green papaya, otherwise entitled bubble tea rocks

a bunch of us got together for lunch at one of my favorite spots, green papaya. i haven't had many cravings during my pregnancy; only vanilla pudding and oddly a PB&J sandwich, which I probably haven't had since i was 4. anyway, for some reason i started craving green papaya salad. so off to green papaya we go.

green papaya salad. tangy and delicious.

the real highlight of any meal at green papaya is the bubble tea. i *heart* bubble tea. it's like a milkshake, only better. my favorite is taro.

bubble tea gets its name from the tea being shaken (not stirred) with a fruit flavor, which forms bubbles, and from the tapioca pearls (resembling blueberries) that are submerged in the drink. (read more here) tapioca pearls are an interesting commodity, not recommended (by me) to be eaten alone. they don't have much flavor and are kind of gummy. but they are a unique addition of texture to the bubble tea experience, meant to be suctioned up through the extra large straw.

it is fabulous. if you go to green papaya, give it a try.

that's really all i have to say. for completeness sake, here is everyone else's food, no complaints anywhere.

emanu

until last weekend, i had never had ethiopian food. at my friend elisa's suggestion, a bunch of us enjoyed a leisurely saturday lunch in the relaxing, zen-like atmosphere of emanu.
since we were all ethiopian cuisine virgins, we asked for just a selection of the server's (owner?) favorites. she was very accomodating and prehaps found us fairly amusing. of course, we were the only people in the restaurant, so she was probably hard up for entertainment.
to start, we shared the beef sambussa(s?) my sister found it impossible to wait for me to take a picture before reaching for one. absolutely delightful - suprisingly ungreasy and not overly fried.

below is not a presentation of refreshing hot towels. it's a plate of injera, the spongy flat bread made from teff flour east africans use as both bread and utensil (more info here). it also lines the serving bowl, soaking up juices as the meal progresses. it has a slightly sour taste, which was nice, but i don't think i cared much for the texture. it reminded me of the spongy lining in my kitchen drawers. as you can see, we had a wide variety of tidbits to try. in the center was a hard-boiled egg.

my favorite was probably the beef, which i think was zignie. i was kind of a bad blogger and didn't take proper notes.

everything was very delicious, with an unusual (to my palate) combination of flavors. even though i don't think i ate a lot, i was full quickly. we thought we were finished until the owner came by and scolded us for not eating more. we continued to plug away. apparently the meal is not considered finished until the injera "tablecloth" lining the bowl is also consumed.

all in all a very pleasurable eating experience.

molly malone's

despite wine me, dine me's lukewarm review of molly malone's in pleasant ridge, i had to give it a try for myself. my friend kevin and i stopped there on our way home from kenwood sunday (yes, when you live on the westside, pleasant ridge can be on the way home from kenwood). there were maybe 5 people in the whole restaurant.

the atmosphere of the long-lost dubliner lingers, but i found the food to be...well, just ok. first we had the irish egg rolls. sounded wonderful conceptually: sauerkraut, corned beef, irish cheese (whatever that means). the execution was lacking, however. completely bland. even for cabbage and corned beef.

for lunch i had the bookmaker steak sandwich. it was impressive looking, overflowing with beef and cheese. while the bread was satisfactory, again i found the beef and cheese to have little flavor, despite the red onions. seriously in need of some seasoning. the accompanying "tart and creamy" horseradish sauce needed way less creamy and way more tart. load up the horseradish, people! something needs to add flavor.

i think my biggest problem was the food just seemed so non-committal. great ideas, but deficient in the aplomb necessary for a successful dish.

i will continue to mourn the loss of the dubliner, their marvelous boxty, and superior sunday brunch.

first watch: a brief review

this is pretty much the most boring review ever. first watch - it's good. it's consistent. they bring a huge pot of coffee to the table so there is no wait for refills. why not personally a caffeine addict, i can appreciate that convenience because i am a water drinker and they also bring a pitcher of water.

i always order either the key west crepe or the chicken salad melt. they are reliable. the sourdough toast and breakfast potatoes are good.

