Boyfriend Bento 2009.02.25 February 25, 2009

Boyfriend Bento 2009.02.25

Boyfriend requested I pack him dinner most days for work since its a bit expensive  in the are he works and it cuts into his break if he has to go figure out what to eat.  Also the area he works in is a lunch time kind of place, I.e. dead at night, so most of the places are closed. 

Today I packed him meatloaf, sent by my mommy.  I made some egg noodles in a butter paramsean sauce to go with it.  I added some scallions and red sweet pepper for color with a sprinkling of freshly grated paramsean cheese.

 The container contains ketchup.  He also was sent off with a big double chocolate cookie courtesy of his mommy. 

No Bento For You! February 24, 2009

Sorry, me being my piggy self, indulged myself in my bento without taking a picture.  I could show you the inside, but it would just be left over crumbs.  So let me describe it for you instead.  I do however, have an orange that I didn’t get to yet.

Ravaged Bento. The bunny didn't know what hit him.

- Ziti with mushrooms and beef (My mommy made it for me.  Living closer to home has its advantages.)

- Pork and Rice Soup (Again, made by my mom.)

- Asparagus sauteed with Sesame oil and sesame seeds

- Lettuce and some grape tomatoes

- Sausage roll (Homemade by the boyfriend’s mom)

The Lonely Not Eaten Orange

Boyfriend got Ziti and Sausage roll.  I also packed him a salad since I wasn’t sure if he’d eat the asparagus.  He also got a chocolate chip cookie because I don’t eat chocolate much, and we have lots of cookies left over still from his parent’s visit. 

Kati Roll February 24, 2009

Now that I work in midtown, I’ve become a frequenter of some midtown lunch spots.   My friend Corinna kindly pointed out midtownlunch.com to help me navigate my grumbling stomach.  My thing has been street food.  I know its bad for you, but oh my, its oh so delicious.

Last Friday, Corinna and I headed over to the Briyani Cart.  It was good, but not great.  It had me wanting for the 53rd St Halal Guys Lamb and Rice.  The Briyani Cart also had Kati Rolls which I decided not to get.

Later that night,  I was thinking about Kati rolls, so, on the way home, I decided to drop by the Kati Roll Company.  My first impressions were, it was very clean and simple. 

Kati Roll Kitchen

 Their menu is also very simple.

Kati Roll Company Menu

Its a really cute menu.  I love the chickens drawing.

I decided to have the Paneer Kati and the Chicken and Egg Kati.   They were delicious.  I asked them to make it spicy since I think normally it is not.  It was very tasty and just what I was looking for.

I had to run for the train, so I asked them to pack it to go.  No, I didn’t eat them on the train ride home.  Could you imagine all the nasty looks I would get from people on the LIRR?  They packed the Kati up nicely in those foil bags that you would get from a Chinese take out.

Kati Roll Company Menu

When I got them home, I thought for $5.00 it was kind of on the small side, but boy are they packed full of meat.  I was quite full and satisfied by the end.   Its also not the neatest thing to eat so be forewarned.   So if you want a quick meal, I definitely recommend the Kati Roll Company.

Bento 2009.02.23 – Back up and running… February 23, 2009

So finally, after searching for an apartment, signing the lease and moving into my new apartment, I can finally relax a little. What a crazy last couple of weeks. I thought I would thoroughly hate moving to Long Beach, but the ocean view from my apartment seems to negate that hate. Its utterly relaxing to wake up in the morning and look at the ocean. It has a very calming affect. Don’t get me wrong. Its not Park Slope. Things do close way earlier than I’m used to. The food variety is not as great and being on the LIRR train schedule is still taking some getting used to, but all in all, its not that bad.

Last night I prepared my first meal in the new apartment. It was the first home meal I had in a few weeks and I was definitely missing it. I’m still geting used to the positioning of the stove, countertop and sink. It took me way longer to make dinner last night then in normally would. It also taught me that when I get my own house with my own kitchen, the counter prep area has to be to the left of the stove. Currently my counter prep area is opposite the stove, which can make it difficult to port the food over to a pot. Also, when the stove is to left of the counter prep area, you can just glance to the right while you are chopping to check on the stove. Unless somehow eyes grow on the back of my head. Tips to remember, and something I reminded the boyfriend about when we get a house.

So for today’s bento it was just leftovers from dinner. After eating out most of last week, I missed bringing in lunch. Also I lost a bet to the boyfriend, and the boyfriend requested Chicken, Rice and Broccoli.  

• Chicken Francais – Came out a bit too lemony. I had also added garlic and it turned blue!?! I googled it and it seems the acidity of the white wine and the lemon can do that. When I saw the sauce in the pan, I had a flashback to Bridget Jone’s Diary when she made the blue Thai Soup. No matter, it was still tasty, even with blue garlic.
• Tomato and Basil Rice – I’m using up my pantry stock. I think my mom gave me the rice.
• Broccoli in a Cheddar and White wine sauce – I should have made a rue to thicken up the sauce.
• Grape Tomatos
• Sausage Roll – The boyfriends mom made it and it was delicious.
• A quarter of a black and white cookie and only the white part because I don’t like chocolate. Boyfriend got the same bento, but bigger and with more cookies.

