Sweet Escape: Crumbs

Oh, for the love of cupcakes.

This entry originally took place on April 2.

It's no secret that my friend Chloe has a thing for sweets. Please direct your attention to Crumbs. Crumbs Bake Shop is tucked between Greene Street and University Place, next to Union Square. Across the street, on a sunny day, you can find street performers, skateboarders and artists championing their wares. On the day we happened to be there, a Vitamin Water campaign was in full swing. Free Vitamin Water for all! Sweet (I mean that quite literally).

Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting.

Chloe isn't all too fond of the cake part. It's the frosting that she comes for. The rich, velvety vanilla frosting smears effortlessly onto the chocolate cake. I actually liked the thickness of the cake (much better than Kickass, that's for sure). Frosting is the bomb, though.

Going in for the kill...

Mm...yeahhhh.

One phrase: Power to the sugarboppers!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I'm not a huge cupcake fan, but for what it is, it makes decent snack fare.

Location:
Crumbs
37 E 8th St
New York, NY 10003
212.673.1500
www.crumbsbakeshop.com

Baci & Abbracci, Pt II

Secondi 1: Pasta Farfalle with Cherry Tomatoes, Shrimp and Chickpeas

(...cont'd)

Wow. If I was already half full with my beans-infused appetizer, this dish just solidified the "well-fed" factor. Somehow, the blend of herbs and oils in the pasta farfalle was so flavorful I just had to finish it! The combination of textures thrown together kept my mouth happy -- thick chickpeas and fun bow-tie (farfalle) pasta. What's not to love?

Secondi 2: Pan seared salmon and mussels with broccoli

Vicky's salmon was tender and not overly seasoned. I sense that Baci & Abbracci is a family-friendly home-style Italian eatery. We noticed clientele trickling through into the later hours (7:30..8:30...). By 9 p.m, the restaurant was three-quarters full, compared to the empty house two hours earlier. A family of four was sitting behind us sipping wine. Next to us, two older gentlemen in ironed suits discussed a topic with rapid hand motions.

Our waiter asked if I wanted another caipirinha (a Brazilian drink made from cacacha -- a light rum, lime and sugar). At just $7 a drink, I would have readily said 'yes'! The caipirinha was at once refreshing and light on liquor, which is great for seconds. But this time, I left it at one. At first, I thought the bartender had diluted the drink, but on second thought I reconsidered that it could be due to an inherent property of cacacha (light rum being, well, light).

Dolci 1: Tiramisu

Time for dessert! My tiramisu arrived as I was contemplating how I was possibly going to finish it. In days of yore, I could have easily downed it, despite being stuffed. I mustered three bites...and those three bites were worth it. I loved the chocolate and espresso flecks. Powdered sugar on top completed the ensemble. Since I enjoy my coffee strong, I dug the hint-of-coffee flavor. Although the tiramisu's texture was rather light, don't let its airiness deceive you. It goes down heavier than you think (as I realized, patting my stomach five minutes later). It's how tiramisu should always taste. Not too heavy, whipped right.

Dolci 2: Yogurt Panacotta with Strawberries

My, that panacotta was sumptuous. Its tart sourness gave the dessert a luxurious feel, a far cry from frozen yogurt. The word that comes to mind is "elevated." Vicky and I readily give the panacotta two thumbs up.

Conclusion: Baci & Abbracci, which means "hugs and kisses" in Italian, surely delivered an intimate, welcome atmosphere. I would gladly go again, even on a non-restaurant week day. At $11 to $13 an entree, the prices are very reasonable. Ciao bella!


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only thing keeping me from giving it five stars is the out-of-the-way location. I don't go to Williamsburg much, but when I'm here, I'll stop by again. Flavors could be a little more distinct, drinks could be stronger.


Location:
Baci & Abbracci
204 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.599.6599 (can anyone tell me why they have a Queens area code?)
www.baciabbracciny.com

Baci & Abbracci, Pt I

Passion fruit mojito, Caipirinha (Brazilian: Cai-peer-EEN-yah)

This entry originally took place on April 2.

My cousin Vicky and I caught up for dinner on the last day of Brooklyn Restaurant Week. Our destination? Baci & Abbracci.

The southern Neopolitan Italian cuisine is savory with a Mediterranean flair -- hearty with lots of seafood and beans, light on tomatoes, subtle flavors (some may call "bland", but I like the more subdued taste). Their dishes are less sauce-heavy than other regions. The portions were plentiful, for the most part (more to love), and the waiters are very attentive. However, the music and lighting was a bit inconsistent, which probably had to do with the changing clientele as the night progressed. The lights kept dimming randomly, and electronic beats quickly switched to a classical piano opera track -- a little jarring.

Otherwise, Vicky and I had a lovely first-time experience here. I liked the warm, inviting setting. Red brick walls (Faux? -- wondered Vicky, aloud) surrounded us on all sides, creating an intimate, rustic hearth. The only thing missing was an actual fireplace roaring in the corner and maybe some live classic Italian opera vocals.

We were the first ones there. It was dark and empty inside, so I was slightly scared off at first but the all-male waitstaff was attentive and professional, with the exception of one klutzy waiter who dropped Vicky's fork, but he quickly procured another. The menu offered a plethora of choices, from pan seared striped bass to goat cheese gnocchi, and beyond. We ordered off the Dinner Special ($23 for three courses).

