The Time I Went To A Private Invite-Only Dinner For Black Creatives (Copy)

A few weeks ago I attended a private invite-only dinner in the heart of Chinatown (Manhattan, NYC). I normally would not blog about this but it was different. The dinner was inclusive, it was classy, it was fun, and it was one of the most unique dining experiences I've had in a while. 

Before I get into what I ate, I'll explain how this came about. Back in April, I purchased tickets to an annual conference in Brooklyn called The Food Writers' Workshop (thanks to EatWithNia ) and it inspired me for many reasons. I got to hang around (and learn from) other incredible black foodies (AvaEats, DomNTheCity, Jillian) along with getting insight from different panelists. I really enjoyed the conference and all of the discussions on what it takes for a woman to become and maintain success in the food industry. 

It was an absolute pleasure to see so many black women on panels talking about breaking barriers in the food world digitally and in real life. 

While at the conference, I was introduced to a collective called the Black Food Folks. Shortly after learning about them, I proceeded to stalk their social media pages (as anyone else would do) and I came across another group. A creative group called ToBeHosted. This group throws monthly private dinners for black and brown creatives. I swiftly followed this group on social media and was delightfully intrigued when I saw an Instagram post announcing the "May Dinner". I immediately applied for an invite to attend and a few days later I was able to get a seat at the table.

A Seat At The Table.

The idea behind the monthly dinner is simple. You are seated next to strangers (intentionally), and all you have to do is pay a reasonable fee, come hungry, come open-minded and come ready to meet new people. I love this idea, and since food is known to bring people together it makes networking easier. I was luckily seated next to Chef B. Woods who I'm looking forward to collaborating with in the near future. Someone who I would have not met if it wasn't for this dinner. 

Chef Day and I.

Now on to the chef of the evening. The dinner was curated by a phenomenal woman named Chef Day. If you are not following XoChefDay on Instagram you should start today. She's talented, beautiful and is someone who is taking the food industry by storm with her recipes. 

Before we all dived in, Chef Day excitedly explained the inspiration for all of the dishes, the ingredients, she even adjusted her recipes for those who have dietary restrictions, and spoke to every single one of us who dined that evening. It was magical.  

The dinner theme was Breakfast After Dark. Chef Day's menu included sweet and savory options. I honestly enjoyed every single item on the menu but the pancakes were simply divine. Here’s a look at the menu items: 

SWEET

STRAWBERRY FIELDS: sweet, wild, white strawberries mixed with red currants blueberries peaches and spearmint. This was so delightful and I cannot recall a time I ate a white strawberry. 

FLUFFY STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PANCAKES: buttermilk pancakes caramelized rhubarb Haitian rum cream topped with strawberries.

SAVORY

PEPPERED SHRIMP & GRITS (TO THE LEFT) , DUCK HASH (BELOW) , ARUGULA SALAD (BELOW DUCK HASH)

WINE

RIGHT NOW WINE : Alpine Stream White Wine, Rosé, Red Number 6 

I had a blast and I'm still hyped from that night.  Everything was so delightful. So delicious and I'm definitely looking forward to attending another dinner or two because I felt so comfortable, so at home, and just so welcomed. 

Comment below if you've attended a dinner like this before. Let me know if there are others I should attend. 

The Time I Ate 30 MLB Stadium Samples

Last weekend I attended a food event hosted by the Major League Baseball called the MLB FoodFest thanks to the food selfie queen @eatwithnia (you should follow her, she’s the best).  

And when I say we ate… I mean we ATE so many samples. 30 samples to be exact! If you've ever dreamed of visiting all 29 (with 1 in Canada) baseball stadiums and eating then this is the event for you. 

The concept of this food fest is really cool. All 30 MLB stadiums have a signature food item that’s actually served at their stadium and this event puts whatever that food item is on display for everyone to try. The tickets range from $35-55 (with taxes and fees you’ll end up spending $40-65). You have 3 hours to try as many stadium items as humanly possible. 

