Yummy Plates

Bar Americain: Expensive but Yummy

Saadia S. Shamsie — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 02:07:14 +0000

I had a great time at Bar Americain. The food was delicious – I do love the flavors Bobby Flay puts together. The ambiance and location was perfect for a pre-theater dinner and the service was on point.

photo credit: baramericain.com

Having said all that, it is exactly what you would expect from a famous chef’s restaurant: overpriced. I think once you accept the fact that this is for an experience therefore, you will pay a premium on that, it’s totally fine.

I ordered the shrimp tomatillo for appetizer, which was totally satisfying ($17), snapper for entree ($35) and no drinks. The total with tax/tip cost me about $62. But, I was full for the rest of the night! I wish I had remembered to take pictures of the deliciousness.

My verdict: Go! Have a great time, just don’t expect to make it a regular pit stop.

Yummy Eatings!

Bar Americain | 152 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019 | 212.265.9700 |

Zen Palate Ruined My Palate

Saadia S. Shamsie — Sun, 06 May 2012 02:46:55 +0000

For years I’ve been hearing how amazing Zen Palate is for vegetarians. Seeing that my best friend is vegetarian, I even considered taking him for his birthday over the last many years. But after today’s accidental encounter at the Union Square location, THANK GOD I never did! The menu (which is extensive) looked wonderful from the outside, not to mention the Daily News article (from 2010) plastered on the window as a means of enticement. I think we barely glanced at the menu for a few seconds before walking in. The place is a dump (but fine, we got past that). After looking over the menu, I ordered the Vegetable (Rice) Noodle Soup (I wasn’t very hungry and wanted something small) and my friend ordered the Celestial Tofu (fried tofu with broccoli, served with a side of brown rice).

photo courtesy: flickster

Not too long after our dishes arrived at the table (I so wish I had taken pictures of ‘em!). He was served a plate of big pieces of fried tofu in a curry looking sauce, which seemed not too bad at first bite, but the more you ate, the worse it got. I was served a ginormous bowl (not complaining about the size) of soup with tons and tons of vegetables & rice noodles in a clear broth. It looked incredibly bland as if the food had just been boiled and served in water, and it tasted EXACTLY the same! I don’t think I’ve ever ate something that had no taste what so ever. The total bill for 2 dishes was $32 and I’ll just consider that a donation to the restaurant!

As if the we weren’t annoyed enough already, the only other patron at the restaurant (sitting at the bar) got up to answer the restaurant phone (which didn’t make sense to me) and got all ghetto, cursing and going off about what seemed like Beyonce at one point and other ridiculous things with whoever was on the other end. His rude behavior really made the experience even more unpleasant. I’m convinced he was cuckoo.

So quite frankly, I don’t know what the Daily News was smoking when they wrote their review, but this place gets TWO BIG THUMGS DOWN from me!

Yummy Eatings! (Just not at this place)

Zen Palate | Union Square |115 East 18 Street, New York, NY 10003 | 212.387.8885

I’ll Take the Asian Noodles Please

Saadia S. Shamsie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:25:08 +0000

I happen to be one of those people that enjoy plane food and I’m not sure that it has a whole lot to do with the actual taste of the food as it does with the concept of eating on a plane. I know, it sounds ridiculous but I haven’t quite figured out how to categorize my what most would refer to as “weirdness”. Let me clarify however, that majority of the time this only applies to International flights because I think its a big waste of money to purchase food on domestic flights.

That is, until recently when I flew to Hawaii and discovered the Asian Noodle “Salad” on United. It’s a chilled noodle salad topped with stir-fried vegetables, sweet chilli chicken breast and green onions (as described on the United website) and will cost less than $6. If you like noodles and Asian food, this is super YUMMY! Don’t roll your eyes, I’m serious! I haven’t done so yet, but I think I might start ordering 2 of ‘em from here on because I’m always left with the feeling of wanting some more.

Next time you fly United, order it! I promise you, you’ll enjoy it.

