Found the Parm

Today, I was craving risotto again which caused me to think about my previous risotto post. My risotto frenzy can be read here. The previous post discussed my deep search into all things risotto, including Wikipedia's definition. I was unhappy with Wikipedia's definition because it failed to include one of the main ingredients in every risotto recipe, parmesan cheese! I used my expertise to change the definition. After checking back today, I was relieved to see that my alterations were still there. You can take a look at the current Wikipedia definition of risotto that reflects my edits here. I hope my edits inspire others to share their knowledge so that the online community, more specifically Wikipedia, continues to grow and develop.

Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

On Saturday, July 7th, I gave Smorgasburg a chance to redeem themselves due to the mediocre experience I previously had. You can read about my Smorgasburg Prospect Park experience here. In my earlier post, I concluded by saying that I would be giving Smorgasburg another chance by visiting the Saturday event held at East River State Park in Williamsburg. I'm glad I said that because the second chance was definitely worth it. The array of food and beverages was off the charts!

Here are a few vendors exclusive to the Williamsburg location that deserve recognition:

• Himalayan Horizon
• If you are looking to try a new street food, Himalayan Horizon has got you covered. They serve a Himalayan dish called Shabaley, which is similar to an empanada. Shabaley is a circular shaped pocket of dough that can be filled with either beef, buffalo meat, or potatoes. The sealed balls of dough are then fried until crispy, golden perfection.

• Bread & Monkey
• Started by a 15-year-old boy named Jack, Bread & Monkey serves strictly banana bread and banana chocolate chip bread. I was a fan of the banana chocolate chop bread. Jack says that his delicious breads always sell out before the end of the day. So make Bread & Monkey your first stop on the way in!

• PopdUp
• This tea vendor made its first debut on the East Coast for Smorgasburg's 2018 season. PopdUp sells cold brew teas, rather than typical cold brew coffee. The tea leaves come from a farm in Taiwan and are typically brewed for a full 24 to 48 hours before being served. 

Those three vendors are just a sampling of the 100 vendors Smorgasburg in Williamsburg has to offer. I highly recommend planning a day to explore the Saturday event because you won't be disappointed! If you are thinking of checking it out, be sure to take a look at my previous post here to read my tips on how to prepare for the event.

Bet You've Never Been to this Kind of Brunch

Financial planning is a struggle for many. I can attest to that as I always find myself spending more than I'm saving. Going to dinner with friends and ordering take out can add up. You're probably asking yourself right now, "I thought this was a food blog. Why is she writing about her finances?" Well for the food lovers who are seeking financial freedom or just looking to learn how to invest, there is a brunch for you. Brunch and Budget® is a brunch that can help you conquer your finances, whatever your situation may be. 

Pamela Capalad is a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and AFC (Accredited Financial Counselor) based in NYC, and the mastermind behind this informative brunch. Brunch and Budget® is a one-on-one financial planning session with Pamela that takes place over brunch. When asked why the meeting takes place over brunch, Pamela responds by saying:

It's not about the food (though we love the food) or about the numbers (though I'm a nerd about the numbers). It's about sharing and building together on common ground. Breaking bread with you cuts away the pretense, the gravitas, and, frankly, the BS, that often comes with engaging in the financial services industry. As we uncover what you really value and what you truly want your life to look like, we can put in motion the strategies and tactics that will bring you financial clarity. All the other noise is silenced, all the other distractions disappear. Brunch & Budget® isn't about brunch or even about budgeting. B&B gives us the space to have real, open, and vulnerable conversations. It's about getting to the heart of why we're sitting across the table in the first place - to help you find the path to live the life you want to live. Let's get there together.

Due to Pamela's transparent and relaxed approach, she does not put a price tag on how expensive or inexpensive the brunch must be. If you need some suggestions on where to host the initial brunch, the B&B team has you covered here. If you're strapped for cash, Pamela  enjoys home cooked meals as well. She does not take payment for the initial meeting, as she only accepts the free meal. You can check out the services that Pamela and her team at B&B provide here. B&B has a blog as well as podcasts that highlight different finance topics by giving tips and tricks on how to achieve your goals.

Don't let brunch be the only thing holding you back from experiencing financial freedom or from taking the next step to invest in your future! First brunch meetings are booked until October 2018, but hop on the wait list here to secure your spot for down the road. 

It's Almost that Time Again!

NYC restaurant week is slowly approaching! From July 23rd, 2018 to August 17th, 2018, consumers can experience delicious cuisine at over 100 restaurants in NYC at a discounted price. A two-course lunch is $26 and a three-course dinner is $42 at participating restaurants. If you have been dying to check out a certain restaurant but feel that the menu is a bit overpriced, restaurant week is the time to do so.

Restaurant week was created to make top notch restaurants available to everyone. Take a look at this video presented by Zagat that provides a brief rundown on how to make sure you get the most out of restaurant week.

The full list of participating restaurants will be available here on July 9th, 2018. You can browse participating restaurants and make reservations directly on the site. Restaurant week only happens twice a year. Make sure you don't miss out on the amazing deals!

The Starch that Goes with Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

What starch goes with every meal? One that can be prepared in multiple fashions - potatoes! From home fries, to french fries, to mashed potatoes, there is a potato for every meal. Below are a few restaurants in NYC that serve a fantastic potato with their dishes.