There were 2 ticket options: with beer/drinks or without. The cheaper ticket does not allow drinks but I would say its worth it. The venue served some really refreshing beers (and spiked seltzer) available (3 max) but don’t feel bad if you go for the cheaper option they have plenty of water and coca-cola all around for the taking. 

Nia and I were on a mission to try food from all 30 stadiums and because we are dedicated women we did it! It personally took me 2 days to do this but I did it! I attended both days, different time slots (8pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday). 

A few different people asked what my favorites were that night. This took me some time to think over but I was able to come up with (3) of my favorite samples from the weekend. 

3 - Oakland Athletics : Brisket Nachos 

 

 

2 - Baltimore Orioles : Stuggy’s Crab Mac & Cheese 

 

 

 

1 - Boston Red Sox : Hot Lobster Roll 

 

 

 

If you are reading this and giving me a side-eye because I’m a New Yorker born and raised stating that Boston has the number baseball fare it’s okay. I love everything about my city and I’m confident enough to admit that I’d happily go to a baseball game in Boston just for the lobster roll. 

This event takes place in NEW YORK and LONDON. 

 

Keep an eye out for next years event! I’m sure it will be a food-tastic time!

 

And, while you wait here are pics I took from all 30 stadium stands. Here's a small slide show of my eats.

 

 

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The Time I Went To A Private Invite-Only Dinner For Black Creatives

A few weeks ago I attended a private invite-only dinner in the heart of Chinatown (Manhattan, NYC). I normally would not blog about this but it was different. The dinner was inclusive, it was classy, it was fun, and it was one of the most unique dining experiences I've had in a while. 

Before I get into what I ate, I'll explain how this came about. Back in April, I purchased tickets to an annual conference in Brooklyn called The Food Writers' Workshop (thanks to EatWithNia ) and it inspired me for many reasons. I got to hang around (and learn from) other incredible black foodies (AvaEats, DomNTheCity, Jillian) along with getting insight from different panelists. I really enjoyed the conference and all of the discussions on what it takes for a woman to become and maintain success in the food industry. 

It was an absolute pleasure to see so many black women on panels talking about breaking barriers in the food world digitally and in real life. 

While at the conference, I was introduced to a collective called the Black Food Folks. Shortly after learning about them, I proceeded to stalk their social media pages (as anyone else would do) and I came across another group. A creative group called ToBeHosted. This group throws monthly private dinners for black and brown creatives. I swiftly followed this group on social media and was delightfully intrigued when I saw an Instagram post announcing the "May Dinner". I immediately applied for an invite to attend and a few days later I was able to get a seat at the table.

A Seat At The Table.

The idea behind the monthly dinner is simple. You are seated next to strangers (intentionally), and all you have to do is pay a reasonable fee, come hungry, come open-minded and come ready to meet new people. I love this idea, and since food is known to bring people together it makes networking easier. I was luckily seated next to Chef B. Woods who I'm looking forward to collaborating with in the near future. Someone who I would have not met if it wasn't for this dinner. 

Chef Day and I.

Now on to the chef of the evening. The dinner was curated by a phenomenal woman named Chef Day. If you are not following XoChefDay on Instagram you should start today. She's talented, beautiful and is someone who is taking the food industry by storm with her recipes. 

Before we all dived in, Chef Day excitedly explained the inspiration for all of the dishes, the ingredients, she even adjusted her recipes for those who have dietary restrictions, and spoke to every single one of us who dined that evening. It was magical.  

The dinner theme was Breakfast After Dark. Chef Day's menu included sweet and savory options. I honestly enjoyed every single item on the menu but the pancakes were simply divine. Here’s a look at the menu items: 

SWEET

STRAWBERRY FIELDS: sweet, wild, white strawberries mixed with red currants blueberries peaches and spearmint. This was so delightful and I cannot recall a time I ate a white strawberry. 

FLUFFY STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PANCAKES: buttermilk pancakes caramelized rhubarb Haitian rum cream topped with strawberries.

