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Bibble & Sip (Midtown West, New York, New York)

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I just made it into New  York and wanted to meet up my sister-in-law as she got off of work around the corner. We stopped by Bibble & Sip, her local coffee and snack joint. The coffee is delicious! My usual is the Americano, but the most amazing little treat was the Earl Grey cream puff. I love Earl Grey desserts! This cream puff is lightly crispy on the inside and the earl grey cream was cold, refreshing, and fragrant. I loved it. There’s nothing to NOT like so just try it!

Note: The coffee places super small so it’s not the best place to study or sit for a while. It’s best for on-the-go or a quick snack.

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Bibble And Sip Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Bangkok Thai (Carrollton, New Orleans, LA)

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There’s definitely a lack of good Thai food in this city and I feel like I’ve come pretty close to finding something good. We went on a late weekday afternoon and it was surprisingly empty. Initially, not a good sign, but we figured it was later in the afternoon and lots of people had already had their lunch.  Our waitress was sweet and helpful, but there was a slight language barrier.

 

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Thai Tea. 

 

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Level 3 Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp. 

 

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Green Curry. Coconut Milk. Bell Peppers. Thai Basil. Eggplant. Onions.

 

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Param Vegetables. Stir fried vegetables topped with Peanut Sauce.

 

We ordered a Pad Thai with spice level 3. We tend to eat a little spicier and that was the perfect amount. We also ordered the green curry with spice level 3 also and it was even spicier since green curries tend to already be spicy. I’ve noticed that Thai restaurants in this area lack a selection of fresh, stir fry vegetables like Ong Choy or Bok Choy. Sometimes, I just want a big plate of veggies to go with my curry and pad thai, but there must be a lack of asian produce so I rarely see anything like that. Instead, we ordered the Param vegetables, which were just a mix of broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms topped with a peanut sauce. That was surprisingly pretty good.

Overall, I’ve definitely had more wholesome and authentic Thai food in other states, but this seems to be the best in the city that I’ve tried so far. If you’re craving Thai food, Bangkok Thai will not disappoint. I got my Thai fix and was definitely satisfied!

 

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Rating: 3/5
Click to add a blog post for Bangkok Thai on Zomato

Blaze (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)

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Blaze is a new concept that has reached the NOLA scene. You can create your own 11-inch personal pizza and it’s ready in 180 seconds! It’s very similar to Chipotle or Subway. The menu has a few signature pizzas ready to order for $7.95 and you can customize them by adding more toppings  (including meats!) for no additional charge.

 

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Our Pizza Maker crafting our pizzas!

 

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A bunch of cheeses, toppings, and meats. 

 

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Before the Blaze. 

 

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Our friendly pizza maker. 

 

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The finished product: thin, crispy, flash-fired pizzas!

 

Our pizza makers were especially friendly and helpful. I ordered the Meat Lover’s Pizza and added fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and basil. My fiance ordered the White Top pizza and added chicken, garlic, jalapenos, and spinach. The pizzas were flash-fired quickly and out came two thin, crispy gourmet pizzas. You can top it off with your sauce of choice. We added olive oil to the Meat Lover and Pesto to the White Top pizza. The crust was thin and crispy but still had a nice bite to it. The pizzas are pretty large considering they are a “personal pizza”, but I can probably eat a whole one with no problem if I was hungry enough.  I only ate half of the pizza tonight as a snack.

Next time I’m craving a quick late night bite, I know where I’m going. I love that Blaze opens later than most fast food joints: Monday- Thursday til 11PM and midnight on the weekends. Also, they serve draft beer! Since my fiance often gets home late from work, we’re always looking for late night joints for dinner. Blaze will have to be one of the top on our list now (especially since it’s only a few minutes away from our home!).

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

 
Blaze Pizza on Urbanspoon

 

Hot Spot (Fairfax, VA)

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In Washington, D.C. Asian cuisine is limited, but there a few unsuspecting spots if you venture a little further out. Hot Spot is a “hot pot” place located in Fairfax, VA. For about $22.99 you have the choice of broths, meats, veggies, and get to create your own dipping sauces at the sauce bar. Next, it’s easy. You just cook your selections in the broth, dip into your specially made sauce, and enjoy! To learn more about Hot Spot’s hot pot style, check out their website: http://www.eatdrinkhotspot.com/

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Fresh broths.

