"So Jazzy, So Brooklyn, SOCO!"

Peter Best, Malissa Browne and Slim Walker are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to serving up some of the most mouth-watering Southern Fusion cuisine in Brooklyn. Half restaurant, half cocktail bar, SoCo has been described as "the Brooklyn Bridge turned into a restaurant." The designer Andres Aladin, cleverly incorporated things into the space so it feels "relaxed enough for casual lunches but sexy enough for dinner dates," and for that he will always hold a special place in my heart.

When you enter SoCo, it's as if life outside those doors do not exist. The atmosphere is relaxing yet chic and the menu is so creative and unique that it's hard not to order one of everything. SoCo describes their menu style as "a mixture of cajun/creole, barbecue and soul food dreamt up with everything else you can imagine."

 While keeping true to roots of Southern food, one of their most popular menu items is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. This dish is two pieces of organic buttermilk chicken served on top of a red velvet waffle with Bourbon syrup on the side.  Another dish that will tempt your taste buds is the Mac and Cheese served in an iron skillet. From the B.Q.E. Salmon Burger to the Smoked Butternut Squash Ravioli you can't go wrong. Craving more? Check out the full menu here. 

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Mac and Cheese

Pecan Crusted Pork Chop

B54 Burger

Strawberry Shortcake

SoCo is open seven days a week from noon to at least 11pm, with a daily intermission from 3:30pm - 5pm. They are located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Clinton Hill at 509 Myrtle Avenue and dinner for two will cost you around $50. What are you waiting for!? Grab a date and head on over to SoCo. You are going to love it!

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Some photos from: Brooklyn Bred Brooklyn Fed

Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Oven Pizza

While meandering throughout Brooklyn Bridge Park this weekend, I stumbled upon something I knew had to be delicious. From a quarter mile away I could see people lined out the door and around the corner anxiously waiting to get into Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Over Pizzeria. Naturally, I was very curious and  jumped right in line.

Look for the Rayban's and you'll find me!

 After an hour wait, we finally made it to the front of the line and a few moments later we were in the door. We sat at the bar and patiently waited for our half cheese, half pepperoni coal brick-oven pizza and admired the decor. The walls are filled with photos of famous celebrities that have dinned at Grimaldi's, the tables are cozy and the pizza's are hand crafted by their hard working team in the center of the restaurant.

To serve the loyal fans of Grimaldi's, the coal brick-oven must heated by 100 pounds of coal a day, with temperatures that reach 1200 degrees. That's one hot mamma.

The menu is pretty standard and simple. Choose your pie size: small or large, then choose your toppings. Some of the toppings they offer are pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, onions, basil and fresh mozzarella. Check out the full list here. The pizza's range from $12-$16 and toppings range from $2-$4 per topping.

Because the pizza is so good and the fans will do anything to experience this piece of heaven, they have some rules: no credit cards, no slices, no reservations and no delivery.

After every inch of our pizza was devoured, it was easy to understand why Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Over Pizzeria has been voted "Best Pizza" year after year by Zagat. Grimaldi's  has locations throughout New York City and Hoboken, NJ. Check out the full list of locations here.

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Frozen S'More at Dominique Ansel Bakery

Do you have a hankerin' for campfire s'mores but you can't get out of Manhattan? Fortunately, it's 2013 and we live in a city of very innovative foodies, so these days if you need a s'more look no futher than Spring Street. Oh, and did I mention the twist? They're frozen!

First Dominique Ansel Bakery took NYC by storm with the Cronut (croissant and donut mixed pastry), and now they have done it again with the Frozen S'More. This sweet invention is made up of marshmallow, vanilla ice cream and chocolate wafers all frozen together, then torched to perfection.

Time Out Magazine has named this the "Dish of the Moment" and I completely agree! You can get your hands on one at 189 Spring Street NY, NY for around $6.

S'Mores aren't your thing? No big deal. Dominique Ansel Bakery has plenty of other enticing options to choose from. Check out their full menu here.

The days of summer are winding down, so get your summer Frozen S'More before they are gone. On the bright side, I can't wait to see what fabulous creation they come up with for fall. Frozen S'Mores for life!

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Doughnut Plant

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Doughnut Plant on the lower east side to pick up some doughnuts for our staff Birthday celebration at work. And then, I had the pleasure of trying to flag down a taxi with my foot, in the scorching heat, while awkwardly holding two boxes of three dozen doughnuts.  I'm just going to go ahead an pat my self on the back for that one. More importantly, let talk about how awesome Doughnut Plant is!

With recipes dating back to 1910, Doughnut Plant is pleasing the people of New York City one by one. Originally inspired by his grandfathers doughnut recipe, Mark, creator of Doughnut Plant, has been in the business of fried dough since 1994.  Starting from the basement of a tenant building gone kitchen work space, Mark and his team have come a long way now with two Doughnut Plant locations in NYC as of 2011 and locations in Tokyo and Seoul. I would like to personally thank Mark and his grandfather for their amazing doughnuts. Well done folks!

