Treats Truck: I'm Obsessed

Okay, so I know I posted Treats Truck a couple of weeks ago, but boy am I hooked! I can't wait for Tuesdays and Thursdays when they are parked on 38th and 5th as my greedy little butt hikes up there for a sugar rush. I had been getting the walnut chocolate chip cookies, but this time I decided to go for some new stuff.

Rice Crispie Treat

Check out my sweet iphone ( I shattered it because I suck at life and fell while running over the Williamsburg bridge. Serves me right to try and stay in shape. Oh, and sorry about my nasty ass nail polish job too... that is hard even for me to look at.) Anyway it is just a size reference at how HUGE the treat is! It was actually quite hard to take a bite into, and I ended up having to pull it apart with my fingers to eat it. Other then that, it was chewy, sweet and basically, the perfect treat.

Price: $3.00

Caramel Creme Sandwich

I LOVE sugar cookies.... but brown sugar cookies?? Ohh yes! Sandwiching vanilla creme, it was amazing. Nice snap with each bite, and not too sugary. You  know a sugar cookie is good when the butter stains the napkin, leaving evidence of the sweet affair

Price: $1.75

Verdict:  Sugar, sugar, sugar.... yum, yum, yum. You just can't go wrong with anything they have!

Treats Truck

http://www.treatstruck.com/

Faicco's Italian Meat Shoppe: A...Snack?

The other week I was in the West Village waiting for a friend to meet up for lunch. I was STARVING and had not eaten since 8 am. After waiting for her it turned out that her train was stuck. Well it was 2:30pm and I was ready to eat my own arm. Sooo....I decided to grab a snack.

 Proscuitto Stuffed Roll

I guess this is where the "your eyes are bigger than your stomach" comes into play. This roll was a little larger than the size of a giant New York bagel. The guy behind the counter warmed it up for me in the microwave, and boy am I ever glad he did. The roll was super airy, and chewy. It was a beautiful hybrid of chewy baguette and flaky pastry dough. Umm... and do you SEE the center?? Chopped proscuitto in every nook and cranny. Needless to say I finished the whole thing and ate lunch with my friend an hour later. I was going to have some really satisfying poops later that night.
Price: $3.00
Verdict: Skip Joe's Pizza and head over to Faicco's for a satisfying and savory snack. And don't forget to let them warm it up!

Faicco's Italian Meat Shoppe

260 Bleeker Street

New York, NY 10014

Dominos: Not as Gross as I Thought

Dominos. Sadly the only option around PA at times. Their pizza's are pretty  sad so I decided to try something new. Something carbo-licious. The Bread Pasta Bowl....

Custom Made Bread Pasta Bowl

I got this made with penne, marinara sauce, feta cheese, spinach, chicken, and mushrooms.The pasta was al dente, but as you can see, all of the veggies are under cooked. Like eating a salad with pasta thrown on top (or is it the other way around?) The chicken was very overcooked and rubbery and I almost choked on it because it was so freaking dry. The only good part? The bread! seasoned with spices, herbs and lots-o-garlic powder. Mmm-mmm.

Price: $8.00

Verdict: Don't try to make this healthy AND delicious like I attempted, just go for the fattest version ( the Alfredo one) and hope that all the cheese will drown out this soulless meal. Or, just get their wings, because I am always satisfied with those.

Dominos

Infesting you neighborhood and everywhere

Two Little Red Hens: Orgasm in a Cupcake

Two Little Red Hens. This place is bakery heaven on earth. Just walking in, the smells of butter, cream, and spice fill the air. Mmm....I was already drooling.

Inside this box.....is a baked orgasm heaven 

Red Velvet Cupcake

Huge, incredibly moist with a light cocoa finish. The cream cheese frosting was smooth, tart and utterly thick and velvety. I was floating a cupcake cloud...the best red velvet I have ever had.

Price: $3.75

Pumpkin Mini Cupcake

Intense aroma of pumpkin, spices and cinnamon. Pumpkin pie in cupcake form!

Price: $1.50

The Brooklyn Blackout

Dense, intense chocolate and in the center? More intense dark chocolate pudding. Topped with? Even more intense dark chocolate! Moist, delicious, and not overly sweet. For chocolate lovers. All you vanilla people can go to hell.

Price: $4.00

Ginger Spice Cookie

Wow, was this incredibly gingery. Fresh and almost pungent. Also a nice punch of nutmeg and cinnamon. It was slightly chewy and with a nice crunch on top. Not my favorite cookie, but I'm also not a ginger lover.

Price: $1.60

Snickerdoodle Cookie

Chewy, buttery, and only a slight punch of peanut butter. A solid snickerdoodle.

Price: $1.30

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Thick, dense, and after 4 bites, you probably gained 5 pounds. The ultimate break-up comfort treat.

Price: $4.50

Verdict: How do those two little red hens do it?? The best bakery I have come across yet in New York. Thank goodness I moved from the UES, or else I would stop by every single day and weight about 500 pounds.

