Get a drink and make it better

So I'm having a hard time thinking about what I want to write in this new post. What does one do when they go to a cute/good place- but nothing about the food really blew them away?? (how disappointing)

This weekend, Jess and I thought we'd go out to the farmer's market on our super secret mission (ok, not really that super secret). We travelled to various places throughout the city and in the end ended up to Cafe 50 West for lunch.



Located on 50W 22nd street, Cafe 50 West just happened to be the closest restaurant to us at the time- we decided to check it out after a quick glance at the menu via Jess' Droid.

Upon entering the dark cafe, I was surprised by how big the place was- and how big the bar was! I was looking forward to some lunch (it was around noonish) and was a bit let down when it was all breakfast items (I don't like breakfast, for those of you who don't know). Determined to get something more 'lunch-y', I ended up getting the smoked salmon benedict while Jess got the brioche french toast.

Smoked Salmon Benedict

Brioche French Toast

Although I didn't get a taste o f Jess' french toast, she finished it all and commented on how good it was (and casually started eating the side of marscapone.. on it's own). My smoked salmon benedict was good as well.

I don't think there was anything too noteable in my dish- my eggs could have been poached better (it was very underdone) but besides that- it was a tasty dish! The small salad on the side was good and I was happy that they let me substitute my home fries with their sweet potato fries (Eric would have been jealous). A lot of the fries were actually burnt, so that really turned me off- boo.

All in all, I would say that I was happy to have been here with Jess. The food was decent and I was really happy to be out in the city on such a nice day! I probably won't be making a specific trip out of the city to return to this place but it isn't a bad place to try out- just once?

Perhaps next time- I'll get a drink and make it better.

Food: B

Service: B+

Ambiance: B+

Price: $$

And the Nazi loved it!

When will I be back in Pittsburgh?!?!?!

It's only been a little over a week and I miss it so much! The excitement of Carnival still lingers, and I really do hope that I can return too (if anything- I'll be there for my birthday slash Sean and Chrissy's wedding- so yay!)

Last weekend, like I said in my previous post, was so much fun. Full of excitement and good food- I couldn't ask for a nicer weekend (Ok, let's face it, I could have-but that's besides the point). Hey- at least the food was good!!

Friday night, after hearing that Day 2 was probably going to be cancelled (how mad were you guys when you saw that the roads were dry at 8am...??) we decided to treat ourselves to some downtown fun. Living in Downtown Pittsburgh last year, I really was near so many great restaurants and we thought we'd revisit one nearby- Six Penn

Eric has never been. I was lucky enough to have gone there during our Heinz HCPM End of the Year celebration and I couldn't wait to go back! That time, we got a limited menu due to budget restrictions but this time- we got to see the entire thing!

For a starter, Eric got the Pear and Red Oak Salad with candied pecans (typical) while I got the Flash Fried Calamari and Rock Shrimp (even more typical).

Pear and Red Oak Salad

Calamari and Rock Shrimp

Eric's salad.. was ok. Nothing too special- and he didn't seem impressed. Salads are boring. My calamari was way better- it had lemon aioli drizzled on top, and the rock shrimp definitely made it a bit interesting. The calamari was cooked perfectly and was crisp and warm. Eric in the end, ended up eating most of my appetizer :)

For our entrees, Eric got the Seared Duck Breast with the Sweet Potato Mash while I got the Lobster and Crab Risotto.

Seared Duck Breast

Lobster and Crab Risotto

So I have a new found love for duck. It seems like everytime Eric gets a duck dish- it turns out so amazingly delicious... so maybe it's just the fact that I really, really like duck. Eric's duck was SO good. He ordered it rare (it usually comes medium cooked) and it was perfect. The tart flavor of the cocoa cran jam with the rich meaty duck was amazing. Slightly sweet from the jam and the sweet potato mash, this dish was well portioned and was bursting with intricate flavors. It's settled, I'm ordering duck next time I go out.

My risotto, however, was so much better than the duck- so I guess I'm not too bad at picking dishes. I was originally hesitant at getting the risotto- the fact that it had marscapone cheese deterred me a bit because I previously had a bad experience with risotto and marscapone. However, the server reassured that it was delicious (and made with lobster stock) and on top of that it had a 1/2 lb lobster on top. How could you refuse that!?

The risotto was rich from the lobster stock and really carried the flavors of the lobster throughout. There was lots of crab mixed in within the dish that gave it some great texture while the lobster on top was just a treat! I didn't like the grilled fennel placed on top- it was really tough and hard to eat, I just ignored it. And what's even better was that the marscapone was great! It served as a binding agent and really gave the risotto a creamy rich flavor (rather than a cheesy one). By far the best dish of the night.

On top of that, we all know that I rarely drink, and if I do, it's like half a drink (and then we all know i'm hammered). Well, at Six Penn their drinks are just so delicious that I just had to finish mine (I got the Almost Arnie) and of course.... I got in all sorts of trouble that night (ok, I just passed out).

I really liked Six Penn and will be returning the next time I am in Pittsburgh. Not only were the food and drinks great- there is something else I really appreciate about them.. this!!!





That's right! It seems like they try to use local produce from local farmers to promote sustainability- now that's my kind of restaurant.


I can't wait to get back to Six Penn- what a great experience!

And the Nazi loved it too!

