täkō

When it comes to my food palate, I am typically pretty boring and plain. I get nervous to step outside of the box so I was hesitant to visit täkō even though it had amazing reviews. However, the band-aid needs to be ripped off at some point! 

First of all, if you plan to visit - make a reservation! Seating seems fairly plentiful with tables and a bar when you walk in, seating on the second floor, some tables outside, and a handful of bar stools at the chef's table. However, seating seems to always be full, which is great for the restaurant.. bad for guests without reservations. You are able to put your name on a waiting list, but depending on how many people are in your party, the wait might be lengthy. 

When you walk up to the restaurant, there is a large open space looking into the small kitchen. Walking into the restaurant gives the vibe of an underground night club with dim lighting and unique decoration. There is a huge painting of the Last Supper, another huge painting of an octopus with octopus sconces incorporated into the design (täkō means octopus in Japanese), and chandeliers made out of recycled bicycle chains.

Love the open kitchen concept. 

The food and drink menus were very intimidating to me. I didn't (and still don't fully) understand what a lot of the ingredients were. However, instead of looking everything up like I normally do, I just went for it!

Strawberry Yuzu Margarita: Corralejo Blanco, Strawberry, Yuzu, Stellina Prosecco

For those of you who don't know (I was one of them), yuzu is a citrus fruit originating in East Asia. This made for a very light and refreshing drink. It was so delectable and the perfect start for my täkō  experience!

Queso Fundido: poblano, housemade chorizo, shishito, chihuahua cheese, warm flour tortillas

This dish is what will keep me coming back. It was ridiculously enjoyable! Again, for those of you who don't know, chorizo is a pork sausage and shishito is a sweet East Asian pepper. This dish comes with four flour tortillas so we had to get a basket of tortilla chips because we had so much queso left. The queso was so rich with cheese, but extremely flavorful with the right amount of spice. The flour tortillas are homemade and so soft and delicious. Must order dish! 

Baja Tacos: tempura white fish, lime aioli. white cabbage, white onion, radish, jalapeno relish, cilantro

These are not your typical tacos! I cannot even begin to explain how fresh and amazing this fish was. The tempura breading was perfectly fried and the fish wasn't "fishy", so you know it's so fresh. The combination of the flavorful ingredients and texture of each bite was so unique. Every taco order comes with two tacos, so they are perfect for swapping with your friends to try more than one! 

Have you tried täkō yet? What was your favorite dish?

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Carmi Soul Food Restaurant

Caution: You will be come addicted after visiting Carmi Soul Food Restaurant.

For some reason, I became obsessed with chicken + waffles. Maybe it is because I think I should be from the south. I’m not sure. But as soon as I realized I had an obsession with them, I had to actually try them. We first had them at Founding Fathers in Washington DC, which is a farm to table restaurant. They were AMAZING, but not traditional. When we came back from DC, we looked up local restaurants that had chicken and waffles and found it. The hidden gem. Carmi Family Restaurant. Located in the North Side, they are a soul food restaurant, so we figured they had to be pretty authentic if they were closely related to southern cooking. We were right.

There is a sign inside the restaurant that says the food might take longer than expected due to everything being cooked when it is ordered. Everything was well worth the wait and tasted even better knowing it wasn’t just sitting in a warming dish and heated when ordered.

I ordered the chicken and waffles as well as a side of mac and cheese due to other reviews on Yelp. I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to experience. Both were UNBELIEVABLE. The breading on the fried chicken was light, crispy, and extremely flavorful and the chicken itself was so moist. You even get to choose which part of the chicken you would like – breast, thighs, or legs. The waffle was thick, crispy, and sweet. I went with the syrup route and left off the hot sauce. I’m not brave enough to step outside of the box yet and try it the traditional way. The mac and cheese was bursting with cheese and just tasted “homemade”, which is how mac and cheese should taste!

