Flock Together

I worked all weekend – crazy busy but super interesting days; we’ve had a ton of micronutrient deficiencies lately and I’ve really gotten to flex my nutrition-focused physical exam skills – but Adam and I managed to have some excellent date nights.

Highlights include…

Strawberry iced latte from Copper Mug Coffee.

Eggnog things!

Eggnog punch bubble tea from Lazy Sundaes. I have been wondering for years why no one was doing the egg nog and boba combo and it was just as tasty as I had anticipated.

Pumpkin cupcake and eggnog pudding trifle from Sugar Sweet Sunshine.

Homemade fish taco bowls. Roasted cabbage with lime Sriracha crema and beer-battered cod.

The new best dinner of the year from Canary Club. We ate in the frigid wind on the stoop (it could not have been any more safely socially distanced nor any more cold) so I couldn’t take photos but the the meal was a 10/10. Spicy mezcal cocktail with genepy, lime, pineapple, and pink peppercorn plus a berry rickey with cinnamon cachaça and citrus wild berry cider // black sesame tempura carrots with chili tahini and dill // smoked delicata squash with pecorino, creole butter, and Malaysian peanuts // duck fat broccoli and cauliflower with cilantro and toasted almonds // hanger steak with olive relish, crispy corn cakes, and French onion sauce.

An epic take-out spread from Birds of a Feather. We piled giant plates with numbing-spicy goodness!

We ordered a million things so we could try everything that sounded good and have leftovers for dinners next week: steamed curry chicken dumplings // chive pancakes with egg and dried shrimp // poached wood ear mushrooms with pickled peppers and cucumbers in a vinegar sauce // sautéed Chinese broccoli with soy sauce and scallions // string beans in ginger sauce // spicy and sour tofu pudding // shredded chicken with sesame and chili oil // spicy cumin lamb with bell peppers and miso // cold Sichuan noodles with peanut paste, chili oil, and peppercorns // fried rice with mustard green shoots // fried rice with shredded duck.

Plus Levain for dessert!

Frozen

Cold weather definitely hit NYC this week. Thankfully it looks like this weekend will be a little more long walk outdoors friendly. But you wouldn’t guess how cold our apartment is by my recent snack choices – popsicles galore! Highlights include…

Triple shot vanilla bean canned coffee. 6/10. The flavor wasn’t super exciting but I was happy with the amount of caffeine for a canned coffee.

After years of longing, we finally found the cola flavored La Croix! They, and the Cubana flavor, were both 10/10.

Amazing nougat and candied orange candies my parents sent us. 10/10.

Cake cream ice popsicles. 9/10.

Black sugar boba popsicles. 12/10.

Stir-fried leek, bok choy, and red bell pepper with egg tofu.

Topped with vegetarian pork floss!

From Comfortland‘s Thanksgiving sandwich special line-up, The Black Friday – fried chicken, stuffing, cranberry sauce, apple slaw, and gravy.

Fall-flavored sheet pan roast. Butternut squash (with cinnamon and smoked paprika) / shredded brussel sprouts / local chicken garlic sausages / dried cherries / TJ’s sweet and spicy pecans.

Boba And Burnt Ends

Adam and I had a delightful weekend! We spent time in Williamsburg, walked across the bridge to the Lower East Side, and drove out to Huntington and enjoyed the changing leaves.

My five favorite things were…

{1} Fantastically chewy treats from Alimama. A creme brulee mochi doughnut and a Vietnamese coffee and mini boba filled cream puff.

{2} Our first time eating – and adoring- fresh rice noodle rolls. Stuffed with egg, crab meat, and chicken.

{3} There’s a new Whole Foods near our house that serves reuben pizza and it’s possible we’ll never cook dinner again.

{4} Oddfellow’s holiday flavor line-up is insane. We tried coquito this weekend, topped with concord creme pie (concord jam infused sweet cream ice cream with chunks of pie crust), swoon.

{5} Epic take-out from Lazy Siu’s – vegan burnt ends, snow peas cooked with duck fat and shallots, and skin-on fries.

Tiger Sugar, Lobster Ramen

I had a both personal day and a weekend comp day off this week which meant that I had a nice short and easy work-week. The weather was mostly beautiful too, so I got to maximize my time off with fun days in Brooklyn! And while I was at work I gave a presentation on critical care nutrition to all of the medical residents that went well.

Highlights include…

This remains my favorite coffee combo. So much fun that I can make *real* Vietnamese iced coffee at home!

This coffee – with brown sugar syrup, boba, tiger jelly, and cream mousse – from Tiger Sugar was pretty good too!

