Almost there Class of 2011!

First off, I hope all is safe from Hurricane Sandy! Please let me know if you need a place for refuge as I am currently housing the Russian and so the more the merrier! We have power and heat and lots of food!

To be honest, as great as it is to hang out with Yulian all day, I really wish I was at work and things were back to normal! I miss my lunch excursions and can't wait to have my next one! (Too bad EVERYTHING is closed around here)

A few weeks ago, Pooja decided to visit Titusville and so Jackie and I thought we should visit Paulie Anna Rose for some lunch. Oh the good old days.. the days when you can get lunch at a restaurant......

We had a great time together and I was really happy that Pooja came to visit! I wasn't too happy with the food though. 

Penne Ala Vodka

Pooja and her sandwich

Jackie and I both got the Penne ala vodka while pooja got the grilled vegetable sandwich. Both portions were huge and enough for two meals, but the flavor itself was not huge. 

My penne ala vodka tasted more like a tomato based mac and cheese. The creamy, heavy, sticky sauce was almost even yellow! It wasn't awful, but it definitely isn't something I would pay for again. Very heavy and oily, I would say that I probably ate 2000 calories- and I only ate half!

Although the food was a bust, the lunch itself was not! It is always great to see Pooja and being all the way in Titusville, Jackie and I love visitors!!!

We can't wait to venture out to more places for lunch once everything from the hurricane settles down. As final placement comes rolling around, I can't wait to try as much as I can out here before we possibly leave! 

Almost there Class of 2011!

Food: C-
Service: C
Ambiance: C
Price: $$

Yes, the vegetarian chose a steakhouse

I am officially experiencing Vegas withdrawal. ACK.

Maybe it's because it's all the way on the other side of the country, or that it feels like you are in an alternate reality, or that I am an addict, or that it's all of the above, but whatever it is, I want it again. 

So a few weeks ago, I took yet another trip to Vegas with a few co-workers. Yes, I went to Vegas without Eric. And to be honest, as much as I love Eric, I had a blast with my co-workers. Some were Vegas veterans and some were new to this world (Jackie),  but I would have to say that all of us had a great time!

The one thing about Vegas is that you can never get bored. No matter how many times you've been there (I would say that I've been there almost 20 times in my life- it's really too many to keep track of nowadays) you can always have fun and always experience something new. 

Thanks to Krishna, I was able to get my first breathtaking view of the Strip from the Rio Casino. All of us were on a quest to get as much out of the town in the short 3 days we were there. Especially since Jackie had never been-we wanted to show her everything!

Krishna was in charge of planning our 'fine dining' experience one night, and he chose VooDoo Steak. Yes, the vegetarian chose a steakhouse. He justified his decision by telling us that he had heard about the amazing view at the Rooftop Night Club- and boy did he make a good decision! The view was AMAZING. 

It truly was spectacular, and with just the view alone, I would say that you should visit VooDoo Steak (so you can get the free access to the rooftop)

The food wasn't bad either- I was pleasantly surprised!!

The menu at VooDoo Steak was pretty classic and so of course, I got the foie gras to start and the scallops for my entree

Seared Foie Gras with Fruit Compote

Pan Roasted Sea Scallops with Braised Short Rib

The foie gras was perfectly seared and was balanced well with the tartness of the fruit compote. Buttery and not oily, I would say the foie gras was executed very well- I wish it was bigger!

When the menu described the scallops as being paired with some braised short rib, I was expecting a round rib bone to be on my plate. However, it was just some thin slices of meat, and I think I liked it better that way. The scallops were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and was not overcooked. The light aroma of the mushrooms paired with the tender short rib meat was perfect. The crisp salad on top also added some great crunch and contrast to the tender proteins on the plate. What a great dish- what a great meal!

The only thing I did not like about this place was the service. It turns out that if you are a Total Rewards member you get a few discounts off the menu. Once the server heard about our discount he was completely rude and was not attentive at all. Not only was he rude near the end of the meal, his ability to coordinate the order placements of our drinks and our entire meal was laughable. We ended up sitting with the huge menus on the backs of our chairs because he didn't know how and when he should take our orders. It's not hard buddy. 

Besides the poor service, the food and view were absolutely amazing. I am so happy that I got to experience something new in Vegas. Thanks Krishna!

Price: $$$

Food: A-

Ambiance: A-

Service: C-

Sorry Ewing,NJ- I'm a city girl

So, I did it. Yes, I went to another restaurant near work. I'm on a roll!

Although I did say that it was just going to be Jackie and I, this time we invited a bunch of coworkers (and then somehow our intended restaurant was changed to a restaurant that a coworker wanted to go to.....boooo... but that's another story...)

So this past Friday, right before the holiday weekend, a few of us went to Metro Grill, a small restaurant in Ewing,NJ.

Jackie and I had wanted to try Paulie Anna Rosa, since we were hankering for some pasta, but I guess Metro Grill hit the spot this time! 