Yummy Eatings!

photo courtesy of © Raven Imaging – Kevin Marshall

Veneiro’s, Best Pastry Shop in NYC

Saadia S. Shamsie — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:18:40 +0000

When you walk into a pastry shop that’s buzzing with locals, you know you’ve come to a good spot! That’s what you see when you enter Veneiro’s in New York City’s East Village. Established in 1894, Veneiro’s is an Italian pastry shop that will have you going gaga over the plethora of dessert options. From cheesecakes, layered cakes, cookies, canolis, chocolate covered strawberries, tarts, and all things in between, there is something for every taste buds! And it doesn’t stop at pastries, they have a whole gelato menu & a nice selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

With the option of dinning in (I’ve done it thrice) and taking out (done that once), there’s no excuse for why you can’t grab some dessert for now or later.

My staple at Veneiro’s is the tiramisu. I love love love it! Recently I’ve added the millefoglie on my list of must eats. Both have a soft creme and fluffy texture mixed with the perfect balance of “sweet but not too sweet” taste; it hits the spot every time!

Don’t be shy, stop by Veneiro’s next time you’re in the city!

Yummy Eatings!

Veneiro’s | 342 E.11th St. NY, NY | 212.674.7070

Best Cupcake… in Pennsylvania?

Saadia S. Shamsie — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:02:19 +0000

I know, I keep yapping about cupcakes lately. But I just tried a new cupcake today and it was FABULOUS! Who would’ve thought in the midst of Pennsylvania in a little town called Newtown. I was introduced to Felix’s Caketeria today and the store was just closing and we were greeted by two very flaky teenagers (hey, calling it like I see it) who insisted on giving away a box of chocolate salty caramel & carrot cake cupcakes. After some confusion (and stupidity on their parts), we walked away with 18 cupcakes for $25 — yea, it was a steal! Don’t get overly excited. In reality, each cupcake costs $3. They had a menu of about 10 different flavors, but with them closing down (two hours early.. we’re assuming its because they sold out of their popular flavors), we didn’t get to try any of the other ones.

Despite having only two flavors, just looking at the cupcakes I could tell these were incredibly MOIST! And there’s nothing worse than DRY cupcakes! So I was already sold on the look of ‘em, but when I finally got to try them, YUMMY! Absolute heaven in your mouth. The moisture of the cakes are unbelievable, the frosting is light and airy, just lovely!

So, if you’re ever in Newtown, PA, head over to Felix’s Caketeria for so yummylicious cupcakes — hopefully you’ll get to try some of the other flavors! By the way, they do make regular, specialty and wedding cakes as well. Something for everyone’s palate!

Yummy Eatings!

Felix’s Caketeria | 5 West Washington Avenue | Newtown, PA 18940 | 215.860.2444 | http://www.anniebs.com/index.php

Best Pizza… EVER!

Saadia S. Shamsie — Sun, 15 May 2011 00:36:58 +0000

Small town. Dark. Gray. Cloudy. Medieval. Cobblestones. Quiet. Secluded. Historic. No English. These are the words that describe the little town of Kutna Hora in Czech Republic. It was quite an interesting January Tuesday when Dad and I ventured off from the capital of Prague to visit the Bohemian town of Kutna Hora. I knew it was going to be a dark town, but I guess I didn’t really know what more to expect. Certainly didn’t know that we’d be having the BEST pizza we’ve ever had HERE of all places! After some vague direction from a non English speaking local, stumbling upon a fluent English speaking lady and the help of a map I finally got from the information center, we walked all around the little town. Eventually (with a loss of time) we were starving and being on a budget meant no stopping at a sit down fancy restaurant, though to be honest, nothing could really qualify as fancy in Kutna Hora. Down an alley towards St. James church off of the central square we stumbled on a little pizza shop, Mini Pizzeria Vita.

It wasn’t your usual pizza parlor that we see in the states. There wasn’t a place to sit, and as we ate the most delicious pizza ever (hang on, I’m getting there), we realized that this facade of a store was an extra space added to the front of the couple’s home. It was clearly an independent family owned shop, but literally at the foot of their home! The walls of the shop were colored in red white and green. There were two shelves, one on each wall with three stools to sit on. It’s a very buy, stand & eat type of place.

