Pizza Roma

   
"To most New Yorkers, square pizza is a Sicilian slice with a heavy crust. But now, from Pizza Roma, comes a different kind of slice: the first, authentic artisanal Roman style pizza in New York, also known as “Pizza al taglio” (literally “Pizza by the cut”). Made from a unique pizza flour imported from Rome, the dough is allowed to develop over the course of 96 hours, thus resulting in a lighter crust that is easier to digest" That statement right there straight from the Pizza Roma website sums up exactly what kind of delicious pizza is made.

Throughout this blog you will learn all about the things in life that make me smile and Food Tours are one of them. I discovered Pizza Roma while on the Food of NY Food Tour of Greenwich Village. The pizza is so unique and the toppings paired together are amazing. The pies are made with local and organic indigence and in the shape of a rectangle. Oh and they slice it with scissors just like in Italy! My favorite is the zucchini mozzarella pizza.

The food here not cheap by any means but it is well worth it. A pie for two people ranges from $30-$35.  Pizza Roma is located at 9 Barrow St  New York, NY 10014. For more information check out their website here.

Carlo's Bakery

Next time you want to get out of the city for a afternoon, head on over to Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ. Carlos's Bakery fuels Hobokens with cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, wedding cakes and much more.Its just a train ride away and you better believe it will be worth it. Carlo's has been serving up delicious baked goods since 1910 and recently received National recognition on the reality show "Cake Boss" where the fourth generation baker-decorator Buddy Jr. and his family star in the series about Carlo's Bakery.

Since watching the show "Cake Boss" my friends and I just had to go to the bakery and see what all the fuss was about. When we arrived we looked at the bakery, saw the line outside and thought "OK that's not so bad!" Then we looked in the other direction and saw the other half of the line across the street and then we knew we should get cozy for the rest of the afternoon.

We waited in line for a few hours and when we finally entered the bakery it was complete chaos. Talk about a panic attack. You get a ticket with a number on it when you walk into the overwhelmingly crowded shop and try and see through people to decide what you want to order. Oh, and if you don't hear your number you just wasted your afternoon. So I listened closely and ordered my $12 worth of personal pastries. Once we walked out of the shop we sat and enjoyed the sweet treats, then contemplated if all the chaos was worth it...and it was.

Do you see all those people!?

Yay! I have a number!

Enjoying our treats on the street!

For more information on Carlo's Bakery and to see everything they can make you, check out their website here. Carlo's Bakery is located at 95 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030.

Serendipity 3 is The Place For Me

Serendipity- the art of making happy discoveries, or finding the unexpectedly pleasant by chance. That definition pretty much sums up what happens to every person who walks through the Upper East Side doors at Serendipity 3.

Serendipity 3 has been enticing taste buds for over fifty years. And over those years it has quickly become a favorite among celebrities and New Yorkers alike. It's a small Upper East Side gem with a huge  waiting list almost every night. Don't worry though, as long as you have a few hours to spare they will get you in and you can experience serendipity for yourself.

Although Serendipity 3 has a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, what I want to focus on is their sweet treats. Let's start with one of there most talked about items: "The Original, Outrageously Divine, Frozen Hot Chocolate." Its made up of chocolate pieces, hot chocolate mix, milk, sugar, whipped cream and chocolate shavings- and probably contains your calorie intake for the day. For the exact recipe click here. This tasty treat makes Oprah want to "dance on the chandeliers!" It can be all yours for only $8.95

Next is something so delicious it needs to be shared. The "Can't Say No" Sundae is a tower of humble pie, ice cream, banana, hot fudge and whipped cream. After the two hour wait, my best friend Annie and I were ready to feast! Again, all these calories can be yours for only $15.

Lastly, I want to tell you about the most expensive sundae that money can buy. This sundae is so intense that they need 48 hours notice prior to you ordering it. It's called the Golden Opulence Sundae. It's so fantastic that holds a Guinness World Record. I mean if you can afford to eat gold you might as well enjoy it at Serendipity 3. 

Serendipity 3 is located at  225 East 60th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues New York, NY 10022. They are open Sun-Thur 11:30am to midnight, Friday 11:30am to 1:00am and Saturday 11:30am to 2:00am.





