For lunch- or a beer!

So Eric has yet to upload the pictures from the Bahamas- so sadly I can't talk about all the awesome restaurants we went to! So if any of you can persuade him to get those up, it would be greatly appreciated :)

So the holidays are coming up and I still have so much Christmas shopping to do! I've been so busy with work and trying to get my relocation set up, that I have barely had anytime to do anything else. Trying to decide on whether I should just rent a place or purchase a place is a hard, hard decision and having this time crunch (my rotation starts Jan. 10th) is not helping!

So, I obviously have not had any time to cook- hence Curiosity killed the chef has sadly been baren and abandoned. So what do I do for food? Dine out of course!

So for the past week, I've been to the Tiger's Tale for lunch twice already- one time with Eric and another with my boss. I've obviously never heard of the place until my boss decided to take me there- and I'm really happy that she introduced me!

The Tiger's Tale, located on Route 206 in Skillman, NJ is a great little place that is always packed for lunch! There isn't an online menu (and I can't seem to find their website) but yelp has a number of reviews!

The menu is quite extensive and really anything you can think of is on there! From rack of lamb to sandwiches to pastas- you'll definitely have a hard time choosing!

The first time I went with my boss I got the lobster roll and I liked it so much that I brought Eric back a few days later. The food at the Tiger's Tale is great- simple yet flavorful, it's a great joint for lunch -or a beer!

Going back with Eric, I of course had to get that Lobster roll again- priced at $11- I didn't find it too unreasonable as it came with their delicioius old bay seasoned home made potato chips! Yum!

Eric started off with their French Onion Soup while I got the Lousiana style gumbo.

Both soups were delicious. Eric's French Onion soup was great and he commented on how it was the best he had in a few years! My gumbo had a bit of spice to it (which I love) and what was even better was that it had a lot of Okra! Okra, being one of my favorite vegetables is always a huge treat for me as many people don't use it in their cooking. Yum!

Eric got the Filet Mignon Sandwich where I, of course, got the Lobster Roll.

Eric's sandwich was ok- his first bite he got a big piece of tough meat which made it very hard to chew/swallow but the rest seemed OK. My lobster roll was great. I am surprised with the amount of lobster in the sandwich- it was plentiful and the sandwich was stuffed! Topped with some fresh shredded lettuce, the lobster roll is fresh and filling! The Old Bay seasoned chips- which you can order separately as well is great- I think it's one of their more favorite items on the menu. Who knew homemade potato chips seasoned with old bay would be such a hit?

We then of course ended with dessert. I got the rice pudding (surprise surprise) and Eric got the carrot cake. Both desserts were good- but nothing too special- you can never go wrong with dessert, I guess.

All in all, the Tiger's Tale is a great place and I am very happy that I found it. The food is reasonably priced and great for a quick bite to eat. Like I said, it's always packed so be prepared for a wait- it must be worth it, right?





Price: $

Ambiance: B

Service: B

Food: B+

The Monkey Family

Back from the Bahamas! And also, back to the cold cold weather :(

The Bahamas was great- although the weather there was 'cold' for the last two days (60s-ha) Eric and I had a blast and really enjoyed the trip!

We went to the different pools and numerous water rides (yes, I even went on the leap of faith) and enjoyed a lot of great food! Sadly, this post will not be about a restaurant we ventured to in the Bahamas (It's all on Eric's camera and he needs to upload them) but about a nice little place in the city we went to after the Bahamas!

This past weekend, relaxed and prepared (sort of) for the NYC weather, the Monkey family decided to get together and have a little reunion! I was so excited and I couldn't think of anything better to do on a Saturday!

My big made reservations at Barbounia, a nice Mediterranean place located on Park and 20th street. She told me that she goes there basically every weekend- so I knew it must be good!Apparently, the monkey family has been there before- and I was so excited to join them this time!

I was starving when I got there, and it took a lot of will power to not order too much off the menu. I was having a hard time choosing between the crab benedict and the mushroom and asparagus pizza (mainly due to the fact that both dishes had truffle oil). I ended up with the crab benedict while Eric got the smoked salmon benedict.





My crab benedict was good. The best part being, of course, the truffle oil! I really appreciated the fact that the truffle oil was mixed in with the crab meat (and not just drizzled on top)- I really got that strong truffle oil flavor out of every bite and really got to enjoy every single moment of my dish! I'm pretty sure that I really enjoyed this dish solely thanks to the truffle oil addition- as it was just a plain (but good) benedict besides that unique perk.

I didn't get to taste Eric's smoked salmon benedict but it looked the same and I can imagine, would have tasted the same (except really not as good because it didn't have truffle oil ;))- but he seemed pretty happy!





What did Eric really enjoy? My Big's Granola. After hitting the table, Eric completely forgot about his dish and totally focused on my big's granola. Eyeing her dish after every bite- I knew he was secretly hoping that she didn't finish it!

The Granola looked great- topped with plenty of fresh fruit and yogurt- it looked healthy and fresh and (sort of) guilt free! Yum!

