I got "Cheesed Out" at the Big Cheesy Event!!

So where, to start? There is so much to say about this event!!! I was skeptical coming into it, spending $25 for only an hour of my time. Meanwhile, after a half hour of the event, I was so stuffed full that I couldn't imagine eating for the remaining second half of the hour. This hourly schedule they had was a great idea, because unlike most other food events, it wasn't jam packed full of people and lines. This kept the crowds down, and made each guest able to jump right up to the table for their tasting, and perhaps even their second tasting! :) All in all, it was a great value.

First, when we arrived at the OpenHouse Gallery, we were each given a ping pong ball for voting that we would put in a clear vase on the table of the vendor we liked the most! I thought this was a cute idea, because the higher the balls piled up on each table, the more apparent it became that the vendor would win. The winners of the whole event I have posted at the bottom of this blog :) 

Then after checking in, we were given our choice of various kinds of Six Point Craft Beer that is brewed in Brooklyn. I went with the one that was suggested by the guy giving them out, but to be honest, I thought the beer was a little heavy to ingest while eating grilled cheese, so I only finished half of my beer. Once in the event, I later had wine :) 

All ready to go enjoy some grilled cheese! 

The set up of the event...and yes, not too crowded! 

Murray's Cheese

The first table we went to was Murray's. Their sandwich contained braised short ribs, taleggio, caramelized onions, piri piri, fire roasted jalapeño peppers, McClure's Spicy Pickle Relish, and Arugula on Pullman Bread. Originally, at first bite, this grilled cheese seemed amazing, but I had no idea what I was going to ingest the rest of the day from the other vendors. Yes, this was a perfectly delicious sandwich, and if I was not going to consume sandwiches from 6 other restaurants, I would be perfectly happy with this one, but I must say, it did not win my final vote! I did like the hot sauce that they included with it. It added some kick to the sandwich. Without the hot sauce, it wasn't overly flavorful and tasted more like a standard grilled cheese with some meat added to it. 

Murray's Grilled Cheese Sandwich -Taleggio with braised short ribs, caramelized onions, spicy relish, jalapeno peppers, arugula and mazi piri piri hot sauce

Casellula Grilled Cheese Recipe, loved the Pickled Pepper Relish! 

Preparation of the Sandwiches

Spreading the amazing relish on the sandwiches

Casellula’s elegance: Scharfer Max, gruyer and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses with pickled pepper relish

Casullula's Pickled Pepper Relish definitely made their sandwich. I don't even like relish usually, and this relish was awesome! I am a fan of spicy :) If it wasn't for the relish, I don't think this sandwich would have been anything special. I am always a fan of toppings, but sometimes if the toppings are what make the meal, then you have to wonder....Although, the sandwich had a great level of crispiness and texture, while the blend of the cheeses used was definitely savory! So good job guys! 

Big Daddy's - If I keep eating their sandwiches, I will be BIG!

Pouring the Truffle Oil on the Sandwich

Delicious Heart Attack Special - Macaroni with a parmesan crust and six different types of cheese, bacon, tomato, truffle oil on Orwasher’s Bread.

Now, one of my favorite things I like in food and cooking are when someone creates something ingenious and creative. Like when McDonald's came out with the McGriddle, I thought that was ingenious! A Pancake bun around an Egg McMuffin inside...mmm. Well anyway, I thought that macaroni and cheese inside of a sandwich was the most clever update to the standard grilled cheese sandwich I am used to. To make matters even more amazing, adding bacon, tomato, and truffle oil on top (my favorite food accessory!) made for an awesome food orgasm. I definitely had seconds of this one :)

Melt Shop!