Some photos from: Table hopper and Emloves

PF CHANG'S Bangs

     I have been to PF CHANG'S a few times over the years and it never disappoints me. It is the perfect place to go if your sick of cheap corner store Chinese food and are seeking a classier experience. PF CHANG'S has been winning people over for years with influences of Chinese and American culture not only in their appearance but in their tasty dishes as well. You might be intimidated at first because of the 11ft tall horses at entrance that symbolize the original Forbidden City in China, but fear not and proceed, they're just statues. They don't bite!

"The elements showcase the cuisine and create a stylish, comfortable, upbeat dining experience for our guests," says PF CHANG'S and I couldn't agree more. I love the place!

As an appetizer I had Egg Drop Soup. Its a traditional soup with egg, carrots and green onion. It was pretty simple but flavorful for sure.

Next up was the main course which for most of the dishes you have a choice of brown rice or white rice. I had Orange Peel Chicken with brown rice. The chicken is tossed in a mild chili sauce with fresh orange peel. Alex indulged in the Mongolian Beef dish. It's flank steak wok-cooked tossed in scallions and garlic. Freaking amazing.

Orange Peel Chicken

Mongolian Beef

Now those of you who really know me know that it's hard for me not to have dessert. So naturally we ordered the  Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Sweet Treat to finish off the wonderful meal. It was made of peanut butter crunch, caramel, milk chocolate, brownie and chocolate sauce.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Is it something along the lines of "damn this Olivia eats a lot of food"? Well if that's what you're thinking (and its okay, I still love you,) I can assure you that I do in fact eat a lot, however, I run. And I don't just mean I go on casual jogs to the mailbox and back. I'm training for the Baltimore Marathon right now actually. Five weeks down, 25 weeks to go!

For for information and to find locations near you, check out the PF CHANG'S website here. YAY for fancy Chinese food!






Some photos from: certified construction and Urban Spoon.

Lower East Side Italian: Via Della Pace

     When I want to go to a new spot to eat, I usually  do a quick Google search to find the best of what ever I'm searching for like: "best pizza in Brooklyn." Other times I get really creative and ask random people "What's your favorite place to eat in the city?" But every now and then when I want a full on adventure- and Alex hates this- I take us to a completely random area of the city and we end up walking around for at least an hour, till we've looked at all the restaurant options within half a mile. I find it thrilling, Alex says its exhausting. And that my friends, is how we found Via Della Pace.

     We met up with my pal Angela and headed into the Italian restaurant. As soon as we entered we were immersed in a world of large groups of people packed like sardines, enjoying their pasta with loud music and conversation. The lighting was low and the staff was quickly moving about to please all their guests. Since it was so full we sat at the bar until a table was ready. Alex order a Italian Coffee and we were all impressed with the presentation.

 

We were seated about a half hour later in a corner booth and quickly got to ordering. I indulged in pesto pasta with fresh mozzarella, Alex had pasta with baby clams and Anglea had Gnocchi.

Pesto Pasta With Fresh Mozzarella

Pasta With Baby Clams

Gnocchi With Pecans

Everything was so delicious! I really liked the atmosphere and I cannot wait to try other things on their menu. Via Della Pace is located at 48 East 7th Street and 2nd Avenue New York, NY 10003. For more information check out there website here. Go carbs!

Fondue For Me, Fondue For You

     Fondue is my new obsession. It's an amazing thing mostly because it makes consuming an entire block of cheese with your best friend completely acceptable for dinner. However, fondue doesn't only happen with cheese. You can fondue chocolate, veggies and meat too! And for those reasons I bring you my next favorite spot: The Melting Pot.

     This past weekend Alex an I took a trip to Atlantic City. When I was exploring the web for fun things to do there, it came to my attention that The Melting Pot was not too far away from our hotel, so naturally we were going to go there for dinner. I had been to The Melting Pot before and loved it! Friday night we walked the one mile from our hotel to The Melting Pot and had a fantastic fondue meal.

     What I really, really want to tell you about though is the end of the meal: the chocolate. We chose the S'mores fondue and I'm so glad we did. My mouth was exploding with excitement after the first bite. Our server came to our private corner booth (which by the way makes this a great romantic date spot fellas!) and mixed together our S'mores Chocolate. A fantastic combination of milk chocolate, marshmallows and gram crackers melted together to perfection.

