Food, Music, and Travel are the keys to my heart
Nothing better than a waffle grilled cheese with spicy tomato blush dipping sauce and a glass of vin on a chilly Saturday evening after a storm. Where can you get this amazing grilled cheese~ Vault Brewing Co - Yardley, PA💋
March 3, 2018
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
* I love to learn, and to get to do so with beautifully executed, delicious cuisine by Chef Brian paired with special wines selected by Sommelier Kyle...fantastic. Not a bad way to learn.
Featured:
~ Sommelier Series by Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia.
~ Region of focus - Emilia Romagna, Italy.
Buon Appetito
Vetri Pasta Magic
Yesssss!
Food is everything. 💋 Lisa Lukasiewicz Welch
#foodporn
Walk in it feels like a place from the 50’s
Frank Sinatra playing “Strangers in the night, then followed by Fly me to the moon and some jazz.
And showing some Eagles love as shown by their business card💚
Happy Friday 💋
*Added bonus the staff is#1! I love how they refer to you by 1st name when they serve you and when you say goodbye. Although it is my 1st time here, it felt very comfortable and familiar *
Breakfast sandwich ~ Scrambled eggs, cooper sharp cheddar, arugula on potato bread. Yum yum (Perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs)
Whipped ricotta with masala house-made Jam on milk bread with lemon zest
(So tasty, the ricotta is so light and the jam not to sweet and perfect with the lemon zest)
Soft opening for family & friends at Bucks County’s newest Sushi restaurant, Kawaii Tori Sushi staffed with former sushi chefs of Morimotos. Congratulations to our friends, The Cain family.
Get ready to be wowed!
The BEST 🍣
—eating sushi at Kawaii Tori Sushi.
Ewing, NJ
Great place for brunch in Ewing, NJ. Beachy, cozy restaurant with friendly and attentive service. Tons of delicious options.
Must try. 💋 — brunching at CAFE seventy two.
February 20, 2019
February 9, 2019
Ridiculously good comfort food that feels like it’s being served in someone’s 70’s motif styled home. (Sharon Ford Cowen - after seeing your post the other day I thought I need to go back to Bud & Marilyn’s.)
The staff are extremely welcoming, the cocktails are fabulously mixed and the food.. the kind where you are so tempted to lick your fingers.
*The two woman owners of this also own Barbuzzo and 4 other restaurants on 13th street. 🙌 boss ladies!💥
So so good. Definitely left this meal feeling... tapped out. But so worth it!💋
the super yummy warm pretzel rolls that are topped with a beer cheese sauce and chives
The summer corn on the cob with miso-ginger aioli, pepitos, pepper, lime (this is the finger licking good item)
The summer corn with zucchini and squash pasta..tasty
Oh yeah, the beautiful purple cocktail called The Lakeside- vodka, fresh lime, violet and mint
Warm biscuits with honey butter
The mashed potatoes were exactly on point!
And last but not least this super tall funfetti cake with rainbow sprinkles on top of strawberry sauce. Delish!
On Sundays we Brunch.. and today it was at the gorgeous Maison 208 a French inspired restaurant (located in the Washington Square West section of Philadelphia).
When you walk in you’re greeted by what feels like someone’s personal upscale home. The 1st floor has one of my favorite features an open air kitchen and beautiful bar and clever birdcage light fixtures. And the sounds of an absolutely fantastic acoustic guitar player named Anthony DeCarlo.
Upstairs is called “The Social” a fun loungey space with 2 bars and an awesome retractable roof. I think the only one in Philly right now.
The menu created by season 14 Top Chef contestant Chef Sylva Senat so tasty.
The staff was personable and attentive, while having a nice relaxed and happy factor.
Can’t wait to go back for dinner. Of which Tues-Saturday they have live Jazz upstairs from 9pm-2am. 💋 — eating brunch at Maison 208.
Creme’ Brûlée French Toast with chantilly and berries ~ absolutely heavenly and just the right amount of sweet.