i don't feel the need to describe anything there in glowing terms laced with stunning adjectives. the food doesn't deserve it. "good" is the most appropriate descriptor. and unlike some other restaurants mentioned previously (ahem. montgomery inn.), the crowds around first watch on sunday morning (and every other day of the week) are completely justified.

sorry so unimaginative. i don't even have pictures to jazz it up.

tastes like chicken

i am a picky chicken eater. i hardly ever order it out because it is usually 1) dry or 2) full of those little chicken tendrils that are sinew-y and nasty.
but, the silver spring house proclaims to be the chicken joint. it says so right on the sign. and they have been declared "best chicken" by cincinnati magazine. it says so right on the menu. so i decided to give the tender, amish-raised, marinated in citrus juices and spices, grilled to perfection chicken a go. but a chicken dinner with a breast, wing, leg, and thigh is a bit too much chicken for this girl. luckily, there is an ample selection of chicken sandwiches to choose from.

i went with the baja chicken sandwich, which was the famous chicken breast topped with salsa and monterey jack cheese. it was fantastic - juicy, with a lack desecration by sinew. literally cooked to perfection. now that's truth in advertising. the sweet potato fries were also delicious. not too sweet. even the pickles were good. brian got the actual chicken dinner, with a salad (!) and fries. he ate every last bit. of the chicken, at least.mark's heart shaped buffalo chicken sandwich. jenn had the chicken (are we noticing a theme here?) taco salad, which is clearly enormous.also noteworthy were these amazing loaded wedges, yes, that's ranch you see drizzled on there. a cardiovascular surgeon's delight; job security.there were a few cons to our silver spring house experience, however. first, the place was absolutely packed. i guess that's to be expected at the best chicken joint in cincinnati, but it was also very loud. don't go if you actually want to converse with the people you're with. additionally, i guess because they were so busy, jenn had to ask our server three times for a glass of water. which she finally brought when i asked for a fourth time. she never came by to refill either.

next, the following picture speaks for itself.finally, exhibit c is the quesadilla. we chose to order it without chicken (~$13), so basically we paid $8 for a tortilla with melted cheese inside. we thought there would at least be tomatoes or jalapenos or something extra than what we could create in a microwave in 30 seconds. not so much. the salsa was tasty, though.

bottom line: if you've got a hankerin' for some chicken, hit up the silver spring house. just expect that other people had the same idea.

beluga: not a review, a rant

pop quiz:
you are out at a swanky night spot with some girlfriends. you walk into a room where a dj is playing and have a seat at one of the tables. a few minutes later, someone asks you if you know this is a private party. do you:
a) apologize, explaining you were unaware
b) leave the room and enjoy the dj in the front room instead
c) get up and start dancing provocatively in the middle of the room
d) two of the above
e) none of the above

while you ruminate on your answer, i would like to tell you this is not a review of beluga, the swanky night spot in the above scenario. this is a review of bad behavior by adults who should clearly know better. last night, my brother-in-law's girlfriend hosted a party for him at beluga, with a dj set up in one of the back rooms. my brother-in-law is freshly arrived home from boot camp and is leaving again monday. four girls walk in and sit at the table next to me. nicki (brother-in-law's girlfriend) tells me she has no idea who they are. i casually tap one on the arm (the one wearing leg warmers) and explain this is a private party for my brother -in-law, etc. she says she didn't know, chats with her friends for a second, and a few minutes later they get up. they get up and start dancing. no one else is dancing. they continue to dance and hang out for an undetermined amount of time, as brian decided it was time for us to go.

ok, i know it's a club. i know there was a dj (that nicki was paying for) and the room wasn't completely packed with people wishing my brother-in-law well or roped off in any way. but, what the f? at least introduce yourself to the guest of honor if you're going to crash his party.

in good company at sake bomb

jane austen wrote in persuasion, "my idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what i call good company".

i was definitely in good company thursday at sake bomb on erie. westender organized an evening of blogger frivolity. in attendance were get in mah belly, a dork and his pork, the nomerati, and 5chw4r7z, to name a few. beth and i both had a blast.

i did not eat much as i am battling this ridiculous cold (which is probably nosocomial pneumonia i picked up in a nursing home). what i really wanted was some warm, comforting soup, so i ordered the miso soup. it was not good. there was no flavor, except a vague fishiness. my impressions cannot be blamed on a congested head either; the other two of our party who ordered it also found it lacking.