SAVORY

PEPPERED SHRIMP & GRITS (TO THE LEFT) , DUCK HASH (BELOW) , ARUGULA SALAD (BELOW DUCK HASH)

WINE

RIGHT NOW WINE : Alpine Stream White Wine, Rosé, Red Number 6 

I had a blast and I'm still hyped from that night.  Everything was so delightful. So delicious and I'm definitely looking forward to attending another dinner or two because I felt so comfortable, so at home, and just so welcomed. 

Comment below if you've attended a dinner like this before. Let me know if there are others I should attend. 

14 Last Minute Valentine's Day Gift Ideas For The Foodie You Love

It's February 10th today meaning in just 4 short days it will be Valentine's Day! The day we celebrate love.No matter if you are single, married, in a relationship, like to celebrate with the gals (for Galentines Day), or in a what the kids call a "situationship", you still have a few more days to go shopping or you can simply use that handy Amazon Prime account of yours to get the foodie in your life that special gift!Here are 14 last minute Valentine's Day gifts every foodie will love!Disclaimer: Some items listed are available only in New York City.  

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• Gift Idea #1 - Cookbooks: One thing a foodie loves is a good cookbook. One of the most popular cookbooks of 2017 was a book created by the popular Buzzfeed food section Tasty . This book is available for purchase on Amazon, Tasty's Website and even Target.
• Gift Idea #2 - Stick With Me Sweets: BonBons: These beautiful bonbons are a foodies dream. These candies are so beautiful you may not want to eat it. But of course you should. You can order them online or go to the store on Mott street if you are in NYC.  
• Gift Idea #3 - Blue Apron Subscription: This is the perfect gift for a foodie that loves to cook. Blue Apron (in my opinion) is the best food delivery service out there.
• Gift Idea #4 - Foodie Apparel: Esty is a great place to get cool foodie based t-shirts.
• Gift Idea #5 - Try The World: Give your foodie a mostly treat from all of the world. Save them the expensive flight tickets and get them this monthly gift where they can try international snacks that are sure to be instagramable.
• Gift Idea #6 - Foodie Totes: All foodies go shopping and all foodies need a good sturdy tote bag.
• Gift Idea #7 - Pizza Making Class: NYC Based. 
• Gift Idea #8 - Wine Club: Vinebox is a monthly wine club for the wine loving foodie in your life.
• Gift Idea #9 - Cheese Making Class: NYC Based.
• Gift Idea #10 - Sushi Making Class: NYC Based.
• Gift Idea #11 - Donut Bouquet: Instead of giving the foodie in your life roses they would probably enjoy a donut bouquet instead. It's cute and creative and you both can enjoy it!
• Gift Idea #12 - Mofad: NYC Based. Grab tickets to Mofad for your foodie, that's the Museum of Food and Drink. You both will have a blast learning about food together.
• Gift Idea #13 - InstantPot: The latest foodie craze is the InstantPot. There was a huge sale on these last Christmas and there are now so many blogs and recipe pins flying around for instsant pot recipes. Any foodie would be happy to receive this.
• Gift Idea #14 - Ticket (Giftcard) to NYFWF: Tickets have not been released yet but it would be a good idea to get your beloved foodie an American Express gift card with anywhere between $250-300USD on it so they can buy a day-pass to one of the biggest and best foodie events New York has to offer, the New York Food and Wine Festival. I attended a few years ago and it was one of the best foodie experiences of my life.

Day 30 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Seasonal Food

Today's Challenge:Favorite Seasonal Food Living in New York City all of my life, you would think that I would be used to the cold weather during winter months.NOPE.I complain every time it snows or when the cold air smacks me in the face.But the good thing about living in New York is having many options of what to eat when it's cold out.After I'm done complaining to my friends about how cold it is and how I can not wait until summer time, I immediately think about what type of food would make my little frozen heart (and body) sing for joy. And 9 out of 10 times the food/dish (that may not be considered officially as a "seasonal" food) but is my go-to seasonal food during the winter months is none other than a few orders of soup dumplings.I love them because they are pockets of warm soupy pork goodness and are the perfect dinner to warm you up when the temperature matches your age.The soup dumplings pictured above is from the only place in New York that I enjoy getting soup dumplings from: Shanghai Cafe DeluxeWhat's your favorite seasonal food?! Comment below.

