Roberta's Pizza

Thank you Madison Square Eats for bringing a little slice of Brooklyn to Flatiron.  Roberta's Pizza, located in Buschwick, brings excitement and delicious pizza to the neighborhood.  My friend and I got the bee sting which is only on the brunch menu and not the lunch and dinner menu.  If you can't make it out to Brooklyn for the pizza, stop by Madison Square Park to grab a personal pie and a beer!

Allergy Info: 
Allergy Friendly



Foodie Rundown: 
Bee Sting: Mozzarella, Tomato, Chilli Flakes, Sopressata and Honey.  Now this is an amazing pizza, different then your normal pizza, spicy and sweet and definitely hits the spot.  The honey is drizzled on the top and adds an amazing sweetness 

Location: 

261 Moore Street, Brooklyn, NY

Madison Square Eats (until October 19th)

http://robertaspizza.com/

I want Billy’s….Cupcakes!

So, I’m more of a cookie lover, but I think these cupcakes officially have changed my mind. I was lucky enough to try 2 cupcakes at work from Billy’s Bakery. They were fluffy, delicious, and flew like hotcakes out of the containers, so I was happy to get my hand on 2 different flavors. Billy’s bakery has more than just cupcakes though, and I can’t wait to be able to try more menu items! They have cheesecakes, pies, cookies and bars and other items such as breakfast muffins and biscuits. They are located throughout the city, so make sure to check them out for your next event or birthday!

Allergy Info:
No preservatives in any products
Nuts are used in certain items such as the carrot cake, pumpkin bars and some of the breakfast items (for example the banana nut mini loaf). Although there may not be nuts in whatever you order, they’re still made in the same kitchen, so nut allergies beware!

Foodie Rundown:
Red Velvet Cupcake: Very velvety, delicious and the frosting was amazing! (warning: this cupcake stains, so make sure you’re careful when eating it, check your fingers, your clothes and make sure that it’s not all over you!)
Banana Cupcake: I have never tasted a cupcake like this before. It was like banana bread with a cream cheese frosting, so flavorful and seasonally appropriate. I absolutely loved it!

Locations:
Chelsea
Tribeca
Nolita

http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/

Mayhem & Stout

Madison Square Eats does it again! Mayhem and Stout slow braises all of their meat. The sandwiches are made to order and are mouth wateringly delicious. The bread was great, and the sauces all looked good, so I’ll have to go back and try more of them. This place is definitely for the meat lover. No vegetarian options on the menu.

The menu changes daily, but here is a sample of what you may find on a daily basis:
Short Rib Brisket ($10);
Pork Shoulder ($10);
Fried Chicken ($9);
Sauce Choices (The Dragon, Yellow BBQ, Red Harissa, Maple Brown Sugar Sriracha);
Add-on Choices (Spicy Slaw, Pickled Carrot, Jalapeno, Escabeche, Fresh Scallion Chive

Foodie Rundown:
Taken from Mayhem and Stout’s website:
Our menu changes daily. All relishes, spreads & sauces are house-made using the freshest, most high-end ingredients available. Our meats are slow-cooked until they are fall-apart tender.
My combination? Short Rib Brisket with The Dragon sauce, with jalapeno and pickled carrots

Location:
They are located in DeKalb Market in Brooklyn (138 Willoughby Street)
Or
Madison Square Eats until October 19th

Follow them on Twitter @mayhemandstout
http://mayhemandstout.yolasite.com/

Madison Square What?

From September 21st to Friday October 19th, make sure to check out Madison Square Eats in Worth Square, across the street from Madison Square Park! What is this amazing feast you may ask? It is a collection of trucks, restaurants and vendors offering some of the best food in the city.

I’m going to try and get to each and every stand before they leave, here’s a sweet one for your Monday.

Today’s post is for Momofuku Milk Bar. I bought 2 nut free cookies from the Momofuku Milk Bar stand. Every ingredient is listed on the back of the cookie labels which is great. There are nuts in the bakery / factory where the cookies are made, but they are not in the Blueberry and Cream Cookie or Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie, which are the 2 that I bought.

Allergy Info:
Allergy Friendly
Nut friendly ** (anything on their menu on the website will have **’s to specify if the item has nuts in it or not.
Periodic soft serve ice cream flavors that are gluten free, unfortunately all the items on the menu otherwise have gluten


Foodie Rundown:
I need to go to the store to try more things, but the cookies were outrageous! Soft and gooey and lasted a few days. These were just outrageous! MUST TRY MORE!

Just to get an idea of the flavors, here are the available cake flavors, can you say, “yummy???”

· apple pie cake cheesecake filling, apple compote, pie crumbs
· banana cake**banana cream, hazelnut crunch, gianduja fudge
· birthday cake rainbow cake crumble, sprinkles, vanilla frosting
· carrot cake cheesecake filling, milk crumbs, streusel buttercream
· chocolate chip cake passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs, coffee buttercream
· chocolate malt cake malt fudge, malted milk crumbs, charred marshmallow
· dulce de leche cake dulce de leche frosting, milk crumbs
· mint cookies n’ cream cake cookies n’ cream frosting, mint cheesecake, chocolate crumbs
· pistachio cake** lemon curd, pistachio frosting, milk crumbs
· pretzel cake stout ganache, burnt honey frosting, pretzel crumbs
· strawberry-lemon cake lemon curd, pickled strawberry jam, milk crumbs

Locations:
East Village – 13th and 2nd
Midtown – 56 btetween 5th and 6th
Upper West Side – Columbus
Brooklyn – Williamsburg
Brooklyn – Caroll Gardens
Urbanspace meatpacking market – Corner of 13th and Washington

G-L-U-T-E-N gluten gluten gluten!