     Once your chocolate is hot, it's ready to be devoured. They provide you with a tray of yummy things to dip in your bowl of chocolate such as; brownie bites, cheesecake, pound cake, strawberries, bananas, Oreo covered marshmallows and much more. It's the perfect ending to any meal.

     The Melting Pot has many locations all over the US. For my New Yorkers, you'll have to take a short travel to Hoboken, NJ and  for my Pennsylvanians, take a quick trip across the Maryland Line and head to  Towson, MD. 

     Happy dipping! And remember if your going for a full four course meal, you're going to be there for two hours (and spend about $100 for two people)  so sit back, relax and savor the flavors!

Rob and Tessa's Tacos

     I recently took an adventure to Queens to visit my new friend Tessa. She was hosting a house warming part at her new pad and the apartment was amazing! It is one of the largest apartments I have ever seen in NYC but, the food was even better! I was having such a great time that I forgot to snap photos of most of the food but I really wish I would have because the display of fantastic food looked like it was straight out of a magazine. Snaps for Tessa!

     Tacos were the main event on the menu and these tacos were like nothing I have ever experienced. These tacos took me to a new level of Mexican and I couldn't stop raving about them after my first bite. The recipe was created by Tessa's boyfriend Rob, who owns multiple burrito shops in PA called Roburritos, and they were bursting with flavor. The ingredients are as follows:

•  braised spring chicken, shredded
•  black butter grilled green beans
•  cojito cheese
•  pico
•  roasted garlic
•  jalapeno salsa verde
•  blue corn tortilla  

All of these flavors together were fantastic and I cannot wait to eat this again! Now you have the ingredients so make it at home and let me know what you think.

The Grey Dog

 

     The Grey Dog is one of NYC's hidden gems. Alex and I discovered this fantastic little restaurant a few months ago and haven't stop eating their since. Since opening in 1996, The Grey Dog now has three locations in New York City. Their motto is; "everyday you come to drink our brew, sit in our shade and fill your bellies with our fare… And the dog is happy."   

      There are so many things that I love about this place. First off their menu is not only filled with unique items but it is displayed in such a great way. If you're 80 years old and usually carry around a magnifying glass, leave it at home when you come here. The menu is displayed on the wall. It's huge and bright lettering is visually appealing and easy to read. The menu is simple and everything is laid out for you. To make it fun, a patterned bandana is placed on your table instead of a number, so they know where to take your food when its ready. The lighting is low and the space is tight but the homemade food is worth it. The staff is also super friendly and genuinely want you to have a great dining experience.

Break me off a piece of that!

The menu contains breakfast everyday till 3pm, salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, veggies, sweet treats, wine, beer and coffee drinks. Check out the full yummy menu here. Some of my favorites are the Hummus and Feta sandwich on their freshly baked olive bread, the cheese fries and the Bacon Cheese Burger on an English muffin. I'm sure I will discover more favorites because I pretty much want to try everything on the menu. 

Now, doesn't that look like someone who is thoroughly enjoying themselves?

I love this place so much that when my friends Danyell and Nate came up for a visit, I just had to take them there. Danyell is a professional when it comes to a good cheese burger because they're one of the 10 things that she will eat, thankfully she loved it as much as I do!

Happy, happy!

The Grey Dog has three locations in NYC: 242 West 16th Street, 90 University Place and 244 Mulberry Street. For more information check out their website. Now, go get happy with some Grey Dog.

Some photos from: amazonaws, nitrolicious and openingceremony

Milkshake Madness

     Summer is just around the corner and you know what that means...camping! Well in PA we go camping, I think the camping equivalent for New Yorkers might be a weekend at the Hamptons- both equally great in their own way. Camping reminds me of summer and roasting marshmallows. Since I haven't found a place that I can roast marshmallows here in the city, besides in my microwave, I had to look elsewhere to satisfy my craving. That's where Bill's Bar and Burger comes in.

     Bill's Bar and Burger has been a hit with New Yorker's for years with their locations at Rockefeller Plaza and in the Meatpacking District. Their food is know to be fantastic, especially their burgers, but where they really excel is in their milkshake making skills.

Introducing the Campfire Milkshake. It's a little piece of heaven for only $6.95.

