Is it time for another Caribbean vacation yet?

Freezing rain?!?! really?!?

Is it time for another Caribbean vacation yet???

So for those of you interested in a nice trip to the Bahamas- I highly recommend the Atlantis. Besides my recent trip to the island, I went in March of 2010 and stayed at the Wyndham. Granted, the weather was nicer- there is a lot more activity at the Atlantis and more things to do around the area. (We took cabs every night to the Atlantis even though we stayed at the Wyndham)

The one bad thing about the Atlantis is it's prices!! You can find some cheap(er) food if you know where to look, but when it comes down to it- if you want to go to a decent place, you're going to have to pay.

Thankfully, during one of our "bad weather" days, we ventured Downtown in hopes of getting some shopping done as well as grab some lunch at a reasonable price.

We were *somehow* shopping at a jewlery store when we heard that Lum's Iguana Cafe located on the second floor of Prince George Plaza was a good place to grab a quick bite.



I was very happy to go to a casual place for lunch- I was pooped and really didn't feel like dressing up that day. What I was more happy about was the food!

I got the Fried Lobster Tails while Eric got the Fried Whole Snapper.



My Fried Lobster was good- I was very impressed with the amount of lobster I got! I got 3 full tails of lobster for $15 bucks! I couldn't really distinguish the lobster texture as it was fried so it upset me a bit because it really could have been any sort of seafood and I wouldn't have been able to tell. I was also able to choose my sides so I got some onion rings and fried plantains (yummmmmm)


Eric, being a bit healthier, got a side of vegetables and white rice. His snapper was amazing. The fish was most definitely fresh and although it wasn't seasoned with anything but salt and had no sauce- the flavor was incredible!

The winner was of course, the fried plaintains- but I would have to say that Eric was the overall winner this time with his dish. Priced reasonably ($14) for all that food, the fried snapper at Lum's Iguana Cafe is great!

Looking for someplace low key to eat? Try out Lum's Iguana Cafe next time you're on the island!


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

You win this time

Alright, so is it just me or is Bobbly Flay really not that cool? Granted he's been on the Food Network for as long as I can remember, I really have been quite skeptical of his food and skills.

Eric on the other hand would dump me in a second to date Bobby Flay, that's for sure. I'm not really sure why he likes Bobby Flay but he dragged me to Mesa Grill down in the Bahamas at the Cove Atlantis to try his 'great' dishes. And secretly (ok not so secretly), I'm glad he did. :)







Alright, so I look completely freezing in this picture- and that's because I was. Our trip was great but the weather, not so much. We couldn't go to the pools one day because it was absolutely freezing (and raining)-boo!

We decided to head downtown on one of the pool-unfriendly days and afterwards we thought we'd treat ourselves to some good southern food! I was excited to go see the restaurant since Eric has been there before and had been raving about Mesa Grill before we got to the Bahamas!

I had to admit, I was pretty excited- the place was beautifully decorated and the place was bustling with activity!

The menu was quite simple but had unique twists that catered to the Bahamian spirit. Conch chowder is a must at the Bahamas, and the menu had it's share of conch. We, however, thought we'd leave the conch to the locals and ventured to more simple (but tasty) dishes.

We started off the with Goat Cheese Queso- which was more than enough for two people. The peppers and spices mixed in with the cheese gave it a kick, and the soft texture and unique taste of the goat cheese made the queso creamy and smooth.

As for our entrees, Eric got the Chipotle Glazed Rib eye while I got the Fire-Roasted Veal chop. Eric really enjoyed his Rib-eye, the light chipotle glaze gave the steak some sweetness and the chili sauces on the side definitely added some punch and flavor.





My veal chop was great. (I would say a lot better than the rib-eye) I was surprised by how large the veal chop was and was scared that I wasn't going to finish it (but of course I did). On top of the large piece of veal- I also got a wild rice tamale on the side! Yum!





The veal was cooked perfectly and was tender and sweet and the flavor of the tamale was out of this world. I wouldn't expect a wild rice tamale to have so much flavor, but the cornmeal mixed with the exotic rice definitely was the star of my dish. (Although I do have to admit that it didn't compare to the best tamale I've ever had -which was in Texas at a random horseranch).

We really wanted to get dessert, but after our big meal (and Eric's big margarita) we were stuffed and ready for bed (ok, really, ready for the casino). So off we went- continuing our Bahamian adventure!




So although I was a bit skeptical, I had a great meal and this was probably the best meal I had on the island during my stay. I'm really glad that Eric brought me to Mesa Grill- he helped me appreciate Bobby Flay a little bit more. I had a great evening- and made some money that night! Bobby Flay must be my good luck charm.

