Jeffrey's Grocery

I think I'm slowly becoming a brunch addict.

Basically I like to sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast. Life is good, eh?

After recovering from a day out in the snow I had a good long sleep and ended up at Jeffrey's Grocery the next morning. No complaints here.
(Shout out to Ronna, sorry I didn't stop by. I will be in touch next time I'm in the city! xo)

The décor in this place was spot on. They had me at the napkins. My absolute favorite kind of napkin.

And the lovely table? Swoon. Mismatched silverware...Are we design soul mates?

But you want to see the goods don't you? I'm talking about the food...

 Around the table: Blueberry French Toast with Granola Streusel, an Omelette & the Quiche of the Day

The French Toast was a sweet treat for sure. The granola streusel on top ought to accompany all kinds of French toast, I mean uhhh Freedom Toast! right right

I went with the Mushroom & Cheddar Toast with Poached Eggs.

Re: grilled cheese, tons of mushroom, and the most perfect poached eggs on planet earth. I'm not dramatic...

I'm choosing to fall head over heels in love with poached eggs. I want one right now.

Demolished.

Be a smartie and enter my GIVEAWAY to win some free food (Journey Bars)! Please!

Brunch

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Brunch is the classy man's breakfast.

Breakfast with the addition of  bloody mary's? I just don't know how it could get any better.

Keep your mimosas and bellinis because if it's brunch, it's bloody mary time and that's exactly how this brunch went down.

It was a long wait at Locanda Verde, so we went to hang out in the adorable lobby of the hotel next door. First we picked up some snacks, we were ravenous and had an hour and a half of waiting ahead of us. We soldiered on though, baked goods in hand.

We settled on the parmesan pretzel, apple cider donut, and one other thing that tasted lemony and was a relative of a muffin. I was told next time I've got to order the olive oil cake. Sounds like a plan to me!

Did I mention I was in good company?

My parents were in the city for my dad's birthday, and trust me...these folks know how to dine.

After a nice chill in the hotel lobby, we sat done and ordered some drinks.

Bloody marys for mom and I and a "bicicletta" for my dad; it was made with aperol, lillet and aranciata. I'll stick with the bloody mary.

Of course we had to order the ricotta. It's some of the best ricotta on earth.

Bold statement, but I'm going to go ahead and say Cotogna (in SF)---we had an appetizer there of ricotta, roasted squash, brown butter, and honey and it was sort of perfect--- and this place have the best ricotta dishes on a menu, at least the best I've ever tasted.

This ricotta was topped with truffle honey, and thyme. Last time I was here it was just olive oil, both were also sort of perfect. I have to give a lot of credit to that grilled bread though. 

It's the simple things sometimes, the simple things that just work so damn well. 

The crostino of the day was topped with a foie gras & chicken liver paté, don't be intimated...that translates to "delicious" The pickled raisins and red onions didn't hurt either.

What could be next but some crispy potaters?

Mom and I thought the side of garlic potatoes would be disappointing and well...it wasn't at all. You could smell the garlic as the waiter approached the table with these babies.  They succeeded in putting most other breakfast potatoes to shame.

We finished the selction off with the highly recommended (shrimp) scampi and grits.

The coddled eggs were spot on.

Only complaint? Bloody Marys were over priced. That's not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy the spicy, tomatey beverage though.

Oh yeah,
Interested in dinner? Check out my Birthday Dinner at Locanda Verde

Graduation

Ever wonder what a culinary school graduation looks like? downright silly. I'm a graduation critic though- it's a whole lot of cheeze and ceremonial moving around. but it is what it is right?

We marched in a single file line. totally normal, every day activities. (there I am by that woman's clapping hands)

Then we sat on the stage. I'm glad we had a small class because we got to have the ceremony in our dining hall, and I think it's a grand ol' room, don't you agree?

Cutest graduate?

After graduating on friday, we quickly packed up my room and headed into the city for the weekend. of course it was not a seamless move, my non-existent immune system played it's part and I was pretty darn sick, oh! and I lost my id mid-moving out so I was unable to get in and out of the dorm. nothing wrong with a few challenges to keep the day exciting.

We headed into the city and had dinner at ABC kitchen. Even if the food hadn't been out of this world, and it was out of this world, it was was wonderful...I'm just saying, if it hadn't, the atmosphere alone was perfect. Like how-I-want-my-home-to-look-perfect. Chandeliers, beautiful handmade ceramic bowls, vintage china, a big table full of vegetables, wood ceilings...just plain lovely.

I didn't snag any picture of the meal but I can tell you this dessert was a great invention: salted caramel ice cream sundae with candied peanuts & popcorn, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce

The next day we stopped by Eataly and my cousin who just started at NYU joined us, our hotel was conveniently only a block away. Eataly is one hell of a place, I won't even bother describing it. Just go.

The city was bustling with all the 9/11 madness but we manged to stop by ground zero/world trade center area on the 10th. Here's the new building in progress. It's enormous.

To finish off the weekend we headed to prune for brunch. My wonderful pops snagged a spot in line and my mum and I got ready like the divas we are and met him there just in time to grab a table.

The place fills up right at 10 o'clock

damn paparazzi just can't get enough of me...

Stewed Chickpeas with crispy coated poached eggs

Crispy Oyster Omelet with remoulade & a tobasco/powdered sugar slurry

Carbonara

& a taste of the pumpkin bread

a little bit of licorice with the check. I love how they have fun stuff with the bill, last time they gave us fresh cherries.

Oh, and of course a bloody mary! I'm on an endless bloody mary kick right now

And so the weekend flew by. Now, I am spending some time in Boston, catching up with family before heading back west for a bit. Gotta love them coasts!

Eat at Skillet!

Hello Hello

While I go to school in New York, Seattle is home…and I’m back home for the first time in just about 6 months. Exclamation marks cannot properly display how excited I am to be spending three weeks in this amazing city.

If you haven’t been here you better start making up for lost time and book that plane ticket about 10 minutes ago. 

And while you’re here, there are quite a few restaurants you’re going to need to hit up, so let’s begin with Skillet.

They used to just have a food truck, well actually a food “airstream” a really adorable little airstream at that. Well they semi-recently opened up a diner sort of place and we stopped by for brunch today

….and you know what brunch means right??! good food and cocktails of course!

super fun cocktails, and an impressive little bar if I do say so myself

check out the bourbon lineup

I settled on a bloody mary though. mmmm meal in a glass, right?

all the beverages are served out of jars, only way to do it in my book.

and to eat? Kale Caesar Salad! yah I said it. 

I love kale. love love love it, and eating it raw and lightly tossed with caesar dressing was great.

did I mention Kale is ridiculously good for you? yah it’s damn near perfect.

pops got a cornmeal waffle with fried eggs & pork belly. 

and mum got this tasty grilled salmon sandwich.

Such a great meal, brunch should start happening on days other than sunday…

you know I’m right.