Coconut pancakes - fluffy and light
Truffle Parmesan Fries - the perfect amount of truffle, cheese on top of a just amount of crispy french fry.
Pics from a few nights ago at Suraya ~ rightfully voted the best new restaurant in Philly. This was my 2nd dining experience and just as wonderful.
*Think Zahav but from the perspective of Lebanese cuisine *
The space from its entrance way captures what one would believe a true Lebanese restaurant/marketplace would be. Beautiful tiles, vibrant with wonderful flavorful dishes.
The hostess and servers are extremely attentive and warm.
While the space is spacious they somehow have created an atmosphere that feels intimate as you dine.
Absolutely love the large open kitchen with counter seating.
The tapas style items we had were so so good. The kind where you use your pita to wipe the sauce from the bottom of the dish.
The cocktails are exactly on point, representative of the culture and tasty.
An absolute must dine experience.
Warak Enab - slightly grilled grape leaves stuffed with fluffy rice and served with lemon yogurt, crispy shallots and barberries.
Batata Harra - crispy potatoes with garlic, cilantro need I saw more
Fatar Meshwi - a savory wild mushroom dish
Squash blossom and zucchini special that was so so good the sauce was amazing, that I forgot the Lebanese name of.
New Hope, PA
So what’s for brunch this weekend! Fantastic in house made breakfast and lunch dishes at the newly opened River Cat Cafe located just as you enter New Hope Borough. This 50+ person eatery has beautiful natural light that enhances the Mediterranean inspired decor as well as has river views and patio seating is fantastic. Owner Allison, an active lifelong New Hope resident and Chef Nancy have created a wonderful year round breakfast, lunch and in the Fall dinner destination with lots of tasty items on the menu. From a fabulous California Toast bar to delicious breakfast sandwiches, egg dishes, yummy waffles, in house baked goods, scrumptious energy bites and many gluten free and vegan options.
Live Jazz will be a staple and in a few weeks a juice and coffee bar.
And to top it off parking for up to 50 cars behind the cafe
This post is only brunch, as there are too many items to feature in just one post. Lunch I will post next week. Also you can rent the entire restaurant for your private events with your dearest of family and friends.
Had to check out the #1 restaurant in Philadelphia as ranked this month by Philadelphia Magazine in their top 50 issue.
The Hungry Pigeon located on a cute corner on Fabric Row in Queens Village.
A place that locals love to frequent for its locally sourced comfort yet creative food menus as they serve breakfast, lunch, “after school “ and dinner with a nicely sized counter bar that serves up tasty creative cocktails. And their fresh baked goods, outstanding.
The owners explained its a place where some of their dearest friends contributed to the decor from the plants to the prints to the light fixtures. Sounds sweet right. It is and they were all extremely humble and approachable although they have been selected #1. One of the owners was the former pastry chef for Balthazar for many years.
The bread basket perfection, our meals super tasty and the drinks were right on point. And the dessert heaven!
They are known for their braised and fried chicken, being a vegetarian I didn’t try but it looked amazing as did everything that came out.(Pics of dinner/cocktails menu are at the end) my favorite of the night the zucchini and cucumber salad and the berry brioche bread pudding.
A fantastic, clever and tasty dining experience 💋
Agricola Eatery ~ is a must try in Princeton. I can’t believe I don’t visit this restaurant more often.
This creatively decorated upscale farm to table restaurant based on sustainable locally grown and antibiotic free fare was exactly what I needed after an involved day. A fresh and comforting meal with special people, as we all do from time to time.(a few pics of restaurant and menus are within the last photos)
So check out these fabulous dishes that each of us loved. Plus it was fun to dine at a communal farm table next to 3 native French speakers. That I must admit had the most beautiful accents when they spoke..