Day 29 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Breakfast Food

Today's Challenge:Favorite Breakfast Food For all long as I can remember I love eggs for breakfast.I like them scrambled, fried, boiled (hard), and omelette style.Eggs are my go-to breakfast food.I however do not like soft, runny eggs. It may be a Food-texture issue but something about it doesn't sit well with me. The only times I can deal with a runny egg is when someone is mixing the egg into my bibimbap 🤤In the photo above you'll see an egg, bacon, and cheese breakfast sandwich. It's not your ordinary breakfast sandwich. It's a BEC on a croissant.This ties in perfectly with today's challenge because today (1.30.18) is National Croissant Day! Woohoo!Comment below let me know:1- What's your favorite breakfast food?2- What do you like on your croissants?

Day 28 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - What’s In Your Freezer

Today's Challenge:What’s In Your Freezer My freezer isn't as glamorous as my refrigerator. My freezer just has a bunch of bread, ice trays and ice-cream in it.I think everyone's freezer should contain ice-cream at all times.It's the perfect after dinner snack or even the perfect any time snack.It's also a good excuse to eat ice-cream all year around.People (in NYC) think ice-cream is just for the summer time but not with these pints available at all supermarkets.What's your favorite flavor or brand of ice-cream? Do you have ice-cream in your freezer right now? Comment below.

Day 27 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - What's In Your Refrigerator

Today's Challenge:What's In Your RefrigeratorThis challenge question is probably my favorite and I've been looking forward to it.I follow a lot of foodies on Instagram and I love seeing when people post what's in their refrigerators. It's usually so cute, so organized, and so goals worthy.So when it was my time I just so happened to be doing groceries that afternoon because it's January and of course I'm eating healthier (like millions of other people at the beginning of the year).And here's a list of what's in my refrigerator!Blue Diamond's Almond Cashew Milk Simply Orange - Pulp Free Orange Juice Beetology - Beet + Berry JuiceHealth-Ade Kombucha - Pink Lady AppleSodaStream Seltzer (a must have in my home ALWAYS)Goya - Mayonnaise*The rest are just veggies, mostly for the rice bowls I'll be creating this week for dinner.Comment below. Tell me what's in your refrigerator and if we have similar items in our fridges. 

Day 25 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Food Truck

Today's Challenge:Favorite Food TruckI mentioned before that I really do like food trucks. They remind me of summer time. And usually summer time here in New York City is pretty much lit!Food trucks allow you to eat on the go and are usually a specific type of food.I've gone to many food truck festivals and music festivals that have food trucks and I always find myself at the lobsters truck.I don't know what it is but I love a good lobster roll from a food truck.I hopet that doesn't gross too many people out but it's a pretty regular thing to see a food truck that sells lobster on it.Now, to answer the challenge question, my favorite food truck is the:Urban Lobster Shack They serve THE BEST lobster rolls in town (on a food truck) and the price is pretty reasonable. Whenever I order I go for the traditional (seen in the photo above).WHat's your favorite food truck? Or favorite food to eat from a food truck? Comment below. 

Day 24 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Regional Specialty

Today's Challenge:Favorite Regional Speciality This was an easy one.I have not been to Katz's Deli many times but the few times I've gone I've left pleasantly stuffed and surprised by how fresh the meats are and how low key the restaurant is.Being that the restaurant is famously known and opened in 1888, I expect this restaurant to be a bit high class because so many celebrities.But it's not. It's super chill. It's totally diner style but they offer some of the best meats I've had in this city.With diner style seating and tons of celeb photos plastered on the walls this place screams old school New York.If you eat meat and are in New York City, you have try the roast beef. Just look at that photo above.It's a dream to eat. 