Ok, ok now let me get to the YUMMY part, THE PIZZA! Dad and I each got a slice of spinach pizza, but no, this was no ordinary slice (it was a double slice) and no ordinary spinach pizza (it was a thin sliced, just enough sauce and cheese, not like the overly loaded slices in the states, with perfect amount of yummy spinach). Now Dad is not a big pizza person, so for him to have absolutely loved it is a real statement of appreciation. There’s one more thing, it was only 25 kc ($1USD). Let me tell you, there is no pizza you’ll have had for a $1 that will have ever been THAT good (maybe with the exception of Italy).

It was SO good that we wanted another jumbo slice, but he had run out of spinach =o( So we got olives (mix of black and green) instead, it was also really good, but the spinach stole my heart… and tummy! So if you’re ever in Kutna Hora, head to Mini Pizzeria Vita! (Turns out they have a facebook page. Why am I not surprised?)

Yummy Eatings!

Mini Pizzeria Vita | Jakubska 82, 28401, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic | 737555132 | M-F: 8:00am-10:00pm | S: 8:00am-6:00pm

Happy Mother’s Day with Red Velvet Cupcakes

Saadia S. Shamsie — Mon, 09 May 2011 02:40:30 +0000

In honor of Mother’s Day, I decided I needed to bake, but I wasn’t sure what to bake. Thanks to my recent cupcake disappointment, I thought baking red velvet cupcakes would be perfect! So here it is… it’s a barefoot contessa recipe!

Fresh out of the oven!

Cream Cheese Frosting on!

Yummy Eatings guys!

Dear Crumbs, I’m Over You

Saadia S. Shamsie — Sat, 07 May 2011 14:00:59 +0000

Crumbs cupcakes was a discovery of mine a few years ago (alright so the rest of the world had probably already discovered them prior to). I have purchased cupcakes from there many a times, once even a birthday cupcake costing me a whopping $75 to feed 5. My favorite was the chunky monkey cupcake (I might be wrong in its exact wording but the the word “monkey” was definitely in there). Since then they’ve discontinued that flavor, go figure! It’s been awhile since I tried them recently (about a year or so) so I took my friend (after having bragged about how amazing it was) there yesterday. Well we got to eating a cupcake, a brownie & I got to eat my words too! Wow, it sucked!!! I had the Blackbottom Cheesecake Brownie cupcake, what a total fail!

photo courtesy of Crumbs

The cupcake was DRY, and that alone is sufficient reasoning for not liking it, but there is more. The cheesecake, whatever little bit was in there, was a typical frozen cheesecake like taste. The icing was a sugary icing and it literally tasted like melted sugar; gross! My friend’s brownie was hard as a rock, and had the same icing as mine. So in essence we ate the EXACT same item, in two different shapes & prices. Really creative! If this was my first Crumbs disappointment, I’d let it slide. But unfortunately, I’ve already had a “I’ll let it go” moment with Crumbs once before. I never told anyone because I wanted to assume that it was a fluke. Now I’m thinking maybe not so much!

Now it’s possible that perhaps, it’s the Westfield, NJ location that has gone downhill. I remember the NY location as being good. But now after two misses, I don’t think I’ll be venturing into any Crumbs location anytime soon. So I’m in the market for a new cupcake joint in the Jersey area (one close to home). If you’ve got suggestions, please share below! As for Crumbs, I’m over you.

To all the cupcake lovers, Yummy Eatings (elsewhere)!

Burger Bar, I LOVE YOU!

Saadia S. Shamsie — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:55:45 +0000

I intend to write a letter to Burger Bar letting them know that they have sparked a love for burgers in me! Generally not big on burgers (I indulge in them when craving calls), I’ve eaten at 2 of the 3 Burger Bar locations (Las Vegas & St. Louis); thoroughly satisfied on both occasions! San Francisco is the 3rd location and I’ll have knocked that off the list too by the end of the year! It’s incredibly filling, versatile, scrumptious, oh and wee bit pricey!