Onto to the food💋
Salted Roasted Beets with goat cheese, pickled carrots, currants and walnuts
Fulper Farms Ricotta Gnocchi with scapes, basil and brown butter(so flavorful)
Rhode Island squid Flatbread with cherry tomatoes, olives and saffron
Local Day boat Scallops with freekah, fennel, hakurai and ramp relish
Roasted Maitake Mushrooms with grits, pea shoots, black garlic and pistachios
Berkwood Farms Berkshire pork chops with braised greens, radish, blackberries and mustard jus
And for dessert
Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp with brown butter streusel topped with a scoop of orange blossom ice cream ( I must admit of recent I’m slightly obsessed with Strawberry and Rhubarb combos)
Ricotta Poppy Seed doughnuts with apricot honey yogurt, oat crunch and huckleberry compote
Ricotta Poppy Seed doughnuts with apricot honey yogurt, oat crunch and huckleberry compote
Enjoying a “Summer Water”~Aka Rose’ food pairing at Fond. While listening to a medley of Guns n’ Rose’( cute right)
The scene- Last night was a beautiful evening in South Philly while sitting in the best table, the open air window seat for two
The experience a fabulous Rose’ dinner with a spectacular assortment of specially selected Rose’ wines for each of the 5 courses. The wines were selected by David Snyder, that is the ultimate foodie and wine connoisseur while having a day job as an Attorney @ philafoodie.
The dining experience was wonderful before each course Chef Lee Styer and his team would come out and Chef would have each team member describe the course while David would describe the wine.
One of the cutest things of the night was when David said ...Pairing food with wine is not about always hitting a home run, it’s like a relationship, avoiding conflict”. 💯. True that!
So feast your eyes on last night’s selections, I took photos of both those created for the menu and those that Chef slightly altered for me without protein.
Everything was super yum! Two highlights for me were
The watermelon starter was sooo so good the watermelon was infused with basil and topped with this sweet as candy individual kernels of cancha corn, cherry tomatoes ...absolute tasted like summer.
And the strawberry rhubarb shortcake was divine!! While eating it I would get a random surprise sugar crystal. I took some of the chantilly and smeared it on top of half the shortcake and let me tell you I closed my eyes savoring the taste of each bit.
Must try restaurant, beautiful corner location with a visually appealing interior I have a pic of the man that made the bar in this post as well as David the wine connoisseur. Welcoming staff and wonderfully executed food by a talented Berk’s county native chef.
A fun night. 💋
*Plus Jacki and I each received a generous gift certificate from one of the restaurant diners ... just for being so happy and having a fun time. He’s the one we are toasting with.
The Watermelon Starter
Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake
June 7, 2018
Thank you Sheena Bediako for introducing me to one of your favorite places on earth. From start to finish I felt like I was in a dream. Chef Chris- you are a true artist! Looking forward to my return! ❤️
Will byob—French restaurant
Read MoreNew York, NY
A rainy Saturday in NYC calls for comfort foods.
Although it’s called Cafeteria, it’s so not one.
Located in Chelsea. Great music. Delicious food and cocktails all in one of my favorite cities.
And super yum smoked gouda Mac and cheese spring rolls
Featured Chicken and waffle with a hot sauce side and maple bourbon syrup
Grilled cheese with tomato basil soup
With blood orange cosmos💋
If you like brunch, you have to try Ela.
Sunday Brunch in the Queens Village section of Philadelphia ~ fantastic!!!
The space is visually appealing and the staff warm and personable.
The food exactly what you would want for brunch. Every single bite of each dish was so so tasty. I ordered two of our dishes to go as well.
The Elixir(drink) menu is creative and fun.
Can’t wait to go back for dinner. The menu looks great. 💋
Kale salad with oven roasted tomatoes, charred broccoli, roasted almonds, pecorino cheese with the most perfect garlic herb dressing. (I ordered an extra to go, just as good later)
Cornbread waffle with fresh burrata and chili pepper
Housemade rhubarb muffins accompanied by house made butter placed on top of Honey with sprinkles of sea salt on the edge
Brioche French toast topped with a berry rhubarb jam with kumquat slices and lavender chantilly.!!
And the most perfectly made hash brown ever on top of a chipotle crema.
