New York Bites: Artichoke Pizza

Chicagoans worship their deep dish, New Yorkers boast about their foldable thin crust, and New Haveners....well I suppose their "apizza" may be something special; but nothing beats a pizza place that takes the ooey gooey, comforting goodness of cheese, crust, and sauce and turns that traditional, tasty combo into something atypical and absolutely delicious!

If you're in New York for a visit and looking for something different from the usual New York slice, Artichoke Pizza should be your first stop. With piping hot slices, fresh ingredients, and unique flavors, Artichoke Pizza transcends traditional New York pizza. The pizzeria's signature "Artichoke and Spinach" pie has people crawling back for piece after piece... provided you're able to handle the richness of a single slice.

I finally had my first slice of artichoke and spinach pizza from their location on 14th and 1st in New York's East Village. The service was quick and the pizzas were fresh. The flowing dinner crowd that marched in and out of the pickup spot indicated to tourists that they'd arrived to the correct location and signaled to regulars that they were going to have to wait a little longer for their heavenly slice. In true New York fashion, my slice of pizza was placed in the oven for a quick warm up and them graciously placed into an over-sized box.  The smell alone was enough to turn heads as I walked back to my apartment.

In regard to taste, this slice of artichoke and spinach definitely makes my top 5 for pizza, up in the ranks with Lou Malnatti's. The crust was crispy, with the proper amount of thickness, not overly oiled or salty, and paired well with the toppings. With a creamy sauce that blended with the freshly melted cheese, the richness of the pair melded well with the pieces of artichoke and spinach on the slice. The crust, sauce, and toppings resulted in a trio of rich, developed, and mouth-watering flavor.

While Artichoke's signature slice wears a $4.50/slice price tag, the large portion and tastiness of the piece more than overshadows the cost. Moreover, with a slice so full of flavor and brimming with rich ingredients, for most patrons one slice is more than sufficient.

Extra perk: They're open until 5am for all of your late night/early morning needs!


Artichoke Pizza
East Village Location
328 East 14th Street
New York, New York 10012
212-228-2004
10am-5am

keep calm and nom on,
 
gf

New York Bites: Xi'an Famous Foods

Hello there Nomsters,

Spicy Lamb Noodles

It's been a while since we last met, but I'm promising that from now on I won't wait two months+ to dish out the latest food porn, reviews and recipes. For many college students, summer is a time to relax, travel, or start that internship that we chased during the spring semester. Personally, I ended up in New York, which is the perfect place to be a foodie in my free time. So over the next few weeks I will be blogging about my fantastical foodie adventures in the boroughs! To kick the summer off I thought Xi'an Famous Foods would be a fun place to visit after a semester spent in Shanghai.

Spicy Lamb Burger

Xi'an Famous Foods was conceived in Flushing, NY, the place to be if you want authentic Chinese food. After gaining a firm following at their location in Flushing, the owner expanded to Manhattan, making it that much easier for those who sought out authentic Chinese food! The menu features mainly noodle dishes along with some "burger options." Xi'an Famous Foods keeps things simple by doing what they do best, noodles.





On my first visit, we went to their Chinatown location on Bayard street. The ambiance of the restaurant is really reminiscent of being in China. The limited seating, quick service, and menu board picturing each item all reminded me of the little hole in the wall food spots in Shanghai! One of the quirkiest aspects of the restaurant was the dumbwaiter in the middle of the room that sent up patrons' meals!


I ended up ordering the Spicy Lamb Noodles ($7.00), featured in the picture above, and we also ordered a lamb burger ($3.00) and a pork burger ($3.00). The noodles were delicious, very fresh and chewy as they would have been in China. There was a generous serving of tender cumin-spiced lamb meat atop my noodles with fresh herbs, but boy was it spicy! If you order any dish labeled "spicy" off the menu, be sure you can commit to it, because once you start, there's no going back. The burgers were also very tasty. Huge portions of both lamb and pork nestled between crispy pancake rolls, like the ones seen being sold in the streets of any Chinese city. The lamb in the burger was also super spicy, the pork on the other hand is a great option if you are not a fan of spice. The pork was tender in texture and had a sweet flavor that contrasted well with the savoriness of the bun.

Overall, Xi'an Famous Foods is a great option if you are looking for an authentic Chinese restaurant for some good take-out. Every one of Xi'an's locations is cash only, so make sure you're prepared. Additionally, psych yourself up for the spiciness!