Me being the glutton that I am, I of course had to get dessert.

For the past few days, I was on a rice pudding binge and couldn't stop eating rice pudding at every restaurant I went to! Coincidentally, rice pudding was on the menu and it took a lot of will power to resist and try something else. Boy am I mad at myself for doing so.

We got the Malabi. I got it because it sounded interesting- Rose water custard with strawberries and pistachios. The rose water interested me and I was very curious as to how it would be.

Ok, so the dessert wasn't necessarily bad but it definitely was not to my liking. I felt like I was eating a rose candle. The presentation was great and according to Eric 'the bowl is the best part about this dessert' but the flavor was very overwhelming and.. really... tasted like a candle. Hey, at least I tried something different?

Alright, so granted I didn't have a good ending to my brunch- the time spent was priceless. I can't believe I'm a big^5! The monkey family is really filled with such smart, unique and impressive girls- I am so proud to say that I am part of their family! I had a great time spending brunch with the girls and really enjoyed listening to their stories and reminiscing about the house. After a day with them- it is clearly obvious how awesome the Monkey Family is.

Like I said, what's better than good friends and good food? Nothing.

Price: $$

Ambiance: A-

Service: B+

Food: B+

Sex in your mouth

So i'm pretty surprised that this post hasn't come earlier. In fact, I'm surprised it wasn't the FIRST post I've made after moving back to NY! We all know NYC has great food and plenty of things to do- but what I have failed to acknowledge is that NYC has the best pizza! In the world. Period.

Nobody out there can convince me that there is someplace else that carries more superior pizza- in fact I really don't think there really is anybody out there that truly thinks that!

Besides our wonderful lunch at Sentosa on Saturday, Shaman and Sundar convinced me to get some pizza for dinner. Shaman wanted to go to Di Fara Pizza located on Avenue J all the way in Brooklyn.

Being surrounded by Amore's and other great pizza places nearby my house- it was hard to agree to drive all the way down to Brooklyn. What convinced me? Well, Shaman was telling me about the '90 year old man who makes the pizza and doesn't let anybody else touch it'. I had to see this!

Half expecting it to be a nice italian pizza bistro, I was a bit surprised that the 'best' pizza in Brooklyn was in an old, run of the mill pizza pick up place! We got there pretty late, and were lucky enough to be let in as they shortly closed afterwards, leaving hungry fans out in the cold!

The line was pretty long and after ordering our pie, we had to wait around 35 minutes to get it. I could tell that Shaman and Sundar were very anxious (ok, I was too) and we couldn't wait for this delicious pie to finally come out of the oven!

We ordered one pizza- half cheese (Boo Sundar and his vegetarianism) and half with pepperoni and garlic.

After this delicious masterpiece came out of the oven- it looked (and smelled) perfect. What topped it off? The fresh basil (grown at the windowsills) and smooth olive oil drizzled on top! Ingenious!

I'm not sure if we were just really hungry, or if the pizza was that good- but we finished the entire pie in a matter of minutes. Ok, the pizza really was that good (Shaman's friend described it as 'sex in your mouth').

Fresh sauce made with herbs grown by the owner with three different types of quality cheeses on top, Di Fara's pizza definitely lived up to its expectations. At $5 for a (small) slice and $28 for a pie- this heavenly experience doesn't come cheap. Double the price of a normal slice/pizza, many people wonder if it's really worth it.

Is it? Only for those who truly appreciate pizza. If you're looking for a quick bite- you may as well head over to the 3 other pizza places on the same block- but if you're a pizza fan, Di Fara's is a must! I mean- who doesn't like sex in their mouth?

Price: $$

Ambiance: B

Service: A-

Food: A

Good food and Good friends

I'm really not sure what is better- good food, or good friends. It would be ideal if you didn't have to choose between the two- and thankfully this weekend, I didn't!

This past Saturday, Shaman and Sundar decided to pay me (and Zeus) a visit! I was actually really excited to see them this weekend as they came down to Queens to see ME this time! Shaman and Sundar have never been to Queens, let alone Flushing, and they were quite surprised coming off the 7 train! I remember Eric describing his experience in Flushing as if he 'wasn't in America anymore'- and that's exactly right. The bustling and hustling of New Yorkers is common in the city but with 95% of them being asian and stores all around you in another language- you can't help but to feel lost in this new world of Flushing, Queens (and boy did they get lost).

Our original plans were to get some good Indian food in Queens but they changed their minds and wanted Thai instead. Not being able to think of a good Thai restaurant in Flushing off the top of my head, I suggested Malaysian as a compromise. Shaman immediately agreed as he remembered our previous experience at a Malaysian restaurant and of course wanted to get the Roti Canai!

We went to Sentosa, a Malaysian restaurant located on Prince Street, close to Flushing Mall. I have mixed feelings about Sentosa- I love Malaysian food and think that their dishes are great but I also find it a bit overpriced- being that it is in Flushing and you can go next door and get a plate of noodles for $2.