Ok, Bobby, you win this time.

Price: $$$$

Ambiance: A

Food: A

Service: A

A great start to a great vacation

Alright, so my apologies- after badgering Bruner for pictures for weeks, I have realized that we forgot to take many pictures during our trip in the Bahamas (we're awful at capturing the moment on film- whoops). Although we do have some- we failed at capturing our first (and best) dinner at the Bahamas!

It's pretty much torture thinking about that trip, now stuck in the cold snowy/slushy weather, I would give anything to go back to the Caribbean!

Our first night, we thought it would be a good idea (with money still in our pockets) to go to Cafe Martinque- one of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants located on Paradise Island on the Atlantis Resort.

I was very excited as I have always been wanting to try one of his restaurants- as there are many, and was happy to be able to share this experience with Eric!

Upon entering, we were welcomed with elaborate Christmas decorations and soothing music (sung by the restaurants very own singer!) We were very excited to start our delicious journey!

I started with the Butternut Squash Soup and got the Salmon while Eric started off with a salad and got the Duck entree.

The soup was amazing! Usually, I find Butternut Squash Soup too sweet and rich but this one was done perfectly. Light and fragant from the saffron, the soup was hearty and creamy but not too rich or overpowering. Yum! The best part? Of course, the truffle flake that was on top. (Sorry no pictures this time)

My Salmon was good- cooked medium with a sweet saffron sauce, I very much enjoyed it. But the star of the night was by far Eric's duck. Eric got the seared duck breast with a sweet glaze paired with foiegras. Oh my god.

I at first wanted to get the duck for myself but having a fear of white meat- I was scared to get the duck breast (I forgot that I was asian and I eat duck all the time and that the breast meat is far different than chicken breast meat). Boy did I kick myself for it. The meat was tender and juicy and melted in your mouth- the glaze on top gave the duck a 'candied' touch and reminded me of some sort of candied apple you would get at a carnival. Delicious! Of course, the foie gras was great (rich and decadent) and Eric was nice enough to give me most of his foie gras since he knew I liked it 1000 times more than him- what a guy!

The meal at Cafe Martinque was truly great, I very much enjoyed the experience and really am starting to think that French cuisine is one of my favorites. Maybe even more than sushi?

If you are ever down at the Atlantis and want a truly great meal- stop by Cafe Martinque for some great French cuisine. We also hear that Dune (another one of Jean-Georges restaurants) is also a great place to enjoy his food- we wish we went!

Looking back on it, it was a great start to a great vacation!

Price: $$$$

Ambiance: A+

Food: A

Service: A+

True friends are hard to come by

**dear Blogger-you figure that in 2011 you would have this whole spacing issue figured out. Grr!!**


So during the last few weeks, I have been learning that true friends are very hard to come by. I feel very lucky to have learned and understand what makes a good friend and who those people in my life are. Many of my good friends, I have met at Carnegie Mellon- one being my big.

This New Year's Eve, My big and I decided to welcome the New Year together- just us. It was a great night and I felt that it was only right to welcome the New Year with Jin. We stayed in, talked for hours and had a nice quiet night- all after stuffing our faces of course.

We at first contemplated on staying in and cooking dinner for ourselves, but we shortly realized that it was New Years and we needed to properly stuff our faces at Sushi Seki- and I'm glad we did.

We got to the restaurant (located on the Upper East Side on 1st Ave between 62nd and 63rd) just on time (rumor has it, if you're late they give away your reserved table) and ordered ourselves a cocktail. Jin got the sweet plum wine spritzer while I got the white peach sake martini. The drinks were great, and knowing me, I drank about a quarter of it (if even that) and was not able to drink the rest.

The best part of the night was the server. Definitely a new immigrant from Japan- our server was gracious and kind and hard to understand. Jin and I were often confused with what he was trying to tell us- but in the end we got a great kick out of it and enjoyed our time with him.

We had a hard time with the menu, as there were a number of different options presented to us and we really just wanted to stuff our faces- immediately. We at first contemplated on getting sushi a la carte but then quickly moved on to thinking about the omakase and the special sushi platter. After talking to our server (well listening and trying to decipher what he was exactly saying) we decided to get the sushi platter as the server recommended it because it was unique to their restaurant (and had more food). So we got the sushi platter for two!

The sushi platter was filled with different fish- all fresh with great variety of sauces and preparations. There was tuna, salmon, yellowtail, toro, mackeral, white fish, scallop, smoked salmon, amaebi and eggplant nigiri that was paired with a shrimp tempura and a spicy tuna roll- the platter was huge and was able to fill the both of us.

