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Il Bambino: Paninis and more in Astoria, NY

8/24/2011

When you think of brunch, what comes to mind? Heaping mounds of eggs, crisp bacon and, of course, mimosas.

But what about a panini instead?

Il Bambino, which literally translates to "the boy" in Italian, is tucked away in a small Astoria storefront. Don't let the fact that it's crammed between two other restaurants fool you, out back is a spacious, relaxing patio perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch.

Photos by Jacob Romoser

GUAVA MIMOSA

Light and airy with lots of rustic wood, I loved the touches of color the potted plants brought to the outdoor deck. I'm a sucker for anything guava, and the Guava Mimosa didn't disappoint. The sweet, fruity drink was a nice change from the traditional orange juice and champagne.

When it came time to decide which brunch panini I wanted, I literally had to do "eenie-meenie-miney-mo." No joke. Everything just looked too darn good.

SIR OINK-A-LOT

Jake was easily sold on the Sir Oink-A-Lot. Filled with sweet sausage, scrambled eggs, caramelized onions, basil pesto and fontina, it was definitely the most manly panini on the menu. The sausage and onion were a great pairing, while the basil pesto really brightened each bite.

FILTHY SOMBRERO

In the end, I narrowed my choices down to two. The Sweet Ass—prosciutto, fig spread, taleggio—and the Filthy Sombrero. I actually ordered the Sweet Ass, but I'm glad the waitress messed up and brought me the other one instead. Dulce de Leche, granny smith apples, goat cheese and rosemary aioli were pressed between the freshest bread. With each bite came a satisfying crunch that gave way to a melty-tangy-sweet mix of heaven. The rosemary aioli was a wonderful touch, helping to balance the other strong flavors.

I was only able to finish half of my monster panini, but I didn't mind having leftovers as a mid-day snack.

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Candle 79: Organic Vegan in NYC

8/15/2011

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Last week, some of my Florida girlfriends came for a visit. Instead of taking them to a typical New York steak place, we went to Candle 79, the city's premier vegan eatery.

Why a vegan eatery, you ask? If you follow this blog at all, you know I eat my fair share of red meat, chicken and fish. BUT, I have been expanding my palate, and after speaking with Candle 79's co-owner Joy Pierson, I knew it was a place I just had to try.

To quote Joy, "The power of the food is beautiful, it appeals to everybody's senses. When people come to the restaurant they say it's the best meal they've ever had."

It does, and it is.

Only one of my four friends was a vegetarian at the start of the meal. The three others haven't converted, but they were each equally surprised by how delicious, filling and fresh all of the food was.

To start, we ordered the Saffron-Lobster Mushroom Ravioli with cashew ricotta and truffled tomato sauce, resting on a bed of spinach with shallots and crispy capers. I enjoyed every single bite--especially the fine texture of the lobster mushrooms.

Before we knew it, the table was covered with various appetizers. Steamed broccoli, onion rings and polenta fries may seem like a rather eclectic mix, but we couldn't get enough. The Polenta Fries were my favorite. They tasted just like French fries without the grease or guilt.

SEITAN PICCATA

After perusing the entree menu, it became apparent that seitan was included in every dish. I must say, I had to look it up. Fondly known as the "vegetarian wheat meat," the texture is nearly the same as meat and it tastes just as good--if not better.

The Seitan Piccata came with creamed spinach, grilled potato cake, oyster mushrooms and a lemon-caper sauce. The dish tasted exactly like chicken piccata with more robust flavors and fresh spinach.

CARIBBEAN JERK GRILLED SEITAN

I thoroughly enjoyed my Caribbean Jerk Grilled Seitan with collard greens, caramelized onions, plantains, black bean-rum sauce, pineapple-mango salsa and habañero-cilantro coulis. All of the flavors were well matched, and I felt like I was at home in Key West enjoying a tropical meal. The plantains were a lovely surprise buried underneath, and they added a nice sweetness that paired well with the pineapple-mango salsa.