Two Little Red Hens

1652 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10028-311

http://www.twolittleredhens.com

Peoples Pops: But Not My Kind of Pop

The other day I decided on a whim to head over to Chelsea Market and get a popsicle from People's Pops. Never trying one and  hearing such good reviews, I had to check it out.

Cute guy working the front? Check. 

 Weird rubberized popsicle mold displays? Check

Peach Tarragon Basil

I really, really, really wanted to like this. I really did. I just.... didn't.  I couldn't taste even the slightest hint of tarragon or basil and the peach was flavorless. You know when you think a peach is super ripe and bite into it and there is no juice or suppleness to it at all and it just seems like you are eating a scoop of mushy potato? Well, that it what it was like eating this. Except it was overly sweetened as well.  I actually threw it away. I never, ever throw away food. I am a human garbage disposal.  Sigh...

Price: $3.50

Verdict: I truly wanted to be a fan of their popsicles, perhaps I had tried the wrong flavor? I mean, I love there whole marketing package. Either way I left disappointed. Especially since I could have gotten a giant Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie a couple of feet away  for a dollar less.

Product Review: Bissli Falafel Wheat Snacks

It is not that often that I venture into a Jack 99 Cent Store. If I do happen to find myself in one of the stores, I usually go for the gum, cold drinks, or nature valley bars. Hell will freeze over before I buy eggs or packaged meat from that place! Anyway I was breezing past the snacks isle when this caught my eye.... falafel flavored party snacks?!? What were they thinking?? Naturally I had to buy them

Bissli Falafel Flavored Wheat Snack

Apparently they are for people who looked like George Costanza in Junior High, and skinny hipster red heads. How could I not give these snacks a try??

Fiber Twigs...?

At first glance, these looked like a bunch of awful fiber one twigs....I hesitantly popped one a few in my mouth.... yep, they had the same exact consistency as well. Hard brittle, and texturally revoting. The taste however.... was amazingly like a falafel! It was bursting with chickpea, garlic and herby flavor. Needless to say I didn't finish the bag.

Price: $0.50

Verdict: They also had taco, honey and bbq flavors in more (kind of) appetizing cylinder shapes. It was only 50 cents to why the hell not try a bag? I would have been a huge fan of these falafel ones is only they were in a more appetizing shape and texture. Say like a dorito chip texture?

Jacks 99 Cent Store

Multiple Locations

Hon Cafe: Always Here When You Need a Late Night Pastry

I love Chinese pastries (and it's not JUST because I'm Chinese). They are fun, silly and delicious. However, I hate the times pastry stores close. Most are closed before dinner, which is very inconvenient since I love a good pastry after a greasy Chinatown meal. Well lucky Hon Cafe is there to save the day! My friends and I stumbled upon this half pastry, half restaurant one night looking for dessert.

Yellow Bean Steam Bun

Hot and fresh straight from the steam oven. I love steam buns for their super soft and fluffy texture. The yellow bean is a bit more mild and less sweet than the red bean. Creamy thick texture,mmm..mmm, it hits the spot, and comes piping hot too. However, the ratio of bun to bean is horrible, so you will have a lot of left over naked bun after you have gobbled up the center. Unless, of course.. you LIKE naked buns!? (wink wink)

Price: $.95

Mexican Bun

Ohhh man, how come I have never been introduced to this before?? Seriously, where has this treat been all my life? Chewy, dense and utterly irresistible with its thick custard center. This is the perfect Chinese pastry. If nothing else, get this.

Price: $.95

Verdict: Skip all those cute looking pastries, for they trick you into buying them. They almost always end up being tasteless and bland. Go for the dense looking cream filled ones. Winner every single time!

Hon Cafe

70 Mott Street

 New York NY 10013

Mays Place: Yeah, I Eat Here and I'm Proud of It!

Half price sushi. Some people think its bad. Half price sushi sounds almost as horrid as getting sushi from Duane Reade. Some people think less of me for eating it. Well guess what? I dont poop out dollar bills so to me it's fucking half price sushi, fuck yeah! Taking a seat at the sushi bar area, I decided to watch them as they made the sushi to order...

I Love N.Y Sushi and Spicy Salmon

Well, I never said half price sushi was the prettiest sushi ever. The I Love N.Y sushi is supposed to look like hearts...oh well... they tried? Anyway, it was made with tuna, avocado, and topped with tobiko and mango sauce. Messy looking, but fresh and tasty! Same with the spicy salmon. I mean, it is half price sushi, so don't get me wrong... it's not a beautiful culinary explosion of flavor in my mouth, but for what it is its very satisfying. 

Price: I Love N.Y: $11.95

         Spicy Salmon: $5.00

Half off Discount: $ 8.50

Verdict: In order to get the discount you need to "spend" $15.00 or more, but thats not hard at all. If you have a hankering for some sushi, but don't want to spend a million dollars, or leave hungry, I would suggest coming here, well until I win the lottery of course...

May's Place

121 2nd Avenue

New York, NY 10003

Treats Truck: More Cookies!!