Our friend, Jennifer, came for a visit a couple weekends after we first went, so naturally we had to take her. She was quite skeptical at first, but we didn’t stop talking about how great they were and how she had to try them. Win! She loved them and we all left completely stuffed!

The prices are incredible for the quality and amount of food you get. The ambiance of the restaurant was diner-ish and dim, but the staff was friendly and on-point. They also have catering! I can't wait to go back for more chicken and waffles and to try the shrimp and grits! 

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Social at Bakery Square

Social: relating to or involving activities in which people spend time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other

This definition could not be more of an accurate way to define Social at Bakery Square. This is an awesome place to grab a table and have a good time with friends. I definitely recommend sitting outside! Reservations can be made for groups of eight or more which is great, especially when visiting on the weekend.

The staff, atmosphere, food, and drinks are all wonderful! I think of Social as more of a place to visit with friends for drinks and appetizers or even for lunch, than a place to visit for dinner. It has such a modern, fun vibe that makes you want to keep drinking and being "social".

Some tried + true libations and dishes:

social punch: vodka, ginger ale, cranberry juice, pineapple juice 

 This was amazing!! We started with the Jacked Arnold Palmer (jack daniels, lemonade, iced tea), but it tasted much different than what we were expecting. It wasn't as sweet as we thought it was going to be and the Jack Daniels was very strong. The Social Punch tasted like a punch and not alcohol which is dangerous, but delicious!

black bean quesadilla: cuban style black beans, pepperjack cheese, and avocado crema 

I didn't personally eat this dish, but the table loved it! 

 

social sticks: mozzarella, provolone, & smoked gouda with marinara 

Droolworthy. At first I thought these were mozzarella sticks, but I'm so glad they weren't. The cheese was melted so perfectly together on the fresh dough. Prepare to be addicted. 

luis' spicy chicken dip

I feel like buffalo chicken dip is a hit or miss with me. It can't have celery or onions and I prefer that it does not have blue cheese. This dip was a home run. It was so smooth and cheesy with the perfect amount of spice. The tortilla chips had a flavorsome seasoning which paired well with the dip. I will definitely order this again and again. 

fried chicken & waffle sandwich: served with cheddar cheese and maple aioli served with fries

I did not get the cheddar cheese on my sandwich because I wasn't sure how I felt about it and I think I made the right decision. This sandwich was so so good. I thought the maple aioli was tasty on it's own, but I think the fried chicken overpowered it. If I ordered this again, I would ask for a side of maple dressing to dip/drizzle on the sandwich (which would also be great for the fries!). 

 bbq chicken pizza: bbq sauce, smoked gouda, red onion, scallions 

Shaun ordered this dish. When asked what he thought of it he replied "it was unreal!". He is a man of many words my friends. 

Other menu items I cannot wait to try are:

-any of the grilled cheese 

  *three cheese: aged cheddar, fontina, provolone

  *fried egg: provolone, parmesan, basil 

  *cheesy bacon: apple bacon & smoked gouda

  *chunky monkey: peanut butter, bacon, banana, cream cheese 

-pierogi pizza: garlic aioli, roasted red potatoes, aged cheddar, caramelized onions, bacon, scallions 

-brunch: anything. if you know me, you know I love brunch!

-build your own salad: amazing. so many different choices for lettuce, toppings, meats/seafood, veggies, nuts/cheese, and dressings. so many possibilities! 

Have you been to Social yet? What has your favorite dish and drink been? 

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Favorite Friday - Carnivores

I have always heard people talk about Carnivores in Oakmont, but I was never actually there myself. My brother's 21st birthday was on a Monday, so not many places were open on Sunday night for him to get a midnight celebration beer. I consulted Yelp for bars open past midnight and Carnivores was one of few, so that's where we went and I am so glad we did!

