Congratulations to the new Top Chef Kevin Sbraga!
Throughout the season, I never though Kevin had much of chance at the title. Week after week he elevated his game and ended up putting out what looked to be a really amazing meal last night.
As Padma would say…. “Hail to the chef!”
Who would have thought that in the Creole capital I would find some of the most scrumptious BBQ I’ve ever tasted. With the intent of dining at Jacque Imo's in the uptown part of New Orleans, I headed to Oak Street. The one hour wait was a deterrent but after strolling down the block I came across what appeared to be a house with a nice porch, a smoker on the front lawn and a bright pink sign that said Squeal. I was so intrigued by the hickory smell coming from the smoker that I decided to forget about gumbo and check out the ribs that where slow cooking on the lawn in front of me. The place was small but most of the tables were full. First thing we got was jalapeño hush puppies with sweet honey butter. The crunchy puffs of spicy corn goodness melted and soaked up the sweet butter. One bite and I knew I had made the right choice by not hanging around waiting for Jacque Imo's. Next I had the St. Louis ribs, the BBQ chicken and cheesy corn grits, collard greens, and black beans as sides. The ribs were fantastic. Lean, yet enough fat to make these ribs juicy and melt in your mouth good. The BBQ sauce was super tangy and finger licking good. At first bite I wasn't really sure about this sauce. But after the second and third I knew that squeal was really on to something. The same sauce smothered the chicken which was slightly overcooked but still delicious. The sides were really amazing. The collard greens were very vinegary and had a ton of bacon. I couldn't keep my fork out of the dish! The grits were super creamy and velvety. I could tell there was a health portion of cream and butter in these grits. I actually cleaned the bottom of the dish with my finger so not to let even a morsel go to waste. The black beans were well seasoned with cumin and coriander. I do usually put a little cumin in the beans I make at home but these beans were simply amazing with abundance of coriander. Squeals was one of the best meals I had on my trip to Nawlins. These Louisiana flavors completely elevated this BBQ food to a whole other level. I guess I will have to take a trip back next February for my hubby's annual BBQ meal.
I recently dined at Tom Colicchio’s Craft on 19th street between Broadway and Park. The decor of the restaurant is absolutely beautiful…leather walls, exposed brick, and hundreds of little light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. This inviting space gave way to one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a very long time.
First off, the service was outstanding! From the first step I took into the restaurant till my last, I was greeted by smiling, polite staff. From the bus boy who led the way for me to the restroom, to the hostess that gave me a banana nut muffin at the end of the night, I was so impressed by how attentive everyone was.
We started off with the Lamb Mezzaluna as an appetizer. This silky pasta enveloped the tender, tangy lamb and was topped with a black olive, lemon zest and white wine sauce. The lemon zest provided a subtle bitterness that was balanced from the saltiness of the olives.
The scallops I ordered were perfect! Perfectly cooked and perfectly seared. They did come with a butter chive sauce that was good but masked the delicate flavor of the scallops but it was served on the side for those who don’t respect the flavor of scallop as much as I do.
I tasted a piece of my friends swordfish which was really wonderful as well. It was tender, moist and splashed with a light white wine sauce.
We shared the spinach au gratin which was deliciously creamy and finished with a crunchy topping.
We couldn’t say no to the extensive dessert menu and settled on a vanilla bean ice cream with hazelnut crunch and a blueberry compote. WOW this dessert was out of control delicious. I was about to lick the plate clean. The blueberries were so fresh tasting and sweet. The ice cream had such a rich flavor that was accentuated by the crunchy hazelnuts. After the main meal I just had I really didn’t think it could get any better, but this dessert brought the whole meal to a totally different level.
All in all, I have to say that I have gained a great respect for Tom Colicchio. He really does have every right to be so tough on the Top Chef contestants. His restaurant is flawless and I can’t wait to go back!
After a heartbreaking defeat by the Netherlands my sister and I decided to drown our sorrows into some Asian sandwiches. We have been wanting to check out Xie Xie (pronounced shay shay, Mandarin for Thank you) which is owned by this season's Top Chef contestant, Angelo Sosa. After he won a quick fire challenge for the best sandwich he nicely plugged his sandwich shop in nyc and I was on a mission. I just had to sample this Top Chef hopeful's food. Xie Xie is on 9th ave on the corner or 45th. Its a small spot with a small menu but the flavors in each sandwich are as big as they come! Upon our arrival we were greeted by Angelo who offered us a napkin to wipe away our tears after Brazil gut wrenching loss. Angelo was super nice and even agreed to pose for a picture with us. And yes, he is just as good looking in person as he is on tv
1 whole baked chicken cut into cubes
2 tsbp of mayo
2 tbsp of plain greek lowfat yogurt (great way to cut down on mayo and some of the fat)
1 tsp chopped tarragon
1tsp yellow curry powder
1/2 cup grapes halved
1 celery stalk chopped
salt and pepper
combine all the ingredients into a bowl. Season accordingly. Serve with a fresh roll or lettuce wraps. Enjoy!
This is a great way to use up left over chicken. The juicy sweetness from the grapes make this the perfect filling for a summertime sandwich.
I live on the top floor of my building. There is a ton of sun light that comes in and I don’t have curtains in my living room — It can get so hot and my small air conditioner only offers a little relief. So on those hot, sticky summer days there is absolutely no way I’m going to turn my stove on to cook. I do, however, have a electric grill on my balcony which really comes in handy.
Lately I have been making shish-kabobs. They make for a healthy and delicious meal with very little clean up. You can find skewers at most grocery stores and you just pile them up with your favorite protein and veggies.