Bento Week of 2009.02.02 Recap February 10, 2009

This week I didn’t bring as many lunches as I would have liked.   Between eating with friends and going away lunches, this has been an endulgent week.

Here is my lunch recap:

• Monday – Chipolte.  My first time..  It was pretty good.  My friend had to explain to me how the menu worked though.  But it all worked out in the end.  I had a beef burrito with all the salsa fixings.
• Tuesday - Chili with Salad and baslamic vinagarette.
• Wednesday – Salad with baslamic vinagarette, red pepper and tomato soup, foccacia sandwich with fresh mozzarella.
• Thursday – Bento Lunch with Curried Potato and Eggplant, salad with balasamic vinagarette and a clementine.  2 mini quesadilla with cheese, hummus and sour cream.
• Friday – Indian Buffet @ Bombay Palace.  Very filling.  I did bring my lunch but I guess its going to have to wait. *edit*  I ended up eating some of it for dinner.  It was yummy shrimp salad with a side of sliced tomato, cucumber and whole wheat bread.
• Saturday – Instant Ramen noodles
• Sunday – Leftover Lo bak Go and Lin Go.

No pictures as I ate it all before I remembered to take a picture.

Recipe: Tuna Mac February 5, 2009

So, a recipe I make at least twice a month has been Tuna Mac.  Its one of the dishes that I make and the boyfriend gobbles up.  Its really easy to make, and the ingredients are usually in my pantry.  I also finely dice the mushroom and the celery so the boyfriend can’t pick them out.  I also don’t add addtional salt, since there is more than enough salt in the cream of mushroom and cheddar cheese.

Ingredients:
2 cans of Tuna
1 can of Cream of Mushroom
1 1/2 cup of water
3 stalks of celery diced
5-6 white mushrooms diced
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
1 yellow onion diced
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1lb of cooked pasta of your choice.  I use Barilla Cellentani.
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Celery Seed
1 Tsp White Pepper
1/2 Tsp Red Pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan heat a small amount of oil or butter to saute the onions and celery on medium-high heat. 

Once softened, add the garlic, mushroom, paprika, celery seed, white pepper and red pepper.  Let the vegetables and spices cook down for a few minutes.

Add the tuna, cream of mushroom and water to the vegetable mixture, mixing all the ingredients together.

After the ingredients are mixed add the pasta.  Mix until the pasta is covered in sauce.

Take half of the cheddar cheese and mix with the pasta.

Pour the pasta mixture into an oven safe dish. 

Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Put into the oven and let bake for 20 minutes.

Miracle Grill February 4, 2009

Well I almost had a scare a few moments ago.  I was perusing the eater  when I saw an article that Miracle Grill was set to close February 15th.   Thankfully, after close examination, the Miracle Grill in the East Village is closing and not my beloved Miracle Grill in Park Slope.  According to the article, the owner confirmed the Park Slope restaurant would not be affected.  Woot!

Every time I’ve been there, the food has been consistently good.  Sometimes the service leave a little to be desired, but the food always lets me disregard that point.  One of my favorite dishes is the Nachos of the Day.  If you’re a nacho fan like me, you’ll love the nachos at Miracle Grill.  The combinations are always delicious and so much better than the standard nachos you would get from any other restaurant.  The last two times the boyfriend and I were there, we practically inhaled the nachos.  I also, love, love, love the catfish tacos.  I have had it every time I was there, except the last time.  I had convinced myself that I would try something different, and by different, I ordered the Halibut tacos instead of the catfish.  The catfish are definitely way better.

I vaguely remember finishing off a pitcher of sangria with the boyfriend.  It was yummy, but lacking in the apple department.

The decor is simple.  They have a nice shaded outdoor area that is nice dining during the summer.  They also open all the doors during the summer, which can be a drag when the bus stops right out front. 

They also have a Tuesday Paella Special that I have yet to try.  If you try it let me know how it is.

All in all one of many good places to eat in the slope.

Cheesecake Factory February 3, 2009

Oh, Cheesecake Factory. The memories. I remember going to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and dinner with the family for special occasions. Enduring the long wait. When I say long, I mean upwards of two hours long. I remember being entranced by the huge cheesecake selection and the mammoth menu. Oh the memories. So young and naive. Then I found there is more to food then the food served at chain restaurants. The other day, after dropping off the signed lease for our new apartment, we were deciding where to go to eat. The boyfriend wanted to get a food gift card, and I suggested the Cheesecake Factory, since its a pretty standard restaurant in Long Island. Also he had never eaten there, so that’s where we decided to eat. What the heck? After three years it was worth another shot.

The boyfriend was overwhelmed by the enormous menu. I had an idea of what I wanted already. I was never much of a fan of the entrees. To me, the appetizers and salads always out shined the entree. So, instead of being disappointed by another entree, I opted to share whatever appetizers the boyfriend wanted and order the Sante Fe Ranch Salad. After telling the boyfriend my reasoning behind my choices, he opted to get the soup of the day, the Baked Potato Soup, the Buffalo Blasts appetizer, and the Artichoke and Spinach dip. We each ordered a Blue Moon beer.