I love the feel of the open restaurant/bar and outside area. They have a ton of beers on tap and have a bottle shop with over 600 various beers. You can order by the bottle or build your own six-pack. Since I don't like beer, I love to build our own six-pack to take with us so I can get the malt beverages I like and Shaun can get his beer. I also LOVE that they typically have Not Your Father's Root Beer in stock every time I am there! I don't like beer, but I LOVE that stuff!

A service they offer that is quite genius is beer DELIVERY. Mind. Blown. They have quite a few monthly drink specials such as Shot of the Month (with a Carnivores shot glass to keep!), Glass of the Month (with a Carnivore's pint glass to keep!), and Craft Bucket of the Month as well as weekly beer specials.

I have been here a handful of times already this summer and have tried to sample the menu, but some dishes were so good I've repeated them. My reviews so far:

*Fried Pickle Chips - love!

*Zucchini Planks - these were really delicious too!

*Boneless Wings - O.M.G. My favorite boneless wings, ever. I know some people say that boneless wings aren't wings, they are chicken tenders. Tomāto, tomaato... these are amazing! I have had mild and parmesan + garlic. I liked them both, but the parmesan + garlic were unbelievable!

*Buster Fries/Tots - with either choice of potato, this dish is amazing. The cheese sauce is evenly distributed, topped with bacon, and comes with ranch. Usually the ranch is on top, but I get it on the side. They are so addicting!

 

 

*BLT Wedgie - I couldn't believe I ordered this because Fox's Pizza BLT Wedgie has been my favorite for 10+ years. However, I am jumping ship. This wedgie was one of the best things I have ever tasted. It is HUGE. One portion is enough to fill you up, so you have three more sections for leftovers. I'm obsessed!

 

I'm so glad to find somewhere local that we both love. The staff is extremely friendly, the prices are so great for the amount of food you get, and the atmosphere is awesome. Whether we are going out with friends for a night or just want to grab a quick bite to eat, this is our new go-to spot!

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Favorite Friday - Rose Tea Cafe

Rose Tea Café is by far one of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. The dining area is not very large, so we usually end up going here on a whim instead of planning a night out with friends. Each time we visit there typically isn't a wait, but the café is full which is always a good sign that everyone else loves the food too! I don't have much to compare this food to, but I think it is the best!

I will admit... the whole time I have been loving this restaurant I thought it was Thai food. Until recently when I Googled the difference between Thai food and Taiwanese food.

• Thai = Thailand (country in southeast Asia known for their beaches... look it up, GORGEOUS!)
• Taiwanese = Taiwan (small island east of China governed by the Republic of China)

If you knew that, don't judge. My geography knowledge and IQ are not that great. If you didn't know that, you're welcome!

Now that is cleared up, back to the delicious food. I have been trying to broaden my palate more, but when I come here I have to get the same thing because it's that good. Religiously, I order a vegetable spring roll and chicken lo mein. I haven't strayed and I don't plan on it. The prices are extremely reasonable for the portion sizes you receive.

The spring roll is so crisp on the outside and each bite leaves you wanting more. The dipping sauce is a must! It isn't too small like other spring rolls I've seen and it isn't huge. The perfect portion for an appetizer.

The lo mein is seriously the best I have ever had. I order it other places and am disappointed every time that I have stopped ordering anywhere else. It is so flavorful and the pieces of chicken absorb the flavor and are so juicy. The portion size is huge, so I only end up eating half and save the rest for lunch the next day. Winning!

Shaun has ordered the shrimp fried rice which is also very delicious and a large portion. There are onions in the fried rice so I don't eat much of it, but the bites I have taken are so good. They don't skimp on the shrimp and they are decently sized pieces.

Shaun also went thorough a couple of months were he was extremely obsessed with fried dumplings, so we have ordered those as well. Again, a pretty nice sized appetizer and they were delicious!

Other reviews of this place are fantastic for the dishes I have not tried. I'm not sure if I will ever be ready to try another dish from here or not. I also have heard their bubble tea is unreal, but I haven't been brave enough to try it for myself. Have you tried bubble tea? What are your thoughts and favorite flavors?

