A Druze Brunch
September 29, 2011
Now that I’m back for some good old NYC cuisine, I decided go to Gazala’s, a small family-owned restaurant that I’ve been meaning to check out since they opened their new Upper West Side location. I admit, I had never heard of Druze cuisine, but it happens to be a religious community found in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, that is comparable to the standard Middle Eastern fare. Known to be the most authentic tastes of this kind around town, their brunch was delicious and conveniently located across from my favorite Sunday market.
Tomatoes, cheese and scrambled eggs with seasoning and an Israeli salad
Semolina dough stuffed with chopped dates and walnuts
Poached eggs in tomato sauce
A Taste of Luxury in Southern Iceland
September 20, 2011
Hotel Ranga, one of the world’s top destinations for viewing the Aurora Borealis and Southern Iceland’s only 4 star resort, has everything you could possibly want for a relaxing stay in the countryside, not to mention an outstanding dining room and extremely friendly service from everyone. The hotel’s rustic luxury accomodations sit on wide open land overlooking the East Ranga River. Their chef prepared his modern Nordic cuisine with local ingredients of only the freshest quality, and brought out a beautiful array of dishes. Although the weather conditions weren’t conducive to check out the Northern Lights, on the positive side, it’s just one more reason for me to start planning my return trip.
East Ranga River at the hotel
Dining room at Hotel Ranga
Smoked Puffin served with beerbread crumble and "cumberland" sauce
Hotel Ranga's Wine bar
Icelandic Cod served on a bed of nuts and local barley with whitewine sauce
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
The hotel's porch
The best chocolate cake dessert
Icelandic Mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
Icelandic mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
International Suites
Kex
September 14, 2011
Kex, unlike your traditional Icelandic dining or bar establishments, is the new and trendy place to go. Reminding me of home, and a place I’d frequent around the Lower East Side, I couldn’t resist making this my go-to place for the weekend. It’s an old biscuit factory turned hostel and bar, but more taking on the resemblance of Ace Hotel than your typical first impression of bunk beds in an old, unwelcoming building. The photos speak for themselves on the impeccably cool style of the place, as their concept is a vintage industrial feel with an eclectic, contemporary touch. The kitchen offers a range of dishes, like the Kex Platter with a sampling of meats, to the vegetable quiche, and their beer selection far surpasses the standard Viking lager that is found elsewhere.
Kex Platter with potatoes, salami and olives
Lounge area
Salad with Icelandic vegetables
French Press coffee and good books
Sitronukjuklingur med Klettasalati or simply Lemon Chicken with Ruccola
Salami on the Kex Platter
Pylsur med Kartoflumauki og Sterku Sinnepi ... aka Pan Fried Sausages with Potato puree and mustard
Café Babalu
September 8, 2011
Reykjavik’s streets are filled with so many cool, laidback cafés, it’s rather difficult to choose, but with Café Babalu’s bright colors and welcoming roof terrace, it’s hard to deny. Saturday afternoon my friend and I enjoyed the sunshine and crisp autumn-like temperatures while sharing an amazing pesto, tomato and mozzarella panini and nutella crepe for dessert. The decor is mismatched retro findings to give it that unique yet warm character. It’s the kind of place that serves white wine in a chipped souvenir mug from Germany, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.
Nutella Crepe
Pesto Mozzarella Panini and salad
Nutella Crepe
White Wine
Pesto and Mozzarella Panini and salad
Café Babalu
Blue Lagoon
September 6, 2011
Our first stop in Iceland was to the famous Blue Lagoon for a spa day. In a dream-like setting, you can’t get more relaxing than bathing in their natural geothermal pools, getting in-water massages and putting on mud masks from scooping up the natural minerals. For lunch, my friend and I tried out their restaurant’s buffet. Being in a country known for their seafood, we sampled a variety of dishes ranging from minke whale sashimi to herring and dill cured salmon before heading back to the pools for more relaxation.
