Yay for you, boo for me.

Happy Birthday Honey!...ok.. maybe i'm a little bit late. Just about a month?

But hey- this was all Shaman's fault- it took him like a year to get me these pictures!

Oh yes, the dear boy is finally 21! I now no longer have an excuse to stay in when my friends all ask me to go out with them- Eric can now come too! woot!

We all know we've been waiting a while for this time to come, I think the only people more excited than me and Eric that he is finally 21 are... the casino managers all over the country. Yes, Eric can now legally come to your establishment and gamble away his inheritance... yay for you. Boo for me.

So how did we celebrate his birthday you ask? At Atlantic City of course!!! (Did you even have to ask?)

From lots of gambling to good food, the whole gang (and by gang I mean Shaman, BJ, Eric and I) had a great time! Risky bets (Shaman), rudeness to the dealers (Shaman), lots of money loss (Bruner) and high limit tables basically sums it up! After it was all over we decided to retire to Bobby Flay Steak.. a steakhouse.. by Bobby Flay (surprise surprise!)

We got a ton of food. The menu had interesting dishes and we all got different entrees and were able to sample each other's steaks.. yum! Included in our assortment of dishes were: New England Clam Chowder, Surf and Turf Skewers, Philadelphia Style Strip Steak, American Kobe Strip, Spicy SouthWest Ribeye, Filet Mignon Lousiana, Cauliflower Goat Cheese Gratin and Wild Mushrooms Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil (oh yes, truffle oil)

Wild Mushrooms Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil

Cauliflower Goat Cheese Gratin




Filet Mignon Lousiana

Spicy SouthWest Ribeye

American Kobe Strip

So I obviously forgot to take a picture of my own steak (whoops)- but it was just too good that I had to dig in!!

Everything was delicious (dammit Bobby Flay! why must you always prove me wrong!) I would say that the flavors of the specialty steaks really made the dishes as I am not a steak expert and really can't decipher how good of a quality a steak is (sadface).

Shaman's Spicy SouthWest Ribeye held most true to Bobby Flay's traditional flavors. The blend of spices give it a kick, the ribeye was juicy and tender and was delcious. BJ's Filet Mignon Louisiana was also delicious. I prefer the flavor of the crawfish sauce in the dish more than the spicy southwest dish (boo, big lips) but I definitely prefer the ribeye over the filet mignon! (I love fat, what can I say).

My entree was also great (and very large). A large strip steak smothered with a creamy, smooth cheese sauce- the classy philly cheesesteak, I would say, had the best sauce out of all three! Eric of course had to get the Kobe Strip Steak (since, I was paying, of course). Never having tried kobe beef, i didn't know what to expect. When Eric was kind enough to give me a bite, I was surprised by how tender the meat was and how the steak didn't even need any sauce- it was perfect on it's own!- and that's how it's served!

The side dishes were also delicious. BJ and Shaman, having been there before, were raving about the cauliflower gratin. They placed two orders. I, however, was more excited about the mashed potatoes with the truffle oil!.. good thing both ended up being delcious! The thick, creamy goat cheese binding the softly broiled cauliflower was amazing and provided a burst of cheesy flavor while the mashed potatoes were a bit more subtle with chunks of wild mushrooms in every bite, blended with the earthy truffle oil... mMmmm. I'm hungry.

We also got some clam chowder and surf and turf skewers to start- just so we could get some more food in! The Clam Chowder was amazing. With abundant amounts of thick bacon, the chowder was thick and creamy filled with the aroma of bacon (and who doesn't love bacon!). The skewers were also good- although I would have to say they were not the star for the night..

Well I have to say, Bobby Flay Steak was a great birthday dinner. The service was wonderful and the portions were huge!

If you're not a steak eater, don't you worry- they also have huge ass lobsters. Seriously bigger than my head...

If you're looking for some good steaks with some interesting twists, try out one of Bobby's specialty steaks- you won't go wrong with whatever you choose!

Comparing to SeaBlue (the seafood restaurant by Michael Mina) next door, I would have to say I would return to Bobby Flay Steak in a heart beat. And to think about it- I'm definitely returning for Father's Day!

At the end of the day, we had a great time with our great food and.. of course, great company.

Food: A

Service: A

Ambiance: A

Price: $$$$

I love tender meat!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everybody! I hope everyone had a great long weekend and enjoyed the weather! (Did you hear it's going to be amazingly nice this week?!)

This past weekend, I ventured to Saratoga, CA to hang out with the Bruner's. Although my stay was short, it was most definitely sweet! I am glad that I got to spend time with Eric's family, but even more importantly- Eric!

