Greeka Kouzina: The Return Trip

I gladly returned to my new favorite Greek restaurant, Greeka Kouzina, with my mother, my father, my three brothers, and my grandmother, who can be a bit fastidious when it comes to food. Of course, I was eager to hear my grandmother's opinion of the restaurant.

For appetizers we ordered Melitzanosalata, which was as tasty as ever, and Hummus, which was excellent! The chickpea dip was creamy and delicious without being too oily or cloying. The pita bread was soft, warm, and light. Sadly, I wasn't able to take a snapshot of the Hummus before the rest of my family attacked it.

Watercress Blue Cheese Salad

Next, we ordered the Watercress Blue Cheese Salad. A tall pile of watercress was resting on a bed of lettuce and decorated with crumbly blue cheese, walnuts, and salad dressing. The greens of this salad were wonderfully crisp and fresh, while the dressing was a perfectly balanced mix of sweet and tart. The blue cheese gave the salad a nice and salty flavor while the walnuts lent the salad a good crunch.

Spanakopita

The next vegetable dish we ordered was Spanakopita. The thin, crispy layers of filo pastries were bursting with the delicious spinach filling. I loved this dish so much that I would have eaten the whole thing if I didn't have to share it.

Beef souvlaki

The first meat dish we ordered was the beef souvlaki, which was made of tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned pieces of roasted beef which were skewered with pieces of onions, green bell peppers, and tomatoes. The lemon juice and tzatziki (a blend of yogurt and cucumbers) added a refreshing zest to the dish.

Spanakorizo

The side dish that we ordered with the souvlaki was the spanakorizo, a dish of rice, spinach, dill, onions, and feta cheese. The dish was surprisingly delicious, especially with sprinkled lemon juice. My only comment was that the rice was a bit too dry for my taste.

Arni Lemonata

The next meat dish we ordered was Arni Lemonata, roasted lamb with lemon juice. The lamb was so juicy and tender that it was practically falling off the bone! The perfectly seasoned meat was scrumptious with or without avgolemono, the egg and lemon sauce which come with the roast lamb.

Lamb Paidakia (lamb chops)

hThe second meat dish we ordered was Lamb Paidakia, roasted lamb chops. Like the Arni Lemonata, the meat was tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and tasty down to the bone. A truly flavorsome treat!

Arni Keftedes Pasta

The side dish we ordered with the Lamb Paidakia was the Arni Keftedes Pasta, a cheese pasta dish with lamb meatballs. This was the only dish which, in my opinion, was disappointing. The cheese sauce and the meatballs were bland. This is a dish which I will never order again.

Milopita

Our first dessert was Milopita, Greek apple pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was a delightful dessert, especially for someone with a sweet tooth as large as mine. The apple filling was well-spiced and the slice was warm and sweet, while the vanilla ice cream was a no-fail palate-cleanser.

Baklava  topped with Greek Yogurt

For our second dessert, we ordered Baklava, a classic Greek dessert of filo pastry and a nut-and-honey filling. Like the Spanakopita, the filo pastry was bursting with filling. The Baklava was well-spiced and not too sweet, a the Greek yogurt added a nice touch to the treat. It is not a craving-inducing dessert, but it is definitely an enjoyable meal-ender. 

My entire family, especially my grandmother, loved the food. She even ordered food to-go! I think it's safe to say that we'll be opening the Greeka Kouzina menu again soon. If you love Greek food too, you'll definitely want to swing by soon.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Wooden Spoon

Last Sunday, I visited another restaurant with my two favorite eating buddies: my mother and my brother. This restaurant is named Wooden Spoon, a Filipino restaurant near the university. It is run by a chef who owned a similar restaurant while living in Paris. After his restaurant in the City of Lights shut down, the chef left Paris and decided to open a restaurant here.

Crab pancit (noodles)

I was eager to eat in Wooden Spoon after hearing many wonderful things about it from my friends in the university. The first thing my mother, brother, and I ordered was the Crab Pancit. In Filipino cuisine, the word pancit refers to noodles and/or noodle dishes. This dish was made up of a rich, creamy concoction of crab and egg which topped a mound of friend noodles. Despite its pale coloring, this dish was quite tasty. The only problem I had with this dish was that it was too oily. 

