Brunch in New York City

It has been quite some time since I have posted and I apologize. Life has gotten in the way. Since my last day off I hadn't had a day off between work and rehearsals until last Sunday. I did, however, get an opportunity to take a long weekend trip to New York City. While in the big city, I had two great brunches I thought I would share.

NOLITA HOUSE

 I met an old friend from high school for eat just north of Little Italy at Nolita House for their Bluegrass Brunch. Due to change of train schedules for the weekend, he was running a tad late so we arrived at the tail end of the brunch service. I knew exactly what I wanted for my entree but the waitress convinced us to try an order of sticky buns. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of this sweet treat but it was due to it being devoured so quickly. I am not big on sweets for breakfast or brunch but the sticky buns were a good call.

For my entree, I went for my go-to... the classic benedict. It was the usual two poached eggs, canadian bacon and hollandaise on toasted english muffin. All served with a side of house fries and fresh fruit. Nothing particularly stood out about this benedict but it was just what I wanted. My friend had the breakfast burrito which looked very filling and had a nice spicy kick to it.

If you check out Nolita House, you are in for a good time and good food. Oh and if you order a brunch, you get a complimentary brunch cocktail (score!).

The Sunburnt Calf

The next day I met up with an old theatre buddy from college. He highly recommended The Sunburnt Calf on the Upper West Side. Boy am I glad he did. This Aussie establishment offers bottomless mimosas or bloody marys with lunch. I was sold at that fact alone but when I heard the waitress describe the Heart Attack special it got even better. The Heart Attack was a steak topped with bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise and crispy onions with a side salad. There was a bit of a wait for the food but we didn't mind because they kept the drinks flowing. I was feeling a bit toasty when the food arrived and was ready to indulge myself. It was delicious- a nice twist on your regular benedict. I did not leave one scrap on my plate.

I would definitely head back to The Sunburnt Calf for the staff, the food, the drinks and the complimentary shot when your check is brought to you.

Inman Park Restaurant Week- Parish Foods & Goods

 A couple of weeks ago some friends and I took part in Inman Park's Restaurant Week (annual event where select restaurants have a 3 course prix fixe menu at a very reasonable price). We ventured out to Parish Foods & Goods for a night of we hoped to be good eats. It has been years since my last (and first) visit to Parish. I dined there shortly after they opened and was not impressed by the food or cocktails. I heard things have improved since then so Inman Park Restaurant Week was a perfect time to give them another try.


We of course started with a bottle of wine and decided to also try a couple of starters. Being a fan of many things pork I went with the spicy pork rinds. These were sadly disappointing. They were very hard and it hurt to chew them. I also didn't pick up any bit of heat or spice. (Sidenote: one of my friends had their smoked pork riblets which were very tasty).

For my first course, I had their fried green tomatoes. I first tried fried green tomatoes just a few months ago and absolutely love them. I don't know why I waited so long! Theirs was pleasing- served with goat cheese and a side of fresh arugula. The peppery arugula is always a good compliment to the green tomatoes. I only wish the tomato slices were a little thicker.

My second course was seared trout with brown butter potatoes, green beans and a coffee-balsamic reduction. Although the trout was a tad bit overcooked for my taste, I enjoyed this dish. It was seasoned well and had great flavor. I ate every bit of it despite the fact that I was getting full and had to save room for the 3rd course.

I don't tend to order desserts but since it was part of the prix fixe menu I didn't pass it up. I had the chocolate tart hoping it wouldn't be ubersweet. I was pleasantly surprised. It was moist, rich and had just the right amount of sweetness for me. The sprinkle of sea salt on top made it even better. It was paired with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream. The fresh mint was so refreshing and delightful. We loved the ice cream so much that we asked if the sold it in their downstairs market. Sadly, because it was being used in the week's prix fixe menu it was not available to be bought in the market.

All in all, my 2nd experience at Parish was a good one. They redeemed themselves in my eyes. I'm glad I didn't completely write them off.

Fil-Am Star Cafe & Bakery (Atlanta, GA)

Stopped by a local Filipino restaurant yesterday. This was my 3rd time going and I was just as satisfied as the other times. I wouldn't say the food is exceptionally great but definitely hits the spot when you have a Filipino food craving.

Kare Kare
Braised tale and tariffe with eggplant, bok choy in a peanut sauce.
Served with bagoong (a salty shrimp paste)

Lechon
Roasted whole pig (love the crispy skin)
Served with a liver based sauce

Halo Halo
Assorted tropical fruits in syrup, top with shaved ice, cream and ice cream.
Ours even had a small piece of leche flan on top.
















Served family style, there was plenty to share and I even had some leftover kare kare to take home. I'm sure I will be back again (even though I do make my own Filipino food lol).