A bit erotic??

(edited) Pictures are up!!

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I apologize in advance, I forgot my camera cord so I can't upload my pictures from this past weekend until this Friday night. :( But don't you worry, pictures will be coming soon!

So Eric decided to pay me a visit Friday night as it was his midsemester break. He could have came in Thursday night, but I think most of us know why he wasn't able to... why am I with him again? haha jk.

He flew into Philly and I thought this would be the perfect time to explore the great (and seemingly dangerous) city! We decided to go to THE iron chef Masaharu Morimoto's restaurant, Morimoto, for dinner (located on 723 Chestnut street). As we all know, Eric and I love sushi and not going to this restaurant would have been very uncharacteristic of us.

We had a 9pm reservation and arrived 10 minutes early, only to be seated 10 minutes late. Boo. It was fine though, as we admired the decor and interesting design of the restaurant in the lounge and watched all the happy diners enjoy their seemingly delicious meal.

As we got to our seat, we were very excited to begin our journey with Morimoto! The first thing we noticed at our seat? The centerpiece between us was part of the table and we weren't able to move it away. We found it a bit annoying (and a bit erotic??):

The only reason I have this picture is because I took it on my phone and had to email it to Eric right away to show him how he looked like from my view... interesting to say the least.

Alright, enough of the silliness, onto the food.

So looking at the menu, everything looked delicious. We were tempted by the omakase but realized that we could just get a number of different dishes and spend just as much and have all the dishes that we wanted (versus having the chef prepare us the dishes to his liking).

That night we got: Edamame, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Black Cod Miso, Soba Carbonara and the $50 Chef's Sushi Combination. We were.. stuffed to say the least. (Pictures coming soon)

Rock Shrimp Tempura

Starting with the Edamame and Rock Shrimp Tempura, we were already full; the portions are quite large. (Not to mention we were fatasses before hand and ate pizza thanks to our late reservation). The edamame was covered in rock salt which added a nice touch to the ever so classic appetizer, and the rock shrimp tempura wasn't what we expected- small balls of fried tempura shrimp covered in a light and sweet sauce. Both were good, and again, very large.

We then got the chef's sushi combination which came with a variety of sashimi, sushi and a maki roll. I was pleasantly surprised by how great the sashimi was, but was also very upset with the toro. They must have cut the toro incorrectly as the fish itself was good but the texture was bad as it left a strange rubbery vein (that I had to spit out). How can you go to Morimoto and get sushi that was cut wrong?!?! How disappointing. The rest of the sashimi was delicious but that was really the only thing that stood out. The roll (spicy tuna) was OK and the nigiri had WAY too much wasabi that completely killed the flavor of the fish. Blech. If you want to have sashimi with the chef's combination, make sure you get the $50 combination as the $30 one only comes with nigiri and a roll.





Moving onto our main entrees, Eric got the cod while I got the soba noodles. The cod was good, but I found it too blackened and sweet. The fish wasn't tender and soft but a bit hard due to the hardening of the sweet miso sauce. Hearing that Morimoto's fish is always fresh and flown in from Japan daily, the dish did not exhibit this quality of the fish. The Soba noodles were good, but again nothing amazing. I found the dish unique in that it incorporated truffle oil into the sauce and the noodles had a pleasant truffle aroma (and we all know how much I am in love with truffles).

Black Cod Miso

Soba Carbonara

All in all, Morimoto wasn't bad, but I feel like I was a bit disappointed because I had such high expectations. I was really looking forward to the best sushi I have ever had, but really it was just good sushi. Would I return? Yes. Purely for the experience though. I think that experience definitely plays into the dining fun, and who wouldn't want the experience of dining at Masaharu Morimoto's restaurant?

It's surprising to say that the best sushi we have ever had was at Umi in PITTSBURGH. We got the chef's tasting menu, and it really was delicious. So...so delicious.

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

Oh my god, we're back again!

So after a long , long vacation, my desire to explore the great foods around my area has returned! Sadly, I am no longer in Pittsburgh and can no longer comment on the great food that the city has to offer. But I am off doing bigger and better things! (Ok, maybe not really).