Day 23 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Soup

Today's Challenge:Favorite SoupMy first reaction was to say Ramen but I'm sure people will be on my page trying to fight me if I gave that answer.Therefore, I'm going with my second-best answer: Chicken Noodle SoupIt's really simple to make, you can eat it any time of the year, it helps when you have a cold and it's super hearty.As soon as it gets a teeny tiny bit cold here in New York I love making soup from scratch.Chicken Noodle Soup is my go-to. And even when you are weak and sick it's easy enough to make.Here's a quick recipe if you want to make it. Get some fresh organic veggies, broth, and some hormone free chicken breasts and you are ready to go.The photo above is a soup I made while I was sick.What's your favorite soup? Comment below.

Day 22 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Super Bowl Snack

Today's Challenge:Favorite Super Bowl Snack This is an easy one.Hot wings.I know pizza is life but whenever I think of going to a Super Bowl Party I think of how many hot wings I'll be eating.Lot's of people I know are very picky when it comes to which part of the wing they eat, some only eat the "drumette" part while some only eat the "wingette / flat" part.I happily eat both parts, I do prefer the flat parts because they are just easier to eat in my opinion but if they are tasty I'll eat it all.The hot wings in the photo above are homemade, I'll dig up the recipe and post it on the site soon.What's your favorite Super Bowl Snack? Comment below.

Day 21 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Dish At Thanksgiving

Today's Challenge:Favorite Dish At Thanksgiving

Growing up Thanksgiving was one of my favorite holidays for (2) reasons:

1 - It’s a holiday that’s really close to my birthday, and as a child I would still get gifts in addition to cake and food from aunts and grandparents. Who wouldn’t love that!?

2 - It was a holiday where all you did was hang out with your family members and eat. That works for me!

Things are a bit different now that I’m older. I celebrate the days separately, and I no longer get gifts on both days but it’s okay. I’m still down for a feast. I will always enjoy that part.

One dish I love making and I always look forward to eating during this holiday is none other than Cranberry sauce.

I don’t know if this makes me weird but the only time I eat cranberry sauce is during the holidays.

I like it because it’s tangy, sweet, and throws the flavor of everything else on your plate a bit off. It makes everything a little sweet.

Lot’s of people have asked me if I like cranberry sauce from a can or if I prefer cranberry sauce made from scratch.

I’m honestly open to both.

I like the canned cranberry sauce, it’s something that reminds me of my childhood. It was treat as a kid to get this red sweet jelly thing and as an adult I started making my own cranberry sauce and I actually love it and think it’s so  delicious. So to wrap that up, if someone gave the option, I’d eat both at the same time.

Let me know what your favorite Thanksgiving dish is below. Leave a comment.

Day 19 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Lunch: Make It or Buy It

Today's Challenge:Lunch: Make It or Buy It This is a funny one because I would prefer to make my lunches daily but it doesn't always work out that way.It's so much healthier to make your own lunches but with my busy schedule food prepping takes a back burner to it all.The good thing about working in Chelsea (in Manhattan) is that I can make healthy lunch choices.The latest place I've been getting lunch is a take out place called Fields Good Chicken. And I usually get bowl from here, bowls that contain a protein and veggies. Which is basically what I would make at home for lunch so I feel it's a good balance.Which do you prefer? Comment below.

Day 18 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Best Recipe ...

Today's Challenge:Best Recipe You've Found On PinterestFor recipes I do not normally use Pinterest as a go-to. I go to fellow bloggers for recipes.I know... I know... I should because utilize this site as there are many creative cooks on Pinterest plus it's a good resource for any cook looking for new ideas or easy quick and simples meals.I did however browse a few different pins for recommendations on what toadd to my carnitas non crockpot recipe.Let's back track for a second, if you've never heard of the term "carnitas" let me break it down for you.Carnitas is a Mexican dish and the word itself means "little meats". To make carnitas you simmer pork (in my household its the pork butt) in oil until its extremely tender. Once the meat is tender it will fall apart into little bits of meat.I started making carnitas using my crockpot back in 2015. I started making it because of The Whole 30 Program (a paleo diet where you eat proteins without rice, grains, and anything else that bloats you up). I lost weight on the program but it was truly hard sticking to it after the 30 days. I did appreciate that dieters were encouraged to cook at home in order to control what you are putting in your body. So one of the easier recipes in the program cook book was slow cooking carnitas. It was super easy to make and lasted for a week. Ever since then I added carnitas to my every other month cooking routine.I am no longer on The Whole 30 Program so when I make carnitas I usually add some bbq sauce and yummy yum yum it's quite delicious.The last time I made carnitas I did not use my crockpot. This was a first for me and I was a wreck. I was going to use the oven so I was on edge. I didn't know what to do so I immediately went to Pinterest for a few tips (cooking temperature, seasoning, etc) and to my surprise the meat came out just as juicy as when I used my crockpot. I kind of liked this way better because the tips were burnt just like the way I like it.Here's the pin I was inspired by: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/73816881373691330/ Have any pins I should take a look at or follow? Comment below.

