Pop up Lunch is coming...

Bon Appetit is apparently (once again, according to the site) opening up a 2 week pop-up cafe in midtown. Celebrity chefs like Cat Cora, Mario Batali and Stephan Pyles among others will be creating the menu.

Dinner is by invitation only (and I'm not holding my breath) but lunch is open to the public. I'm sure the work crew will want to head over and check this spot our while it's open. If we make it over, I'll definitely post some pictures of that lunch.

Today, I didn't even bother to take a picture of my lunch since it was super generic. But if I happened to me in Venezuela any time soon, this would be my first lunch. I discovered this via A Hamburger Today. Happy Friday!

Holy Matrimony!

My friend Bryan got married a few weekends ago. The wedding and reception were held at Nanina's in the Park in Belleville, NJ, an absolutely beautiful place for a wedding. While rain moved the ceremony inside, it was still really nice. My boy Bryan even shed a tear when his lovely bride Destiny seemingly floated down the aisle in her regal wedding gown. And believe it or not, I got to participate in the ceremony, reading a poem that Bryan wrote! And my mic duties didn't end there - I introduced the newlyweds to their friends and family as they came out to kanYe's Flashing Lights. Bananas!

But as my Dad is fond of saying, if you're a guest at a wedding, you need to be all about the food. And this wedding reception was all about the food. I may not have shed a tear during the ceremony, but I think I cried a river when I saw all the food at the reception. Here are the pics...

OK, now on to the hot stuff!!!

Carving station!

Sausage and broccoli rabe. I love this combo.

These shrimp were huge.

These mini burgers were a nice touch.

Prosciutto and olive tower. Nice presentation.

And after all of that, they had the nerve to serve dinner, too! I think I ate about three bites of this.

And the parting favor was a box which you could fill with candy. Naturally, all of the candy matched the wedding colors of brown and blue.

I had a great time at the wedding. And so did my stomach. Oh yeah, and I caught the garter, so apparently I'm supposed to be next. We'll see what happens with that.

Congratulations again to Bryan and Destiny!

My Addiction

Every few months, I get addicted to one food item or another. As of late, it's definitely been yogurt. But not just any yogurt. I discovered the love that is Liberte yogurt. I'm a fiend for anything with peach flavoring, so I always just buy all of the peach flavored yogurts that Wegman's has when I go there. Who knew Canada would be hooking me up like that?

And speaking of addictions, I think I'm also addicted to Wegmans in general. I have now forced myself to only shop there, but I used to just wander around there and look at the food, eat as many free samples as I could before the cheese people started looking at me funny, and maybe try a few items I never heard of. I think that's how I started eating Liberte in the first place.

Long live Liberte...and Wegmans too!

Going Out!

The other day was a good lunch day! My boss sent me an outlook appointment for a place that just said "D&D". I was confused, but since the appointment spanned lunch time and my boss is a foodie like myself, I clicked accept.

At 12:30, we strolled the 2 blocks to 979 third avenue. After winding down a few hallways, an elevator ride to the 14th floor and more hallways, we arrived at this place called Astra. Think upscale cafeteria. Three specials (which apparently go fast) were printed on a sheet of paper in an acrylic frame. Tattered paper copies of their daily menu were also on the table near the entrance. Place your order, pay (tip included) and they give you a number that you display at the table of your choice for servers to bring you your food.

Nice view, comfortable, elegant ambiance, comfortable chairs. So far, so good? But would the food stack up? YES.

My flank steak was well seasoned and tender. It was overcooked to medium-well when I ordered medium. Not a big deal for me. The sour cream sauce next to it was adorned with capers and red peppers. A tasty accent. And the salad, though it had a few too many red onions for a business lunch, was topped with a good Dijon vinaigrette and freshly grilled and chopped bread as croutons. A great touch.

My boss's burger was also very good according to him. The brioche bun was apparently very good (all their bread is) and the beef delicious. A third coworker got a grilled ham and cheese he enjoyed. Both sandwiches were served with fries that I believe they described as good McDonald's fries. I can rock with that!

So I had a good lunch, and best of all...it was free! :-)

Brick Lane in Midtown!

So they opened a Brick Lane Curry House on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd 2 blocks from my office! I've eaten at the original several times and the food is great. They also have the hottest curry and food I've ever tasted-the ridiculously hot phaal. While I wasn't even able to finish even a side platter, Emily from serious eats did. I wish I was there to see it...

Anyway, I wanted to actually feel my tastebids this afternoon, so I opted for the saag paneer. A lunch special meal is $10.84 with tax and is more than filling. And if you're wondering, the phaal isn't as hot as the original. But give them some time. They just opened...

Breakfast Club

"Breakfast Club" at my office has taken on a life of its own. The setup is one person each Friday brings breakfast for the whole office (about 25 people). Over the course of a cycle, everyone gets their turn to wow the office with their culinary creativity.

As time had progressed, "Breakfast Club" has fostered a healthy competition among its participants. We've had a range of food from McDonald's (that was me!) to make-your-own breakfast burritos to homemade muffins and cakes.

But Friday, my coworker Lee Ann came up with one of the greatest Breakfast Club meals ever. She brought New Jersey to the city - make your own pork roll (or Taylor's ham if you prefer), egg and cheese sandwiches!! On hard rolls!!!!! New Jersey natives in the office from the 973, the 732 and down to the 609 were elated. And we schooled everyone on how to do it, including adding the salt, pepper and ketchup (and in my case hot sauce). Lee Ann even set up instructions for the rookies.

The finished product was not only beautiful, but delicious. It was definitely a banner day for Breakfast Club. I'm glad I don't have to follow that performance!

The Hungry Commuter

Most people who know me know that I like to eat.

I bring my stomach with me everywhere I go. And that includes work. As a commuter living in NJ and working in midtown Manhattan, I have a plethora of eating options. Cuisines, quality and cost options are huge.

So how do you navigate it all?

I just let my stomach guide me to good food that isn't crazy expensive and tastes good. I will share my food love with you. It could be a cart, a restaurant or a lunch that I made at home (bringing food from home doesn't have to be bad!)

I'm excited to start this journey and continuing to share my passion for food with you.