Happy New Years!

Wow, I cannot believe it's already 2014. This year has equally dragged and flown by and I can't quite believe 2013 is finally done and over. So it's time for a new year and a new adventure. But before I can do that I figure I should celebrate the last and first meals of 2013 and 2014.
It's been a good two days of eating.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Last night I went with my girls (and Steve) to a lovely Korean noodle restaurant right off of Bergen Boulevard. I'll have to write a full review of it when I figure out its name and what all of the dishes are called

The traditional noodles in a delicious brown sauce

in Korean and how to spell them in English. :D We got a delicious sweet and sour pork and then each of us got different noodles.  I tried a new spicy variation of my favorite which was truely spicy. It started out mild but the heat built as I ate. My mouth was on fire in a good way by the end. Steve got the non spicy, traditional version of my noodles. It's bathed in a brown sauce made with beef, onions and sometimes potatoes. Saucy and delicious. Angela and Andrea got a combination platter that was so big they couldn't finish. It was half spicy seafood soup noodles and half traditional noodle in the brown sauce that Steve got.  We were soo ridiculously full after all this food that I have no idea how we decided to get coffee and dessert afterwards.

Angela's Capuccino

We went to a coffee shop on Broad Avenue in Palisades Park where I got an incredibly large mocha coffee

A lovely slice of Pistachio Cake

to keep me awake to dance the night away. Ang and Steve got a slice of Pistachio cake to share. I was wayyy to full to try any but it looked utterly delicious. Everyone got some form of coffee as well, all of which was quite delicious.  We took our time just hanging out and talking while waiting to go dancing.
And then off to the club we went. It was a lot of fun dancing the night away with some of my best girls (and Steve). We went to Mariachi, a night club/lounge in Palisades Park. It had wonderful music and some decent drinks. We weren't hungry but when we bought our tickets there was a promised buffet. It kind of sucked so I'm really glad we had eaten so much beforehand. There were only cold chicken fingers and french fries available. Needless to say we didn't try any because we were all so stuffed. The music and DJs well made up for the lack of food. We had a lot of fun goofing around and dancing like fools. I only had to complain a little at the end when they took forever and a half trying to find my credit card. They were not overly organized in terms of that. We stayed till around 2:30 in the morning and probably would have stayed even later except that it got so ridiculously crowded at that point.

My girls and me at the club

Overall, we had an excellent night and danced a ton!
Then this morning we got up around ten and headed to Gotham City Diner for brunch with Andrea and Inch. It was on the crowded side but we were seated right away and had a blast. We all got different breakfast foods and Gotham was up to its usual lovely standard of delicious. I had sooo much coffee and Eggs Benedict too. So much good breakfast food. And then Angela got half a cantalope filled with vanilla ice cream. It was pretty crazy and yet looked delicious.
We had a blast just talking about the night before and about the coming week. I have to make cupcakes for everyone. I've decided it's a good idea. I think my friends agree. :)

Mom's beautiful meal!

After we separated, I rested and watched tv until Mom called me for dinner. She made Baked Breaded Shrimp and spicy baked sweet potatoes with a salad. The salad was delicious with mixed greens, honey roasted, avocado and tomatoes in a peach balsamic vinaigrette. She made with the vinaigrette with the peach balsamic that I bought during the summer at Carter and Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company. It was refreshing and delicious and I couldn't get enough. The shrimp was great too. Crispy but not greasy because it wasn't fried but there was a lot of flavor because of the breading.  I also put tobasco on it for a little extra heat. They really went well with the richness of the sweet potatoes.
It was a really great mom made meal and I'm so happy she cooked for me. I really need to cook for her before I head back to Rome because she's amazing and deserves some pampering for all the good things she's done for both of my brother and I. One meal is definitely not enough, but I have all year to try and give her back a little of what she's given us.  Everybody have a wonderful new year filled with laughter, good food, love and fun!

Restaurant Review: Alice's Teacup Chapter 2

Walking down 73rd street towards Central Park you don't always notice Alice's Teacup right away. It's a small store front, a little below street level. If you're moving quickly, as New Yorkers often do, you could easily miss the whimsical colored window.

W 73rd between Colombus and Amsterdam

Stepping inside is stepping down the rabbit hole but with scones and a beautiful assortment of different teas. Alice's is one of my favorite places in NYC (all 3 locations but the west side location in particular). It embraces a sense of whimsy and is inviting for both children and adults. It has the feeling of a British tea shop but also somewhere a child can decide to be a fairy for the afternoon. There are large canisters of tea, and a small bakery in the front.
The opposite wall is Alice Paraphenilia, tea pots, books, fairy wings, fairy dust. Imagination at any age is accepted here. In fact, I often ask to make a wish and the wait staff is happy to sprinkle fairy dust over my head. It's something that most children do and get excited about, but I love that the staff doesn't blink when an adult wants to play too.

I go to Alice's fairly often, either with friends for a fun meal, by myself to sit and write or even just to pick up scones for a picnic in the park (just about a block away). There's almost always a wait but it's worth it. The staff is always friendly and helpful, even when there's a crowd. I honestly don't mind waiting for the buttery scones and hot tea. There's clotted cream and raspberry jam. They do some delicious sandwiches and if you're looking for an authentic british experience you can always order one of their delicious "towers". I believe there are 3 tower choices, each with a fantastical name like the "jaberwocky" and you can order based on how many are in your party or on how hungry you are. Each tower comes with finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and a selection of cookies and cakes. And you get to pick whichever tea happens to tickle your fancy that day. They have a large selection of oolong, black, green, white, caffeinated, decaf, floral, rooibos, matè... I love reading through their combinations and trying different teas each time. And I love that they have a different selection of fresh scones each day.

I was there Thursday afternoon and had a tea and scones plate (2 scones and a pot of tea for $12, on the expensive side, but well worth it). I chose a basil goat cheese scone and a chocolate chip salted caramel scone and had an oolong (I don't remember it's full name but I think it was Hao Bao) known for it's detox properties.. which I definitely needed after all of the filling and delicious goodies.

Everything was delicous. The tea was light and full of flavor while the basil goat cheese scone was flaky and practically melted in my mouth with its savory goodness. It went really well with a light spread of butter while the chocolate chip caramel was a perfect dessert paired with the cream and jam. The clotted cream is delicous although not the best I've had (that would be in London). I really enjoyed the combination.
No one rushed me as I sat there eating and writing. I got a chance to sit and relax and daydream in a very creative environment.
There are Alice in Wonderland quotes scrawed on the walls and it's very inviting. I love that it's a great place to relax or to bring children for an afternoon of dressup for a magical tea party. I love being around for brunch because you see so many different people.

And the brunch menu with poached eggs and french toasts is absolutely stellar. But just remember that they don't take reservations, so you should get there early. Be prepared to do a little waiting. I would recommend taking a walk in the cute neighborhood. There is some great shopping and quite a bit to see. Or you can always go into central park while waiting for your scones.