     The Campfire Milkshake contains vanilla ice cream, milk and marshmallows. The best part of the shake is at the top- a thick layer of toasted marshmallow. YUM. They use a fire torch to make the marshmallow gooey and delicious. It's the perfect topping for the most perfect summer milkshake. If you don't have time to sit down and enjoy the goodness, you can take it on the go by ordering at their fast and friendly take away counter. I am a huge fan of that option.

The exact locations for Bill's Bar and Burger can be found on their website: billsbarandburger.com. Why are you still sitting there? Go get that milkshake!








Some photos from: foodspotting

Do you tango with mango?

     This past Saturday was very eventful. One of the highlights of the day was when I saw the mango lady at Union Square. This fantastic Spanish women peels and slices fresh mango, bags it up and sells it on the corner and it's such a hit. I have bought mango from her so many times and every time I go to Union Square I am on the lookout for her. She peels, slices and bags the mango right in front of you then you hand her three dollar bills and enjoy. The mango lady make this city so much sweeter.

Panera To Go

     After we picked up some mango, we made a pit stop at Panera Bread to get some Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Bread Bowls for our picnic at Central Park. I know everyone knows how amazing these things are so I don't need to tell you again.

    After we enjoyed some delicious food in Central Park, a really nice lady offered to take our picture saying: " you never know you might frame this one day!"

Móle Mexican Bar & Grill

     Two years ago I discovered a little Mexican restaurant called "Taco,Taco" and it quickly became one of my favorite spots on the Upper East Side. When I lived in that area, I swear I was dining there once a week. Eventually I moved back to Pennsylvania and had to learn how to fight the Taco, Taco cravings.

     When I moved back to NYC last October one of the first things I wanted to eat was some Taco,Taco. Alex and I took the hour long subway ride from Brooklyn to the Upper East Side and the whole way all we could talk about was how delicious this was going to be! Little did we know, the original Taco, Taco location was CLOSED! I was almost in tears.

     After we stood on the street corner pondering what could have possibly happened that the place would be shut down, I turned around and there was a Mexican restaurant called Móle across the street that looked quite similar to Taco,Taco. We ventured over and- ta-dahh!- it was Taco,Taco with a new name and a larger space. Hallelujah!
  
     So, since discovering that Taco,Taco got a name change, we have also discovered they have four locations. One of them is in Brooklyn, and whats even better is it's only a few stops away from our house!

     You have got to check this place out next time you are in the mood for some Mexican cuisine. It has a intimate feel with dim lighting and close seating.

 The fresh guacamole is a must!  Choose one avocado or two and they bring all of the ingredients on a tray to the table and make it right in front of you. It's so, so delicious!

      The menu has standard authentic dishes but my favorite is the Chicken Chimichanga. It is enough food for two days but it's fanatic. It's similar to a burrito but it's fried and topped with lettuce and sour cream, then served with a side of homemade green sauce. I  just can't get enough of Móle!


For more information check out http://www.molenyc.com/.

Go get ya Mexican on!

Eileen's Special Cheesecake

   I wandered into Eileen's Special Cheesecake last week because I have walked past it about thirty times now and figured I should probably stop drooling from the window and go inside. One of the best decision I have ever made. 

      After I weaved through the crowded front entrance, I was greeted by a very friendly, passionate-about-everything-in-the-shop employee. After she gave me a description on almost every kind of cake they offer I finally made a decision. "Blueberry cheese cake it is," I said. Then I looked up and saw some amazingly delicious looking chocolate macaroons. After much debate I decided to just stick with the cheesecake because this girl can only run so many miles a day. She packaged up the cheesecake and I headed home.

     When I got home I couldn't wait any longer and I dove right into the mini cake. It was really creamy and tasty. I loved that it was a mini cake and just the right amount. Next time I'm going to try a chocolate cheesecake because I prefer chocolate over fruit most days- this was just an off day for me. But I still thoroughly enjoyed the blueberry!

Eileen's Special Cheesecake makes these delicious cakes for any occasion. Not in NYC? Don't worry! You can get her cheesecake delivered anywhere in the Continental US by calling 1-800-521-CAKE.

Look at all the fantastic cakes you can order. Send me one too as a thank you for telling you about this place. ;)

Eileen's Special Cheesecake is located in SoHo at 17 Cleveland Place, NYC and has been open for over 35 years. They offer so many sweet treats such as: pies, cheesecake, cookies and brownies. It's guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

 Check out their website for more information: www.eileenscheesecake.com. Get you cake on!