I have moved to New Jersey, and really, the only good thing about this place is that I live close to Philly/New York. Maybe I haven't tried hard enough to explore my area, but it seems pretty boring and the most exciting thing that has happened to me so far was a close encounter with a deer. (I'm lame I know).

Good thing I go back to the city every weekend huh? :)

I will be changing up the blog to ensure that it encompasses the great foods I eat all over the country, not just Pittsburgh. So to end my 'Pittsburgh blog' I wanted to make one more post about one of me and Eric's favorite places in the great steel city. Sonoma Grille.

Eric has been surprised that I hadn't made a post about it yet as I have been to Sonoma Grille probably 5 times within the last month I was in Pittsburgh. I call it my lucky restaurant as I went to Rivers Casino (which is close by) after my meal there, and won a ton a money. :)

But it's been so long ago since you've been in Pittsburgh, how can you remember, you ask? Well, Sonoma Grille is just that memorable. I sadly deleted my pictures from my phone, but don't you worry, I most definitely remembered my meal.

4 out of the 5 times I've been to Sonoma Grille, I got the tasting menu (and that's only because the first time I went with Eric, they didn't even have it on their menu yet). The tasting menu is unique in that you can choose from 3, 4 or 5 selections off their menu. I usually start out with the avocado and crab meat tian. The avocados are always very fresh and large lumps of crabmeat are very sweet. The crunch and cool from the cucumber balances the spicy chili oil drizzled on top as well as the soft texture from the avocado and crabmeat. This was my dad's favorite.

The potato gnocchi was my favorite, ok second favorite dish. The portion on the tasting menu was small and left me wanting more, but that goes for all of their dishes I guess. The gnocchi is cooked perfectly and is soft and light while the crunch for the vegetables compliments it. So delicious and most definitely a vegetarian's delight!

My favorite dish is the veal. Always cooked perfectly, and very tender the veal melts in your mouth. Finished off with a garlic demiglace, with wild mushrooms (we all know how big of a fan I am of mushrooms) this dish is absolutely perfect.

I've also had the char su duck which I didn't like, since most things done 'asian style' at non asian restaurants never appeal to me (i'm asian. im sorry). The lamb ravioli is good, but the moroccan spiced vegetables that came on top was not to my liking as it is very tart and tangy. I ended up pushing off the salad of vegetables (that were placed on top of the ravioli) and avoided the sauce and hoped to just eat the ravioli on its own.

I don't think i've ever had a dessert here. Why would I waste a course on dessert when I could get another main entree!?!

Sonoma Grille is great for many occasions. I came here for an anniversary date with Eric, but I've also had a more casual dinner with friends in my jeans (nice jeans of course). I'm sad im no longer in Pittsburgh and can't visit Sonoma Grille more often, but I will definitely return the next time I visit Eric!

Price: $$$

Ambiance: A

Service: B+

Food: B+

Always leaves you wanting more...

Cupcakes are a huge craze these days. With the new shows on Food Network and TLC all solely dedicated to cupcakes, it is hard to resist getting sucked into the evilness that is cupcakes. The sinfully fattening frosting on top of a buttery, rich, decadent piece of cake is absolutely addicting and always leaves you wanting more....

I've never really been into cupcakes, I really don't like pastries at all (I'm a strange one I know)- but after going to Vanilla cupcake this Wednesday with Ryan and Anupama, I have been converted. After a nice lunch/dinner at Pizza Sola on Penn Avenue, we stopped by next door to Vanilla Cupcake to get a nice piece of dessert.

Walking into Vanilla Cupcake, the pastel walls and decor were a bit overwhelming and girly but I was soon distracted by the little morsels of heaven. With cupcake flavors ranging from chocolate fudge to vanilla caramel, it was hard to choose which one to get and honestly, me and Pama were about to get more than 1 (until Ryan unknowingly dragged us away). This time, we all got the Vanilla Caramel cupcake and ate it in our infamous finance class- it was simply heaven.

