Telegraphe Cafe

On our way to the annual NYC Chocolate Show (or "Halloween for Grownups," as we like to call it), Jen A & I decided to get some real food in us before hitting the sweets. Telegraphe is just a few doors down from the exhibit hall, so we followed the delicious aromas on 18th street and went inside.

We each ordered the same sandwich: avocado, goat cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and balsamic vinaigrette on a fresh baguette. Jen opted for the pretzel baguette (first photo in this blog) while I got the sourdough. Fresh, soft, with just a perfect bit of crunch on the outside.

We each ordered the same thing, but for some reason the young woman ringing me up assumed I was to go, so my cafe au lait was in a paper cup, and my sandwich was wrapped to go. Jen's food was plated AND her tea was in a big oversized mug, perfect for warming one's hands on a chilly day.. Um.....odd!

Our sandwiches also looked completely different--clearly made by 2 different people with very different ideas of how this sandwich should look & taste--no roasted red peppers on mine (sad face) and very little avocado. Weird, but not worth waiting to get it fixed this time.

Despite the inconsistencies, this was a delicious, refreshing sandwich, nice and light and layered with flavors. The coffee was good, too.

There were plenty of pretty, tempting (pretty tempting!) treats on the counter, but we'll have to go back for those--with a MUG of cafe au lait on the side!

Telegraphe Cafe
107 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 488-5810

Follow @Lkpnyc

CT: Cocoa Michelle

Jen A & I took a quick trip out of NY to Westport, Connecticut. While the hotel's location and offerings were not quite what we expected, we made the best of it. One of the bright spots on our trip was in the final moments in that town, as we stopped into Cocoa Michelle for a drink and bite to take on the train ride home.

It's a very commuter-friendly spot--it even features a timetable of the weekday train schedule so you know how much time you have to get that coffee/chocolate fix!

The main room has the espresso machines and some take-away treats (sandwiches, yogurt, chocolates), but walk through the middle seating area and there is a whole room dedicated to chocolates that are (almost) too pretty to eat!

It was still pretty early, so we opted for a caffeine fix first--I ordered a sugar-free peppermint latte to go! Jen got sugar-free vanilla. She didn't care for the vanilla flavor, but I was quite happy with my mint!

The woman behind the counter was very friendly and helpful--service was as warm as the coffee!

We also got some chocolates: chocolate ganache for me, and apple pie for Jen (mine's the blue one in the first photo in this post). The ganache was good--rich, warm, satisfying, but OMIGOSH that apple pie chocolate!

If you're looking for a warm drink and tasty bite to take with you on the go (by train or car), Cocoa Michelle is a fabulous place to start!

Cocoa Michelle
54 Railroad Place
Westport, CT 06880-5912
(203) 221-0020

Follow @Lkpnyc

CT: Eramosa-- Breakfast

We still had a credit leftover from dinner the night before at Eramosa, so Jen A & I decided to start the day with a healthy breakfast.

We shared the homemade cinnamon scone--it was a good size and tasty, but not out of this world. I could have skipped this part, but it was fine.

The granola jumped out at both of us--plain yogurt, homemade granola, dried golden raisins and cranberries. It looked gorgeous, and I ignored my normal temptation to separate all of my food items from each other and just mashed it all together. Good move. It was tangy, crunchy, chewy, sweet but not too sweet, and all-around scrumptious.

They also offered milk to go with our granola--the milk AND yogurt combo struck me as a bit odd, but I figured it was a great chance to bone up on some extra calcium.

We used up the rest of our dining credit and paid another $14 (including a good tip)--we definitely got our money's worth on this deal.

On a completely non-food-related note, how much do you love this table? It's a re-purposed door and I LOVE IT.

Now overall, our trip to Westport was not quite the waterside getaway I felt they advertised it to be, but the food at Eramosa was pretty darn good, so if you already happen to be in Westport, drop by and have a bite.

Eramosa at the Westport Inn
1595 Post Rd E Westport, CT 06880
(203) 259-5236

Follow @Lkpnyc

CT: Eramosa

My friend Jen A & I took an overnight trip out to Westport, CT for some get-out-of NYC time. We bought a Travelzoo deal at the Westport Inn, and a main draw to this deal was the $100 dollar credit to their on-site restaurant, Eramosa.

The restaurant is literally right inside the wide hotel lobby, to the right of the spacious, fireside seating area. It's almost more of a bar area with some tables, with the open layout making it feel less 'restaurant-y.'

We each ordered a glass of white wine, reasonably priced at $9 a glass. It was a Ribbonwood Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It was delicious and light.

We shared an app of spicy maple-roasted shrimp with bacon and jalapenos--very good! The smell of maple syrup is not my favorite, though, so as soon as I'd had a few bites of this dish, I wanted it to go away. I just cannot handle that smell for more than 5 minutes or so (walking into an IHOP is a version of olfactory torture for me).

We also shared a app of spicy macaroni and cheese, and what we received was an entrée-sized crock of cheesy, melty, comfort-y deliciousness. This was honestly enough for 3, but we managed to take care of it on our own.

We shared the main dish, as we certainly weren't starving at this point. We split the baked salmon with tomatoes and arugula. I don't know what it is, but salmon + tomatoes just does not work for me. Somehow it always ends up tasting metallic to me. I love salmon (LOVE) and I love tomatoes, but please do not put them together. The salmon was delicious and soft and not dried out, but I just wasn't wowed by this part of the meal.

Did you think we were done yet?? Silly you. We shared a slice of chocolate cake, and it had more layers than I've ever seen on a cake! It was dark, rich, and that icing was intense, but it was so good. I also had some peppermint tea (they had a great tea selection), hoping that would help speed up the digestive process.