Wooden Spoon Fried Chicken

While perusing the menu, my mother suggested that we order the Wooden Spoon fried chicken, saying that the chef must be proud of this dish if he named after the restaurant itself. The dish, however, was disappointing. The marinade's flavor was weak and the taste did not permeate to the chicken itself. Rather, it stayed on the breading.

Stuffed pechay (Chinese cabbage)

Next, we ordered pechay (Chinese cabbage) stuffed with smoked fish and ground pork and covered with a mildly spicy sauce made of coconut milk. Flavorful and savory, this was a surprising dish, though I did find the stuffing and the sauce too salty. 

Pan grilled tuna belly with soy sauce,  bagoong (shrimp paste), and an eggplant salad

My brother, being a lover of anything that has tuna fish in it, ordered the pan grilled tuna belly. This order came with, soy sauce (for the fish), bagoong (Filipino shrimp paste), and a salad made up off chopped tomatoes, red onions, green mango, salted egg, and eggplant. The salad itself was tasty and fresh, but I ate it without the shrimp paste. The tuna belly was a bit dry and definitely needed to be eaten with the soy sauce. 

Reyna Blanca

As usual, the three of us decided to order dessert in two parts. The first was Reyna Blanca (which, when translated literally, means "White Queen"), a dish of coconut custard topped with rice puffs. The custard was refreshing, mild, and creamy while the rice puffs gave it a little crunch. This was a real treat. 

Sago cake with covered in palm sugar syrup and rice puffs

The second dessert was sago cake, which was made off sago pearls and sweetened with palm sugar syrup while being topped with rice puffs. The cake itself was nice and sticky while syrup gave it the right amount of sweetness. Like with the Reyna Blanca, the rice puffs added variety to the texture of the soft and sticky cake by giving it an added crunch.

Overall, I found Wooden Spoon to be disappointing. I had expected more out of the restaurant since many people were raving about it. With the exception of the desserts, which were my favorite parts of the meal, the food was neither terrible nor special. In other words, the food was just edible. I highly doubt a return trip to that restaurant any time soon.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Food Trip Day Part 2: Greeka Kouzina

On Food Trip Day, lunch time was spent with my mother and my brother in Greeka Kouzina, the one month old Greek restaurant near the hospital where my mother works. My family loves Greek food with a passion, so we were very excited to eat in this new restaurant. We ordered an interesting line-up of food.

For starters: Melitzanosalata with pita bread

As an appetizer, we ordered Melitzanosalata, Greek eggplant dip, with pita bread. In general, I hate eggplants, but I couldn't stop myself from slathering the meltizanosalata all over my piece of pita bread! The dip was flavorful and smooth, while the pita bread was warm, soft, and tasty. Definitely something to tickle your tastebuds as you wait for your food.

Fig Roka Salata

Fig roka salata was the next dish we ordered. It was excellent! The lettuce was crispy, while the dressing, though in need of a little more sugar, gave it (the lettuce) a little kick. The walnuts added more a crunch to the salad. The sweet figs, the light cheese, the vinegar, and the sun-dried tomatoes all complimented one another, while the arugula topped of everything else to make a wonderfully delicious salad.

My brother's main course: the lamb gyro

For his main dish, my brother ordered the lamb gyro, from which he allowed me to take a bite. The gyro was bursting with succulent lamb, mild feta cheese, and juicy tomatoes. When eaten with drizzled lemon juice and garlic sauce, it makes a wonderful Mediterranean wrap. I can't wait to order my own gyro soon.

The lamb gyro's side dish: patates triganites

The lamb gyro comes with your own choice of a side dish. My brother, being a potato-lover, chose patates triganites, potatoes with feta cheese and a Greek version of gravy sauce. It was so good that my mother and I couldn't help but get seconds.