Food: Something for everyone! The beef lover, chicken lover, health conscious and vegetarian! It’s a make your own burger place where the menu is divided into choice of patty, bread, greens, dairy (cheese), grill (grilled vegetables), farm (meat/egg), ocean (shrimp/lobster), pantry (condiments), earth (truffles/mushrooms) & sauces. But that’s not all! They have signature burgers you can choose from if you feel overwhelmed by the a la carte choices. Add to that the option of steak or skinny fries and plethora of drinks (shakes not available in St Louis), it’s burger haven! Oh yes, they do have salads as well but why would you eat salad at a burger bar? If that weren’t enough, the portions are pretty big and after all those toppings added to it (which are eventually presented on the side because they won’t fit on top of the burger), you’ll definitely leave the joint STUFFED!

Ambiance: Just like you’d expect, its a bar! Booths, tables and a bar are your seating options. Super chill yet something different about the overall affect of eating here. The Vegas location is a bit more fancy with attention to details on its seating and wall decor and high tech with individual TV screens in each booth. So each group can watch the sporting event of their choice! The St. Louis location has the same feel sans the individual TV screens.

Service: Outstanding! Fun upbeat waiters/waitresses who cater to your every burger request and will be happy to give you suggestions if you wish. Cheerful servers are always a plus!

Price: It’s pricey especially if you make the mistake of comparing it to fast food burger joints but then again this is NOTHING like fast food burger joints! The burgers are gourmet, the toppings are excellent and the taste is impeccable. In Vegas two burgers with fries and two shakes cost $50 but we didn’t have to eat the rest of the day! That’s how full we were. In St. Louis, one burger with fries cost $17.

Overall: HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Enough said.

Feel the same way? Let me know! & as always, Yummy Eatings!

Burger Bar at Lumiere Place Casino | 999 N. 2nd St., St. Louis, MO 63102 | 314.881.7777

Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay | 3930 Las Vegas Blvd S # 121A, Las Vegas, NV 89119 | 702.632.9364

Thai Thai – Nice Ambiance, Hit or Miss Food

Saadia S. Shamsie — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 23:55:30 +0000

A new Thai place to try in New Jersey? YES PLEASE! So far I’ve tried 5 Thai restaurants in NJ and have my favorite but am hoping to find one that will top it (no luck yet). This particular restaurant, Thai Thai, was a little ways out of the way nestled in Stirling, NJ so I was really hoping it would be GOOD! It was neither here nor there. Here are the specifics. Please note, I know my Thai food! Thus my recommendations when it comes to the same are pretty solid.

Food: Completely depends on what you order. The appetizer spring rolls were good. We ordered Pad Thai, rice noodles with shrimp, eggs, bean curd, ground peanuts and bean sprouts, which was less than mediocre and Geoy Tiew Kee Mow, rice noodles with chicken, shrimp, eggs, onions, red peppers, chilli sauce & Thai basil, which was good. I’ve heard some of the curry dishes are also good.

Ambiance: Really nice. It’s pretty, simple and subdued. The seating arrangements vary from “in the crowd” to “off to the corner” layout. The ceiling is really nice. I can’t remember my art history enough to tell you what it resembles (I could venture a guess but the artists out there might chew me out). But it’s pretty. =o)

Service: We visited for lunch on a rainy Saturday, where the number of visitors were null before we came in and 4 when we left. So the service was fine but there was no one else to serve so that’s not much to go on.

Price: $$. Not pricey but not a cheap eat either, especially when you fare in the taste of food as somewhere down the middle. An appetizer, two entrees and Thai ice tea cost $35.

Overall: I think if I’m in the area, I’d go again, otherwise, I wouldn’t make the effort to go out of my way to have Thai food here; I’ve got plenty of closer places where the food is better.

But if you give it a try, let me know what you think! Yummy Eatings!

Thai Thai | 1168 Valley Road, Stirling, NJ 07980 | 908.903.0790 | http://www.thaithaifinecuisine.com

Photo courtesy of getty images