Melt Shop Menu - Trio of Sandwiches 

Blue and cheddar cheese with bacon and cranberry pepper jam on sourdough (My Favorite)

3 is Better than 1! - Trio 

The Melt Shop catered to every taste. They had a sweeter sandwich, more savory sandwich, and a more rich sandwich. This made for a very interesting and amazing tasting experience. For the savory taste, they had sharp cheddar and pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce on sourdough bread. This one wasn't my favorite of their three sandwiches, but it was still very delectable. For the sweet flavor, which was my favorite, they served blue and cheddar cheese with bacon and cranberry pepper jam on sourdough bread. The cranberry jam flavor mixed with the cheese and bacon really made for an overall heavenly mouth sensation. It is always the unlikely flavors mixed together that make for the best final product. I may be hitting up the shop soon for another one of these! Lastly, for the more rich flavor, they combined goat cheese and fontina with roasted wild mushrooms and parsley pesto. I definitely really liked this one because I love Pesto. It was a little on the heavier side because of the pesto, but I loved the crunchiness of the mushrooms and the flavor of the fontina! This sandwich definitely felt fancy :)

Tartinery - Croque Monsieur

Open Face Grilled Cheese - Gruyere and ham with a fried egg on poliane bread

I will be honest, this next one I did not really like. The presentation was very nice, but it was extremely heavy to eat and a total mess. It was served open faced, and was very heavy on the egg flavor. I personally am not the biggest fan of scrambled eggs or omelets out at restaurants because I feel that they are so dense and filling and not as tasty as I can make at home. It was definitely an interesting idea and approach to the grilled cheese idea, but not something I would want to have for lunch. 

Tartinery - Croque Monsieur Tasting

Lucy's Whey

Lucy's Whey - Prairie Breeze Cheddar with Fig Jam and Olive Oil on Amy's Bread 

Lucy's Whey - Praire Breeze Cheddar with Fig Jam and Olive Oil on Amy's Bread

Lucy's Whey served the most standard grilled cheese at the whole event. It was tasty, but not totally thrilling and creative like the other ones. The bread it was served on was very soft and flavorful. My hatred for figs really rang true in this tasting because of the fig jam that was in it... So I have to say, it wasn't my favorite.

Little Muenster (My Second Favorite) 

They paired theirs with Homemade Tomato Soup and Wine

Little Muenster- Gruyere, tallegio and fontina cheeses with membrillo, a pear and apple paste, and prosciutto on organic peasant bread. Served with HomeMade Tomato Soup

Little Muenster was my other favorite. I had trouble choosing at the end which was my top, because their pairing of tomato soup really made this tasting extremely flavorful and refreshing. Their use of prosciutto in the sandwich made it extra special. I also thought it was cute how they used round bread versus square or triangle like everyone else. They also made sure their bread was super grilled with that extra added level of crispness. I told them "If I had two balls, they would definitely get one of them." (of course I was talking about the voting balls, but it didn't sound right coming out) 

Lounging in the Bean Bag Chair Room enjoying my Sandwiches 

After feeling completely stuffed, we all lounged in the extra room they had set up on the side of the event that was filled with bean bags and a wine bar that was complimentary. This was a nice relaxing way to spend the rest of our hour by slowly eating our second tastings and enjoying a glass of wine.

And the Winner's Are!!! 

The Big Cheesy champ!
Melt Shop’s sandwich trio: Sharp cheddar and pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce on sourdough bread; blue and cheddar cheese with bacon and cranberry pepper jam on sourdough; goat cheese and fontina with roasted wild mushrooms and parsley pesto.

Big Cheesy runner up
Little Muenster rounded grilled cheese: Gruyere, tallegio and fontina cheeses with membrillo, a pear and apple paste, and prosciutto on organic peasant bread.

Big Bronze
Lucy’s Whey’s Chelsea Market classic: Prairie Breeze cheddar with fig jam, sea salt and olive oil on Amy’s Bread.

Fourth Place
Big Daddy’s gigantic recipe: Macaroni with a parmesan crust and six different types of cheese, bacon, tomato, truffle oil on Orwasher’s Bread.

Fifth
Casellula’s elegance: Scharfer Max, gruyer and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses with pickled pepper relish.