The doughnuts here are not so typical and that what makes it that much more interesting. They use all natural, high quality ingredients to make flavors like; Peanut Butter Jam, Black Out, Vanilla Bean, Tres Leches, Coconut Lime and they always have a fresh seasonal fruit flavor. Check out the full menu here.

Glazed and Peanut Butter Jam

 Cinnamon Sugar, Tres Leches, Vanilla Bean, Black Out

The Famous Peanut Butter Jam Doughnut

Doughnuts For All!

Doughnut Plant is located at 379 Grand Street and at 220 West 23rd Street in NYC. Grab a friend and go get some sugar at Doughnut Plant. You will be glad you did.


P.S. This is my favorite book right now and is the perfect accent to coffee and doughnuts. Get your copy now!

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ULYSSES' on Stone Street

Named after its cobblestone paving, Stone Street located in New York Cities Financial District, is one popular spot. Since 1996, the Eastern portion of Stone Street has been protected by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission  and is pedestrian-only.  There are several restaurants and bars located on this street with beautiful outdoor seating.

 Last week my Aunt Sarah was in town for the day. We wandered through the winding roads of the Financial District and discovered Stone Street. We dinned under skyscrapers and took in all the sights. We sat at a long table under an umbrella and ate dinner at Ulysses' Folk House.

Ulysses' has draft and bottled beers from around the globe, along with a full bar. Check out the full drink list here. They have two menus; Pub Fare & Cocktails and the Dinner Menu. We indulged in some delicious choices. Check them out below!

Veggie Burger with Sauteed Onions

Lobster Fra Diavolo

Roasted Turkey Club

The food was great and the atmosphere was fantastic. Dinners range from $13-$26. This is a great spot to go to on a Friday night with a group of buddies, a Sunday afternoon for Brunch or for an after work cocktail. Ulysses' is located at 95 Pearl Street, New York, NY. They are open daily from 11 AM to 4 AM and their kitchen is open until 3:30 AM.

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 Some photos from: More Than Shipping

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Big Gay Ice Cream

Big Gay Ice Cream was a summer experiment gone right. In June of 2009, founders Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, began cruising the streets in the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck and it became an instant success. So, in 2011 they opened their first store in New York City's East Village. Big Gay Ice Cream is all about "serving 'plain-old soft serve' with fun, electric toppings," and that my friends, is why we love them!

Not only is this place a super fun spot, but so is their website. On the site you see photos of people enjoying their ice cream and when you scroll over the photo the picture and ice cream change. It's is so funny and clever. Check it out:

The New York Post, Time Out NY, NBC, ABC, Logo, Daily Candy, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, The Rachael Ray Show, Food Network and CBS Radio rave about Big Gay Ice Cream and I guarantee after your first visit, you will to. Plus, you get a very welcoming greeting from this fine lady:

Everything on the menu has a quirky name to fit the funky atmosphere. They have shakes, ice cream sandwiches, sundaes, floats and cones and with names like Salty Pimp, Cococone and Mermaid you can't go wrong. Check out the full menu here.

During our visit, Jill had a peppermint ice cream sandwich and I had the Mermaid; vanilla ice cream, key lime curd, crushed gram crackers and whipped cream. YUM!

Ready to visit? Check out their two locations in NYC at 125 East 7th Street and 61 Grove Street and tell them Hungry White Girl sent ya!

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Some photos from: Big Gay Ice Cream

Vapiano

"In cities around the world, Vapiano is where people meet to share their love of life and spontaneous and genuine companionship." And so, that's what we did.

After a Ron Pope concert last weekend at Irving Plaza, Brandon, Phanavahn and I were starving and that is how we ended up at Vapiano. With front windows wide open and decor that stops you from a block away, we were excited to have some late night fine Italian food.

Vapiano is beautiful, cool and their food is delicious. When you walk in someone greets you and tells you exactly what to expect during your visit. You are given a card and they explain that you order everything separately at the multiple stations. What ever you like, it's your, and all you have to do is swipe. At the end everything from your meal is combined on the card and you pay at the exit.

They have long oak tables perfect for striking up conversation with the people next to you or for a large family gathering. There are different stations where you can order pizzas, pasta, antipasti and salads directly from the chefs. All dishes are prepared to order in front of you and according to your personal preferences. So don't worry, here you can have it your way! To view the full menu click here.

During our visit we devoured some amazing bruschetta, salad and pasta. Check it out for yourself:

Bruschetta Trio

Ceasar Salad

Pasta Carbonara

  

Pasta Scampi

Vapiano is located at 113 University Place, New York, New York 10003. Fellas, take you ladies here and it will be a complete success. OK? =)

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Some photos from: nycgo.com