Being in a long distance is tough, but the best part of a long-distance relationships? Getting reunited! Eric came to visit two weeks ago after a fortunate gambling trip, and I of course, made him celebrate one of our anniversaries at Verve!

Located in Somerville, NJ down on Main Street (where Wasabi was located) I was excited to try Verve out after looking at the menu! To my disappointment the menu listed online was far different from the one they had- so don't even bother looking.. haha

To start, Eric got the Caprese Salad while I got the Wild Mushroom soup. For an entree I got the duck while eric got the pork shank. Delciousssss

Eric's Salad

Wild Mushroom Soup


Glazed Duck

Pork Shank

What a great meal. When entering the restaurant, I actually didn't have any high hopes- especially after the menu confusion. The menu was quite small and I realyl didn't know what to get until the server came with the specials. To my delight they had a wild mushroom soup with white truffle oil drizzled on top! I also decided to get the duck since I always complain about how I never get duck and wish I had...

The soup was great. Very thick and creamy, I was basically full after. The white truffle oil was of course, a delight but I didn't really taste it all too much- I think that the mushroom flavor overpowered the truffle flavor (if that is even possible?)

My duck was great- tender, soft and juicy, I was most definitely happy I finally got a duck entree! Eric's shank was tender and fell right off the bone as well- I love tender meat!

Although the sides that came with the entrees weren't too good, I would say that we had a great meal at Verve.

Although not one of the best, I'd say Eric and I had a good time- now off to Borgata again this weekend to make more money for meals like this!

Price: $$$

Food: B+

Ambiance: B

Service: B

My Favorite Part of the Day

Oh New Jersey, how you never cease to.. appease me. Yes, just appease. So maybe I'm still being a bratty New Yorker, but seriously.. New Jersey is boring and lame. There is nothing to do here and I have resorted to acrylic painting to entertain myself on the evenings (i am officially a grandma). I have communicted (complainted about) this to Eric many times (ok, let's face it, every night) and he was determined to find something interesting near my area during his visit!

Before I fell down the stairs at work this Friday (yes, I fell down the stairs like a grandmother) Eric thought he'd do some research and take me out to lunch! He told me that he wanted to go to Somerville for some sushi at Wasabi and really, i had very little to no expectations on how good this place was going to be... i mean.. it's New Jersey.. So while on our way to Wasabi, I was pleasantly surprised by the little town the restaurant was located in! Although a bit quiet, it reminded me a bit of Shadyside, and I was really excited that a cute little town was near my office! I couldn't wait to get to Wasabi by then and was even more excited to walk around after lunch to explore the stores!

Located on West Main Street, I walked into Wasabi and felt instantly blinded- it was incredibly dark. It surprisingly was a nice, warm sunny New Jersey afternoon yet the lighting in the restaurant was awful- I'm not sure how this place would be like at night! Excited to try a few new dishes off their menu, Eric and I quickly ordered our miso soup and ginger salad (obvi) and perused the specials menu for any interesting dishes.

Miso Soup

Salad with Ginger Dressing

I read some reviews on the chilean sea bass crunch roll and knew I had to try that. Along with my sea bass roll, I opted for the lucky maki on the special menu- a fried calamari roll with lobster on top. Eric and I got the appetizer sampler to share, just so we could get a taste of the variety of appetizers available! Eric went with the sashimi lunch special and a spider roll (obvi!).

Appetizer Sampler

Chilean Sea Bass Crunch Roll and Lucky Maki

Sashimi Lunch Special with Spider roll

I would have to say that the overall meal was good but nothing really wowed me- again.. I wasn't expecting much. The miso soup and ginger salad was ok, the salad was a little smaller than what I was expecting but, meh. The rolls were flavorful and filling while Eric's sashimi was fresh and tasty. Eric did get a lot more sashimi than we were expecting (their a la carte menu was pretty pricey) and so that was a nice surprise.

All in all, we had a good meal and enjoyed our food. I will return again one day, since it's so close to work and is a good place to eat with co-workers, but again, it wasn't anything too special in my book.

The decor/lighting was unappealing, their tables strangely low (i was knocking my knees on them) and their service was OK. Wasabi is a good place for a quick getaway with some co-workers, but I wouldn't say it would be a place to bring your sushi conneseiurs.

My favorite part of the day? Getting to have lunch with this smiling face :)

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

TWO OF MY MOST FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD EVER

Rawr. I love being a glutton!

Alright, I have fallen off the path of righteousness and right into the lap of burgers, fries and chili cheese dogs... oops.

The other day I went to Five Guys (for the first time ever, actually) and got a cheese dog.. and instantly felt my arteries clogging... and I sort of liked it. eep!!

