NYC Tastes

After my trip I was feeling like I needed to decompress a bit.  It had been such a busy jam packed visit a little me time seemed almost therapeutic.   As soon as I walked into Lupa I knew I had picked the right place.  The host greeted me warmly and suggested a table by the window so I could enjoy the view. Just seconds after ordering a fragrant square of focaccia arrived with some delicious olive oil.  I only had a few bites because I was saving my carb intake for the special pasta that day. Mussels  and clams nestled among thick strands of pasta and dressed with a deconstructed pesto sauce and lemon.  This was everything a bowl of pasta should be and more.  I ended up eating all of my focaccia carbs just to sop up all the wonderful sauce at the end.  It was the perfect way to relax and get back into the swing of city life again. Lupa Restaurant

"Super Saturday Success Day" lead into "Shit I Overslept Sunday".  I woke up 10 minutes before I was supposed to met my friend for lunch...too bad she lives over an hour away :(  Luckily Christine is the best and after a quick call we readjusted our meeting time and she even took me to check out one of my favorite breweries- Southern Tier. I was absolutely in love with this place!  All my favorite beers were on tap, the sun was tanning our backs as we lazed on the outdoor patio and this... I don't know why but I loved this cute little wooden stage.  Everything was made of wood right down to the pegs that held it together.  I could have stayed here all afternoon but a delicious dinner was beckoning at the Brick Room in Fredonia. I really enjoyed bunch here last time I visited but dinner was even better.  My halibut was cooked to perfection with a creamy pea risotto, sharp balsamic glaze and beets on top. Christine had the salmon...

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- ...

It's been a crazy week. I'm still going through my photos from a recent trip upstate but in the meantime check out our incredible Fourth of July party at Cannibal. Those are Cannibal dogs up front topped with beef heart chili and mustard.  The dog was so amazing on its own the condiments weren't even needed.  The burger in the back had a fantastic salty crunch much akin to Shake Shack. Macaroni salad and potato chips rounded out the picnic style setting. All we had to do was sit back, relax and enjoy copious amounts of delicious Bronx Pale Ale.  That's a pretty great Independence Day in my book! The Cannibal

Whether you're heading to the beach or park today, bringing along some cold beer to celebrate is always a good idea.   For something delicious in a can check out the Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.     This unfiltered wheat beer has bright lemon flavors, more refreshing than sweet, and is incredibly easy to drink on a hot summer day.  Happy Birthday America!

I love a good beer bar and it really gets no better than The Cannibal.  Where else can you enjoy house made pork rinds... Followed by a decadent Veal Tartare And washed down with a Cisco Grey Lady and Ommegang Adoration. No it really doesn't get any better than this. The Cannibal

They opened a Baked by Melissa right below my apartment.   Obviously this could prove to be a deadly thing for me as I have no will power when it comes to sweets. My favorite mini cupcakes Cookie Dough and Red Velvet were as delicious as ever but the surprise winner was their flavor of the month. It's called the Wedding Cupcake- white vanilla cake and frosting filled with Bavarian Creme and topped off with white chocolate shavings.   No doubt this may be the best Baked by Melissa cupcake yet.  Baked by Melissa