Breakfast Potatoes:

• Cupping Room Cafe
• This quaint American eatery located on West Broadway and Broome Street. This cafe opens at 8 am everyday to serve their home fries that guests rave about. The home fries are cooked to crispy perfection with a dash of chopped onions and peppers. Pair the home fries with a side of avocado toast for a delicious combination

Photo Courtesy of @Cabsy_King

• Sarabeth's
• With five locations in NYC, no matter what part of the city you are in you can count on Sarabeth's to serve delicious breakfast and zesty three-pepper home fries. The three-pepper home fries have always been a staple on Sarabeth's breakfast and brunch menus and taste even better when accompanied by the perfectly poached eggs benedict.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Restaurants

• Lunch Potatoes:

• Pomme Frites
• If you're in the mood just for french fries, this is the place for you. Located on MacDougal Street, Pomme Frites strictly serves authentic Belgian french fries with over 30 sauces to choose from.

Photo Courtesy of @ForkInCle

• STK
• When looking for a more upscale but on a budget lunch option, this NYC steakhouse has two locations with a great prix fixe menu. The perfectly rectangular truffle french fries go great with any dish on the menu!

Photo Courtesy of Yelp

Dinner Potatoes:

• Smith & Wollensky
• This steakhouse located in Midtown East offers multiple potato sides to go with your dinner entree. Cajun baby potatoes, whipped potatoes, and loaded baked potato gratin are just a few of the potato dishes offered. You can't go wrong with any of them!

Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor

• Anassa Taverna
• For a Greek take on potatoes, Anassa Taverna is the place. Located on the Upper East Side, Anassa Taverna serves tender lemon potatoes with all of its entrees.



Photo Courtesy of Yelp

Potatoes can be cooked numerous ways to accompany any meal at any time of day. Check out one of these restaurants next time you are in the mood for this awesome starch!

Pints on Pints on Pints

Alert! Museum of Ice Cream has launched a sweet treat on West 14^th Street just in time for summer. After collaborating with Target, Museum of Ice Cream has created its own line of ice cream and they can only be purchased at The Pint Shop! The Pint Shop is Museum of Ice Cream’s newest location since the opening of its original pop-up museum in 2016.

The Pint Shop is an interactive grocery store that offers exciting life-size, ice cream themed installations and adorably designed aisles. Visitors can learn about the extensive process of how ice cream is made. The Pint Shop is free and open to the public. For a more exclusive and expensive experience, visitors can book a tasting room for their private party. The tasting room experience is reservation only and limited to a party of 20 or less. Visitors are given a 30 minute, in-depth look at all of the ingredients that go into the making of ice cream. Guests also experience all seven of The Pint Shop’s ice cream flavors. All tasting room guests are sent home with a free pint of ice cream. For $1,250, yourself and 19 friends can embark on a tasting room journey. Reservation times for the tasting room are available on Thursday's each week at 10:30 am sharp.

Currently, The Pint Shop is the only location where patrons can purchase the exclusive ice cream flavors. On July 8^th, 2018, The Pint Shop will be sharing its signature pints with Target to allow consumers across the nation to indulge in the one of a kind ice cream. Pints will be sold for $4.99 at over 1,800 Target locations nationwide. The flavors include:

• Cherrylicious
• Chocolate Crush
• Churro Churro
• Nana Bread
• Pinata
• Sprinkles Pool
• Vanillionaire

Photo Courtesy of @Griff_Lipson

Many find Target to be an odd sponsor for Museum of Ice Cream to collaborate with but the two do share similar interests. In a statement given to Newsweek, Target commented on the collaboration.

It was Museum of Ice Cream and Target’s shared values of joy, inclusivity and creativity that brought the two together. In 2016, Target visited the first Museum of Ice Cream in New York City and knew it was something special. This will be the first time the Museum of Ice Cream ice cream will be available at a retailer. With this partnership, people nationwide will be able to experience the beloved Museum of Ice Cream signature aesthetic right at their local Target store, just in time for summer.

Next time you're in the Meatpacking District, be sure to check out The Pint Shop. Make sure to bring your smartphone as The Pint Shop's installations have been considered Instagram worthy. 

Can You Find These Underground Eateries?

There is more to dining in NYC than meets the eye. Imagine finding an undercover entrance or doorway that leads to a concealed restaurant. The restaurants on the list below are just some of the hidden gems scattered around NYC.

• La Esquina
• This trendy, dimly lit restaurant rests underneath The Local Deli located on Kenmare Street in SoHo. You can grab a taco from the deli or open the hidden door located on the wall diagonally across from the shop's entrance to find the restaurant. Head downstairs to experience the restaurants extensive menu and tequila bar. If you plan to check it out on a weekend, be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

• Freemans
• Freemans is tricky to find and does not have an exact address because it is located in an alley on the Lower East Side. Freemans offers classic American fare at a moderate price point. In the summer, there is outdoor seating along the alley way.

• Decoy
• If you are a fan of peaking duck, this is place for you! Decoy is located underneath Red Farm on Hudson Street in the West Village. To get to Decoy, you must go down a small staircase. Try not to blink because it can be easily missed.

• Hudson Clearwater
• Hudson Clearwater is a not so easy to find American restaurant in the West Village. To enter, you must go through an unmarked door located on Hudson Street. Be sure to check out Hudson Clearwater during the summer months if you are looking to dine in a backyard hangout setting.

• El Sabroso
• El Sabroso may be the coolest and most low-key restaurant on this list as it is located in... drum roll please... a truck loading dock! Located near Times Square on West 37th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, you can find inexpensive Ecuadorian cuisine being served here from 7 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday. 

Why go to a crowded conventional eatery when you can enjoy peace and quiet at one of these incognito restaurants?