Food: A

Ambiance: A

Service: A

Price: $$$

The Kati Roll Company

What a weekend! Carnival weekend was definitely packed full of fun and excitement and I am definitely sad that it's over- it went by way too fast!! This weekend was not good to my body- for many reasons more than one. I can't remember the last time I had so many calories (maybe before I dated Eric??) but I most definitely splurged this weekend and I am finding it hard to get myself back on track... Tonight, I am going to eat Indian. I absolutely love indian food- granted it is not the healthiest, it is one of the most comforting and craveable cuisines I can think of!!! I'm not sure how Indian is going to go down here in Jersey, but it does remind me of the Kati Roll Company!!! The Kati Roll Company, located on MacDougal Street, is a small store that sells, well, Kati Rolls. I've actually never had or even heard of a kati roll until a few weeks ago, when I happen to stumble across the place with Donna and Sevag. They suggested I get a quick snack and boy was I glad I did! The menu (which really isn't a menu, but a piece of cardboard with pictures on it) had a few options, and I thought i'd go with the paneer kati roll instead of the chicken/beef that everybody else was getting.

Sort of like a small wrap, the roll was filled with fresh paneer and a little bit of spice. Not too overwhelming, the roll is flavorful and spicy- just right!

Although a little bit small, and I wished I had more, I would say that the kati roll company makes the perfect snack. Able to carry it on the go, these kati rolls are perfect!

A little bit pricey, I am not too sure if I will return again. I do, however, like this concept of the kati roll and must explore more places that serve this great snack!!

Love indian food and happen to be in the area?- make sure to stop by to try out these little treats! I, however, wouldn't count on having a meal here or even making a separate trip out for these tasty morsels- oops.

Food: A-

Price: $

Service: B

Ambiance: B

Good luck PiKA and Theta!

BUGGY IS IN 3 DAYS!!!

All I have to say is, Go PiKA BUGGY!!!!!

And there we have it- going back to Pittsburgh again tomorrow night!!! For those of you who don't know what the heck I'm talking about, it is obvious that you have never spoken to me- so please visit the Sweepstakes website or CMUBuggy.org (where all the die hard buggy fans live!) to get some more information on this great event! I promise you won't leave bored.

So obviously, the highlight of this Carnival weekend is going to be buggy. But we must not forget watching my amazing sorority sisters build their glorious booth!! This weekend will be full of trophies... I know it. (Boy am I lucky to be part of two such amazing organizations!)

This weekend is going to be great, and I just can't wait! Trophies, ringing out, trophies, loads of food, trophies and MEDALS will be flying everywhere.

This blog post was intended to review a restaurant I went to this past weekend, but it is quite obvious that I can't get my mind off of Carnival. So there you have it, just a rant. You're welcome.

Best of luck to Pi Kappa Alpha on their buggy endeavors (as well as the Thetas on the women teams). Make me proud.

Congratulations to my sisters in Kappa Alpha Theta for their amazing booth and even more amazing bond they all hold.

Have a great Carnival everybody!

And here's my forecast...

There's something about Donna

Yay! Spring is here! Well, sort of. The weather has been acting up lately, and it's been hard to get out and enjoy the entire day with snow, rain and hail everywhere. But good thing this past weekend was gorgeous and the perfect day for an adventure!

Donna Li came in to visit this weekend with Sevag, a new friend of hers. There's just something about Donna- whenever we get together, we have the most amazing food adventures! I was excited to see her again (it's been like 6 months) and to get some delicious food! (Of course) Donna suggested that we go to Momofuku Noodle Bar- and I couldn't wait.

Momofuku Noodle Bar, located on 1st Avenue in betwen 10th and 11th Street is a small (yet seemingly spacious) restaurant that specializes in their noodle dishes!- Ok, and everything else on their menu seemed pretty freakin' awesome too.

While waiting for Donna (since I was early and/or she was late), I noticed two things:



I was already in love. The fact that it is clean is awesome. But then the fact that its produce is fresh and not raised with antibiotics was even better. Yaaaaaaaaaay!!! Looking at the menu, there weren't too many choices, but with the choices they provided- it already proved to be difficult to choose! We both ended up getting the same thing- the Momofuku Ramen while Donna and Sevag also shared the Pork Steamed Buns.

Pork Steamed Buns

Momofuku Ramen

Starting off with the Pork Buns, I wasn't really expecting anything special- I mean- it just looks like a normal bun with some sliced pork you can find in any Chinatown/Flushing shop. Boy was I surprised when I took a bite! The pork literally melts in your mouth, and was really light and delicate. I really was expecting a heavy, oily dish thanks to the abundant amounts of fat, but it was anything but!

The ramen was also good, my favorite being the soft-boiled egg delicately placed on top. Yum! It also had two huge pieces of pork belly! The noodles were cooked perfectly while the broth was warm and so satisfying- this is what I imagine ramen tastes like in Japan! Priced at $16 (for lunch), however, this was a very pricey ramen dish (er, was it flown in from Japan?)- am I not sure if it was worth that much money.

While I was enjoying my meal, I looked up to see a curious chalkboard. Donna and I asked what it was and the server informed us that it is where they get all their produce- from local farms!

This place is awesome! Using fresh, local ingredients, I admire this place very, very much. The prices are a little steep, but the dishes are delicious, fresh and satisfying. We then ventured off to their Milk Bar shop to pick up some ice cream afterwards!

I'm not sure when I will return to Momofuku next, but I do look forward to when I am rich enough to spend $20 on some noodles for sure!!! (Thanks Sevag)

I had a great day with Donna, and we got to spend a lot of time stuffing ourselves throughout the day. Momofuku was a great choice, girl!

Food: B+

Service: A

Ambiance: A-

Price: $$$