The major noticeable difference between this sushi place and the 'normal' ones you find around the block- is the freshness of the fish. The texture and specialties of each fish came out of every nigiri piece and you are really able to appreciate the quality of the fish- even in the rolls!

We also started with two appetizers- Tatsua Age (Fried Chicken) and Gyoza (Pan Fried Dumplings).

The chicken was good- but the portion was tiny! I actually prefer Chaya's chicken a lot more than this one. I probably would not get this again. (I probably would travel to Pittsburgh to get Chaya's-haha)

The Gyoza were great. Fried crisp and golden brown, the dumplings were hearty- but again, the portions were very small! :(

We ended the night with a unique dessert- a red bean paste filled waffle mixture (in the shape of a fish, of course). My big usually doesn't like red bean but she very much enjoyed this dessert- which shows how good it was! The waffle was warm and soft and the red bean paste was delightfully sweet and smooth. I love dessert!

Sushi Seki is a nice little place for fresh sushi. Since the prices are a bit high and the location is a bit out of the way (at least for me)- I wouldn't be a regular at the place. I did wish I could try more of their creations (I hear that their spicy scallop roll is amazing) but I am very happy that I came and experienced Sushi Seki!

A bit warm from the cocktail and stuffed from the great food- my big and I had a great New Year's Eve- we hope you all did too!

Price: $$$

Ambiance: B+

Service: A-

Food: A-

I'm in the mood for more aphrodisiacs

Happy New Year!

2011 has arrived and I am so excited to start this New Year! I have some mixed feelings about this New Year in regards to this blog- I made a resolution that I will put myself on a strict healthy diet which means that it will be harder to enjoy myself at all of the great restaurants around me! Oh well, some resolutions are just meant to be broken- for a better cause of course.

Speaking of New Year's resolution, I wonder if one of Eric's is to pay attention to his emails and actually upload photos of the restaurants in the Bahamas for me so I can finally write about it? Probably not.

So I guess we will fast forward (slash backwards since this was in 2010) after the Bahamas and talk about a great place that me and Eric went to for our last night together during the old year: Blue Point Grill.

Blue Point Grill is a seafood restaurant located on Nassau Street in Princeton that intrigued me and Eric thanks to it's wide variety of oysters on the menu. We arrived for dinner hungry and ready to eat as much seafood as possible!

I at first told Eric that I wasn't in the mood for oysters, but that quickly changed to his disappointment (I ate half of his share of oysters) when they arrived to the table. Freshly chucked on top of a mound of crushed ice, oysters are very hard to resist. I was really looking forward to getting my favorite type of oysters- Blue Point oysters but sadly they didn't have them that day! How does Blue Point Grill not have Blue Point oysters?! Nonsense! Good thing the Kumamotos were great and kept me satisfied. :)

After the round of sweet and briney oysters we got our main entrees- Eric got the whole fried snapper while I got the Classic Seafood & Sausage Paella.

So comparatively, Eric is notorious for making worse food decisions (in fact, isn't he notorious for making worse decisions than me in general?) But recently, his dishes have been far better than mine, and that night, his striped bass was amazing (Boy, do I sound like Blair Waldorf-har har).




Fried whole with a side of sweet potato fries, the fish was delicate and flavorful (and not at all fishy as I was expecting) and was surprisingly moist. The sweet potato fries (which I ate half of) was perfectly crisp. What a great dish! Eric loved it and is still talking about it.

Like I said, I got the paella:



The paella was also a good dish, but it did not compare to Eric's fish. Although plentiful and filling, the overabundance of fish compared to the one or two shrimp and other seafood pieces in the dish was quite disheartening. The rice definitely picked up the flavor of the seafood but the spices in the dish were very underwhelming- it was very much more tomato based. I wish the paella packed more of a punch in regards to flavor.

Of course, we ended with dessert. Now before dinner, Eric begged me to go to the Bent Spoon. I resisted and thought we could go after dinner instead. It turned out that Eric then got way too lazy (surprise surprise) when he saw that the Bent Spoon ice cream was on the dessert menu and opted to pay 2 times more than he would've paid if we went to the actual shop- 5 minutes away. For those of you who know Eric, I am sure this does not come as a surprise to you.

So he got ice cream from the Bent Spoon at the Blue Point Grill while I, of course, got the rice pudding (what else)



The desserts were what I expected it to be- nothing really blew me out of the water.

And that was it! Our last meal together in 2010! What a journey! Blue Point Grill is a pretty good seafood place that is fairly priced for what you get. The oysters were fresh (although could have been chucked a little better) and the seafood dishes are great. I will definitely be returning when I'm in the mood for more aphrodisiacs! ;)

Price: $$$

Ambiance: B+

Service: B

Food: A-