I guess I am on a cookie kick! Walking around the city last week a sweet aroma filled my nostrils...what else other then the Treats Truck? How could I say no to a cookie? It's just physically impossible!

Oatmeal with Raspberry Jammy

These are a pretty decent size, a bit smaller than a CD. The oatmeal was  chewy, soft and dense. Although I wished for a little crunch on the edges, it was still satisfying. The jam came with either apricot or raspberry, being a fan of both, I decided to go for the raspberry. It was rather gelatinous and pretty tart which overwhelmed the poor oatmeal cookie. I ended up scraping the rest off. Next time, I will just get the regular oatmeal

Price: $1.25

Chocolate Chip with Walnuts

This may be my favorite "after lunch stuck at work" chocolate chip cookie yet! Chewy, dense and  just absolutely perfect as a late afternoon snack. Generous amounts of chocolate and walnuts drizzled throughout each bite. The winner of the two treats I got.

Price: $1.00

Verdict:  A cheap, tasty sweet treat that really hits the spot! I can't wait until they are in around my office area again so  can try more of what they have to offer! Next time their brownies are calling my name. Mmm..mmm!

Treats Truck

Multiple Locations

http://www.treatstruck.com/

Radegast Biergarten: I'm the Loser That Goes for The Food

It was about 2 am in the morning when my friends and I decided to go to the beer hall. More hungry and drunk then desiring a beer, I immediately  headed to the grill section to get a delicious bratwurst.

Bratwurst

Mmmmm.... hot an fresh from the grill, the casing had a nice snap with every bite. Juicy, fatty and the perfect drunk food. The french fries however, took the horrid fate of being fried in very very old oil. They were like trying to eat a brittle finger nail. I longed for the moister of the sauerkraut to soften the fries a bit, but it didn't happen. Now granted, this was very late at night, right before the grill closed, but I should have opted for the bread option instead of the fries.

Price: $7.00

Verdict: It would have been a 5 yummy, but the nasty fries knocked it down 2 yummies. Sigh... next time I will go earlier I suppose. When everyone else is drinking, I will be that loser in the corner shoving a sausage down my throat (that's what she said). Anyway, then you aren't stuffing your face, the beers are great and you can even get a nice giant stein. Last time however, the stein shattered as we were toasting, but thats another story...

 Radegast Biergarten

113 N 3rd Street

Brooklyn, NY 11211

http://www.radegasthall.com

Joe's Shanghai: "Ir'll Be Aout 5-10 Minrutes"

Oh Joes Shanghai...I have eaten here many times, so much so that I almost got sick of soup dumplings (gasp!) But it had been about 5 months since I last came here and I was ready! I went with Buddy's sister Dana, her fiance Nick, Emily, and Meg to feast on some super cheap delicious Chinese foooooooood.

By the time all of got there, it was about 8:30-9:00pm. The wait? A hour. I don't know about everyone else out there, but I have never waited that long to eat here, ever. We took our number (39) and stood outside in the putrid summer street smell of chinatown. 20 minutes later, the girls comes around yelling numbers,

" 30?! 31?! 32?!" No one answers. "33?!....34?!....35?!?!" Still, no one speaks up.  

" 36?!...37?!...38?!?" I am literally about to pee my pants...."39!?" 

"US!!!" We all scream. We follow her to the entrance. She tells us to wait there. She then lets 3 other groups in front of us!!?? But we were there first! I felt like I was on an episode of Seinfeld when they all went to the Chinese restaurant. Finally, another 25 minutes later, we were seated....

Xiao Long bao (soup dumplings) 

We got 2 orders of the pork and 2 orders of the pork and crab.. The key to eating these (and not burning the shit out of you mouth) is to bit a tiny bity part of the top to let the steam out. Don't bite too much or the juice will go everywhere!

The pork dumpling (insert Homer Simpson drool here)

Fatty, succulent broth with mixed pork and ultra thin dumpling skin.... sigh, it's the ultimate comfort food.

The Crab and Pork Dumpling

Nice chunks of crab in this one, and a little more spice. Call me old fashioned, but the pork was the winner out of the two kinds.

Price: $6.65

Bok Choy

We also decided to get something somewhat healthy to make ourselves feel less guilty about being huge pigs to add a different textural crunch. The bok choy was fresh and after a nice dollop of hot oil, it was perfection. 

Price: $6.00

Scallion Pancakes

And of course, how can you leave a Chinese restaurant without an order of scallion pancakes? These were sinfully greasy, with a crunchy shell and a fluffy, chewy interior. The french fries of Chinese food (but way way better than french fries).

Price: $ 2.35

Me, Meg, Emily, Dana, and Nick

Full, and satisfied....

Verdict: If you don''t want to wait for food, come here early or during the weekday lunch. Also I noticed that all of the soup leaked out on the second set of crab dumplings... fluke or is this happening a lot more to other people now? hmm....

Joe's Shanghai

9 Pell Street

New York, NY 10013

joeshanghairestaurants.com‎