The menu at Sentosa is pretty similar to any other menu you would find at a Malaysian restaurant in the city. I usually get the same thing, and this time was no different.

Shaman and I started off with the Roti Canai- a roti (indian pancake) fried crisp, paired with a delicious creamy curry dipping sauce. Both Shaman and Sundar liked it very much, describing it as 'very Indian'. This is also one of my favorite things to get!

**Thank you Shaman for the pictures!

Sundar, always needing to be different, decided to opt out on the Roti Canai appetizer and got the Tofu Satay to start with instead. This was interesting as I was expecting it to be skewers of tofu, but instead it was 4 large pieces of tofu with cucumbers and a peanut sauce on top. It looked like a pretty healthy dish as a matter of fact, but I didn't get to taste it- I hope it was good Sundar!

My usual dish is the Char Keuh Teow. A stir fried noodle dish with a variety of seafood all in a yummy sauce. I like it because it's not drenched in sauce, the way some noodle dishes are and it's just delicious! Very heavy and greasy, I never finish it all in one sitting (which makes this dish a perfect lunch leftover!) but it never fails to hit the spot. I get it without the spicy chili paste- just so I can spare myself from an allergic reaction (Did I mention I was allergic to some spicy dishes?)



Shaman stuck with the curry theme and ordered a curry chicken rice dish. White jasmine rice with (probably) the same curry chicken sauce from the Roti Canai- although I didn't get to taste it- I can't imagine it not being good!



I guess Sundar really wanted Thai food, so he ordered the vegetarian Pad Thai for his entree- and he too could not finish it all. Shaman and I had a bite and to our surprise the Pad Thai was different from the others we have had. I usually envision Pad Thai as a noodle dish with a very strong peanut sauce, however, this Pad Thai was quite the opposite and had very strong flavors- all which were not peanut. It was very flavorful and tasty and I think I may try this next time!

At the end of our meal, it was time for a nap (of course). We went back to my place, played with the pup and watched Love Actually! What a great day!

I really enjoyed showing them around my neighborhood and not having to travel all the way to the city! Good food and good friends is the best way to go.

Price: $$

Ambiance: B+

Service: B+

Food: A-

Happy belated!

Happy belated Thanksgiving! But more importantly Happy belated birthday to my Big!

I have been meaning to write this post since my big's birthday celebration but I haven't had the chance to with work and everything else coming up. I thought it would be OK since I would be travelling to California for Thanksgiving, sure that I would come back with tons of pictures of the different places we went to. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go out much (except for In and Out Burger) and so sadly no pictures or new blogs from my Thanksgiving holiday. (Don't you worry- I'm going to the Bahamas next weekend) :).

Well a few weekends ago, right before my Cali trip, my big decided to celebrate her 26th birthday at one of her favorite sushi restaurants, Hane.

I've been to Hane before with my big and a few other friends and I remember being pleasantly surprised by the amount of sushi we got for the price we paid! I was hoping to experience the same thing again, and thankfully I did!

Hane is interesting in that it is a fusion Japanese restaurant, which of course means that their sushi rolls are far from traditional. The menu was filled with exotic looking rolls and a wide variety of dishes, it was hard to choose which ones to get! Good thing my big was there to help!

I got the Mango Lobster Roll, the Blue Crab Fantastic Roll (now how can you go wrong with that) and the Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll. All the rolls were delicious and had such a great combination of different flavors!

Mango Lobster Roll

The Mango Lobster Roll was very sweet- in fact I could have eaten it for dessert! There was a good amount of lobster and the texture of the roll (being that it is wrapped with rice paper instead of traditional nori) was interesting. The lobster itself was masked by the sweet mango sauce- I wish the roll highlighted the lobster a bit more.

The Blue Crab Fantastic Roll

The Blue Crab Fantastic Roll is my Big's favorite. Served with cooked blue crab and a delicious sweet sauce (the chef's special sauce) , the roll is warm and delicious. You can really taste the crab and the sauce didn't hide the other delicious fish- like the eel on top! My biggest disappointment about this roll? The head. The roll is served with a crab's head and being the asian that I am, I was VERY excited to eat the contents. However, flipping it over, it was empty and I was quite disapponted. Boy, do I love the head.

The Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll was my favorite. I unfortunately didn't get a picture since it was located on the other side of the table. However, the huge amounts of spicy tuna on top of the crispy roll is delicious! I'm really not sure what is in the "crispy" roll, but it's tempura fried and adds a great contrast to the soft texture of the spicy tuna.

Each roll, as you can see, was HUGE. With such large portions and great flavors, Hane was a great place for dinner! Fun and lively, I will most definitely be returning to Hane again (probably with my big).

At the end of the night, I left full and excited for our next adventures to come (and believe me, we had some adventures) and was very happy to be celebrating the birthday of my big sister. Happy Birthday again- love you!


Price: $$
Ambiance: A
Service: B+
Food: A-