Minke whale sashimi and the spa's natural geothermal seawater pools
Dill cured salmon
Skyr, an Icelandic-style yogurt
Salad
White pasta with chicken and carrots
Sushi of the day
Braised Cod
Herring
Cake Bake & Roll
August 22, 2011
This cute little bistro, Cake Bake & Roll, in Long Branch, NJ, was the perfect stop for breakfast after a beach weekend with girl friends. Its Euro-style with a colorful 50’s disco flair is just as fun as the desserts themselves. And if it’s too early in the day for sweets, the bagels and breakfast sandwiches are a good alternate.
Some of their fun loving cake options
Cupcakes
Sesame bagel with cream cheese
Do or Dine
August 18, 2011
Saturday afternoon I biked to Brooklyn to visit a friend who recently moved to Bed Sty– not exactly a neighborhood I’m most familiar with, nor do I usually think of when I want to go out for a great meal, but hidden behind the doors of what appears to be an old, run-down Indian fast food joint, is actually a recently opened restaurant, Do or Dine. With dishes like deep fried deviled eggs or the controversial foie gras doughnut, it’s worth the trek out for an evening. The owners and wait staff have fun with the place, giving off personable charm to their customers. It’s BYOB, so drinks won’t drain your wallet, and the back patio is a great place to spend an evening.
Lamb Breast, with cumin and lime
Octopus tacos topped with nori strips
Prawns with cherry tomatoes in clam broth
Deep fried deviled eggs with bacon and culantro
Smoked salmon spread
Foie Gras Doughnut
Hampton Chutney Co.
August 9, 2011
One of my go-to dinner spots when I’m home is the Hampton Chutney. A huge fan of dosas, a popular South Indian staple, my typical order consists of the #12: grilled chicken with goat cheese, roasted tomato and mango chutney. Also pictured here is my roommate’s #4: grilled portobello mushroom, spinach and roasted onions with goat cheese. With other locations in Soho and the Hamptons, it’s a quick and easy answer for an eccentric craving.
Grilled chicken dosa with goat cheese, tomatoes and mango chutney
Portobello mushroom dosa with spinach and roasted onions
Tomato and mango chutney
Newport Classics
August 5, 2011
Aside from the wonderful meals at Belle’s and Corner Café, here are some other highlights from Newport that I highly recommend if ever traveling through. We grabbed a late lunch at The Landing, and ended up staying there until sunset, which offered phenomenal views with an acoustic performance in the background and the bar becoming lively by evening. The Clarke Cooke House, also a popular destination, is just around the corner with four floors of various dining options. If you’re feeling ambitious, a stroll through the market at Aquidneck Lobster Co. provides plenty of options for a home-cooked meal, yet Barking Crab just up the road has delicious seafood prepared for you. As for drinks, it doesn’t get much better than Del’s Lemonade, a Rhode Island favorite, and their trucks are conveniently plotted around town for easy access.
If only I could go back again this weekend to do it all over again. Have a good one! x
Yellow tomatoes, feta cheese, asparagus and vinaigrette from The Landing
Salad at The Landing
Aquidneck Lobster Co.
Fresh fish at the Lobster Aquidneck Co.
Del's Lemonade
Spinach and artichoke dip at Barking Crab
Naked lobster roll at Barking Crab
Penne with chicken in a parmigiano cream reduction with mushrooms, tomato, basil, and toasted almonds at Clarke Cooke House
Corner Café
August 4, 2011
This cute little café a few blocks up from the harbor in Newport, Rhode Island is one of the best breakfast and lunch places in town. We were seated in the corner window table with pillows and paper lanterns, and browsed through travel magazines that they had out, being inspired on where to venture to next. We tried their quesadilla that had all my favorite foods wrapped into one– gorgonzola cheese, cranberries, turkey, bacon and avocado. For a taste of breakfast, their hash browns with seasoning were amazing with a fresh glass of their signature cleanser– cranberry, red raspberry and grape juice.
Quesadilla
Hashbrowns
a camera in the kitchen 