Day 17 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Best Hangover Food

Today's Challenge:Best Hangover Food Today's challenge made me giggle.I'm trying to remember the last time I was hungover and what I ate. I giggled to myself because my go-to food usually is bacon but as I've gotten older I've noticed that my now go-to hangover (cure) food is the one and only near and dear to my heart PIZZA.When I lived in Kew Gardens I was in walking distance from one of the best pizzeria's in Queens named Dani's House of Pizza.Dani's pizza is a Queens (NYC) staple. It's been open since 1959 and from what I hear the recipe has not changed. If you go to Dani's you have try the main slices:- Plain slice (it may sound wack but the sauce is phenomenal, it's sweet, tangy and pure perfection)- Pesto slice (It's a green pizza slice. And this may turn some people off. I honestly did not want to try it when I first saw it being prepared. Being born in New York (Brooklyn at that), you eat real pizza growing up so to see a green slice just seemed like a joke. But I got over it, talked to a few locals and holy moly I'm glad I tried it. It's a plus if you are a pesto fan because this slice is out of this world.So for me, my go to hangover food that cures it all is a slice of pizza and a few giant glasses of seltzer water.*Warning: 9 times out of 10 there will be a line to order pizza at Dani's. There is usually a line outside reaching the next store during the summer, these slice are in high demand so it may take some time to get a slice but the wait is usually worth it. Trust me.What's a hangover cure you reach for? Comment below.

Day 16 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Dine In or Take Way

Today's Challenge:Dine In or Take AwayThis is a bit of a tough question because it all depends on so many factors:1 - The time of day2 - The weather 3 - If you are sick or just feeling like bingwatching shows on Netflix 4 - The size of the restaurant 5 - The number of people with youHere in New York we have tons of food options but this does not always result in dining in at a location.Some of my favorite places to grab food from only have 2 or 3 chairs for people to sit.There are lots of Chinese restaurants in New York that have no seats for dining in.I do not often dine at large food chains (Applebee's, Red Lobster, etc) but when I do its always dine-in.But locally, I often take-away food. Sometimes it’s easier to grab food, head home and enjoy some yummy food in your warm apartment in front of your tv.As for lunch, I work in Manhattan so 9 times of out of 10, lunch is brought back to the office.There are exceptions for work lunch meetings, or lunch with my lady friends which we try to get out of the office for sit down lunches once a month.To answer the question, I prefer to dine in (if that option is available) during the summer, but if it’s really cold out and the weather is pretty bad here in NYC, I’d rather take out.Comment below. Which do you prefer?

Day 14 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Food Program

Today’s challenge is:Favorite Food Program I love food shows. I love reality food shows.I am a big fan of the program Chopped like the rest of the foodie world but my all time favorite food program is :