Jackie got the Penne ala Vodka while I got the linguine with white clam sauce...

Linguine with white clam sauce

Penne ala Vodka

After a good portioned meal, I would have to say Metro Grill was not too disappointing. I tried a bit of Jackie's penne and it was creamy and delicious and lighter than some other vodka sauces I've had. 

My linguine was also great and had a lot of clams for the amount of pasta- perfect! The sauce was light and buttery and filled with fresh slices of garlic- very tasty indeed.

The decor was a bit old and traditional while the service was nothing spectacular. The only big complaint I have about Metro Grill is the prices!!! You figure that in the area that you are in, you would get a slightly cheaper meal (or at least have some type of lunch special!!!). 

I don't think I would visit Metro Grill again, simply for the price (It came out to $20 a person). With the price I'm paying for lunch, I rather grab a lunch special at a nice Italian place in New York City. Sorry Ewing,NJ- I'm a city girl.

Thanks for the lunch Metro Grill, see you.. never...

Price: $$

Service: B

Food: A-

Ambiance: C

I'm a bad asian

My oh my, how long it has been since I have visited my dear old blog!

So I have to admit that I haven't been taking pictures of my food lately (I know, im a bad asian), and thus, I haven't had any material for my blog posts! 

Thankfully, when going to lunch with Jackie last Friday, I was able to snap a quick pic! Yay!

Jackie and I have been trying to find good places to eat around our office for months. We work next to a farm, so really, we work (and live) near the middle of nowhere.

We searched for a nearby lunch joint so we could get out of the office during the beautiful summer day and we happened to come across Nick's Cafe 72 in Trenton.

Yes, we went to Trenton. Yes, in my new car. Yes, I was scared.

After parking my car as far away from other cars as possible, I was hankering for something greasy, fattening and of course, delicious. I got the Corned Beef Reuben- and it hit the spot.

Reuben from Nick's Cafe 72

So flavorful and a perfect pairing with sweet potato fries and an arnold palmer, this sandwich made my day. Salty briney corned beef with sweet sauerkraut and russian dressing, this was an amazing reuben.

Not only was the sandwich yummy, the service was quick and fast. Perfect. Although a little bit pricey for being a random diner/cafe in Trenton, I would have to say that I would definitely return again if I'm hankering for something sinfully fattening.

So excited we found a good place near work, we're going to try another place this Friday! Stay tuned!


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

Smell ya later!

So this is going to be a short one. Mostly because I forgot to take pictures and really have nothing spectacular to say about this place- Shibuya at MGM Grand.

Before our trip to Vegas, we saw that our friend Yulian had went to Craft Steak for dinner at the MGM. Eric and I were intrigued and so we made reservations for our last night in Vegas. We were really excited to go but then got the hankering for some sushi- so we changed our reservation to Shibuya. Boy was that a mistake. 

Although we weren't very hungry, we decided to go with the Futari for Two- a special menu that was $80 per person. Ugh, what a waste of money!

We started out with this dish, a kani salad:

Ok, so it looks cool since the salad is on top of a fish bowl, but really, that was the only good thing about it. The salad was extremely fishy tasting and had that metallic taste that was extremely unappetizing. The best thing about this dish? I couldn't see how the other dishes to come could be worse...

We got some Tuna Tartare, Yellow Tail, Seared Albacore, Kobe Beef Skirt Steak, Miso Soup, Nigiri and a Dessert Trio. Some of the dishes came out at the same time, so we felt a bit rushed- bad server. 

The meal was OK. Like I said, nothing spectacular. The tuna tartare was a very good portion and was pretty fresh while the kobe beef was tender (obviously, it's kobe beef). 

I would say that this was not an $80 well spent. Our meal was lackluster and got off to a very bad start with our salad. I wasn't very pleased with our last dinner in Vegas. Sadface.

I'm hoping that the other dishes at Shibuya are better because the meal we had was quite disappointing. With all the great choices of restaurants in Vegas, I would not return to Shibuya for another meal. 

Hey, at least we got a picture with the lion!

Smell ya later, Shibuya!

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

Boy am I glad that I gamble. (sort of)

Annnnnnd I'm back!

Back from where you ask?? Well... VEGAS of course! (Come on, where else would I be)

Now that my purse is feeling a lot lighter and my abundance of money in my bank account is no longer a problem, I finally have time to write another post about the great food I had in this special, yet dangerous place...

First stop- Picasso at the Bellagio!

We knew we wanted to go to a good restaurant in Vegas and had passed by Picasso during our last trip in Vegas. (Right before we perused the Chanel store to buy... nothing...)

The menu looked interesting and I of course am always up for a good meal, so we thought- why not! Afterall it is a two star Michelin and a 5 diamond AAA restaurant, no biggie.