We almost never buy pre-cut fruit (Adam brought this home from work) but it is so luxurious to have in the fridge.

A girlfriend and I went to Williamsburg for spicy ramen… with lobster!

P.S. We took a walk afterwards – for milkshakes — in tank tops — in November —- and were a bit too hot which was both completely horrifying and also quite lovely.

It rained my other day off but Adam and I got take-out from Mission Chinese and had a fantastic time picnicing in the back of the car. Rice cakes with inari and bitter melon + Kung Pao with home fries, chili, peanuts, and pastrami.

Beer wins – a local double IPA and a key lime pie hopped sour.

A take on migas with tortilla chips, chicken, cheddar, green onion, and shishito peppers.

Pumpkin And Papaya

Let’s just start this off with a GIANT sigh of relief! There was no post last week because I most ate a horrifying amount of ice cream while refreshing the election results. Thankfully our country made a move back towards decency this weekend and I was able to function as an adult and cook dinner and go to bed before 2 am.

Highlights from this weekend include…

Cherry cocoa coconut almonds. All of the mixes from Sahale have great balance.

I haven’t seen any eggnog yogurts yet this year so I’m still on the pumpkin. Siggi’s with granola, cashew butter, and maple syrup.

Paw-paya cocktail!

I loosely followed this recipe for Geng Dang Muu, swapping pork for turkey. Served with sticky sushi rice from one of our many nights of take-out last week.

We love this recipe for crock pot garlic brown sugar chicken (minus the bacon and with skinless chicken thighs). With sage and roasted broccoli and cauliflower.

Sunday we had – distanced, outdoor – reservations for the pre fixe dinner at Claro.

Our favorite dishes included a tostada with squash and peanuts and a ceviche-style artic char with smoked roe.

Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to

There was not a corn on the cob or a fresh melon to be found in the house this week, everything we ate was aggressively fall. Highlights include…

Freddo skim cappuccino from The Grand in Astoria. <– this is currently my favorite coffee/spot in the city

This New Orleans cold brew from Comfortland wasn’t bad either.

Plus we got a Halloween doughnut! And a Twix-inspired doughnut stuffed with caramel!!

Trader Joe’s snack hour with everything crackers and buffalo chicken dip.

The theme of this pre-dinner snack was orange.

The last of this year’s pumpkin beers. The Atomic Pumpkin was way too spicy for us but the Schlafly is a favorite every year.

I made loaded potato soup. Inspired by this recipe of mine but with additional cheese and spice.

I hope everyone enjoys lots of candy this Halloween weekend!

Lazy Sunday

We actually had a very busy Sunday but the title references something later in the post! Really, we had the best weekend ever. I know I say that every time Adam and I have a weekend together, but this one was my new favorite! We walked around the Lower East Side eating all of the things, took a long walk through Williamsburg/across the bridge, and made fancy sandwiches which we ate in bed while laughing hysterically at the latest SNL.

Highlights include…

Pumpkin things! Pumpkin pie Perfect bar with a Vietnamese iced latte.

Local pumpkin ales, which were good but not our favorites.

Caramel pumpkin yogurt with cashew butter and granola.

Love these seaweed chips!

I know this looks like a depression snack but these bbq kettle chips with melted Manchego were actually my favorite thing I ate all weekend.

Chip in Astoria has new seasonal fall lattes! We had dulce de leche and black and white cookie!

Plus a monster chip cookie.

We had the best parfait at Cha An. Tea jelly, fruit, mochi, brown sugar syrup, and green tea ice cream.

Dirt-pudding style bingsu from Lazy Sundaes!

10/10 meal at Thai Diner. Perhaps my new favorite spot? We shared Thai iced tea, milo hot chocolate with pandan marshmallows, and a spicy tamarind mezcal margarita.

Plus chicken phat see eiw (which was perfectly packed with basil and Chinese brocoli).

And spicy chicken and banana blossom salad.

See Food Diet

Highlights from this week include…

The salted caramel Perfect bar is perfect.

Black and white cookie. I’ve decided I have not been eating nearly enough bagels or black and white cookies.

If you haven’t tried the hot honey chicken sandwich from Melt Shop yet get yourself there immediately. It has hot honey and jalopeno pimento cheese!

We went with a seafood theme for dinners this week and each night was better than the last! Seared scallops with crispy garlic smashed potatoes and sauteed bok choy and radish greens.

Roasted cabbage with sliced radishes, avocado crema, and Whole Food’s frozen fish fillets.

Broccoli rice with five spice quick pickled cucumbers, furikake, Sriracha aioli, and smoked salmon.