of Sweet Loraine's is fresh, casual, and fun - a perfect spot for a lunch date and catching up with friends.

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Sweet Loraine's Cafe & Bar
U.S. 202 (intersection of 202/Lower York Road and Street Road)
Lahaska, Pennsylvania
http://www.sweetlorraines.com/

BEST Tomato Pie

Unusually cut and spectacularly delicious, this super-thin crust pizza still makes it to my BEST list, even after having eaten real Italian pizza. The stiff, crisp crust and thin layer of cheese merely act as a vessel for the glorious chunks of tomato and sauce exploding all across the top layer. The pizza shines with olive oil (not grease) and the seasoning is light but good; it really only complements the three aforementioned ingredients, not adds to or overpowers. If you like pizza, or you like tomato pie, don't miss out on the best there is!!

Where you can enjoy it yourself:

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

Usually we split a family size pie and a large salad to share between four of us - but I also frequent It's Nutts with my best friend and we share the crab & avocado dip and the family size pie - just between the two of us! They also have individual pies (see below!) that don't take too long to make, in case you didn't get enough the first time (thin crust pizza - which I also found in Italy - is much lighter and doesn't fill you up as much)!

Wild Mushroom Fajitas

One word: DELICIOUS. I never thought to forget about the chicken or steak and throw a variety of mushrooms in with the peppers and onions and wrap it all up! They were generous with the guacamole (which I love), and there were just enough wraps to accommodate the sizzling platter of filling. The shredded Monterey Jack cheese was just enough to bind the ingredients together, and the mushrooms were juicy and flavorful but not overpowering - all in all, this was a really tasty meal. They also use local/organic ingredients - so you know that most of the dishes on their menu are going to be great, if for nothing else than their ingredients!

Where you can enjoy it yourself:

Empire Brewing Company
Armory Square
120 Walton Street
Syracuse, New York
http://www.empirebrew.com/

Zodiac Dining Room

Though I usually focus on one dish - my own - per restaurant, it seemed here that the other dishes ordered outshone mine, so I'm featuring a selection of foods from The Zodiac, located in the King of Prussia Neiman Marcus department store.

First: the crab and tomato soup (mine). This soup had quite an unexpected kick of spice to it - since I'm not a fan of spicy foods, I actually let mine cool and ate it after my meal to tone the spiciness down a bit. Apparently it's great for those of you who do like it hot!

Second: Fish & Chips (mine). I feature this mainly to give you an idea of the type of food they offer. To be honest, the fried fish didn't have much flavor and then house tartar sauce was a bit of a disappointment - but they do have a comfortably-sized menu with an array of American dishes sure to please everyone.

Third: Mandarin Orange Soufflé (not mine). Chicken salad - which is much more chicken than mayo, fruit salad, and fruit cake, plus the soufflé itself: a light, smooth texture with a delicate flavor of orange. This was the winner!

The Zodiac is also neat because everyone at the table gets a hot, fresh popover, strawberry butter, and a palate-cleansing hot chicken consommé (essentially broth). They also have excellent strawberry lemonade.

Where you can enjoy it yourself:

The Zodiac, Neiman Marcus Department Store
170 Gulph Road
King of Prussia, Pennsylvaina
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/info/store.jhtml?storeId=30/KP

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.