Xi'an Famous Foods

67 Bayard Street
Manhattan, NY

(212) 608-4170

Keep Calm and Nom On,
GF

Live from Shanghai!-Oysters, Spicy Soup, and Street Food

Hey Nomsters!

MaLaTang

Sorry it's been a while since my last post informing you of Nightly Noms postponing delivery until Spring 2012. I've been in Shanghai about 5 days now and have already been through a whirlwind of foodie experiences. From street food to traditional Sichuan (so spicy!) food, I've had the opportunity to taste a variety of dishes; and thankfully haven't eaten anymore bugs.

Street Seafood Options

One of my favorite things about Chinese street/snack cuisine is it's really customizable. MaLaTang （麻辣烫） in particular is a great option if you're looking for a simple and delicious meal. MaLaTang is a spicy soup that you can basically add whatever ingredients the shop has on hand. From meats, to noodles, to veggies, each bowl is custom made to order and spiced to the buyer's desire. MaLaTang is a bit like Chicken Noodle Soup to the Chinese. ~$1.00/bowl

Scallop w/ Garlic

In addition to MaLaTang, I've been eating a fair amount of the "on a stick" variety of food. Each night after about 6pm, street vendors and BBQ stations pop up and are surrounded by fairy lights to illuminate the area. From BBQ meat or veggies on a stick to freshly grilled seafood (oysters, clams, scallops, oh my!), hungry students have the chance to sample the local favorites while enjoying a bottle of pijiu (啤酒，beer). So far I've tried octopus and zucchini on a stick, both were flavorful and seasoned with some sort of spice powder. I also had a grilled scallop with garlic on the half shell, which was awesome. and only about $.75. In addition to food on a stick, one of the best street food items is Jidan Bing (鸡蛋饼，egg pancake). Typically eaten for breakfast, this crepe-like pancake is stuffed with a variety of ingredients ranging from just meat, to meat, veggies, and sauce. There crepes are the perfect indulgence in Chinese street food and are served pipping hot and to-go.

Sichuan Spicy Pork & Peppers

I'll be back with more Shanghai updates soon for now keep snacking and let us know if you want to share your adventures in cooking!

Jidan Bing

-gf

A Taste of Greece on a Slice of Italy-Greek Inspired Pizza

Hello Nomsters,

Long time no see, summer's been a bit busy for us over here, especially since we're working out Nightly Noms plans for the fall/spring at Georgetown. Regardless of being busy, one must always take a moment to refuel, and this homemade Greek-inspired pizza is a perfect way to boost your mood. The original recipe came from Giada's Food Network Show; however, the version here has a few modifications along with the fact that I decided to make the pizza dough from scratch (which you can choose not to do of course!).

The pizza itself was pretty easy to make, the only difficult spots that could arise would be due to working out the timing so that all of the ingredients are ready to hit the oven at the same time! The flavors from this pizza are incredible tasty and aromatic, the combination of the spinach, feta, and kalamata olives (my own addition) all add to the Grecian flare; the addition of mint and garlic takes this pizza's flavor overboard. Also, if you opt to make the homemade crust, be assured that it is well worth the time. With a crispy outside and fluffy inside, this dough recipe truly enhances the overall taste of the pizza, but of course store-bought dough is a bit easier if you're in a time pinch!

Crust:
Ingredients
-1 packet of dry active yeast
-1 cup warm/hot water
-2 Tbsp olive oil
-1 tsp sugar
-1 tsp salt
-2 1/2 cups flour(+1/4 for kneading)


Method
1. Empty pack of yeast into a bowl, add warm water and stir until yeast has dissolved,

2. Add the sugar and salt, mix well,

3. Pour about half of the flour into the liquid mix, using a spoon to incorperate, add the oilive oil and
continue to mix,

4. Add the rest of the flour, and mix/begin to knead,

5. Use about 1/4 extra flour spread out on counter to knead dough, knead dough approx 5-8 minutes,
until springy,

6. Place dough back in bowl and cover lightly with a dish towel or clingwrap and let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Topping:

Ingredients
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-3-4 scallions (pale green/white parts only, thinly sliced)
-Salt & ground black pepper
-3 cloves garlic (minced or chopped)
-1 bag or 12oz spinach leaves
-1 (4-ounce) chunk feta cheese (crumbled)
-1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (optional)
-8-12 Kalamata olives (thinly sliced or chopped, optional)

Method 

For the crust, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Then, coat a baking tray or pizza stone with olive oil, roll the dough to desired thickness (you can use a bit of flour or olive oil on your hands to prevent the dough from sticking) and place on the tray/stone. Finally, using a fork, prick small holes into the dough as to prevent bubbles. Set aside.

