Every Thing On It

Thank you Shel Silverstein for two of my favorite childhood books. Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic were genius. Now you return to my life with your new book Every Thing On It and I believe you have written one of the most beautiful poems I've ever read. Keep up the good work Shel!

Italian Food

 
Oh, how I love Italian food. 
I eat it all the time,
Not just 'cause how good it tastes

But 'cause how good it rhymes.
Minestrone, cannelloni,
Macaroni, rigatoni,
Spaghettini, scallopini,
Escarole, braciole,
Insalata, cremolata, manicotti,
Marinara, carbonara,
Shrimp francese, Bolognese,
Ravioli, mostaccioli,
Mozzarella, tagliatelle,
Fried zucchini, rollatini,
Fettuccine, green linguine,
Tortellini, Tetrazzini,
Oops—I think I split my jeani.

-Shel Silverstein 

Dumplin' Lovin'

Yes, it is true... the Jews love Chinese food. What's the reasoning behind it? I cannot tell you, but what I can tell you is that I don't just love Chinese food, I love love LOVE Chinese food! I could probably live off of Dim Sum for the rest of my life and be content. Read this article  by the Time if you have any doubt with what I've written above. 

Let's start off with the announcement of Vanessa's Dumpling House opening up in Williamsburg. Lucky mother fuckers. I hope they know what is coming their way. Vanessa's isn't only the cheapest meal I have had in my life, but Vanessa's food is out of this world. It truly amazes me that dumplings fascinate me so much, but they're just so damn good. I'll stick to the original location on Eldridge rather then schlepp over to Brooklyn, but I'm happy Vanessa will be sharing her dumpling love across New York.

Moving on... the NYC Dumpling Festival was yesterday at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Dumplings from all around the world were served and there was a dumpling eating contest that had my name written all over it. Unfortunately for me, I'm out here in Boulder, CO where good Chinese food doesn't exist. Here are some dumplings showcased at the festival.

Frankies NEVER fails...

Squid with Two Sauces 

Frankies 17

17 Clinton St
(between Avenue B & Houston St) New York, NY 10002

Daddy Dufresne

If you don't know who Wylie Dufresne is then get out of the fucking bubble you're apparently living in. Wylie is the chef and owner of the infamous restaurant wd-50 in New York City. He is known for his mind blowing use of molecular gastronomy in his food. The man is a genius and it clearly must run in his jeans. His father Dewey Dufresne has now presented not only his BYGGYZ sandwich but also his plans to open a sandwich shop, which he is also going to called BYGGYZ (pronounced Biggie's). He wants to please the appetite of the everyday customer, but with his son's creative techniques and I'm sure he'll do just that.

Trattoria Sostanza

I know this is way late on my part, but that seems to be my style recently, and expect more of these type of over due posts because I have many more coming...
Trattoria Sostanza was a restaurant I was dying to go to all semester, but didn't make it there until my last week in Florence and may I say, I'm pretty fucking happy I got at least one meal in there! The food is different then most of the food I experienced in Florence. They weren't known for their pasta, but more importantly they were known for their Butter Chicken and Meringue Cake. 

Cooked in a pot of sizzling butter, the chicken comes out jam-packed with the most delicious buttery flavor. They bring the chicken out to you in the pot it is cooked in, so you get that smell of fat and butter that every single person in the entire world loves. It fills your nose up and there is nothing you can do but smile. It hits you that you are about to eat the most fattening and delicious thing made in Florence and you're going to love it!

The other part of the meal that was pretty unforgettable was the meringue cake. Light, airy, and painfully good, this cake was unlike anything I have ever had in my life. Still to this day I am not entirely sure what was in between the layers of meringue. I want to say vanilla ice cream with chocolate chunks, but while I was eating it, it didn't seem cold enough to be ice cream. Honestly, who the hell knows what it was. It was fucking tasty and that is all that matters to me. 

Eating a meal at Trattoria Sostanza is unique and overly filling, but so worth it. 

Via della Porcellana, 25 r
50123 Firenze, Italy

The Kitchen [Next Door]

Everybody living in Boulder, Colorado has either heard of or dined at The Kitchen. Known for their farm-to-table menu with seasonal ingredients, The Kitchen, serves simple and flavorful food. I usually go to The Kitchen if a parent is in town, a friend is visiting or if there is a birthday celebration. Their prices are a little high for a casual night out with your girlfriends, but the issue has now been resolved. The Kitchen recently opened their new restaurant The Kitchen Next Door. It has the same delicious flavors that The Kitchen has, but everything on the menu is under $9.00. That's sickeningly cheap! The Kitchen Next Door also went above and beyond hiring only the hottest male waiters in Boulder county. Sexy servers, cheap prices, and amazing food. The Kitchen Next Door is a triple threat and I plan on eating there on a weekly basis. I know you're not supposed to shit where you eat, as Larry David says, but I think this might be an exception.

Front

Inside

Beet Burger w/ Feta, Balsamic Onions & Arugula

"It's inappropriately amazing." - Samantha Mann