SUMMER HARVEST PAELLA

I'm happy vegan food is extremely filling because then I was able to take home my friend's Summer Harvest Paella leftovers. Valencia rice, seasonal vegetables, smoked seitan sausage, grilled nori-herb oyster mushrooms and saffron-red pepper sauce came together in a beautifully presented, bright dish. I've eaten a lot of paella in my day, (I am Cuban after all) and this version really impressed me. It was much lighter than traditional paella without veering from the expected flavor profile.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Dessert was divine. Period. For anyone who says vegan dessert can't taste good, go to Candle 79—immediately. The Mexican Chocolate Brownie with caramelized bananas, vanilla mole ice cream, toasted pecans and chocolate-ancho sauce was extraordinary. So rich and decadent, I almost forgot I wasn't eating a regular 'ol brownie with ice cream.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER BLISS

My favorite dessert by far, however, was the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bliss. Chocolate mousse, peanut butter mousse, chocolate shell and berry coulis came together in literal chocolate-peanut butter bliss. The outside presentation was stunning and clean, and the inside layers were equally beautiful.

Needless to say, I plan on becoming a frequent Candle 79 customer. Who knows, maybe I'll actually become a vegetarian...

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Taverna Kyclades: Greek Seafood in Astoria, NYC

8/11/2011

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Photos by Jacob Romoser

GRILLED SAUSAGE

Situated in the heart of Astoria on Ditmars Boulevard, Taverna Kyclades is a seafood staple in this predominantly Greek neighborhood. The restaurant is always bustling, so I jumped at the chance to eat there after weeks of walking past and instantly salivating.

To start, we opted for a non-seafood appetizer and definitely weren't disappointed. The Grilled Sausage had a wonderful charred texture and light, smoky flavor. Cooked perfectly, the meat wasn't too chewy or tough. I think we devoured it in five minutes flat, no joke.

SWORDFISH KABOB W/ VEGGIES

I couldn't resist ordering the Swordfish Kabob with Veggies. Man-oh-man, there aren't even words for how succulent and tender the meat was. Whether in a big bite all by itself or paired with the yellow rice, I couldn't get enough. The best part? I didn't feel disgustingly full at the end of the meal. Hearty but not overly so, I can't wait to go back and have this again.

SALMON STEAK

I normally don't like salmon, but Jake's Salmon Steak was actually really delicious and not too fishy. Be cautious of digging in with zeal, however, there are lots of tiny bones that will jack your day up. For real. I totally forgot and almost spit my food out like a jackass.

STUFFED FILET W/ CRABMEAT

I only tried a few bites of the Stuffed Filet with Crabmeat, but it was decadent and over the top. Moist, buttery and so tender, everyone couldn't get over how fresh all of the seafood tasted.

STUFFED SHRIMP W/ CRABMEAT

Despite the deliciousness of each dish, we all had leftovers. Hey, I didn't mind. Taverna also brought us free dessert at the end of our meal. I wasn't a huge fan, but they get major points for trying.

FREE DESSERT!

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Bolthouse Farms | Healthy Summer Smoothies

8/8/2011

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This post is sponsored by Bolthouse Farms®.

Last week, Bolthouse Farms® graciously shared some of its antioxidant and vitamin rich smoothies with me. As an avid lover of fresh, delicious juices, I jumped at the chance to try some of the company's best selling products--especially the Green Goddess® smoothie.

Hollywood has jumped on the "green juice" bandwagon, and I must admit I was a bit skeptical of how good (or bad) this green concoction would actually taste.

According to the site, the smoothie is made of wheat grass, spirulina, spinach and blue-green algae. Bolthouse adds apples, kiwis, mangos, bananas, pineapples and dragon fruit to make it a good source of iron and Vitamin B6, naturally rich in Vitamins A, C, and B12, and packed with powerful phytonutrients found in nature's most nutritious greens.

Although the ingredient list is a mouthful, the juice was refreshing, light and has become my go-to drink before a morning run.

Bolthouse also makes salad dressings. If they're anywhere near as delicious as the smoothies I might have to start eating salad. Keyword: might.

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National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!

8/2/2011

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image from weheartit.com

Yes, there is a national holiday devoted to the quintessential summer snack. Want to celebrate with fun recipes from Food Network Magazine? Click here for my Food Network Dish post.

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