Ryan devoured it within, i'd say, 2.5 seconds and I found myself really upset when I took my last bite. We sat through our 3 hour class whining about how we wanted another one. Best/worst idea ever? The frosting was creamy and delicious while the actual cake was light and fluffy. I was really impressed by how delicious this cupcake was and how different it is from Dozen cupcakes.

Dozen cupcakes, another cupcake store in Pittsburgh (located in Squirrel Hill) also has great flavors, which I feel is more complex than Vanilla. Dozen is also great, and I got a cupcake there with Eric for my birthday. However, after going to Vanilla, I feel like the simple flavors with the light pound cake is far more superior than the complex, rich and heavy cakes baked by Dozen.

Both cupcake shops were good, but Vanilla was better (that was just for Eric). I can't wait to return to Vanilla for another cupcake- perhaps I can convince Ryan and Pama to go again tomorrow?

I can't wait to go back!

Sunday morning is one of Eric's favorite time of day- because that's when brunch is served! Like I mentioned in my previous post- I'm not a huge breakfast person and so brunch is the perfect meal for me!

This past Sunday, Eric and I decided to go to Coco Cafe with a few of our friends, Stephanie and John (Pringle). Located on Butler Street, Coco Cafe is hard to miss as there is a crowd of people waiting outside this small restaurant while the surrounding neighborhood is bare and empty.

After our (well worth) 45 minute wait, we were finally seated and were very excited! We first started off with some fresh juice (Eric and John got the orange while I got the carrot, apple, lemon) and placed our orders.

I got the Lobster Benedict, Eric got the Peach French Toast, John got the Smoked Salmon omelet and Stephanie got the Challah French Toast. Our food was delicious. My eggs were perfectly poached and I got a good amount of lobster. The dish was not soaked with the hollandaise sauce which I was very grateful for- and the flavors combined wonderfully. John's omelet was also great- as he was kind enough to let me have a bite. The entire omelet took on the flavor of the salmon and was really great.

The french toast was good- but I would say me and John's dishes were better. The Challah French Toast was good but I wish it took on more of a brie flavor- the same with the Peach French Toast.

The food at Coco Cafe is really great and I could definitely tell that they use fresh fruits and ingredients in their dishes. What really was disappointing was their service. The service wasn't awful but they did forget to get me a menu, to put in Steph's smoothie order (she got the smoothie when we were practically done with our meal) and they weren't as attentive as they could be. The staff was nice- they just weren't efficient and organized.

All in all, I really liked Coco Cafe, and I will definitely be returning. The food combinations are very unique and different and I would love to try more things on their menu. The prices are also reasonable (if you're not ordering off the specials menu- or getting their special juices) and I hope that the service does get better. I am very excited to have found a new brunch place and can't wait to go back!

Overwhelmingly welcoming!

So this past weekend I got to reunite with Eric! Eric was nice enough to come down for my birthday and we spent a great weekend together kayaking on the river, spending time with the pup, gambling and of course- enjoying good food!

This weekend, we went to dinner at Lidia's, located in the Strip on Smallman Street. I pass by Lidia's quite often and never thought that it would be as nice as it was! Eric has been there before and he thought it would be a nice place to take me for a casual (but nice) dinner- and boy am I happy he did!

Blending in with the neighboring warehouses, Lidia's from the outside does not look like anything special or unique. In fact, I was a bit skeptical when Eric said he was going to take me there for my birthday. Upon entering, my skepticism quickly disappeared as the warm decor and friendly staff was overwhelmingly welcoming!

The menu was filled with delicious options and Eric convinced me to get the almond pesto spaghetti with fried calamari and shrimp while he got the wild boar ravioli. Both dishes were delicious- and large.

I also had a bowl of their soup of the day (summer vegetable) and it was warm and hearty and perfectly seasoned. Eric got their Arugula salad which had crisp pears and we all know how much he likes pears!