Eating dinner with great friends at Barcelona Wine Bar
This weather calls for Tapas, Alfresco Dining and extremely well executed Spanish food and cool decor accompanied by two attentive servers per table. The only thing missing was 💃🏼
Absolute must try.. Barcelona Wine Bar ~ Passyunk Ave, South Philly
Had the most delicious, well actually lots of Tempranillo wine. So smooth. Perfect.
Featured: Pan con tomate - in Spain they call it crystal bread, which I would eat at breakfast and for a snack everyday when I was in Spain. It’s toasted bread that is drizzled with olive oil and topped with smooshed(I know so not a technical cooking term) fresh tomatoes the consistency of a purée and a sprinkle of salt. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was and how much it reminded me of Spain. I was so tempted to order another to take home.
Had the most delicious, well actually lots of Tempranillo wine. So smooth. Perfect.
Perfectly flavored vegetable paella 🥘 with the right amount of crunchy💋
Super tasty fried brussel sprouts. Just the right amount of crispy, a hint of brown sugar and a dash of kick. So good
The patate tortilla- very good like a potato quiche with a tortilla crust top and bottom
Pan con tomate
Today’s weather has a California feel. So to keep in the spirit of that.
Let’s have some street taco like food.
Great little place in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia.
Outside casual seating, quick service, tasty fresh made food all for less than $17(The truffle mushroom quesadilla, so good)💋
There are various things that people choose to collect.. for me it’s experiences that take me to different places that lead me to meeting the most interesting, kind people.
This week a person(now a friend) I met in Barcelona a few years on one of my trips to Spain , I rented an Airbnb from him. He has 22 fabulous flats in the City. On Sunday, Jaume messaged me that he would be in Philadelphia for 3 days just finishing up his Singapore and India trip. And scavenger hunt while in India to find a “holy cow” among other things. Lol
He wanted to know what he should try to do during 1st visit to Philly.
I suggested the usual things and then we agreed to meet for lunch. That evening he would have dinner at my fav, Will Byob.
So we met at the Gran Caffe on Chestnut Street, one of my fav Italian restaurants in Philadelphia that cooks daily housemade pasta the way it should be al dente, has an innovative menu/wine list and all of the waiters are from Italy. Check it out.
Anyway, as if we were old friends, catching up on things that we have seen the other post over the years, travel, life, next chapters and of course food. He’s a foodie like me.
Both of us snapping pics and moving items from the shot for the other.
We grabbed housemade gelato and began walking.
I say to him.. “ You know, isn’t it amazing that I just so happened to find you on Airbnb a few years ago and now look at us now walking together eating gelato in Philadelphia”
Jaume - “ It is, but I never think I won’t see a person or place again at some point”
Me- “ I know, I believe that too. Truly I could go almost anywhere and know someone within a few hrs or a day or so of where I am.., my car is on the next street do you want to walk that way”
Jaume- “ Sure, I have no agenda... I’m just looking around”
Me- “ I love that, what a free way to be.. no agenda, just looking around... you know when I post this your free spirit style will inspire others”
Jaume- says jokingly..”now, wait I’m not trying to be a guru”
He’s the best, I’ll post his connect info separately. If your travel plans include Barcelona, reach out to him. He’s lovely.
I’m so glad that I’m a collector of experiences, the derivative benefits are exponential.
Yay, it’s Saturday💋
Simple joy...sitting down for a delicious French Sunday Brunch without checking the time, as our day is completely ours.
The perfect local solution for when you wish you were in Paris but are in Bucks County.
This less than 1yr old modern French Brasserie is aesthetically beautiful, has delicious perfectly flavored food and attentive staff.
Featured a Mushroom Tartin with a wonderful flaky crust and beautiful flavors. And Croissant Pain Perdu with apple chutney and warm vanilla butter. So so good.
Located on the Princeton University campus across from the McCarter Theater.
Happy Sunday💋
PS- This newer Brasserie is fabulous, brought back memories of this time last year being in Paris with Sophia. Bon Appetit.
Mushroom Tartin with a wonderful flaky crust and beautiful flavors.
Pain Perdu with apple chutney and warm vanilla butter.