The Great Food Truck Race 

This reality program is on the Food Network station but I mostly watch episodes through HULU.I like this show so much because the contestants are small restaurant owners or even teams of people who are looking to start restaurants that do not have the money to either start a restaurant or buy a food truck. The contestants are given food trucks at the beginning of the competition with their logos and full stocked kitchens.On each episode they are given a food challenge which includes: getting specific ingredients based on the challenge, a certain amount of money to make said themed dish and they have to drive to specific locations and sell food to locals usually competing directly next to other food truck teams.It's a thrill to watch. I highly recommend watching it if you have the Food Network or HULU.This show gives the contestants great exposure and a online fan following.As we've seen from the success of the Big Gay IceCream Truck here in New York City, building an online following is huge and can make a restaurant flourish.Plus I really like food trucks, I've gone to a few different food truck events in the city and they are a blast. You get to try so many different types of "street food" on the go. I love it.The photo on the left is from an actual restaurant in Manhattan on 3rd Avenue called Korilla BBQ. I was meeting a friend for lunch after going to an art gallery and figured we should go there and try it out. I'd eaten at the truck the guys serviced around Manhattan but never went into the actual restaurant. I mostly wanted to see if the food was different after the Korilla BBQ guys were contestants on The Great Food Truck Race.The food was the same. The guys have a winning recipe of Korean bbq street food and it works. It was still exciting to see New Yorkers on the show representing for our great state!Here's a list of some of my other favorite food based shows:Man vs Food (Seasons 1 - 4)Cupcake Wars (The Halloween Wars are the best of this show)The Next Iron Chef Bizarre Foods   

Day 13 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Restaurant You’re Desperate...

Today’s challenge is:Restaurant You're Desperate To Try A few years ago my mentor introduced me to a restaurant at the top of a Las Vegas hotel called Katsuya.We met a client and dined on some of the most delicious sushi I've ever tasted.He insisted my co-worker and I try an appetizer called "crispy rice".*If you've been following this food blog challenge then you know my favorite type of food is "rice" (read about it here).I'm open to trying new things and I trust my mentor when it comes to great food and wine.I would be fooling you if I say I didn't think about this appetizer often and it's a shame because I live on the East Coast and my beloved crispy rice is on the West Coast.To satisfy my crispy rice craving I researched where I could find it here in NYC and based on reviews there's a restaurant near my work in Chelsea named Momoya that serves it but it's just not same.For those of you who do not know what crispy rice is, it's rice over cooked so that the texture is a bit burnt, shaped sort of in a rectangular way and topped with spicy tuna.The description does not sound appetizing but if you grew up in a household where rice was served often you know exactly what I mean when I say "it's like the bottom of the rice pot, the crispy part."See main photo for the crispy goodness.After eating almost all of the pieces on the table, I let my mentor know that I was in love with crispy rice and there is nothing anyone could do about it.He laughed because he knew I would love it. He began telling me about the first time he tried crispy rice at the original Katsuya in Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles California and how the original restaurant is in sort of a strip mall.I was shocked!Shocked because we were sitting in such a fancy place and just to think this menu originated in a small place blew my mind.So the restaurant I desperately want to go to is the Original Katsuya.I've already added it to my to-eat list for my next trip to LA.What restaurant do you desperately want to try? Comment below.

Day 12 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Desert

Today’s challenge is:Favorite Desert A few months ago, I created a post for National Desert Day where I revealed what my favorite desert of all time was. You can check it out here: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE DESSERT- #NATIONALDESSERTDAYSince I've already discussed what my favorite desert is, I thought I'd take a little time and discuss what dessert knocked my socks off.Back in June of 2016, I joined a group of close friends to celebrate a bachelorette party in New Orleans, Louisiana.I had a blast and I'm definitely returning because the food there, is one of a kind. Til this day, I still talk about what I ate while I was there and I'll probably still talk about it until I return.Before heading to New Orleans lots of friends recommended places to eat, I took note of all of the places but one place that stood out amongst all of the suggestions was Café Du Monde.Café Du Monde is well known (it seems everyone around the world knows about this place) for it's coffee with chicory and it's beignets.Beignets are little fluffy powdered sugar pieces of heaven.Actually, beignets are breakfast based deep-fried pastries covered with powdered sugar. It sounds so plain but I feel blessed to have tried this in New Orleans.It's really good. Especially warm freshly fried and washed down with an iced coffee.I've tried beignets here in New York City and they do not compare.So I will say, my second favorite dessert (even though people in New Orleans eat these for breakfast) are beignets.Dear Reader, what's your favorite desert of all time? Comment below.