Fatta Cuckoo

So tonight, my boyfriend and I had a dinner special that I found on Rue La La for a restaurant in the LES (lower east side) called Fatta Cuckoo.

Tonight, I think I found a new favorite restaurant in the city. Favorite for food and for its mom and pop style. It is a seasonal menu comprised of all local and organic foods and is almost an entirely gluten free menu! The food was outrageous, the service was great, an they have amazing specials and date nights for very affordable prices.

See schedule below:
Monday - closed
Tuesday- Date Night! $70 for a bottle of wine, shared appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 desserts!
Wednesday- $40 for 2 entrees and 2 cocktails!
Thursday- $40 for wine night at the bar! A cheese board for 2 and a bottle of Bordeaux
Friday- $7 cocktails after 10pm
Saturday- 1 entree and 3 cocktails for $20 bucks!
Sunday- 1 entree and 3 cocktails for $20 bucks (brunch until 6pm!)

Allergy Info:
Organic and local foods and seasonal menu
Predominantly gluten free menu!

Foodie Rundown:
Taco of the day - this was delicious and so flavorful! Steak with a chili Run in a blue corn tortilla (2 tacos) - see pictured
PEI Mussels - Prince Edward Island Mussels in a mango, yuzu, ginger and Thai chili broth over udon noodles and finished with fresh basil and scallions Mmmm mmmm good! (see picture)
Surf and Turf- as a foodie I know I have many favorites, but I do believe that this was one of the best meals I have ever had. The "surf" was succulent pan seared, an the "turf" was a boneless BBQ short rib. With 3 chills and a tomato and avocado salad between make this unique surf and turf 100% worth ever bite! (see picture)

http://www.fattacuckoo.com/

Hummus you hungry?

If you’re in the mood for some healthy fast food, you’re a vegetarian, and or love falafels, chickpeas hummus and pita bread, head over to The Hummus & Pita Co. With a cafeteria-like feel where you order at the counter, you have the option of a pita, laffa, bowl or platter. Add meats, mix ins, veggies and hummus for a complete dinner full of vitamins and minerals, that will definitely fill you to the brim.

Allergy info:
Vegetarian Friendly
Nut Friendly
Health Conscious! - Check out their nutrition calculator on their website! http://www.nutritionix.com/hummus-and-pita-co/nutrition-calculator/premium

Foodie Rundown:
The platter offers the most complete dinner with 3 “Fill Its” or as us normal people call it, sides.

Gyro - Succulent pieces of beef and lamb made with greek spices (I topped this with the green chimichurri garlic sauce, a little spicy, but delicious!)

Chicken Shawarma – Fire roasted marinated chicken thighs, definitely has a curry flavor, so if you’re not a fan of curry, you may or may not like the Shawarma

Spanish Eggplant – Reminded me of Eggplant Caponata, delicious large marinated pieces of eggplant served on the side

Falafel – Can never go wrong with 2 crispy falafels either on the side or in a pita

Baba Gannosh – this goes great on the pita, full of eggplant flavor (I’m sensing an eggplant theme?)

Original Hummus included with every meal, (any flavored hummus such as sundried tomato hummus or jalapeno hummus just add $1)

Whole wheat pitawas are
Available (just in case you’re looking to be health conscious)

The best of all, my meal, plus a water, was $11. Can’t beat that in NYC! Fresh and delicious!

Locations:
585 6th Avenue (6th and 18th)
Order Online – Delivery is a 10 block radius of the restaurant with a $10 minimum

http://www.hummusandpitas.com/

Not your High School Cafeteria

At Cafeteria, there is no shortage of trendy comfort food. The motto, “You are What you Eat”The restaurant is always crowded and is known for being open 24 hours. The atmosphere, music and open windows bring all Chelsea-ites and Manhattan foodies to this great spot for brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night snacks. You cannot make same day reservations, but the wait isn’t too long, and the bar has a lot of fun drinks that you can try. Totally worth the wait, and a cocktail.

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly

Foodie Rundown:
Macaroni and Cheese Spring Rolls with Smoked Gouda Dipping Sauce – Just imagine if an egg roll had a baby with your favorite mac and cheese, and instead of soy sauce you had a cheesy, delicious, gooey dipping sauce. So yeah, it’s pretty amazing

Since my boyfriend and I were in the mood for something light (that’s a joke right? After we just ate mac and cheese spring rolls) we decided to both get seafood:

Grilled Mahi-Mahi – Crushed Mango, Tortilla Salad, Avocado and Chili Cilantro Aioli – I’m not even lying, my mouth just watered as I was writing this, remembing how fabulous these flavors were together and how delicious this piece of fish was. (See picture)

Roasted Sea Bass – Shaved Artichoke, Radicchio, Reggiano Parmesan, Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette – If you know me, anything truffled is good in my book, fabulous dish! (See Picture)

Drinks:
Aloe Citrus – Bulldgo gin, aloe vera juice, lemon and lime – sounds kinda strange, but for someone who doesn’t even really like Gin, this drink was awesome!
Wildberry Mojito – Cruzan Raspberry Rum, Fresh Muddled Berries, mint and lime – for the sweet tooth, make sure you indulge in this cocktail

Location:
Chelsea – 17th and 7th

http://cafeteriagroup.com/about.php

Yardhouse

Guest post by Jenn Press Arata! -thank you!!
www.thatssojenn.com

I was very excited to check out Yard House's newest location at Palisades Center mall, that had only been open a few days before we arrived. The restaurant/bar boasts 130-250 taps of imported, craft and specialty ales and lagers.

The servers were still in training, yet eager to learn and very accommodating. We ordered many dishes and they were always quick to clear and ready to assist. Fun Fact: Yard House's beer glasses are cleaned separately from the food dishes to ensure their pure taste. If you aren't quite ready to order a yard (be aware that not all beers can be ordered in this size due to their high alcohol content), you can ask for up to two samples at a time to taste before you commit.

Allergy Info:

Very allergen friendly menu, including a whole section for Gardein options--a vegetarian chicken and beef meat substitute. There are also many 'gluten sensitive' options provided along with gluten-free beers. Everything is labeled making it easy to navigate, and the extensively varied menu offers something for everyone. An overall nutritional breakdown is available on their site as well.


Foodie Rundown:

For appetizers, the ahi poke bowl was precisely seasoned and didn't even require the soy sauce served on the side. The marinated raw ahi tuna was full of texture and crunch when prepared with avocado, carrots, bean sprouts, macadamia nuts & wontons. Can be made 'gluten sensitive' without the wantons and soy sauce or minus the macadamias if you have a nut allergy.

The deviled eggs topped with spicy tomato sauce, sweet chili sauce and minced chives were unlike any I've had before, and I can't wait to order them again. They offer a unique sweet and spicy kick for a perfectly satisfying appetizer bite! A must have for sure. (Vegetarian)

For entrees, I was excited to sample the many Gardein options. I tried the boneless buffalo chicken wings (you can also order them jerk or firecracker style) served authentically with celery sticks and ranch dipping sauce. They tasted so good, even the carnivores at the table had to clarify it was vegetarian. The chicken and avocado sandwich was also a hit, while the beef sliders were way more than your typical bulky veggie burger. I ordered the sliders two ways: classic with their house sauce and cheese and the other with fried onions and bearnaise sauce. What a treat! I upgraded to truffle fries which were shoestring thin, served in a cone and sprinkled with parmesan. Delish. Incredible selections for vegetarians to feel part of the action and enjoy hearty beer grub rather than a dainty salad. (Vegetarian)


Of the street tacos, we tried the asada (grilled new york steak with roasted pasilla peppers, pico de gallo and guacamole), baja fish (crispy white fish with lemon sriracha aïoli, green cabbage, cilantro, pico de gallo and guacamole) and blackened swordfish (with green cabbage, cilantro, cumin crema, pico de gallo, guacamole and mango papaya chutney). Swordfish was impressive, but steer clear if you have a fish allergy!

Adult macaroni and cheese with playful campanelle pasta, chicken breast, applewood bacon, wild mushrooms, cheddar, parmesan and truffle oil was rich and decadent. Can be ordered from the Gardein menu with chicken substitute and no bacon. (Steer clear with dairy allergy).

Locations:

This particular location was at Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, NY, but they have multiple locations throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Virginia and Texas.

www.yardhouse.com