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Sunday Brunch: Square Café

If there is one place I could go every weekend for brunch, it would certainly be Square Café. I cannot say enough wonderful things about it from the staff to the food to the atmosphere. The outside speaks for itself when you arrive and there are a ton of people waiting for a table. No matter how long the wait is, it is worth it. They do not take reservations, but the wait goes pretty quickly. My suggestion is to grab a menu and decide on what you are going to order so you are ready when you are seated. There is also a coffee bar, so you can order a coffee or latte while you are waiting.

From the moment you arrive until the moment you walk out the door, the staff is extremely helpful, diligent, efficient, and friendly. Something so rare when a place is as busy as they are. Everyone seems to truly love their job and customers.

Now to the food. Oh gosh, the delicious, mouthwatering food. I haven't had one dish I dislike! However, I HAVE to get a pancake with whatever I get. They are seriously that amazing. I love how the menu changes with the seasons so you always have different options. It is especially helpful since everyone seems to be a regular!

Breakfast Sandwich on a Bagel

Veggie Omelet and a Pancake with Strawberries and Walnuts

Square Breakfast (two eggs, choice of meat, with a pancake or home fries, and toast) with a Lemon Blueberry Pancake (seasonal)

Oreo Pancake (seasonal)

 

Cinnabun Swirl Pancake (seasonal)

 

The coffee is also good and served in a really fun mug and the specialty coffee drinks are unique and delicious. I love the Sunny Latte (cinnamon + caramel) and my BFF loves the 100 Gold Stars (caramel + coconut).

They also use local vendors (one is Bella Christie and Lil' Z's... holla!) which is great.

I HIGHLY recommend going to Square Cafe at least once every weekend :)

Oh, did I also mention... they cater! Contact catering@square-cafe.com!

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Favorite Friday - Narcisi Winery

I used to not like wine, until I tried Moscato. Then, after a while that became too sweet so I tried more dry wines and loved them. Then, I became a complete wine-o. Merlot to Chardonnay to Sangria - I love it all and do not discriminate. So when I friend told me about Narcisi Winery, I had to try it!

 

As soon as you walk in the doors you are greeted by a tasting bar where you can taste three complimentary wines. I love this so you can figure out what three bottles you would like to buy ;)
Hands down, my favorite Narcisi wine is the Black Raspberry. I could drink bottles of this stuff. It's fruity and summery and goes down so smooth. The Peach, Sangria, and Niagara are also some of my favorites. When doing a tasting, I highly recommend everyone in your party gets a different wine to taste so everyone can take a sip. Love: If you don't finish your bottle of wine at dinner, they will re-cork it for you so you are able to take it home (believe me, you won't want to waste a drop!).

After you taste the wines, you can be seated inside or outside. We've sat both inside and outside and whereas the inside is nice, I just love the ambiance of the patio more, especially at night. There is just something about sitting outside on a beautiful summer night drinking wine with your closest friends.

The food. Oh, the food. I have a really hard time trying something new when I absolutely love a dish. And I LOVE the Lobster Mac and Cheese. There are huge pieces of lobster and the cheese mixed with the campanelle pasta is perfection. The pesto bread crumbs give the dish a great complimentary crunch. I love that it doesn't have a "fishy" taste. I also usually start with the Lobster Bisque. Lobster on lobster... winning. Shaun loves the Shrimp Diavola. Caution: it is extremely spicy, yet delicious.

I love that they also have a pavilion area where you can either bring your own food (with the purchase of wine) or order from the restaurant. You are also able to rent the pavilion which is perfect for a bridal shower, baby shower, corporate picnic, family reunion, etc. During the spring/summer/fall, there are also live music events on the weekends. There is no cover fee, they only ask that you purchase some wine (which isn't a problem!).

They also have a gift shop where you can purchase bottles of wine, wine glasses, apparel, and a large assortment of wine themed gifts.