Most Underrated
Murray’s Atomic Bomb: Taleggio with braised short ribs, caramelized onions, spicy relish, jalapeno peppers, arugula and mazi piri piri hot sauce

Most Avant Garde
Tartinery’s Croque Madame: Gruyere and ham with a fried egg on poliane bread.

Overall, this event I thought was perfect. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends. 

2012 Choice Eats - Village Voice's Annual Tasting Event

Don't miss out on this event! The 2012 Choice Eats event put on by The Village Voice. It is taking place on Tuesday March 13, 2012 (6:30-9:30) at the 69th Armory on Lexington Ave and 26th St.

It is featuring over 50 restaurants and food tastings from over 35 nations. Adult alcoholic beverages are also included!

Buy your tickets here: http://choiceeats.villagevoice.com/2012/tickets.php

I will be posting my article and pictures of the Big Cheesy event tomorrow night :) I hope you all look forward to reading about it! It was a lot of fun!

Standard Grill: Definitely not Standard

After walking through the Standard Grill  (848 Washington St. @13th St.) several times to use the restroom in my various nights out at the Biergarten that is affixed to the side of the restaurant, I craved the chance I could try this place out. The inside is beautiful with the floor being made of pennies, and the aromas that I could smell while walking through made me want to eat here so badly! 

Finally, a work dinner made this dream a reality! We arrived here after work as a group, and the restaurant was still pretty empty. They tried seating us at this tiny tiny table where we were going to be overlapping our butt cheeks to squeeze in. We requested to be moved to another table, which was actually still on the tight side, but doable for the meal. From this experience alone, I realized, you cannot go to the Standard with more than 6 people in your party. They don't really accommodate large groups, or at least that night their tables weren't set up for it.

Warm Apple Spiced Cider (Alcoholic)

Once settled into our table, we were approached by the waiter for our drink orders. Our waiter was very nice and enthusiastic about the menu, so that was a plus! I ordered a hot apple cider drink that was a special. It was extremely delicious and very comforting, but the restaurant's heat was up so high that drinking my drink was extremely hard to do without sweating. :( By the end of the drink, I had removed my sweater and rolled up my sleeves, but was still practically dying of heat! 

Dry Aged Cheese (Complimentary on the table)

The restaurant provided complimentary dry aged cheese on the table. It was a very small portion for the whole group, but it was very rich and sharp in flavor that maybe that's why the portion was bite sized. Meanwhile, I felt as though I was the only one eating the cheese. Perhaps everyone was afraid to dig in because of the portion, or maybe I was the only pig at the table :( Either way, it was good, so I couldn't resist. 

Drink Toast! 

The bread basket was super cute! It was served in a paper bag, like the type you take to school for lunch when you are a kid. It was lightly salted also, which added a great flavor to the bread. I am one to dive into a bread basket because I only really eat bread when I am out for a meal. I don't actually keep bread in the house, so I always appreciate good bread and butter :) 

Bread Basket 

Cute Presentation with the Paper Bag

1/2 Dozen Oysters

To start, my coworker and I shared a 1/2 dozen oysters and a 1/2 dozen little neck clams. They were extremely fresh and a good size. I also liked the extra sauce that they added to the plate that wasn't just a typical cocktail sauce. This sauce was fancier in looks and lighter in taste so you could actually taste the fish that you were eating. Definitely a perfect light start to a heavy meal. 

1/2 Dozen Little Neck Clams

Side of Brussels Sprouts

My boss ordered a few sides for the table to share. My favorite of all was the brussels sprouts. Luckily, none of my coworkers were so into brussels sprouts, so the side basically became mine. I kind of have an obsession for this vegetable. As a child I hated them, but now I could eat them every night. They had a very light garlic and oil flavor to them with onions and peppers mixed in. They were absolutely scrumptious. Another favorite way of eating them for me is when they are crispy. Lightly burnt by a frying pan is how I make them. 