despite illness, i am never one to turn down dessert. my fried cheesecake was good, not other-worldly, but it is difficult to flub any fried dessert. overall, i was unimpressed, but most people seemed to enjoy their food, so i may have to go back to try the sushi. one cool thing of note - the bar had this sweet inlaid copper colored decor. pretty nifty.

bella luna

i was feeling extra enchanting saturday night with my new eyeshadow, so i was eager to make an appearance at dinner with my mom and family friends at bella luna. the restaurant won me over immediately with its quirky, fun decor, like the old radio used as a hostess stand and the mismatched plates.

the place was absolutely packed, and they were running behind on reservations. we arrived at 8:15 for our 8:30 reservations and were seated at 8:55. but the staff was pleasant through the whole waiting experience, and it wasn't a big deal.

mainly i am just going to put up my pictures. suffice to say this was a delightfully beguiling two and a half hour eating experience. towards the end of the meal i just wanted to curl up on the cushioned booth and dream, bewitched.

the bellini tini.prosciutto wrapped asparagus.antipasto.spinach with apricots, pinenuts, and figs.

saltimbocca with risotto.tiramisu, of course.

just wow.

we finally made the trek down columbia parkway to terry's turf club to see what all the buzz is about. wow. i get the buzz.

brian and i arrived first (a rarity, i assure you) and put our name in. luckily we only had to wait about a half hour for a table; let me assure you that in the years that i have been friends with them i can think of MAYBE one other time that this has occurred. its nice to not have to wait. a party of four arriving shortly after us had still not been seated by the time we finished eating. we stood outside to wait. they had heaters and peanuts, so what more could we ask for?

i don't know exactly what i was picturing. for some reason "turf club" evoked flattened green carpet, dark wood paneling seasoned with grease and smoke, and dusty plastic ferns. i don't know what i had in mind either. what we found instead was a wonderland of color and light. the first 15 minutes we were sitting down, we were all gazing around, entranced by the neon glow. beth kept saying "i can't stop looking". i can say that i spent a good part of the evening not socializing with my friends but staring at the walls.

the place is tiny. and it was PACKED. beth commented that if there was a fire, we would all die. what can i say??? its the survialist in my and i like to know where all my exits are.

the menu is deceptively simple and straightforward. meats, toppings, sauces. but as i began to consider what i was going to order, i realized the combinations were endless and all equally tantalizing. bleu cheese or goat cheese? bacon? grilled onions? crab meat? burgundy sauce?

i decided on the burger with bleu cheese, bacon, light onions, and burgundy sauce with mushrooms. all the burgers, especially when they are busy, are cooked medium. beth ordered hers on the rare side, but i'm not sure if it was any different than the rest. i honestly can't say that i saw a difference between the rest BUT that doesn't mean it wasn't cooked to perfection. again, met me say WOW.

while we waited we drank so beer. they have chimay blue on the menu. internalized happy dance ensued.

here is what arrived.oh my god. i had no idea such perfection could be served on a dixie plate. the bun, the meat, the fries, everything was amazing. things were falling out of the bun it was packed so full. i love a hamburger that is not smaller than the bread it's on. juicy but not greasy, flavorful but not heavy. i don't know how they do it. (i suspect butter, maybe heroin) the fries were also heavenly. i have kind of stopped eating fries (don't need the extra calories), but i could have eaten twice as many of these. they were kind of like penn station fries, only way better. when fries taste that wonderful you can't help but eat every single one of them. any hopes of "eating well" is thrown out the window and you can only just savor every bite. every single on my plate was wonderful.

my only complaint is that it was over too soon. i wanted to keep eating. and let me note that had they placed more food on my plate i would have eaten all of that as well.

here is brian's. he said it was fantastic and seriously considered ordering another one. he wants to go back next week and is also willing to drive the excessive distance for carry-out (not excessive to eat in, but excessive to carry-out). he is addicted.