I first want to start off by saying that I am going to be extremely critical of this place because well, after our usual dinner cocktails and a typical wine pairing with Eric's dinner- this came out to be the most expensive meal we've had- over $200 a person. So I think I can be a little critical, no?

To start, if you're looking for a cheap way to enjoy this restaurant and think you can cheat and order just an entree and say you've 'been' to this restaurant, try again- there is nothing but predetermined menus for you- nothing a la carte!

We got a choice of two different menus, one was a pre-fix theatre menu while the other was their degustation menu. The degustation had one extra dish for just $10 more so we thought, if we're already paying over $100 a person for a meal, why not just go all out and shell out the extra $10 bucks! And so.. we did!

Our meal consisted of a Maine Lobster Salad (not pictured) with an Apple Champagne Vinaigraette, Pan-Seared Scallops with a Potato Mousseline, Sauteed Foie Gras with a Blood Orange Sauce, Roasted Loin of Lamb with tempura zuchinni flower and a Warm Chocolate Fondant for dessert. Deeeeelicious!

Scallops

Foie Gras

Lamb

I have to say that the meal was great. The Maine Lobster Salad was fresh and had an abundant amount of lobster (it better) and the vinaigrette was a tart refreshing addition. Eric loved the scallop. Although it was just one small scallop, the texture of the scallop with the smooth potato mousseline was indescribable and had me breaking my etiquette manners while I was basically trying to lick the sauce off the bowl. Oops. 

Of course, I loved the foie gras. The good sized portion was perfectly seared and did not have that overwhelmingly 'fatty' taste, but was more rich and buttery. Delectable. The crunch of the almonds really made a great addition to contrast the smooth silky texture of the foie gras. 

The lamb was also really good and had great intense flavor, even without the sauce (but of course, the sauce made the dish). I didn't finish it though, and ended up giving the rest to Eric. 

The warm chocolate cake was amazing. The toasted marshmallow with the gooey chocolate cake was a great twist on the classic molten chocolate cake. Decadently rich with chocolate flavor, I couldn't help but to think of a few friends that would have killed for this chocolate heaven! (Yes Pooja, I mean you)

I would have to say that the food here was great, and the service was wonderful. It took a lot longer for us to get our dessert than the rest of our meal, so I think they messed up their timing a bit when it came to 'firing' their dishes. Minus 2 points. 

When I think back on this meal, boy am I glad that it was comped because I would not have been happy to pay for this meal out of pocket (thanks Mirage). It seems fairly overpriced (well obviously, it's Vegas) for what you get and I have had better meals for less.. 

It was a great experience to have been around the $300 million worth of Picasso paintings and to be with my love, but in the end, was the experience really worth the $500 check? I think not. 

I guess technically I can't really complain about the 'price' as this meal ended up being comped and I got to celebrate yet another anniversary with Eric, but don't say I didn't warn you if you end up with a ridiculously large bill!

Thanks again Vegas for another memorable experience. Thanks Mirage for the great meal....boy am I glad that I gamble. (sort of) 

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

Not even for the frost bitten ice cream

Week 3 in Titusville! What a journey it has been (ok, not really)

It's been pretty boring here.. all I have been doing is cleaning/organizing, couponing and going to the casino. Fun. I've been looking for some good restaurants, but there really isn't anything here- there isn't even a grocery store that compares to Wegmans- I'm so upset!

Thankfully, last week during lunch, Jackie and I decided to explore this good ol' town and try out a place called It's Nutts. And yes, yes it was. 

Jackie got the Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas:

While I got the personal pizza:

I found this place on yelp, and thought I'd give it a try. Although I was in the mood for a sandwich, i read rave reviews about their tomato pies, and knew that I needed to try it. 

We got to the restaurant and got seated right away. I already knew what I wanted before I got there, and Jackie jumped with joy when she saw the buffalo quesadillas on the specials menu (Jackie apparently loves buffalo sauce).

We placed our order fairly quickly and got our food in a timely manner. Jackie's quesadillas (although I didn't get to try any) seemed enjoyable while my pizza was great. An overwhelming flavor of fresh tomato and hand rolled pizza crust, my personal pizza was devoured in a very very short amount of time (by only me). It was great. 

I loved that my pizza was incredibly fresh and hand made! I did wish that there was more cheese on it and that the crust wasn't that crispy (it seemed a little bit overcooked/burnt) but in the end, it was a pretty good pizza. 

I do have to say that I am incredibly shocked with the prices. Although it wasn't unreasonable, I would say that it was overpriced for the quality of service/decor/area- we were basically in a trailer...... come on guys!

Although I am glad that Jackie and I ventured out of the J&J Cafe, I would have to say that It's Nutts was a little bit too overpriced for what we got. 

Although I can't say I wouldn't return here, I don't think I would come back here any time soon. Not even for the frost-bitten ice cream.

Food: 8

Service: 8

Ambiance: 7

Price: $$