Spiced Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Pearl Onions, Creminis (mushrooms), and Polenta

For my meal, I ordered the Spiced Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Pearl Onions, Creminis, and Polenta. I definitely ordered the best dish at the table. It was served in a piping hot skillet in an amazing broth. The ribs fell easily off the bones, while the mushrooms were so juicy and plump that each one was not going to go to waste. The polenta was a perfect pairing to the meal because it was drowning in the succulent sauce. I ended up only eating half of my meal and taking the rest home for lunch the next day. Interestingly enough, the meal tasted even better at lunch reheated than it did the night before, which I didn't know was possible! Great job Standard, you made a meal that is actually good as a leftover too.  I am a huge fan of leftovers!  

For dessert, my boss ordered a million desserts for the table. Family style is the best way to have dessert, that way you can have your cake and eat it too :)

"The Deal Closer" 

A Bowl of Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Topped with Whipped Cream

(Meant for two or more)

 The first dessert was called the "Deal Closer," and it was a colossal mountain of mousse. It was very rich. Mousse is one of those things you can only have a few tastes of, and then it becomes too much. But the few tastes I had were very good. The way it was served was also very ingenious. They provided a spreading spatula to serve it with that one would use for frosting a cake or baking. I just thought this was cuter than having a regular spoon to serve with. 

Ayabel 

Warm Chocolate Brownie with Salted Almonds Served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Next up, was the Ayabel, which was a warm chocolate brownie served with salted almonds and vanilla bean ice cream. This was the dessert that won the medal for me. It was so rich and soft, and definitely came straight from the oven to our table. The inside of the brownie was oozing with fudge. It was just so good, that I could have had the dessert as my meal and been happy. The almonds and ice cream also added a nice contrast in flavors, temperatures, and textures to cleanse the palette with each bite. 

Wake & Bake

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies Served with Chilled Battenkill Valley Cream-Top Milk

The Wake & Bake, which is warm chocolate chip cookies served with milk, had a cute presentation. It was served as though you were having a snack of cookies and milk.  Thick, very soft, warm cookies paired with a cup of milk. This dessert was a little harder to share as a group because of the size of it, and the dipping aspect of the milk. But no one had cooties at our table, so we all dipped our cookies into the milk. I will be honest, this wasn't the best cookie I have ever had, but it was pretty good. It could have had more chocolate chips added into it  to give it more of that melted fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookie effect. I may be bias though, I still think that the best cookie I have ever had was in Erie, PA. from this place I went every week after school, right before my ballet class for my after school snack with my Mom.  

Warm Apple Pie

Served with Aged White Cheddar Ice Cream 

Lastly, we finished with something less rich and more refreshing. The Warm Apple pie wasn't the typical apple pie that one would expect. It was served in the shape of a molten cake and was smaller than a usual slice of apple pie. There weren't many chunks of apples either. It was more of a  mixture that had cinnamon and apple spices. The ice cream paired nicely with it. But I definitely would not order this dessert as my first choice. I'd rather have a real slice of apple pie if I was going to have apple pie. 

I highly suggest trying this place out. It is in a great part of the city with the High Line above it, and right near all the meatpacking shops. Also, if you are feeling active after dinner, you can go ice skating on the mini ice skating rink they have set up outside the restaurant during the winter. Definitely a great date spot. 

Club A Steakhouse: My Return Visit!!!

I decided to visit Club A Steakhouse (240 East 58th St.) another time since the food was delicious in my first visit and the ambiance was 5 stars. This time around, I felt as though I was treated like a queen! The level of service my dining partner and I received was really amazing. We got sat at a huge booth seat that could fit 6 people at the table, and we had it all to ourselves. It was as though our booth was designed to have front row seats to the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the beautiful scenic trees outside that were decorated with lights. It was a very pretty site. 

Our View

 

The awesome snake shaped wine pourer

We had wine, and it was served in this very unique snake shape pourer. Every time our waiter refilled our glasses, it was exciting to watch because it came out of a snake and he had to keep twisting it as it got emptier. I kind of wonder where they bought this pourer, because I kind of want one for a future wine and cheese party of my own! Very ingenious and creative design. 