Despite what felt like a voluminous buffet of food, we still had money left over on our $100 credit! Stay tuned for breakfast!

Eramosa at the Westport Inn
1595 Post Rd E Westport, CT 06880
(203) 259-5236

Follow @Lkpnyc

Cafe Cluny

I hear all the time about how chefs hate brunch and it's overblown and blah blah blah--- well, then this is not the blog for you! I love brunch, and my friend Laura & I just tried out a lovely spot in the West Village for an easy breezy late-morning meal.

We actually met a little early for 'brunch,' 10:30, breaking my own rule of 'Before 11am, you might as well just call it BREAKFAST.' But the circumstances warranted an earlier meeting, so there you have it. Bring on the coffee--and they did---refill after (free) refill of rich, hearty coffee. So far, so AWESOME!

I don't have the story on the bird display on the wall, but I sure do love it. I'm a sucker for birds. Birds & brunch--2 of my favorite things!

The menu has sweet, savory, and everything in between. I settled on the short rib hash. At $17, it is a bit pricier than I'd normally splurge for lunch, but it sounded amazing--poached eggs with a Bearnaise sauce over short rib hash--yes please! It was soooo good--the eggs still had runny yolks, were beautifully presented, and I ate every single bite of that dish. Gorgeously tender forkfuls of savory short ribs were tossed in with crispy, crunchy, salty bits of potatoes and scallions.

Laura got the omelet as a scramble, as she likes her eggs scrambled very dry. The potato galette on the side looked equally yummy.

Despite the packed room, bustling conversations, and growing line of waiting would-be brunchers, Laura & I had a lovely, self-contained, private-feeling start to our morning. It was a lovely, savory, expertly-executed brunch, with excellent service and great people-watching, and just a short walk from 14th street and 8th avenue. Anyone who poaches eggs that well gets a return visit from me!

Cafe Cluny
284 W 12th St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-6900

Follow @Lkpnyc

Skillet Apple Pie (aka my newest obsession)

You know me as a friendly foodie, an easygoing gal, someone who likes to live and let live, agrees we can't all like the same foods or that would be boring right? Well that ends RIGHT DAMN NOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS PIE.

I found the recipe via Flicks And Food, a San-Antonio based website that reviews food, restaurants, movies, and shares some delicious recipes, too. I follow them on Facebook & Twitter and stopped in my tracks when I recently saw a recipe for Skillet Apple Pie. Then and there I declared "it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine!"

And it was AWESOME.

This couldn't be easier--melt a stick of butter and a cup of brown sugar in the skillet BEFORE placing the first crust in the cast-iron. Add your filling, top with the second crust, brush the crust with egg & sugar, and let the oven and the cast iron get to bubbling.

Sweet googaly-MOOGALY was THIS outstanding. The butter and sugar caramelize in the most delicious way, making the crust chewy and almost like a crackly brulée. YUM. You know how sometimes you take a bite of something and think "Hmm, it's missing something?" Not here. This is crack pie, I'm telilng you. It will be on my Thanksgiving menu this year, and I have a feeling I'll be trying all kinds of fillings. Up next, Skillet PEACH pie!

The recipe is below (note: I only used 2 lbs of Granny Smith total, and vanilla ice cream instead of butter pecan. There really is no wrong way to do this!)
See the original post here on Flicks & Food and tell them I said Howdy!

Now get back in that kitchen and finish making that pie! You can thank me later...by saving me a piece. Seriously...GO!

Skillet Apple Pie

Ingredients
• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 2 pounds Braeburn apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Butter-pecan ice cream

Preparation
• 1. Preheat oven to 350º. Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
• 2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.
• 3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream.


Follow @Lkpnyc

London: Lotus

I had an amazing visit in London--best one yet! Before I knew it, my last night in London had arrived. ABF was saving the best for last--we took the DLR (above-ground train) a quick stop or two to Lotus, a Chinese restaurant on a floating barge.

The layout was lovely, bright, and the rooms were buzzing pleasantly with conversation. It was a veritable United Nations of a dining room--people of all ages, races, and walks of life happily laughing, dining, and smiling. I'm in!

We started with something cool to drink-- a Tsingtao beer for ABF and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc for me.

As we sipped our drinks, we saw them bring a warming plate to our table. This was getting interesting!

Spring rolls came quickly, and there are 3 to an order, but they were already cut neatly in 2 for perfect, easy sharing. These were delicious, not greasy at all, and scrumptiousscrumptiousscrumptious!

We also ordered delicious shrimp fritters, again perfectly sliced in 2 for perfect sharing. These were fantastic, too.

And because this is London and they keep it classy, we had bowls with warm water and lemon slices to dip our hands in after all that fabulous finger food.

Up next, my main dish of chicken and sautéed veggies. This was light, fresh, a bit of heat to it. ABF's mixed veggies and chicken dish with cashews is warming in the background on the hot plate, along with the spring rolls and rice!

Everything was so good!

ABF's dish had a lot more mushrooms, but it was equally tasty. The food here was stellar from start to finish.

Continuing on the classy front, we got more "freshening" towels for final cleanup after all the nomming! Overall, I was so delighted with this outing. It was excellent, swift, and friendly (! in London!) service, top-notch food, and the location couldn't be more fun. If you're in London and you have time to take the DLR out east, stop by Lotus and have a fabulous floating meal. :)

The Lotus Chinese Floating Restaurant

9 Oakland Quay

Inner Millwall Dock

London, E14 9EA

Tel: 020 7515 6445

Follow @Lkpnyc