Antipasti 1: Bean soup with mussels

I got the appetizer: Bean soup with baby mussels, hefty and filling. It could have used more salt and pepper, but I liked the 'natural' flavor just fine.

Antipasti 2: Endive salad with oranges, oriental dressing

Vicky said she expected "more greens" in this salad, but its combination of crunchy-tangy-sweet was a pleasing medley. Definitely not as filling as my soup, though.

To Be Continued...

Can Red Mango be Green?

Store front.

This new Red Mango opened up near Guitar Center at West 14th Street. I'd had Pinkberry before (several times, to my wallet's chagrin), but since I'd never tried Red Mango before, I entered the glass doors with zero expectations.

Melting Queen.

The pomegranate frozen yogurt was on display, so of course I had to try a sample of that. I liked the tart, slightly sour flavor and promptly went for a small pom with strawberries and mango. I should have passed on the strawberries, as they tasted freshly popped from the freezer (what an oxymoron). However, the mango bits were soft, gooey and gave off a distinct resinous sweet smell. Not hairy, but definitely ripe. My kind of mango.

My frozen yogurt suffered from a meltdown before I even took my first bite. The overheated room also made my head spin. Chloe and I reported a case of extreme lethargy following the froyo. Just. Don't. Do it. Not at this location.

Expenses? My total came to $5.60 or so, tax included. On the pricey side, but so is Pinkberry. My friend tells me Yogurtland in LA can whoop all the other frozen yogurt competitors' butts. Next time I'm in the area, I'll test his claim.

Nutrition ingredients.

Red Mango frozen yogurt is billed as authentic, nonfat and 100% all-natural. It has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and is "packed with live and active probiotic cultures" (code word for live bacteria -- the good kind). Plus, it's gluten-free (food allergies-prone, take note) and "certified kosher" (so that all the Jewish froyo lovers can enjoy without worry).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. Dug the flavor and texture of my pom but wasn't so keen on the rapid melting before I even got to the bottom of my cup. Red Mango, I know you're trying to save money on A/C, but really -- you can't sell melted goods.


Location:
Red Mango
63 W 14th St
New York, NY 10079
212.414.3009
www.redmangousa.com

Falling in Love with...Eros Cafe

This entry originally took place on April 2.

With national unemployment numbers now at 13.5 million, Chloe and I decided to try our luck at the New York Career Fair hosted at the Metropolitan Pavilion. She got there ten minutes earlier than me, and the line was already wrapped around five blocks. The disgruntled man behind us told me to beat it, so we ended up getting to the back of the line. Three blocks later...

Employers were primarily hiring in the sales field. Exeunt job fair.

Enter Eros Cafe.

You can't see the frisky French bulldog in the picture (sadly, he and his owner had already left when I snapped the shot). But that dog was wagging his tail, squinting his eyes at me and drooling something furious. The poor critter. I wanted to give him a visor. If only I had one.




Eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast -- breakfast incarnated. It was worth an exploration.




The sun beat down on our black suit-clad selves and was steadily climbing to a tan-worthy 60 degrees. Hence, the glare. I was in the mood for a light breakfast sandwich, so I ordered the first thing that came to mind: Corned beef hash and eggs on a bagel ($3.95). The sumptuous bagel was lovingly drizzled with olive oil for a robust, if somewhat messy, bite. Nothing beats New York bagels.




Chloe ordered the more involved mushroom omelet ($8.95), even though she didn't have much of an appetite (Starbucks Grande caramel macchiato, I shake my fist at you). The omelet was tasty and fresh, as were the delicately seasoned home fries, which reminded me of classic diners' fare. The toast remained untouched.

Hi, Chloe!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. If only the bagel were less messy (I wasn't counting on oil all over my hands)...Still, the corned beef hash rivaled the ones in the Poconos mom & pop joints. And Eros Cafe can sure handle eggs and home fries.


Location:
Eros Cafe
190 7th Ave
New York, NY 10011
212.691.5720

This is Why You're Fat

Bacon Wrapped Twinkie Stonehenge.

But the caption wasn't really necessary, right?

Eccentric Edibles

After a brief conversation with my dad, the subject of "weird food" came up. Now while Dad will take his chili sauce and frog's legs, he scrunched up his face when I mentioned "eel." It dawned on me that of all my family members, I'm the most adventurous one in the culinary department.

I counted off some of my favorite delicacies: stir-fried squid, kimchi, unagi kabayaki (grilled eel coated with sweet sauce), black fungus (AKA cloud ears), nori (seaweed), salted jellyfish, spam, tazukuri (spicy glazed sardines), among others. I didn't think these foods were that strange by a long-shot. But when I thought about it, for many people, even the very idea of consuming something that was writhing and jiggling just a moment ago gives them the jitters.

This is why I love sites like the UK's Edible. The vodka-flavored lollipops pictured above actually include detoxified edible scorpion at its center. The scorpion supposedly cures toxins. The sugar-free pops are safe for human consumption, along with oven-baked tarantula, bbq worm crisps and weasel coffee (eaten and regurgitated by weasels -- not made of weasels, in case you were wondering).

Edible's website is cleverly divided into sections: Insectivores, Herbs & Spices, Aphrodisiac, Carnivore, Herbivore and Apothecary. Ah, gotta love those Brits and their toasty humor.