Nicoletta

As an avid Instagramer, one day I came across a photo of what appeared to the most fantastic looking meatballs ever. Naturally, I had to check the place out for myself so I took my boyfriend, Alex and my friend Little Leeron to see what all the fuss was about.

Alex- always happy to eat.

Little Leeron

Nicoletta is known for their "made fresh to order" pizzas but they are so much more than that. Although the pizzas I saw on the walk to my table did look amazing, I had to get my hands on those meatballs! Know to the chef as Polpette, these brick-oven baked Neapolitan meatballs topped with pomadara and bread crumbs are to die for!  We also tried the Stromboil and the Pollo alla Parmigiana: "breaded chicken breast fried to a beautiful golden brown, covered with Chef White's pomodoro sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese served with a side of spinach, sautéed with onions, garlic & chile flakes." Both were equally amazing. Check out the full menu here.

Polpette

Stromboli

Pollo alla Parmigiana

Nicoletta is located in the East Village at 160 Second Avenue, NY, NY. The menu is reasonably priced with appetizers starting at $5, pastas staring at $17 and pizza ranging from $17-$23. This is a great date spot and they have a nice outside seating area. For more information on Nicoletta, check out their website here.

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Some photos from Tasting Table

Queens Comfort

If you are ever in the mood to completely clog you arteries while enjoying every bite, Queens Comfort is your place. Queens Comfort is a hot spot with the locals and that's exactly how I was told about it. My friend and Astoria local, Phanavanh, introduced me to Queens Comfort last weekend and since then I swear I want to live in Astoria. I maybe exaggerating a tiny bit about moving, but the food was just SO GOOD.

I was planning on reading over the menu when I sat down in the tiny, crowed restaurant but my mind was instantly made up when I glanced at the plate next to me. I said "I'll have that!" The server walked away and I said to Phanavanh "I don't even know what I just ordered." Fear not though, I do have an eye for amazing food after all!

Fried Mac N' Cheese

After a short wait, our food arrived. Phanavanh dove into some fabulous Chicken and Waffles and I had a breakfast sandwich with the best tots ever. The sandwich was scrambled egg, cheese and fried sausage patty with a dollop of a tangy cranberry sauce on an English muffin. OH MY GOODNESS. It was mind blowing and I didn't want it to end. But eventually it did, so we paid then bill and went and got mani pedis. Five star day all the way.

Chicken and Waffles

Breakfast Sandwich

 Queens Comfort is too cool for a website so you'll just have to go there and experience it for yourself. They are located at 4009 30th Ave. Astoria, NY 11103. Call them at 718-728-2350 and have a great time! 

That's my girl Phanavanh AKA: the girl who takes me to the best places!

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Bottoms Up With Blue Bell

 I discovered Blue Bell Ice Cream last summer when Alex and I were living in Texas and since then I have been on the look out for it everywhere I go. Last week when we were in Myrtle Beach I saw a Blue Bell Ice Cream sign and I practically ran to it. This is my favorite ice cream and I am really excited to tell you all about it.

Blue Bell Ice Cream was first made in 1930 and they have been cranking out half gallons and pints of ice cream ever since. Unfortunately for us New Yorkers, Blue Bell Ice Cream can only be found in 26% of the nations supermarkets with products sold in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming. However, I am filling you in on this amazing treat so next time you take a trip South you will discover it for yourself.

 My favorite Blue Bell Ice Cream flavor is Moo-llennium Crunch. It is "classic vanilla ice cream with a combination of dark chocolate chunks, creamy caramel chunks, roasted pecan halves, chopped almonds and walnut pieces." Yummy! Next time you head south check Blue Bell Ice Cream out for yourself!

Go Blue Bell Ice Cream!

Studio Square NYC- The Ultimate Beer Garden

To celebrate Memorial Day, Alex and I took an adventure North of Brooklyn. We got off of the R train in Astoria, Queens on 36th street, walked a few blocks and discovered an awesome Beer Garden called Studio Square NYC. OK, I can't take all of the credit for this magnificent find because this was the preplanned meeting location for our friends, but we did get their first!

 Studio Square NYC is this amazing gem in Astoria, Queens where all the locals come. It's a massive event and entertainment complex that "brings the spirit and traditions of an open-air German beer garden into the modern era." It's freaking huge, over 30,000 square feet to be more precise. This is what Studio Square NYC says about their beer;

"In The Garden, we take beer very seriously.  Our custom tap delivery system is one of the most advanced tap system in the world.  Employing theperfect blend of science and technology to deliver each of our brews at the precise temperature for maximum enjoyment."

 

Our drinks of choice: Sangria and Loaded Lemonade.

Not only is Studio Sqaure NYC known for having great beer and a great space, they also have a grill when you get a hunger craving. I saw so many massive buckets of fries while I was there that I almost caved and got one too. Luckily, I got over this craving once I thought about how many squats I would have to perform to work it off. Their grill menu consists of typical bar food like burgers, hot dogs, salads and fries and the best part is it's super cheap. Two bratwurst with fries for $8. Can't beat it!

Oh. My. Fry.

This place also hosts events most nights of the week, but if you don't want to participate in their activities you can always bring along your set of Taboo or cards like the locals do. Tuesdays they have a free movie nights and Thursdays is Karaoke with a live band. For full event details click here.

Studio Sqaure NYC is located at 35-33 36th street, Long Island City, NY 11106.

Greetings from Myrtle Beach!

Hope you are looking forward to more of my fantastic food finds! I'm super excited to tell you all about all the delicious food I have been eating in Myrtle Beach, SC this week. Check back tomorrow for a new post that will make your mouth water!

Moon Dancerrrrrr

     Moon Dancer Winery in Wrightsville, PA is the perfect escape for anyone. With their French Country Chateau over looking the Susquehanna River and there large selection of European Style dry wines, this place pretty much sums up the definition of wonderful. It's a charming and romantic place with live music year round and I love it!

Inside Looking Out

The beautiful patio!

      My adventure to Moon Dancer Winery happened last summer when my mom and her friends invited Annie and I to come "hang with the girls" as my mom likes to say. And "hang with the girls" we did, along with a lot of other fun activities like listening to a live jazz band, having a picnic, taking funny photos with a roast and much more.

    When we arrived we each paid a cover as we were driving in which included a wine glass to take home. Then we went to the wine bar, sampled a few choices and decided on the Peach wine. I'm and not much of a drinker so naturally, I let Annie make the final call.

Angie  doing the sniff and swirl technique.

Peach it is!

     After the wine selections we made we headed out to the back yard to set up our picnic and relax. What a cool experience. I for one love picnics and the fact that Moon Dancer Winery encourages you to bring food along to enhance their wine is fantastic. We had a really great time and I cannot wait to go back again!

"The Girls"

     Moon Dancer Winery has live acoustic music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Summer Concerts, Jazz Festivals, Corporate and Private Events and of course Weddings and Bridal Showers. They are located at 1282 Klines Run Road, Wrightsville, PA 17368. For more information click here. So go ahead- wine a little, you'll feel better.

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