For the topping,
1. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat the 3 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add the scallions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently stirring until tender (approx 5 minutes).

3. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

4. In batches, add the spinach and cook until wilted (approx 5 minutes), then add the olives and mint.

5. Remove the pan from heat and distribute mixture over the dough, crumble the feta cheese on top and add salt/pepper to taste. Finally, drizzle a bit of olive oil over pizza.




Bake until the dough is golden and crunchy, 15 to 18 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy!

A Mini Trip: Milwaukee, WI for Lobster Rolls at St. Paul's Fish Company

Hello Nomsters,

Lobster Roll!

Obviously, I've been a bit absent in blogging, but after a somewhat relaxing spring break, I'm back and blogging from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Similar to any major city, as a Chicago native it is a rare occasion that I leave city limits for cuisine unless I'm looking for a specialty or just need a change of scenery. Of course while home I frequented my usual gastronomic delights, such as Penny's Noodle (Thai), The Athenian Room (Greek), Dave's Italian Kitchen (it's in the name), and even had the chance to try Fin (Sushi/Asian) with my friend Natalia. However, since we opted out of travel for spring break this year, my parents and I decided a nice short road trip up to Milwaukee was in order.

For those of you who know Chicago, you also know that most of the area around this major city is either suburbs, ski territory, or the Dells for water parks and small lake houses in the summer. Although Milwaukee is known as a biker's destination and a city of" brews and brats," this Wisconsin city is beginning to become a gem of a destination for city dwellers looking for a break. Now, of course this is a food blog, but just as a quick quip, if you ever decide to visit, be sure to stay at the Iron Horse Hotel! As an old factory that was converted into a classy, rustic hotel, this establishment gives visitors a warm welcome, comfortable and stylish rooms, and service to match. With a basin of granny smith apples in the lobby and complimentary unique cocktails for guests, the nuances of the Iron Horse provide guests with the ultimate relaxing experience. Additionally, past 5pm, the hotel lobby and bar turn into one of the liveliest places to be in Milwaukee, with a full bar, restaurant, and lounge area right on premises! But enough about the accommodations, if you're making a trip to Milwaukee, you must, must, must, have lunch or dinner at a place that offers seafood as good as the east coast and a lobster roll that could challenge those native to Maine!

When first entering St. Paul's Fish Company, it doesn't look like much. Simple checkered table clothes, a large fish counter for take out orders and for purchasing by "the lb," and an oyster bar. But as you sit down and peruse the extensive seafood options, you'll realize that there's probably no other place west of Virginia that will offer a lobster roll or full lobster dinner for $12.95.

Seafood Counter

For our dining experience this weekend, we ordered a basket of fried clams to share, and one Cook's Cocktail oyster and a lobster roll each. The clams came out fresh and crispy! Served with sides of cocktail sauce and remoulade sauce (a French sauce typically found in New Orleans on fried seafood sandwiches [Po'Boys]), these clams were breaded just enough to not overwhelm the succulent quality of the seafood. Our oysters were also quite delicious, and were accompanied by sides of cocktail sauce and horseradish, extremely fresh too. Finally, for the lobster roll. For those of you East Coast readers, I'm sure you're thinking "the only place to get a real lobster roll is Maine" (or McDonalds, depending on who you're asking...). But, I assure you, St. Paul's lobster rolls in on par with anything out east. The bun, which is buttered and lightly grilled, was chalk full of fresh lobster mixed with a light and creamy sauce and pieces of celery. At first bite, this roll will live up to your expectations and more by offering your taste buds a merging of the flavors from both the buttery bun and fluffy texture of the lobster. you just cannot go wrong with a lobster roll, especially when you don't have to drive to the east coast to find a good one.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oysters_2008_PD_04.JPG

Besides lobster, they offer an array of seafood options, including Po'Boy sandwiches, a full oyster bar, fish'n'chips, and crabcakes, so you really can't go wrong if you enjoy seafood. Along with the reasonably priced lobster entrees, St. Paul's offers daily specials ranging from steamed mussels in white wine to fish tacos. So indulge and enjoy :)