The food was great and the portions were big and I really enjoyed spending time there. We saw a couple of people on dates but we also saw families enjoying a nice family dinner! Some were dressed up, and some were dressed casually and so you can enjoy Lidia's for basically any occasion!

What we liked best about Lidia's is their prices! We were quite surprised when we got the bill, and were pleasantly pleased by the quality of food/service we got for the very reasonable price. Lidia's is great for any occasion- casual meal or fancy date. I will definitely be returning when my pasta cravings return (which won't be very long at all) and hope to try more things on their menu (Lobster risotto?).

Call me a glutton

Call me a glutton, but I love chef tasting menus. Although a bit pricey, I feel that for the price and the food you get, the chef tasting menu is the best way to go if you are looking to try an assortment of dishes at a particularly good restaurant.

The most memorable chef tasting menu that me and Eric had together was definitely at nine on nine, located downtown on Penn Avenue. Only two blocks away from where I live, I really should go to nine on nine more often (if I had the money, that is).


Now I say that nine on nine was the most memorable experience I have had for a chef's tasting menu for a few reasons. First, Eric brought me there for Valentine's Day and it is definitely romantic and is a perfect setting for a nice date. Second, this was very close to my surgery date (I had surgery the week after) so again, the pain/pain medication was most definitely memorable :). Third, I was stuffed after the first two courses (again, thank you infection) but the food was so good I couldn't stop eating (through the pain). What a night!

The eclectic menu filled with interesting combinations of flavors and ingredients from different cuisines is overwhelming- but in a good way. Thank goodness Eric got me the chef's tasting menu so I didn't have to choose! A 6 course tasting menu, we got a variety of samplings off of the menu, and to my surprise it was all the dishes that I was eyeing!

Since the menu changes often, our tasting menu we got will be different from what you get!

We started off with a watercress soup topped off with escargot and lemon oil, followed by prime strip steak with baby bok choy, then wild mushroom risotto with lobster and truffles, and ending with some chocolate cake. There were two floating dishes somewhere, but those were obviously the most memorable and the best ones!

Everything was really good, and I wish I wasn't sick so I could have truly enjoyed the experience! Thanks again to my great boyfriend for such a memorable experience!

Nine on nine is a great restaurant located in a great location. Although it is downtown, you don't have to worry too much about parking as there is a parking lot across the street that is very convenient. Check out its Facebook page for more information and updates on their menu!

Why is he so picky?!

So last night, I attempted to make spam musubi because I was craving carbs (surprise surprise). To my surprise, I realized last minute that I ran out of nori! Boo! So this morning I went down to the strip to grab a package of nori at Oriental Market when I passed by Kaya and got a craving for their delicious Paella! Yum!

Kaya, another Big Burrito restaurant prides itself on serving great island cuisine. Located on the Strip on Smallman Street, Kaya is a great place to grab lunch/dinner and drinks!


Like I said, Kaya makes the best Paella. Mixed with spicy sausage and seafood, the paella definitely has a kick and is enough for two meals! I always end up having leftovers, and it's just as good the next day.

Walking around the strip one day, Eric was intrigued by Kaya's lunch menu when he saw that there were conch fritters on the menu- and he knew that we had to go in. Naturally, I got the paella while he got the pulled porked quesadillas and we both shared the conch fritter appetizers.

Reminiscing about the Bahamas and the great conch you can get there, Eric was not pleased with Kaya's fritters. I too, didn't think it was that special as there was barely any conch and just a lot of other stuffing- I got one fritter with no conch in it! Eric claimed that his quesadilla wasn't anything special and he didn't like the spiciness of the dish. My paella, however, was delicious.

We were impressed by the inside decor (and bar) as Kaya from the outside looks plain and can easily blend in with the asian markets next door! Eric was not impressed by all the spice in their dishes!

All in all, we had an OK experience at Kaya. Like I said, the dishes do pack a lot of punch and it isn't for those who don't like that spice. I am pretty sure I will return again with my friends who love the place and can't get enough spicy foods in their system. However, with Eric- it is doubtful- why is he so picky!!?