 

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Fresh Seafood and Meats. 

 

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Veggie plate. 

 

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Hot Pot. 

 

We had a party of 6 and after a whole day of museum going and site-seeing we were starving! For an all-you-can-eat restaurant, the selections are very fresh and the broths are flavorful. On the other hand, every time we ordered more vegetables or meats, the same portion size would come out each time (even if we put down an order of 100). That would have to be my only complaint, however, I do understand from their standpoint since they are all-you-can-eat BUT they should supply enough for a large table who is sharing, since it can be frustrating to have to order multiple times during the meal. Regardless, this has to be the best hot pot restaurant I have every been to. The quality, freshness, and service was on point. I wish I could’ve brought this Hot Spot home to Louisiana with me!

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Hot Spot on Urbanspoon

Tan Tan (Chinatown/Sharpstown, Houston, TX)

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Houston has a ton of late night food options and Chinatown probably has a majority of them. One of the more popular spots has to be Tan Tan. My mom and I drove in from New Orleans around 12:30 AM and were looking for something good to eat. We’ve been to Tan Tan and they’re well-known for their hot pots. We ordered the Seafood Hot Pot…

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Great late night food option. You’ll even see families out here!

 

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Hot pot veggies. 

 

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Seafood selection. 

 

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The server brought out a huge plate of veggies and a plate filled with an array of seafood: shrimp, fish, mussels, oysters, fish balls, etc. The veggies were fresh and I loved that they provided a lot, but I can’t say the same for the seafood. The amount of seafood was okay, but the quality was subpar. The fish seemed freezer burned. The shrimp and mussels seemed somewhat chemical-like, as if they put something on it to preserve it. The only thing that I could eat on that seafood plate was the oysters, fish balls, and imitation crabmeat.

I’ve been to Tan Tan in the past and I know their stir-fry and appetizer dishes aren’t bad. I would never order anything that is “fresh” here again, but then again, they didn’t advertise “fresh” on the menu. Just Seafood Hotpot. I will be back to Tan Tan, but for safer options like the fried rice or egg pancake. I’m just disappointed that considering they are known for their hot pot, they failed. Tan Tan continues to be a decent late night option, but be cautious of the quality and freshness of seafood and meats.

 

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Rating: 2/5 spoons

 



French Quarter Festival 2015

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French Quarter Festival has to be one of favorite food festivals of the year. This year, the weather wasn’t as optimal since it rained most of the weekend. Regardless, my cousin and I decided to trek our way through the wet, muggy weather for delicious food. Luckily, it wasn’t crowded and there were no lines…

 

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Jacques-Imo’s Cafe: Slow Roasted Duck Poboy

This was the first thing that caught my eye as we approached the park in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. There’s usually more food tents setup near Woldenburg Park for the rest of the festival, but it was a Sunday and the rain was just unrelenting. I love Jacques-Imo’s Duck Poboys. It’s messy. It’s sloppy. But oh so good! They also have another restaurant called Crabby Jack’s, which falls under he Jacques-Imo’s family, that offers the same poboy in a more casual setting and in an industrial part of town.

Jacques-Imo's Café on UrbanspoonCrabby Jack's on Urbanspoon




 

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GW Fins: Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake.

GW Fins is one of my top 10 seafood restaurants in New Orleans. However, on this Sunday afternoon at the FQF, they only had dessert options. Their desserts are always very classic and exactly what you’re looking for. They’re never “deconstructing” anything or trying to revamp any old classic recipes, which I love and miss. Too many places are “trying something different/new”.

GW Fins on Urbanspoon

 

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Haydel’s Bakery: White Chocolate Kingcake Bread Pudding.

Oh my, what can I say about this except phenomenal! It doesn’t look like much, but it’s so moist and flavorful. My cousin and I shared this small little bowl no larger than the size of my palm. We should have each gotten our own. Good job Haydel! I’ll definitely be back and order a whole tray of this!