Sizzling Canadian Bacon-Extra Thick by the Slice

To start, we had the Sizzling Canadian Bacon. This was served in a big thick slab. It was so good! I actually have never had bacon like this before, and am only used to having the kind that is served at brunch that is thin and crispy. This kind was juicy, full of flavor, and something that I had never tasted before! My dining partner happens to be slightly obsessed with bacon, and confirmed that this bacon was top notch! 

Prime Dry Aged Porterhouse Steak for Two (half of it was served already in this pic)

For our meal, we had the Porterhouse for Two and it was huge! We asked for it to be cooked Medium Rare, and it definitely was cooked to our request. The meat came out sizzling on the plate and was served to us. It was served to us before I could take a picture of the whole plate, so you can only see part of it, but it was massive. It was also accompanied by various dipping sauces which added excitement and experimentation to the meal. I am also the biggest lover of sauces! So that practically made the meal for me. But to be honest, the meat was seasoned so well and cooked just the way I like it, that the sauce wasn't even necessary, but definitely an asset. I definitely had to bring home leftovers of the  porterhouse because there was enough there for 4 people! 

Dipping Sauces that came with the Porterhouse

Mac and Cheese & Whipped Yukon Potato Puree

For sides, we ordered the Mac and Cheese and the Yukon Potato Puree. The mac and cheese was sooooooo good. It was extremely creamy and loaded with flavor. I also loved the touch of crispness on the top layer that added the extra texture to each bite.

The potato puree was buttery and delicious. I love butter, so this made me so happy! The potatoes were blended together into a very soft puree that was extremely delicate and packed with flavor.  

Homemade Tiramisu

For dessert we had two desserts to share. We had the tiramisu and the cream puffs. The tiramisu I preferred over the cream puffs because of the moistness of the cake and the delicious flavor of expresso. The cream puffs were also very good, but so creamy! They were definitely genuinely an italian delight, but I am more of a chocolate girl than a cream girl :) Luckily my dining partner ate more of the cream puffs, while I over indulged with the tiramisu. 

Homemade Cream Puffs

I highly suggest you visit Club A Steakhouse. I think the first time I went, it must have been an off night with the service. This time the service was quick, attentive, and the food even better than I remembered. All in all, it was an amazing, memorable experience.

Luzzo's - Amazing Coal Oven Pizza

After hearing so much about this place from my fellow foodie friend, who happens to be an Italian from Staten Island, I was excited to finally try Luzzo's out! I knew if he raved about it, that it must be great! I went here on a Sunday night at 9:30, and it was still crowded!

Luzzo's Menu

Because my dining partner and I, were not extremely hungry, we decided to go with a 12" pie, rather than the large 16" pie. Because of our mutual love for truffle oil, we decided to order the Tartufata, because it had tomato sauce, mozzarella, truffle pate, and basil. We originally were going to order a pie that had prosciutto, mushrooms, and truffle pate on it, but the waiter had advised us that it had no tomato sauce on it.  We were both so happy for the warning, because we both love tomato sauce!

While waiting for our pizza, we had gotten into talking to our fellow neighbors at the table next to us. They were old New Yorkers who had been living in the neighborhood since their college days. One of the men at the table assured us that Luzzo's is the best pizza in the neighborhood, and the only place he likes to go! Hearing this made us very excited for our pizza that was on its way to the table!

Tartufata Pizza

Our pizza arrived at the table with such an aroma of truffle oil that I wanted to dive right in. As usual, I was so excited to jump into eating this image of perfection, that my dining partner had to remind me to take a picture!

This pizza was soooo good! Words can't explain. There were actually a few moments of silence while eating between my dining partner and I, because we were so busy enjoying the flavor of the pizza. There was so much truffle oil on this pizza, that I was in heaven! Also, the pizza was cooked just perfectly. The dough was crispy and soft all at once! 

I definitely suggest checking out this pizza joint when you have a chance. Definitely not to be missed!