If you have a love of wine, I highly suggest visiting for a nice dinner paired with your favorite wine at Narcisi Winery!

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Banana Bread.. with Chocolate Chips!

Not only do we like to go out to eat, but we also love to cook and bake! Growing up, my mom was the baker and my dad was the cook. I wouldn't say I necessarily ever learned to do either, but I do enjoy both from time to time.

One of my absolute favorite recipes to bake is Betty Crocker's Banana Bread. However, I take an extra step and add chocolate chips. It is quite possibly my favorite bread (mom - your zucchini bread is a close second!). You can also add chopped nuts, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips.. there are so many ways you can put your own unique spin to it.

Banana Bread Recipe from Betty Crocker

 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc., if desired

Directions

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Let me know if you kept to the basics or added your own twist!

Favorite Friday - Stack'd

It's Favorite Friday! These are going to be so difficult because I have so many favorite places! However, hands down, my absolute favorite place to go is Stack'd in Shadyside!

Stack'd is very similar to Burgatory in the fact that you can create your own burger and they also have spiked milkshakes. However, I would describe Stack'd as more All-American food, whereas Burgatory is more organic, natural, and "different". Don't get me wrong, I love Burgatory from time-to-time, but there is just something about Stack'd. The atmosphere is laid back with friendly and attentive staff. Since it is in Shadyside, there is typically a younger crowd, but there are people of all ages every time we go. The main floor is fairly small with a few booths, low tops, high tops, and a small bar. Upstairs is much bigger with booths tucked back in their own space, high tops, a dart board, several other booths, and a large U-shaped bar. At a certain point of the night, the upstairs is 21+.

They have a fairly simple menu consisting of appetizers, wings, salads, and BYOS - Build Your Own Stack and everything is pretty inexpensive. Between Shaun and I we have had something from each category:

• Buffalo Potato Skins - Fire. Bacon, buffalo sauce, and cheese - need I say more?
• Fried Pierogies - Amazing. Highly recommend!
• Fried Potstickers - They weren't bad, I think we just like potstickers too much and have had better
• Wings - great, but if you want them crispy, definitely let them know
• Buffalo Chicken Salad - do not get if you are trying to calorie count - Stack'd with tons of toppings
• Fishbowls - we had the Long Island Iced Tea, but I can't imagine any being bad!

 

What keeps us coming back though is the BYOS. Oh, and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake that I recently discovered. I can't get enough of it!

I'll take you through one of my BYOS.

Step 1: Meat I don't really eat red meat, so I always get the chicken which is always a very nice sized piece and super juicy. Shaun gets the Big Stack (3/4 lb) burger and it is also juicy.

Step 2: Bread I haven't strayed from the pretzel bun. I can't... I just can't.

Step 3: Cheese Provolone. Again, haven't ever strayed.

Step 4 Sauce. Here's where it gets tricky every time. There are so many.  From Blazin' BBQ to General Tso's to OMFG! there is a sauce for every palette (mayo, mustard, and ketchup too, of course!). I go back and forth between the Garlic Aioli and the Stack'd House Sauce which is like a chipotle sauce.

Step 5 Toppings. Again, so many to choose from. You have your basics, lettuce, tomato, onion, etc. Then you have different toppings like Fritos and peanut butter. THEN you have the out of the box toppings like fried banana, fried pierogie, and tater tots. Lettuce is always a must on my sandwich. I've had other toppings like fried jalapeno poppers, Fritos, fried egg, bacon and Shaun has had chicken fingers and onion rings.

Then you can add a type of potato. I always recommend to add the curly fries. I feel like something is off with their ketchup.. I'm think it is not Heinz, so if you are picky like I am, I recommend getting a side of cheese or ranch dressing. The onion rings and old bay fries are also delicious!