You would think that with Memorial Day just a few days away.. and my trip to sunny, beachy California creeping up, I'd be more self conscious about eating healthy so I can get my bikini bod ready....

Well I have two words for you: one-piece. (is that really one word?)

Anyway, as I think back to what started this mess.. I realize it started with Carnival. I distinctly remember telling myself that I'd pig out for Carnival (I mean... it's Carnival) and that i'd get right back to exercising and healthy eating.... that lasted.. for about.. eh.. 5 days (pretty good huh?)

And then I was reminded- I forgot to write about Brgr Bar!!! How silly of me!!!

Brgr Bar is a new burger place (part of the new Big Burrito Chain?- oh god here I go again) where their unique location, and even more unique burgers caught our eyes! (Eric and I that is)

Located on Penn Circle, near Vanilla Cupcakes, upon entering, we admired the decor and especially the 'outdoor' seating area. Able to pull up one of their 'walls' to create an outdoor atomosphere, we were able to enjoy our burgers during the (semi) sunny Carnival weather! Oh, and they also had an upstairs outdoor area as well.





Looking at their menu, it seems pretty simple until you take a closer look. I.. was elated to say the least- two of my most FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD EVER was on their menu- foie gras and truffles... I loved this place already.

Not willing to shell out the extra $12 for the foie gras addition (boy do i regret that), I ended up getting the shrooms burger (which I do no regret) and a side of fries with the truffle cheese whiz. Eric was boring and got a regular burger.

Shroomz brgr



Fries with truffle cheese whiz

The shroomz burger was amazingly creative and the flavors were awesome. The brie really stood out while there were plentiful of mushrooms! Most definitely fattening and heartiful, I ate half the burger and couldn't even think about attacking the other half.

The fries were out of this world (mostly because of the truffle whiz). So anything with truffle oil is awesome in my book.. so having fries (priced the same as Five Guys fries, might I add) with truffle flavored cheese is the best invention.. ever. EVER.

What was even more pleasant was the price. Spending just a little more than what I would have at a Five Guys, I would say that Brgr bar was a great casual dining experience for us. With unique brgrs (and a seemingly cool bar) I can't wait to go back!

Great for a casual date, or a lunch with some friends, I would most definitely recommend Brgr Bar. I'm thinking it would be a little bit dark without the wall lifted up, so definitely try to visit on a nice sunny day (if that even exists in Pittsburgh)!

Thanks for ruining my diet plan brgr bar.. it was oh-so-worth-it.

(fat, slow pusher)




(fat buggy driver)

Price: $$

Service: B+

Food: A

Ambiance: B+

It sucks

So every now and then, my dad and I can't handle the chaos that is our house. Granted, my house is nice and quiet and peaceful for the most part, but with 7 people living it in- it can get a bit too much at times.

My dad loves me. (well, duh) He loves taking me out on the weekends and bringing me to places to eat- just me and him. Our favorite past time is to go out for late night together or dim sum. I don't usually get to pick the place and usually he just ends up bringing me to East Buffet, located on Main Street in Flushing, just because it's easy and convenient (I mean, where else is he going to take me at midnight- Sago?!- ha)

East Buffet holds a special place in my heart- it's been around for a while now and it's the go-to place to get your usual Chinese dishes. There are a number of East Buffets around the Queens area, but the one in Flushing is unique. From dim sum to a buffet lunch to sit down meals to on the go take-out- east buffet has it all!

This weekend my dad brought me to get some dim sum there. It was OK.. I guess. I much prefer other dim sum places in Flushing, but I guess this one isn't too bad either. I got the usual.

Ok, maybe not really the usual- but hey if daddy's paying you might as well stock up on the special dishes and the scallops!

I would have to say in terms of the dim sum- you're better off going some place else- the wait for over 30 minutes for mediocre food!

The same goes for the buffet (I hear the rumor is that it closed down?). Mediocre food for a mediocre price. Meh. I don't like to settle for mediocrity.

I would have to say that my dad was the smart one in bringing me to East Buffet for late night- $5 for a whole lobster sauteed with ginger and scallions-yum! Pretty traditional at any chinese restaurant, lobster is one of my most favorite things and the late night price is hard to beat!

My dad and I always order at least two whole lobsters along with other small dishes- all around that price! Last time we also got the fried soft shelled crab:

Although not the best/freshest food I've had, I would have to say if you're hungry, in the area and it's late and you're craving for some oily chinese food- late night at East Buffet will surely hit the spot!

Although if I had a better option- I would never return here again- smelly and dirty...it sucks ;P

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: $$$