I’ve done talapia seasoned with curry pierced between pineapple, onions and cherry tomatoes.
In the picture below I have Italian seasoned chicken with onion, red peppers and cherry tomatoes.
Shish-kabobs are fun and easy to eat. Get creative and you’ll be in for a real treat! Just be sure to put oil on the protein so that it doesn’t stick to the grill. You could also cook these on an indoor grill pan if you don’t have an outdoor grill or the green house effect going on in 
your apartment.
I discovered a yummy treat as I roller bladed along the river. A Belgium waffle cart just like they have in Belgium (at least that’s what my husband says). It’s been a whle since I’ve had a waffle and I’ve never been to Belgium so this find was the perfect fix to a long rollerblading trip.
I had my waffle with strawberries and whipped cream. The waffle was light, chewy and sweet and the dingles (toppings) were refreshing. A great combo!
TheWaffles and Dingles cart is under the west side highway and is at approx 65th street. Its just a few blocks south of Peir 1 bar and restaurant.
Check it out!
Go to www.nibbledish.com for a chance to win two tickets to see Brad Paisley and Jarrod Neimann.
You will also win a VIP BBQ experience where you will get to meet the stars!
Check out Brad and Jarrod’s celebrity recipes at www.nibbledish.com too!
Ham Loaf and Pigs in a Hammock YUM!
Oh yeah…if you create a nibbledish profile you are entered to win an autographed guitar signed by both Brad and Jarrod!
Every year in Madison Square Park, NYC restaurateur, Danny Meyer brings together some of the best pit masters from restaurants around the country for an extraordinary block party that gives you the chance to sample some of the best BBQ available in the USA. This year I was sure to get there early and with a fast pass – which gives you access to a short VIP line instead of waiting on a line that wraps around the block.
There were some pit masters that left me finger licking and wanting more while others fell a bit short. Each plate was sold for $8 a pop and I rated each each one with a 5 star system.
MoonLite Bar-B-Q Inn from Owensboro, KY served mutton sandwiches and burgoo (like a stew/chilli). This was the first time I’ve ever had mutton, which is the meat from an older sheep. I found these sandwiches to be tasty but over salted. The burgoo was really yummy and a big bowl of that would make me very happy on a cold winter day. Overall I gave the MoonLite 3 stars.
Next I made it over to Pappy’s Smokehouse from St. Louis, MO. They served ribs and baked beans. Pappy’s ribs were sweet, smokey and just delicious. I am usually not a big fan of baked beans but these were out of this world and I ate the whole serving. Pappy’s plate earned 5 stars!
NYC’s own Blue Smoke served up gigantic Texas style salt and pepper beef ribs. Tasty and tendy but very fatty. Blue Smoke did not blow me away and I gave them 3 stars.
Black Jack BBQ from Charleston, SC had me the most disappointed. Their pulled pork sandwiches were had a great vinegary taste but were extremely too dry to bother eating. Although the cole slaw was delish I didn’t finish this plate of food (I didnt want to “waste” the space in my stomach). Black Jack’s certainly fell far from 21 and I only gave them 2 stars.
Jim ‘n Nick’s Bar -B-Q from Birmingham, AL served up something a bit different that totally blew my mind. Homemade smoked sausage with pimento cheese. The sausage was spicy and when eaten with the pimento cheddar cheese it delivered a huge bite of flavor that knocked my socks from here to Alabama! I enjoyed this food the most and gave them 5 stars!
This must be either Jim or Nick grilling up some spicy sausages.
I finished up the day with a few St. Louis Style ribs from the Checkered Pig from Martinsville, VA. These ribs has that St. Louis flavor that I love so much but were a bit too fatty for me. Their slaw however, was spicy and refreshing. So I had to give them 3 1/2 stars.
There were 12 other restaurants represented at the BBQ that I did not get to sample. I left Madison Square Park with a VERY full stomach and a great appreciation for the wonderful flavors that our country has to offer.
Stuffing your face at the Big Apple BBQ makes for a great day. You never know what you’ll taste or see.
I sure wasn’t expecting this…..
Before...After!
May 13th to the 27th was Rioja Week in NYC. It is such a treat when great wine comes together with great food all for a great price. I headed over to Devi (http://www.devinyc.com/) with a friend to check out their $35 Rioja Week pre fix. We first thought about going to one of the many Spanish restaurants offering a deal but Devi, which is a contemporary Indian restaurant, took our reservation and we were open to trying something different – the combination of Rioja and Indian food.
I have to say that Devi is one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in a long time. The ambience was decedent red and gold but the vibe was easy going and relaxed. The service was outstanding and the food was just to die for! The tempranillo that we had was not as bold as I usually like my Rioja but it was a very young wine and was fine enough. It really didn’t matter what I was drinking while indulging in sweet scallops and succulent lamp chops.
The scallops were grilled and served with a roasted pepper chutney and orange marmalade. The scallops were cooked perfectly and there was a nice balance between sweet and salty from the chutney and marmalade. It’s really amazing how well cooked scallops can make me so happy; but then again I do always say that it is a sin to overcook a scallop.
The Tandoor-Grilled Lamb Chops were served with Southern Indian potatoes and a delightfully sweet pear chutney. These chops were such a tasty treat for me. I absolutely love lamb chops and since I don’t get to eat them that often I always savor every bit when I do. And yes, it is ok to pick up a lamb chop with your hands and finish it off like it’s a lollypop!
We shared a mango panna cotta which was silky smooth and the perfect ending to such a wonderful meal.
I look forward to returning to Devi and sharing this Indian treasure with my friends and family.