Haydel's Bakery on Urbanspoon
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Tujague’s Restaurant: Chicken & Andouille Jambalaya

I’ve never actually been to Tujague’s, but I’ve heard great things. Unfortunately, this jambalaya was just OK. There was just too much “flavor” but not enough depth. I could taste all the wonderful herbs thrown into the mix, but possibly not the right proportion. I’d give this jambalaya 2.5/5 spoons because it was almost there. It just needs some improvement…

Tujague's Restaurant on Urbanspoon

 

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Mrs. Wheat’s Louisiana Foods: Crawfish Pie & Meat Pie

This was probably one of my favorite items at the Food Fest. Anything empanada-like or meat pie like just attracts me and this one in particular has the perfect flaky crust. It’s not too greasy and the filling is so well-seasoned. Other meat pies that you usually find in small convenience stores or gas stations tend to be dry with subpar filling, but this was amazing. Another plus is that I decided to order some to-go and it reheats very well. Where can you actually find it’s brick and mortar? It’s located in the St. Roch area of New Orleans, but the website isn’t working and there aren’t any photos on Yelp and I couldn’t find info on Urbanspoon. I’m speculating the place is very new, but I’ll come back for more and keep you posted!




Wayfare (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Wayfare is nice and swanky little sandwich located on the up and poppin’ Freret Street, not too far from The Company Burger. I’ve been here twice, once for a girl’s lunch and once for takeout.

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Bruschetta. Hummus with Red and Gold Beets. Blue Cheese & Honey. Tomato Confit.

 

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Porchetta. Pork loin wrapped in Kurobuta pork belly. Carmelized Onions. Salsa Verde. Arugula. Fennel aioli. Hoagie.

 

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Kurobuta Mac & Cheese. 

 

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The Reuben. Corned beef. Sauerkraut. Swiss Cheese. “2k” Island Dressing on rye.

 

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The Wayfare. Fresh house-cut mozzarella. Grape tomato. Kalamata olives. Orange segments. Romaine. Red Wine Vinaigrette. Blood orange infused olive oil.

 

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Pulled Chicken Dijon. Basil puree. Dijon Vinaigrette. Tomato Confit. Kalamata olives. Diced house-made bread. Butter Pickles. Arugula. Shaved red onion. Dijon mustard on sesame seed kaiser roll.

 

The restaurant isn’t quite hidden, but the sign is hard to find and I’ve almost missed it twice. I went to lunch with my friend on a Wednesday afternoon and there were plenty of tables. There’s a daily menu so some menu items may change daily.

The bruschettas: The Hummus with Red and Gold Beets and Blue Cheese & Honey were my favorite. There wasn’t anything special with the Tomato Confit.

The Porchetta sandwich was sooo good. My friend is still speaking of it til this day. We shared it, but I think I could’ve definitely eaten the whole thing. It was filled with moist, savory pork with a slightly crisped hoagie bun. The only downside was the chips, which were burnt tasting and unsalted (or not enough salt) and I found that to be the same at the restaurant and when I ordered takeout.

The Mac & Cheese was super cheesy and perfectly textured. They use the Cavatappi macaroni…the elongated macaroni noodle. The pasta was perfectly al dente and cheesy, just the way I like it.

When we ordered takeout, the Reuben was so delicious. It was still slightly crispy on the outside even by the time I got home. The Pulled Chicken Dijon had good flavor, however, was a bit dry and I actually took off one of the buns and created my own open-faced sandwich, because the bread was a bit overwhelming.

Wayfare is a little taste of everything. They have great appetizers and a solid selection of our favorite sandwiches. Their drinks were pretty good too! If you’re looking for a great after work hangout or daytime deli, Wayfare is the place!

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Wayfare on Urbanspoon



Max’s Wine Dive (Alamo Heights, San Antonio, TX)

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MAX’s Famous Southern Fried Chicken. House-made jalapeno and buttermilk-marinated chicken. Mashed potatoes. Collard Greens. Texas Toast. Chipotle Honey.

So I just had enough of studying at the Alamo Heights Starbucks and decided to stop by for some brunch at Max’s Wine Dive. I’ve heard good things about their Famous Fried Chicken so I had to try it! It was delicious…Flavorful batter and very moist chicken! The chipotle honey sauce complimented it really well. I’d love to stop by and try Max’s other great entrees. My only complaint is the slow service…I made a reservation for one, was seated, but was never greeted or served until 15 minutes later. It was a Sunday morning, but I noticed other people being served before I was. It happens, but I’ve heard similar complaints from other folks.

While exploring San Antonio, the Alamo Heights area has become one of my favorite areas to spend my time so I’m glad I had the chance to try Max’s Wine Dive. It’s a great place for brunch or even to watch the game!
Max's Wine Dive on Urbanspoon