It is so much fun to create something new each time! Some of my favorite combos so far are:

 

Ranch + Lettuce + Fried Jalapeno Popper

House Sauce + Lettuce + Fritos + Fried Egg

 

I highly recommend, no I insist, that you put Stack'd on your list of places to try! Make sure you let me know how you liked it!

 

Eat Well & Sparkle!

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

I get so excited to open my mailbox and see that I received an Influenster VoxBox! It's like I'm a little kid on Christmas! This time I received one from Neutrogena containing Hydro Boost Water Gel.

 

#BehindTheGlow #Neutrogena

The product description from Neutrogena's website reads:

"Hydro Boost Water Gel instantly quenches dry skin and keeps it looking smooth, supple and hydrated day after day. The unique water gel formula absorbs quickly, like a gel, but has the long-lasting, intense moisturizing power of a cream. It boosts skin's hydration level and locks it in all day."

I have been using the Hydro Boost for about two weeks now. I discontinued using my regular skincare regime while testing this product. I will likely not repurchase what I was using previously and add more Neutrogena products. My skin is extremely dry, especially during harsh winter months. I have terrible dry spots throughout my whole T-Zone, but my forehead is the worst. Using only the Hydro Boost has decreased the amount of large dry flakes I typically have. I use the gel in the morning and I love the way my makeup goes on over it. I also use it before I go to bed at night, which makes my skin feel so soft.

I love the lightweight gel texture and that it doesn't leave any type of residue. It has a wonderful refreshing spa smell, but isn't powerful. Also, since it is a gel, less is more! It isn't heavy and is absorbed quickly into the skin leaving it feeling very refreshed!

Very light gel formula.

The lightweight formula glides on the skin.

I did look into other Neutrogena facial moisturizing products and noticed there is a Hydro Boost Water Gel for Extra Dry Skin, so I will be purchasing that in the near future. For people with Normal/Oily/Combination skin, I highly recommend the Hydro Boost Water Gel!

Would you like to receive complimentary products from Influenster too?! Sign up at www.influenster.com/r/830380 and follow all of the necessary steps!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

The Pub Chip Shop

As Lenten season is upon us, I'm sure we are all looking for delicious places to get fish, aside from local fish fries. I first learned of The Pub Chip Shop when I was searching for new places to eat on Yelp. After I read reviews and saw photos, I knew I had to go as soon as possible.

Shaun and I were out during the day and decided we wanted to try it out for dinner. As we almost got into the South Side we realized it was Saturday night and knew this wasn't going to be good. We drove around looking for parking while we were entertained by the sights we saw. When we finally spotted a parking space on the street, Shaun went to back in and I saw a man doing push ups on the street. At that point it wasn't worth it, so we left. A few weeks later we were finally able to get there earlier in the day for dinner. I couldn't believe I waited so long - I can't even explain how good it was!

Since it was my first time there, I had to go with the classic fish and chips. Unbelievable! You definitely get your money's worth as the portions are huge. The fish doesn't taste "fishy" and it melts in your mouth. However, the breading is fried to perfection as well as the "chips". You know the fries that are soft on the inside, yet crispy on the outside? I couldn't get enough of them!

Shaun got the banger (English sausage) and chips. He LOVED the breading, but wasn't quite a fan of the actual sausage. He wouldn't say that it was bad, it just wasn't for him.

The only downside is that there is very limited seating. I haven't taken my food to-go from here, but I personally wouldn't recommend it. Everything is fried so perfectly that I would definitely recommend eating it there!

Pines Tavern - Valentine's Day Dinner

Shaun and I typically don't celebrate Valentine's Day. However, we do love food so we decided to try a new place for dinner. Since we don't make anything big of the day, I told Shaun to find somewhere and keep it a secret for some suspense. He picked me up from work and it felt like we were dating again... I loved it! We started driving north toward Gibsonia. We drove and drove, through back snow covered roads. When he said we were coming up on it, I looked to my left and saw a sign and screamed with excitement "Pines Tavern!". We had done an event with Pines Tavern at work, so I KNEW this was going to be amazing. Shaun was so surprised I knew of the establishment.

