NYC Tastes

I was so excited to hear my favorite breakfast stop back home just started serving dinner.  Elm Street is well known for rolling out some incredible baked goods but food straight from their wood burning oven was on a whole new level. Burrata sprinkled with salt and pepper then drizzled with a bit of olive oil. It was creamy and delicious as burrata should be but almost a bit upstaged by the bread.  This was some of the best I've ever had...thick and nutty with the perfect chew.  It must have come fresh from the oven just moments before.   Preserved Swordfish Belly Tartine used that same incredible bread as a base this time layered with delicate slices of watermelon radish, capers and anchovy aioli. Even more delicious bread arrived for our next course...a fatty Bone Marrow and bacon marmalade.  Everything just tasted so flavorful and clean.  Their commitment to fresh, local ingredients shined through in each dish including the finale...dessert!...

I always love going back home for visits. There's nothing better than getting back to my roots a bit and this trip was no different.  Saturday morning I met up with the family at Elm Street Bakery in East Aurora. We started out with an enormous Cinnamon Bun. Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed muffin. The Classic Blueberry Strudel muffin. And then for something a little more savory an egg, bacon, arugula and spicy mayo sandwich.  My father and I are firm believers in dessert after every meal so we biked on over to Firefly to check out their cupcakes. I was a little wary of the non-traditional Watermelon and Bubble Gum flavors but they were pretty good!  Although the PBC filled with peanut butter cups was my favorite.  Then it was off to meet up with two of my best friends in the world at Woody's Taqueria.  Margaritas and tacos were the order of the day. Taco de Pollo- Grilled chicken with queso fresco. Taco de Pescado- ...