The other main dish: lamb shoulder with baked potato wedges

The other main dish that we ordered was the grilled lamb shoulder with baked potato wedges. The lamb was juicy, tender, and full of flavor. I loved it! The potato wedges, however, were a bit of a let down. It didn't have much flavor, and the garlic sauce could only do so much to help it. Luckily, it didn't detract from the excellence of the lamb shoulder.

The lamb shoulder's  side dish: moussaka

Like the lamb gyro, the lamb shoulder comes with a side dish. For our side dish, we ordered the moussaka, which I describe as a Greek lasagna with eggplant. As I mentioned earlier, I hate eggplants, but I couldn't keep away from this dish! It was delicious, albeit a bit oily. Even the eggplant tasted in this dish!

Dessert: Greek Yogurt

For dessert, we ordered two scoops of Greek yogurt with honey and pistachio bits. After one spoon, I fell head-over-heels with this dish. The yogurt was creamy, rich, and tangy, a taste which complimented the sweet, golden honey. Every spoonful was a delight to my taste buds.

The decorative light fixtures

I would also like to compliment the restaurant's decor. The bottom floor of the two-story restaurant was a comfortable room with a high ceiling, making the room seem large, white walls with one wall covered in white stone, giving the room a modern Mediterranean look, and large windows, letting in a lot of light (if eating there for lunch).

Seated at the table next to us was the owner's father, who told us that his son, who received formal training in French cuisine, taught himself to cook Greek cuisine. My mother couldn't help but praise his son for the exquisite food.

Greeka Kouzina is definitely a restaurant I want to return to. With a comfortable eating area and wonderfully divine food, this restaurant is fit for the gods!

Food Trip Day Part 1: Cafe Ysabel

Because of the three very interesting meals which I had in three different locations on the same day, yesterday was what I call "Food Trip Day".

The first meal was, of course, breakfast, which I shared with my mother. The two of us went to Cafe Ysabel,  an old, colonial house-turned restaurant.  After poring over the menu, we decided to order and share the tinapa rice and a truffle cream omelette souffle.

Tinapa rice with scrambled eggs and tomatoes.
Sorry about the photo quality. The lighting in the restaurant is
to take pictures (even with flash).

The word tinapa is a Filipino term for "smoked fish" (usually milk fish), so tinapa rice is simply smoked fish fried rice. Scrambled eggs with chopped tomatoes top the mound of rice in the center of the plate. The fried rice itself was very tasty, though I felt that there could have been more fish flakes mixed in. The eggs were moist but in need of a little salt.

The truffle cream omelette souffle.
The waiter swears that this is made of only two eggs.
Two extremely-well beaten eggs.

The truffle cream omelette souffle is a LARGE mound of omelette souffle covered in a white truffle cream sauce. The omelette souffle (or souffle omelette, whatever you wish to call it) was very fluffy and tasty. If it were smaller, I would have been able to call it "light", but even when split, the dish gets a wee bit heavy. The cream sauce was flavorful and rich. This dish is definitely something to order again, but not when you're alone.

Cafe Ysabel's decor and ambiance is something of note as well. Located in an old colonial house, the restaurant is decorated with antique sculptures of cherubs, tiles, stained glass, and wooden columns. There is an old-styled bar in the restaurant where the drinks are made. The light fixtures are made up of antique lamps which hang from the ceiling. As beautiful as the lamps are, they give off little light, making the restaurant a bit dim and a bit sleepy looking. 

Based on the food itself, I have no qualms about eating again in Cafe Ysabel, though it would neither be my first nor last choice. 

Mom & Tina's Bakeshop and Restaurant: The Return

My mother, my brother, and I decided to return to Mom & Tina's Bakeshop and Restaurant, but this time for breakfast. While Mom & Tina's has a breakfast menu, I opted for something from their list of sandwiches: The Shrimp Sandwich.

It would be an understatement to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how the sandwich looked. Filling the bun was a heaping pile of breaded shrimp. The sandwich was even dripping with thick and creamy tartar sauce. Truly, there is no scrimping in this restaurant.

It was so beautiful that I had to post another picture

It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! The shrimp was thick and chewy, while the batter was crunchy and tasty. The tartar sauce was tangy enough to complement the shrimp. The bread was tasty, as was the french fries (but who can really go wrong with french fries?).

