Olive You <3

Fig & Olive is a trendy, fun, and healthy place to have either a romantic dinner, a quick casual dinner and drink or a family gathering in the city. My family and other families alike, love going to Fig & Olive for their variety of shared crustini’s and veggies and delicious salads. All the ingredients are fresh, and everything is made with Olive Oil and not butter. The philosophy is to highlight the use of the different and the best olive oils from the coastal regions of the South of France, Italy and Spain. Figs are predominant on the menu (that shouldn’t be too surprising), but their use of vegetables and flavors are delicious! Making those who are health conscious, very excited!

Allergy Info:
No Butter
Vegetarian Friendly
Vegan Friendly
Nut Allergy must be careful as there are a lot of walnuts, almonds and pine nuts on the menu

Foodie Rundown:
So being that I’ve been here a few times, I have tried a lot of what is on the menu. I have also never had anything that myself or someone else didn’t like – so I will give you a review of everything! (Hey! The more the merrier, right?)

Let’s start with the Crustini’s – Depending on the number of people at the table, make sure you get enough to share. These are pretty small, but can be cut in half to share. For 4 people, I recommend at least 6 crustini’s (and other appetizers, duh?)

Burrata, Tomato, herbs and Blasamic – A classic twist to a Bruschetta
Roasted Bell pepper, Ricotta – This was the largest and juiciest bell pepper I think I’ve had in my life, I think I cut it in half to share, and then stole the 2nd half back, whoops?
Prosciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut – This is the epitome of Fig & Olive – so delicious
Salmon, Ricotta, Citrus, Cilantro – Mom’s favorite, salmon is fresh, and refreshing with the citrus
Shrimp, Avocado, Cilantro, Tomato – A little taste of mexico with the avocado and cilantro and a fresh crisp shrimp on top! (See Picture)

Veggies:
Zucchini – Pesto Ricotta with Pine Nuts, is really just a Zucchini spin on Pesto, with ricotta instead of Parmesan, dunk the extra Zucchini sticks or use the extra bread that they will give you (See Picture)
Artichokes – Family Favorite! These juicy artichokes with Parmesan and Balsamic, are a great combination (See Picture)

Appetizer:
Fig Gorgonzola Tartlet – So I don’t even like gorgonzola cheese, but warmed, with prosciutto, fig, walnut, arugula, scallions, tomatoes on a fine puff pastry, nothing matters anymore. These flavors and the crispy yet fluffy puff pastry, just melts in your mouth! (See Picture)

Dinner:
Fig & Olive Salad – Crisp lettuce with fig, apple, manchego, gorgonzola (I replaced this with goat cheese), tomato, walnut, olive, scallion and 18 year fig balsamic and Arbequina olive oil – want something delicious and guilt free? This salad is the way to go! (See Picture)

Melon & Prosciutto Burrata Salad – This was like an art sculpture when it came out of the ktiche, piled high with argula, melon, burrata, pesto, tomato, fresh herbs and lemon with Picholine Olive Oil, this was a sight to see! (See Picture)

Zucchini Blossom & Goat Cheese Ravioli – House made goat cheese ravioli, zucchini emulsion, tomato confit, curpsy zucchini blossoms with parmesan & shaved ricotta salata with Nocellara Olive Oil

Truffle Risotto – So my love for truffle never ends, Arborio rice, trumpet and cremini mushroom, with scallions, parmesan, parsley and white truffle oil

Locations:
NYC - Meatpacking (13th and
NYC – 5th Ave
NYC – Lexington
NY - Westchester
California (Melrose Place)

http://www.figandolive.com/

Dare to Dumpling?

If you’re in the mood for some dumplings…nice, plump, yummy dumplings (ok, my mouth just watered), and you don’t want to order the fried rice, the egg roll or the chicken and broccoli, you can simply have a dumpling feast at Rickshaw Dumpling Bar! In addition to their location in Flatiron, on Lexington and in Times Square, they also have a food truck! And we all know, everything tastes better from a food truck! Indulge in different flavored dumplings, different dipping sauces, and an array of side dishes that will make you dance for dumplings! Have a desire for a double dose of dumplings? They will cater an event as well!

Allergy Info:
Peanut allergy be careful! – there are peanuts in some of the dumplings as well as the sauces
Vegan Friendly
Vegetarian Friendly
Looking to eat healthy? Rickshaw says an order of 6 dumplings has less than 300 calories! After a meal, your dumplings will still look good!
No MSG

Foodie Rundown:Szechuan Chicken Dumpling – Bell & Evans chicken with Szechuan chilli, white soy bean and Chilli soy dipping sauce
Peking Duck - Local Hudson Valley duck with cabbage, scallion, 5 spices and hoisin dipping sauce
Chicken & Thai Basil – Bell & Evans chicken with lemongrass, glass noodle, carrot and spicy peanut dipping sauce
Never can go wrong with Classic Pork or if you’re vegetarian / vegan, check out the Vegetarian Edamame Dumpling with organic edamame with lemon in a whole wheat wrapper and lemon sansho dipping sauce!

Order a Rickshaw Regular for the best dumpling deal in town! Medium order of dumplings (6 dumplings) with a choice of noodles, salad or side for only $8.96!

Locations:
Flatiron – 23rd between 5th and 65h
Times Square – Broadway between 42nd and 43rd
45th and Lexington
Food Truck – Make sure to follow Rickshaw on twitter for their daily location changes! @RickshawTruck

Dare to Dumpling? http://www.rickshawdumplings.com/

Sunday Brunchday!

If you’re looking for a high quality, delicious brunch when you wake up on Saturday and Sunday I would suggest Sarabeth’s Kitchen as it is a favorite of mine in the city. They have a complete menu full of pancakes, waffles, eggs and my mom’s favorite, for the lighter fare - porridge. Located throughout the city, a delicious place that the whole family will enjoy. While you cannot make reservations for breakfast / brunch on the weekends, make sure to check it out. Get there early to avoid the wait, because by 11 or 12, you will wait for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm

Allergy Info:
Nuts on the menu
Allergy Friendly
All-Natural Eggs from Sullivan County Farm NY

Foodie Rundown:
Menus vary from location to location, the below are reviews from the Central Park South Location
Fresh Juice (Grapefruit was delicious)
Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh berries – a table favorite! As my dad tried these, the ricotta is baked into the batter, with a slight lemon flavoring, these were outrageous, the entire family enjoyed these fluffy pancakes
Classic Eggs Benedict – Canadian bacon, hollandaise sauce (I got that on the side) and chives – the muffin this was served on was so fluffy and perfectly toasted, with a perfectly poached egg that was runny and delicious!
The Red Omelette – Chunky red pepper and tomato sauce, cheddar cheese, dollop of sour cream and chives – perfect for a hearty omelette and a big appetite!
Side of extra crispy bacon? YES PLEASE!
(Please see pictures below)

Locations:
NYC - Tribeca
NYC – West (Amsterdam and 80th st)
NYC – East (Madison and 92nd st)
NYC – Central Park South
Chelsea Market
Lord & Taylor – NYC
Lord & Taylor – Manhasset
Lord & Taylor – Scarsdale
Lord & Taylor – Garden City
Florida – Key West

http://www.sarabeth.com

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