this first burger is mine. i went for a simplier option. just bleu cheese........eric had a variation of what krissy had which is below mine. goat cheese, mushroom sauce and grilled onions. oh and bacon.all in all, i would agree with wine me, dine me and get in mah belly. terry's has one damn good burger. it is the first burger to rate a 6...yes, that's right, divine bovine. additionally, beth and i both unthinkingly wore cream and neither of us got anything on ourselves. good things happen at terry's! it truly was a night of miracles; here's a quick recap -- they were EARLY, food was WONDERFUL and no MESS!

our service was also great, considering how crowded it was. the bathroom, however...

next up on the search for the perfect burger - quatman's.

nectar

krissy is in green

beth is in black

brian and i have season tickets to playhouse in the park with our friends jenny and john. this month's show being emma, the husbands decided to bail and beth and jessie stepped in. for dinner, we decided to go to nectar.

beth and i were the first to arrive at 6pm. and when i say first to arrive, i mean for the entire restaurant. i guess reservations weren't warranted after all.

seriously, that sort of thing is completely intimidating to me. i'm ok with eating dinner by myself, but being the first one in the place is hard for me. in fact i arrived a few minutes before krissy and stood outside.

our server was super nice and conversational, and we chatted with her about various things while we waited for jessie to arrive (jenny was meeting us for dessert only).

for a girls' night out, a little sparkle is always welcome, so we decided on a bottle of gruet blanc de noir, from new mexico.

i was interested in trying this as we are heading to new mexico next week and i hope to do a few wine tastings while i am out there. this winery appears to be located close to where we will be (santa fe and albuquerque).

for the first course, we ordered the artisan cheese plate.

the three cheeses (left to right) were a french cheese i didn't catch the name of (3 cream?), a 4 year aged cheddar, and an aged goat cheese. garnishes were fig chutney, chestnut honey, local concord grapes, quince paste, chorizo, and these amazing almonds. everything was so good. i couldn't even choose a favorite among them, although i was quite fond of the creamy french cheese and the fig chutney. everytime beth tried something, it was her new favorite. which is understandable.

its true. everything was my new favorite. looking back i have to say that i enjoyed the french cheese and surprisingly (to me) the fig chutney. i enjoyed the chorizo very much too......oh and yes the almonds were wonderful too.....see even looking back i can't pick a favorite.

for me, the entree was very difficult to decide on. i had it narrowed down to 4 and we started doing random number selection. i ended up with one of the starters, the scallops, as my entree. i did not regret the roads not taken.

the scallops were complemented nicely by the crispy prosciutto (i didn't know you could make prosciutto stand up straight - it's meat for god's sake!), a local bean and cherry tomato salad, and roasted garlic cream. it was divine, tender and light.

jessie ordered one of my second choices, which was the mediterranean plate. it also looked pretty yummy.

i ordered the fresh greens with a curry vinaigrette. it had local apples and a few other garnishes. the dressing was fabulous. sweet yet tangy. i was very satisfied. i second that - the dressing was fabulous.

the photo of beth's soup turned out really well. it even looks good to me, and i don't like beans that much. definitely not as much as beth.

i love beans, i could and often do eat them every day. this soup was exactly as good as you would expect. it was a white bean soup with basil.

finally, dessert, which in many ways, is the whole purpose of the meal for me. beth is somehow able to resist, but i never can. i was completely sold when our server mentioned the berry napoleon with lemon curd and basil and lemon sorbet.

looks and sounds fantastic, right? wrong. i was so disappointed. i'll start with the good aspects and move to the bad. the lemon curd was excellent, and the pastry flaky and enjoyable. the sorbet was interesting on its own. and there was pomegranate involved, which is fun and always evokes greek mythology for me. however, the overall execution, the harmony of the dish, was lacking. it was utter cacophony. there were too many competing flavors, too much tart and not a balance of sweet. i felt my mouth puckering. it was honestly almost unpleasant, overwhelming. but of course i ate it all anyway. i kept hoping i was just not getting the right combination in my mouth and eventually i would hit upon the bite that would allow me to see the genius of the dish. it never happened.

the spoonful of chocolate mousse i snagged from jessie was better, but still not great. very dark and rich.

overall, i thought nectar was extraordinary, ambrosial even, but next time i would skip dessert, which is really saying something for me.