For dessert, we ordered a slice of carrot cake. The cake was wonderful! Moist, flavorful, and sweet, it was the best carrot cake I had ever tasted. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of it before we three gobbled it up.

Oh, well. Maybe next time.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Mom and Tina's Bakeshop and Restaurant: A Family Affair

On the last leg of hell week in school, my mom stopped by the condo that my older brothers and I share. For dinner, we decided to eat in Mom and Tina's, a bakeshop/restaurant across the street from the university.

There, we ordered a chicken and spinach lasagna to share, then ordered our own separate dishes. The lasagna was really tasty, but a bit small. To be fair, though, it wasn't meant to be shared between three people. A side note: it's of an Americanized Italian dish (which isn't a bad thing). Anyway, being one of their best-sellers, it is a must-try in Mom and Tina's.

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

My individual order was the lengua con setas (beef tongue and mushrooms). It was a very good dish! The lengua was tender, the mushrooms and the sauce were flavorful, and the mashed potatoes were very smooth and creamy.

Lengua con setas

For dessert, we ordered a small Toblerone walnut torte and a slice of peanut butter and chocolate fudge cake to share. The torte was a very delightful and light desert. The cake, however, is a real show stopper. The chocolate and the peanut butter are perfectly balanced and the cake itself was moist. The first bite I took made me jump in my seat! The cake is very rich, though, so I couldn't eat a lot of it. Despite that, this cake is definitely something to go back to Mom and Tina's for!

The pièce de résistance, peanut butter fudge cake

Toblerone walnut torte

Mom and Tina's has a homey, New England-esque feel to the place. When you're there, it's best to go with your family or the friends that you consider family.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

B&T: Burritos and Tacos

First thing's first, I am sorry that I wasn't able to post much recently. It was hell week for me in school. But now, we're going on a gloriously long break!

The weekend before hell week started, my mother, my older brother, and I ate in B&T: Burritos and Tacos, a small Mexican restaurant, while waiting for my younger brother to be dismissed from school.

When ordering your food in B&T, you must first pick what kind of food you want to eat (ex. burrito, taco, enchilada, quesadilla, flautas, taquitos, etc.). Next, you order the kind of filling you want inside it: beef, lamb, chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, lengua (beef tongue), or pure vegetables. After picking your filling, you can opt to have your order "wet", where they cover it in a special sauce, or "dry."
We ordered a lamb quesadilla, an order of lamb taquitos especiales, and an order of flautas which had lengua and steak filling individually.

Lamb quesadilla

It's a big order though, so I suggest you share it with someone

The quesadilla was nothing short of heavenly! Every bite was bursting with flavor. They did not scrimp on anything, especially the lamb. The different ingredients and spices were well balanced and suited the lamb very well. Also, the tortilla wrapper that they use wasn't too thick, that way, the flavor of the filling really came out. It really was a show stopper. The order is HUGE so I would suggest sharing it with someone.

Lamb taquitos especiales

The taquitos especiales, though smaller an order, were just as fun to eat as the quesadilla. The taquitos are covered with cheese and a special sauce, making it a bit messy to eat. It's worth it though because the taquitos were great! The filling, of course, was divine and the sauce was excellent. Definitely a must try in this restaurant.

Flautas. The order originally had four pieces, but I forgot to take a picture before we started eating 

One was filled with beef and the other with lengua (beef tongue or the tongue of a cow)

Generally, the only difference between taquitos and flautas is the kind of wrapper they use. Since the flautas have no especial version in the B&T menu, they have no sauce on top (but they, and all the other orders, come with complementary salsas or sauces on the side). The flautas were very good too (the lengua filling was pretty spicy), but they weren't as exciting as the taquitos and the quesadilla. If I were to rate the dishes that the three of us shared in this meal, the flautas would be the third (the quesadilla would be the first).

The owner was there in the restaurant that day. He told us that he got his recipes from a kind old Mexican cook he met while he was living in Texas. He suggested that we try the burrito or the burrito frito  next time.

Oh, there definitely will be a next time!

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop