Ruben's Empanadas

     
     Ruben's Empanadas are mmh-mmh-good. I stumbled upon this small shop about two months ago when I was running an errand at my internship. While walking down Broome street the word "Empanadas" caught my eye and immediately I was curious. I didn't have time at the moment to check it out but it didn't take long for me to wander there for lunch a few days later, and I'm sure glad I did.

     The menu is pretty simple as well as there marketing strategy. You won't find a Twitter, Facebook or Instagram for this shop and that fact kind of makes me like it more. It feels like you are a part of the extended family when you dine in at one of the four tables in the whole shop.They have been in the same spot for 32 years serving up some of the tastiest empanadas in SoHo. 

     They have empanadas made with beef, potatoes, ham & cheese, broccoli, ricotta and mozzarella and their most popular is spicy chicken. They also serve up classic rice and beans with your choice of black beans or pinto beans. For dessert they have sweet empanadas and a a cookie sandwich stuffed with caramel. YUM! Love, love, love this place and you should too!

Ruben's Empanadas is located in SoHo on the corner or Watts and West Broadway. The empanadas rock so go get some!

16 Handles is Freakin' Fantastic

       Every time I enter 16 Handles I feel like I am walking into another world. A futuristic world where everything is lime green and pink and topped with whipped cream- it's a bit like being in Katy Perry's "California Girls" music video. With its neon decor, friendly staff and frozen yogurt toppings galore this is what I would consider a little piece of heaven.

     I discovered this self serve frozen yogurt shop when an enthusiastic New Yorker told me "its a no-brainier, you have to go!" So, I walked the ten blocks from my house at the time and experienced it for myself. That was two years ago and I am still raving about this place and never miss my weekly stop for some sweetness. Thank goodness I discovered 16 Handles when I did because I just can't imagine my life without it.

My 16 Handles!

     What makes this place so freakin' fantastic is unlike most fro-yo shops in NYC, this is self serve and you pay by weight. After you pile as many flavors of frozen yogurt in your cup as you like, you get to put your inner chef to the test at the toppings bar. There are over 30 toppings for you to create your fro-yo masterpiece. Everything from fresh fruit to wet walnuts. After you have reached fro-yo perfection you weigh it, pay then enjoy!

      My signature is huckleberry yogurt topped with cheesecake bites, kiwi, mango, chocolate pieces and raspberry sauce. You haven't lived until you've tried 16 Handles. This definitely one of my go to spots when I have a friend come to visit as well.

Yummmma!

 There are 16 Handles located all over the city. For a complete list of locations click here.

Check back daily for more of my favorite NYC hot spots and remember fro-yo melts fast- so go get some 16 Handles already!




Some images from: shopkentlandsdeals, tastethentel and yelp.

Le Pain Quotidien

 
     I discovered Le Pain Quotidien a few days after I moved to Brooklyn in October, 2012. I love the shop on Bleeker Street, but they have locations all over NYC as well as PA, CA, Washington, D.C. and all over the world. I was immediately in love with the idea of a bakery who's bread only has four ingredient and who strives to only use quality organic ingredient. But don't be mistaken. Le Pain Quotidien is more than just a bakery. They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch and pastries daily. They also have a pretty unique way of serving coffee. Every hot drink is served in a bowl and sometime guests need a lesson on how to drink a cappuccino in a cup without a handle.

     Another very cool thing about this place is the communal tables. They like the idea of bring people together and making it feel like a community. I love the communal table concept plus that is where they put all their jams and spreads for you to try with their bread.

     There are so many things on their Belgian inspired menu that I love but to keep you focused I am only going to name a few. The lentil soup is one of the best things I have ever tasted. It is thick and amazing. I never even thought to try lentil soup but I am so glad that I did. I like to add some cheddar cheese in my soup and its a flavor explosion.

 
      Another thing I love is the Rustic Tuna Hummus Tartine. They have a large selection of these open faced sandwiches with unique flavor combinations like: ricotta, honey and mission fig or chicken smoked mozzarella with pesto, all made on their famous whole wheat rye bread. The picture below is the Rustic Tuna Hummus Tartine served with chickpea soup.

     To finish off a fantastic meal I always indulge in something sweet. I love that they have mini treats here because if you're like me you can't just try one thing and with mini's you can try more and not feel guilty. Picture below from left to right is the pistachio tart, apricot tart and the mini brownie. All of them are amazing in their own way.

     I'm sure by now you really, really want to check this place out so visit their website to find a location near you! If you'd like to learn how to bake bread like the pro's, the Bleeker street location also has bread baking classes for the public every week. For more information go to http://www.lepainquotidien.us/#/en_US/about_us.

Go bread!

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Some photos from: Fifth Floor Kitchen's Blog

Korzo Haus's Mindblowing Burger

  
  
      The self proclaimed "Most Unique Burger Joint on TOMPKINS SQ. PARK" Korzo Haus, lives up to its title 100 percent. Last Friday I got to work and my friend Angela said "I'm on Spring Break this week. Lets go out to eat tonight!" Naturally, I agreed. Little did I know 12 hours later I would be feasting on one of the most delicious and unique burgers of my life. 
   
     Two subways and a short walk later, Alex and I arrived to meet Angela and Aislua. The outside of the restaurant blended into the night so well that we almost walked past it. We walked in, past the six bar seats that over looked the cooks station and to the back where there was only a few tables. Talk about limited seating. In typical NYC fashion we were close to our neighbors and there was one server running the show, but I didn't mind because all I could think about was Angela's previous description of how amazing these burgers were.

Korzo Haus, Tompkins Square Park.

     In the dim lighting we quickly all decided that we wanted to try the "Original" burger. The burgers here are so amazing because the bun isn't a typical burger bun. Our burgers were wrapped in Hungarian sweet bread, stuffed with cheese, bacon and celery and then deep fried. I have never seen anything like it. 

     After we all got over the amazing presentation we dug in. The burgers were so flavorful so it was easy to understand why they won "BEST BURGER in NYC 2011 - Village Voice."

    Now, we all know that you cannot have a burger without some fries so, we pretty much ordered all the fries on the menu. They come served in a bowl to share with your friends. 

One of three different kinds of fries we ordered.

Happy, Happy!

      We all had such a great time chatting over burgers at Korzo Haus and I cannot wait to go back. They have two locations in NYC: 667 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 and 178 East Street, between Avenues A&B Tompkins Square Park, NYC. For more information visit their website: http://www.korzorestaurant.com/haus1.html. Go get a burger already! 

Pommes Frites Is Where It's At

   Pommes Frites is a place that I just cannot stop telling people about. Anytime I am talking to someone about the absolute best places to eat in NYC, Pommes Frites is always at the top of the list. It's not necessarily what most people would consider a typical meal but if french fries are in a separate food group in your book, like they are in mine, it makes an amazing Saturday night fourth meal.

Ta-dah!

The Double. Amazing.

Sweet chili with mango sauce.

     I discovered the Belgian fries at Pommes Frites about two years ago. I had just moved to NYC to start an internship at NBC and I was craving fries. My boyfriend and searched all over the area where I was living and couldn't find any satisfying fried potatoes. Lucky, I used my trusty friend Google.com and after a quick search for the "best fries in NYC" I stumbled upon Pommes Frites. And I have been a happy camper ever since.

     Pommes Frites is amazing for precisely three reasons. 1.The fries are hand cut and delicious!      2.They have over 26 hand made dipping sauces to choose from to make your fries even more fantastic. My favorite is mixing sweet chili with mango...AMAZING.  3.The menu is simple and its cheap.

Its a great place to go on a Sunday afternoon date or after going out dancing on Saturday night. Also when you get a craving at 3 AM don't fear because they are open till 4.

     Pommes Frites is located at 123 2nd Ave. New York, New York 10003. What are you waiting for? Go get some fries!

Boston Baby

Recently my boyfriend Alex and I took a bus trip to Boston to see all these cool cats. The hotties in plaid were our hosts for the weekend. Steph (in the tan) traveled from Michigan and Annie (in white) traveled from Pennsylvania. We all haven't seen each other for years and we had such a wonderful reunion in Boston. Obviously though the best part about it was all the amazing food we ate!