The service was kind of disorganized. It was 4ish when we got there, and it took so long for our waiter to take our orders. One of things I remembered I liked about CF is the bread. Its this dark German type bread, that is usually soft and tasty. Not so much this time. It was a little bit over baked and hard.

Now, I’m not one to over examine my food, but there it was, in plain sight when the waiter set it on the table. On top of the soup there was a giant long black hair in the garnishing of the soup. It was kind of entertangled with the scallion and cheese on top. The boyfriend already had spoon in hand ready to dig in when I pushed it asside and pointed out the hair. Now, I have long dark hair, but I didn’t even get near the food yet, so no way it could be mine. I called over the waiter, he immediately apologized and took it back. He came back and said they make the soup to order and that it would be awhile for another one. We asked just to take it off the check. The boyfriend said he would have eaten it….yeah right. Its one thing if its my hair in the food. Completely another issue when its someone elses. The soup looked tasty, if only sans piece of hair.

 

Buffalo Blasts @ Cheesecake Factory

The Buffalo Blasts came next. Pretty tasty. It was basically a dumpling filled with shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, then deep fried with some spicy seasonings. The dish is served with a tangy blue cheese sauce and a tangy buffalo sauce. No hairs to be found thankfully.

Sante Fe Salad @ Cheesecake Factory

Next was the Sante Fe Ranch Salad. Boyfriend and I both liked it. No complaints. There was chicken chuncks, avocado, tomato, cheese, black beans and corn over a bed of chopped lettuce with a tangy ranch bbq dressing.

Spinach Artichoke Dip @ Cheesecake Factory

Next came the Spinach Artichoke Dip. It was okay. We were told by the FOH that it was taking longer to come out since they over cooked it. Okay? When it came, it was served with fresh fried tortilla chips, a side of salsa and a side of sour cream. Boyfriend thought it was only okay. I definietley like the one at California Pizza Kitchen better. It was more milky then dip like. I think it was more of a consistency issue for the both of us.

The check came out to about $50. Not bad. Would I come again? Probably not unless someone really wanted to. We were full from the two appetizers and salad so we didn’t even get a chance to order the dessert.  I also should mention I love eating out with the boyfriend.   Its really refreshing to be able to share a meal with your significant other and to be with someone with a similar taste palate.

Olive Vine January 29, 2009

For lunch the other day, I had a craving for falafel!  Now, why the sudden craving?  The boyfriend and I were watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay.  He was doing a falafel throwdown against the owner of Taim.  It was painful to watch.  After watching falafels being made for a half an hour, I was ready to ask the boyfriend to drive me to Mamouns on MacDougal to get me a falafel (They’re open till 3AM).  Why painful?  I was having hunger pains since I wanted falafels that bad.   But we waited till the next day.  It must have been cold, because that’s the only reason why I wouldn’t go and get food. 

 

So the next day, I woke up…and off to get falafels we went.  The boyfriend and I headed over to Olive Vine on 7th Ave and 15th St. Yum! The last time I was there I had ordered the salad platter to go and went to Prospect Park to watch a rendition of Fahrenheit 151.  I wasn’t too big a fan of the show, but the salad platter paired with a nice red wine and I was in heaven. 

 

The nice thing about the salad platter is you get to choose five items from a list of about ten that you want.  This time I opted for the tabbouleh, a double babbaganoush, rice wrapped in grape leaves, and hummus.  This was shared between the boyfriend and me. 

 

 

For our mains, he ordered a grilled chicken gyro and I ordered a falafel sandwich.  I ate half of it already before I remembered to take a picture.

 

 

All was yummy.  The owner was kind enough to give us a free slice of an almond type cake.  It was very rich but delicious.  I’ve been here a few times, and I’ve always been happy with the food.  The restaurant is also BYOB, and conveniently enough there is a wine store right across the street.   Although, it was 11 o’clock when we went, so I didn’t want to seem like a lush.  Also, I love, love the pita bread.  They arn’t the kind that come in a package.  They are made to order pita.  So pillowy and soft.  They are a must have. What a delicious way to start the day.

 

Bento #8 – 2009.01.27 January 27, 2009

Bento #8 – 2009.01.27Originally uploaded by CutieBunnie

This was yummy, although I think I packed way too much food. However, I did have all these items in my fridge/freezer/pantry believe it or not. Its amazing how a little challenge would force you to use up your pantry items.

I was quite upset that a bottle of truffles my brother gave me were spoiled. I had to throw it out.  I don’t know if its the Asianess in me, but I hate wasting food.  I really do.  I rather eat it all up then have food go to waste.  Especially when I’m cooking too.  If I had a backyard, I would have a compost bin to throw all the veggy and fruit cuttings into. 

-Braised Miso Turnip

-Roasted Miso Kobacha and Butternut Squash

-Kinpira Broccoli

-Sliced Pan Fried Egg Tofu

-Udon with Shitake Mushroom and Sliced Fish Cake

-Kumquats with Almond Tofu (Made for Chinese New Year!!)

-Kimchi Furikake Onigiri