From the moment we walked in until the moment we left, we were extremely impressed. Thankfully we had an early reservation, so we were seated right away. The restaurant filled up quite fast soon after we got there.

The hostesses were extremely friendly and cheerful, which is always nice to be greeted with people who seem to love their job! Our server was quite possibly the sweetest I have ever had at any restaurant. She was extremely attentive to us and knowledgeable of the menu. You could hear her excitement with every table she was at.

After we were seated, we started with drinks. They have an extensive beer list, so my husband chose one of their selections and I got the winter sangria. The sangria was delicious and hit the spot.

 

We decided to start with the Baked Pull Apart Blooming Bread, which was very good. The bread was warm and soft inside, yet had a crisp edge. It was garnished with bacon and chives and the cheese was melted in the cuts of the bread, so there was cheese on every bite. Highly recommended!

 

 

I got the Lobster Bisque and my husband got the Snapping Turtle Soup. I loved the lobster bisque. I am not sure if there was a choice between a bowl and cup, but I got a bowl.. it was a huge portion. There were large pieces of lobster and the base was rich and creamy. My husband liked his soup, but was indifferent to the spice that took over the taste.

For our meals, I got the crab and shrimp ravioli and my husband got the filet migon. He ordered it medium, but when it came out it was more like medium well. Not to worry, because it was seasoned very well and was flavorful. By the time my meal came, I could hardly eat anything else. I did have one ravioli and it was so good and even amazing heated up the next day! There were nice sized pieces of shrimp and the crab was plentiful. The sauce it was in was creamy and complimented the dish well.

 I couldn't even look at the dessert menu because I was so stuffed, but we left extremely happy. I highly recommend this restaurant for a nice romantic dinner or even a small family gathering. There were so many other items on the menu that sounded so delicious, so I can't wait to go back!

Sugary Sweet

If you know me, you know my obsession is anything sweet. Cupcakes, caramel, chocolate covered anything - if it has sugar, it's up my alley. Just ask my sugar fairy co-workers at Bella Christie and Lil' Z's Sweet Boutique in Aspinwall. This is hands down my favorite place for sweet treats, NOT just because I work there. Truly, I work there because I loved the bakery first! The bakery is pink and sparkly, it was love at first sight!

 

 

I can't even name my top favorite treat because there are too many. The hardest part about working here, is they are always baking up something new! How is a girl to pass up a CARAMEL PRETZEL CHOCOLATE BAR. I mean, come on. As soon as you take a bite you want to inhale the rest! The in-store flavors change seasonally, so there is always something different to sample. Plus, glitter is added to just about everything. Who doesn't want a pink glitter covered cupcake?! The buttercream cookies are super adorable and so flavorful, they just melt in your mouth!

   

 

In addition for my love of Bella Christie and Lil' Z's, I love experiencing new places to get sweets when I travel too! The first thing on my agenda while traveling is to visit anywhere that has a sweet treat. Some of my favorites are:
Erie, PA: Romolo Chocolates
New York City: Magnolia Bakery, Laduree
Washington DC: Georgetown Cupcakes
Charleston, SC: Cupcake Down South, Jeni's Ice Cream

What are your favorite places to grab a sweet treat?

From Events to Food...

As much as I love events, I had to change the direction of my blog. Is that acceptable? I hope so, because it's happening. Whereas I still love planning events and everything about them, I feel that my life centers more around food and drink.

To me, food is a way to bring people together, celebrate, engage in conversation, and build relationships. I love everything about experiencing new atmospheres, new tastes, and new people. Even in events, food is a staple detail from hors d'oeuvres to the main course to the dessert. Food isn't just something to be consumed, but to be experienced and that is what I want to bring to this blog.

So, if my experiences can encourage others to step out of the box and experience something they might not otherwise, then I call that a win. I hope you enjoy!