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

With Football season in full swing, you may be wondering where you can order gluten free pizza and pasta around the city! Check out some of the top contenders and make sure you don’t starve during the games!

Keste Pizzeria – W. Village
http://kestepizzeria.com/

Tribeca Pizzeria - Tribeca
http://ordertribecapizza.com

Risotteria – Soho
http://risotteria.com/

S’Mac - E. Village and First Ave & Houston
http://www.smacnyc.com/what.html

Mozzarelli’s - Flatiron
http://www.mozzarellis.com/

Travel Thursday – Olive La Jolla!

Today’s Travel Thursday post comes all the way from La Jolla, California.  (Pronounced “La Hoy-a” for those on the east coast).  I stumbled upon this store while walking through the quaint and lovely town of La Jolla 2 summers ago.  My parents said “There Sydney goes into a food store again - Shocking”.  Immediately I was blown away at this store, as my immediate response to the woman at the register was, “you need to open one of these in NY” and here is why:

• All olive oil is local to California
• Educational shopping experience, learn things about Olive Oil that you most likely don’t know!
• Quality Olive Oil – Local, Local, Local! 
• In addition to Olive Oil, they sell handcrafted mustards, pestos, tapenades, balsalmic vinegars and other speciality ingredients such as caramels and chocolates and salts!

As their website says, “We Olive is more than just a store with olive oil…it is an Olive Oil Experience”.  And that’s how I felt when I left.  Check it out, tell your friends, and if you’re ever in California, get some local Olive Oil at “We Olive”!

 

Allergy Info:

All ingredients are on the labels, so don’t be afraid to ask some questions.  The people at “We Olive” are there to help you in finding your inner olive oils.  (That’s a joke).  All ingrediatents are locally grown in California, and if they are not, We Olive will make sure to tell you (just in case you are against the other states).  Remember, you are helping the local farmers, the local economy and the local environment.

Foodie Rundown:

Unfortunately without physically going to La Jolla, you won’t get the same experience as I had.  Thankfully there are many locations throughout California and there is an online store.  But if you do get the chance to go, you will notice that there are little squares of bread and huge jugs of olive oil and spreads throughout the store.  Take some bread, and enjoy the different tastes of California’s olive oil.  Fill up the size bottle of your choice, and be on your merry way.

Pick an olive oil with flavor!  There are tons to chose from.  We left with over 8 bottles of Olive Oil.  One of the fan favorites is the We Olive Collection Fresh Garlic Olive Oil.  It is infused with garlic and is great for cooking pasta!

Truffle Salt will allow you to have your expensive taste on tight budget!  Throw this on potatoes, pasta’s or really anything?  (My trick is on mac n cheese!) -- Pictured

Check out the We Olive blog here

If you’re in the area, check out the events here

Locations:

La Jolla, CA

Costa Mesa, CA

Paso Robles, CA

San Luis Obispo, CA

Fresno, CA

El Dorado Hills, CA

Ventura, CA

Belmont Shore, CA

San Francisco, CA

Walnut Creek, CA

http://www.weolive.com/ 

YEE HAW!

Step out of the City into a country delight. Hill Country BBQ offers some of the best BBQ in New York City, and is fun for the entire family. Get family style sides to share, or little ones to keep to yourself (you all know what I would do!). This is an interactive restaurant so don’t think you’ll go to Hill Country to be wined and dined. Bring your cowboy hat, your appetite and have a few beers and enjoy this fun and casual BBQ place in the heart of Flatiron.

*Remember, don’t lose your meal ticket! You could be charged $50 for that baby! So keep it on your table at all times!

Allergy Info:
Meat lovers!
No nuts
No fish
Mostly gluten free
Sorry vegetarians, this place is not for you!


Foodie Rundown:

For the Meat:
Pork Spare Ribs And Beef Ribs – I can never remember which of the ribs I love more, so every time I go, I get one of each! They are absolutely great, and they are huge!
Brisket – My boyfriend loved the brisket, said it was delicious and fall apart delicious
Original Sausage - Can never go wrong with sausage, take that as you wish.
Market Chicken - ok so for those of you who follow the blog, I don’t really eat chicken. But my mom ordered the Market Chicken, and I took a little taste, it was outrageous! Succulent and juicy, with lots of BBQ sauce and a slice of white bread. Welcome to Texas!?

For the Side:
Longhorn Cheddar Mac & Cheese - I’m pretty sure everyone loves mac & cheese as a side, and if you don’t, well that’s just not good (pictured)
White Shoepeg Corn Pudding – this is like corn candy! I love this stuff, I’m pretty sure it’s seasonal, but it is always the first side that I get when I go
Green Bean Casserole w/ Durkee Onions - just like mama’s green bean casserole!
Skillet Corn Bread with Ancho Honey Butter – 1) you always need to have corn bread on the table at a BBQ, 2) the ancho honey butter is melt in your mouth delicious! It has some cinnamon and honey and it is just outrageous! Smother it all over the corn bread like you would in the deep south, it’s ok, no ones watching! (pictured)
Hot German Potatoes
Confetti Cole Slaw

For the Dessert:
Banana Cream Pudding - when you think you can’t eat any more? Make sure to order this dessert, as my boyfriend said, “I think this may be the best banana cream pudding I’ve ever had!”

Locations:
NY – 30 W. 26th
DC – 410 Seventh street NW

http://www.hillcountryny.com/