 One of our outings was to the Sam Adam's Brewery. It was super fun because it was free and everyone knows that free is fan-freaking-tastic in my book. So we took a 45 minuet tour with a hilarious tour guide and got free beer at the end. Fun times. You should go!

Moving on to the more important part of the weekend...Sunday Brunch. After we all peeled ourselves out of bed on Sunday afternoon we took a short walk to what I would soon refer to as "the best brunch in Boston." Upon entering S & S Restaurant I expected a typical not so flavorful brunch. I clearly got it wrong. People were packed into this place like beans in a can. There were tons of people patiently waiting for a chance to sit and enjoy brunch. We were seated reasonably fast (thank gosh for call ahead seating!) and got right down to the good stuff. When brunch arrived we were all so happy and the best part is every breakfast is served with a side of fresh fruit!

My chocolate chip banana walnut pancakes.

Alex's manly breakfast.

This place had such delicious options and I think I might make a trip back to Boston just to come here again. It's a great family atmosphere with a friendly staff and cheap prices! Can't get much better. Check out S&S Restaurant at Inman Square 1334 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139 next time your in town. 

Meatballs Oh My!

I have been walking past The Meatball Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn  for quite some time now and I have never stopped to try it out. Recently my friends Jill and Patricia wanted to get together for lunch and thank goodness I remembered I wanted to try this place. After a quick Google menu search I knew we would not regret it. As we walked into the cozy restaurant, past the bar seating and the many groups of friends loudly chatting and enjoying their lunch, we sat down at a communal table in the back. Jill and Patricia indulged in a mimosa and I stuck with "my usual," water. After we got an brief lesson on how to order we were ready to choose something delicious to eat. 

Select what you want to eat with a dry erase marker. Eco friendly with reusable menus!

I order chicken meatballs over top of mashed potatoes finished off with a Parmesan cream sauce. FAN- tastic pretty much sums up how I felt about the meal. After I finished my amazing meatball creation I felt kind of foolish for never stopping in this place before.

The Meatball Shop menu is completely customizable. It offers everything with house ground meatballs (classic beef, spicy pork, chicken and vegetable); sandwiches, salads, pastas, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. They also have a huge selection of wine and beer and a mouth watering desert menu. This is a wonderful place to go with a big group of friend or family and connect over a great homemade delicious meal.

The shop has four locations in New York. I loved the 170 Bedford Ave. location and I cannot wait to go back! So, call up your friends and go right away. Go meat!

Some photos from Serious Seats

Milk & Cookies Hits The Spot

Milk & Cookies in Greenwich Village has quickly become one of my most favorite sweet treat spots in NYC. I was introduced to this delicious bakery a few years ago when I went on a Foods of New York Tour and I haven't been able to stay away since.

Inside Milk & Cookies.

In the shop that is probably as big as your studio apartment and with enough seating for almost nine people, all of the products are made fresh daily. They sell all kinds of freshly baked sweet treats. The cookies are to die for. With unique flavors like Bacon Smacks, Dark Chocolate Toffee, and my personal favorite Salted Oat Surprise, they keep people coming back for more.

Salted Oat Surprise

Annie and I thrilled about cookies in the rain.

Not only does Milk & Cookies have the most amazing cookies, they also have fantastic ice cream. If you want to enjoy the ultimate sweet sin you should indulge in an ice cream sandwich. You choose the cookies and the ice cream and then prepare for a flavor explosion.

If you've tried all the cookies in house and can't find exactly what you're craving- don't fear because you can design your own cookie batter! First you choose your base- peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla, oatmeal or sugar, and then your toppings: marshmallows, cappuccino chips, mint chips and almonds to name a few, then the friendly bakers mix it all up and bake your cookies for you or pack your mix up to take home. Taking home the batter is brilliant because if your anything like me you need a cookie at the oddest hours of the night and its always good to be prepared.

So head on over to Milk & Cookies at 19 Commerce Street, NY, NY 10014 and treat yourself, don't cheat yourself. Can't get to NYC right now? You can buy the Milk & Cookies Recipe Book and bake their amazing recipes in your own kitchen. Enjoy your cookie break!




Some photos courtesy of: Cupcakes By Amelie and NYC Food Crawl