-Your Fellow Foodie

Restaurant Week Feature: Decadent Brunch @ Co Co. Sala

Hello Nomsters,

As most of you know, this past week was DC's Restaurant Week, which means tantalizingly tasty 3- course meals for lunch ($20.11) and dinner ($35.11) at many of DC's finest restaurants. Of course living on a typical college budget, you don't normally want to spend more than needed on a meal, but a little self indulgence never hurt anyone and my roommates and I decide to partake by making a reservation at Co Co. Sala, a chocolate bar and restaurant on F. street and 10th (near the Verizon Center). Co Co. Sala was one of the few restaurants that was offering a brunch restaurant week special, and after perusing the menu and seeing items like "French Toast S'mores" and "Crispy Creole Crabcake" as options, it was hard to not run to the cutesy chocolate lounge.

Arriving at Co Co. Sala for our 11:30 reservation, we were seated in the chocolate and pink accented colored lounge to be handed our menus for the Restaurant Week Special. Needless to say, we couldn't go wrong with our options. Each of us started with the Amuse Bouche of the Day, which was a small artichoke tart with tomato confit. The tart was perfectly warm and the crust had an excellent taste, just a little sweetness to offset the taste of the artichoke. Following our tarts, Sarah favored a more savory entree, so she ordered the Aztec Cheese Enchilada with an avocado, guava, and fennel salad with chocolate ganache and guava-lime vinaigrette. Both Gina and I opted for the ultimate indulgence and ordered the "French Toast S'mores" as our brunch entree. After having the well-presented plate placed in front of me and taking my first bite, all I could think was "yum." The french toast was cinnamon brioche stuffed with melted marshmallows and warm dark chocolate, a graham shortbread layered with mousse and warm bananas in caramel sauce accompanied the entree. The french toast literally melted in your mouth as the flavors of each component melded together. I would order this item again in a heartbeat, and as an a la carte option you can experience the deliciousness for about $12. By the last couple of bites, both Gina and I were struggling, but there was no way we would leave a piece on our plate. Completely satisfied by each of our meals, our sever cleared our plates as we took a breath and prepared ourselves for dessert....yes, I know what you're thinking, "who could even contemplate dessert after all of that?!"

Both Sarah and I ordered the Onyx, a vanilla creme brulee encased in dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel on top, basically chocolate overload. The mousse was perfectly smooth and the creme brulee did an excellent job of preventing us from going into a chocolate overdose. Gina ordered the Stolen Heart, which was a white chocolate strawberry mousse with chocolate crispy pearls; naturally, all of these desserts found their way into our already fulls selves. We barely ate the rest of the day.

Co Co. Sala is a great place for brunch or dessert, they also offer dinner too (don't worry, not everything has chocolate in it!). Although some of the items are a little pricey, the brunch was definitely worth the commute and price. The presentation on each dish was flawless, and the overall tastes definitely give Co Co. Sala an edge over other restaurant's desserts. While I would definitely order the French Toast S'mores again, the Breakfast Flatbread looked like a pretty great savory option also. I may pass on the mousse though and opt for the PB Cheesecake instead, but that may have just been because I was coming out of a food coma from the french toast. This restaurant is great for dessert and drinks out with the girls (they offer a variety of cocktails and hot cocoas) or for a date. Either way you'll swoon for the flavors Co Co. Sala offers. They also have a "Chocolate Boutique" in case you was a box of chocolates to take home!

Co Co. Sala

MENU
929 F STREET NW,
WASHINGTON, DC 20004
P 202.347.4265

Transport:
1. g'town ->union station circulator, get off at about K st. and 11th, walk to F and 10th
2. Any train to Metro Center, walk to F and 10th

Simple Recipes and Common Sense: Baked Asiago Chicken-Mushroom Orzo

Hello my foodie friends,

With midterms around the corner, fall sports in full swing, and every club imaginable having events, there's barely enough time to eat a meal let alone "learn" how to cook. So here I am to provide you with a "college friendly" recipe that can require as many or as few ingredients that you have and that'll be sure to satisfy your craving for a home cooked meal.

I tested out a new recipe with my flatmates this week. We had decided we wanted to make dinner, but rather than run to Safeway, I rummage around to see what I had for ingredients already. Among random spices and noodle cups, we had some veggies, pasta, chicken, and cheese. Therefore I'm providing you with my recipe for a simple baked pasta dish, but honestly, you can substitute the type of vegetable, pasta, meat, etc based on what's available. Hence the reason this recipe is "college friendly" so be creative!

Baked Asiago Chicken-Mushroom Orzo

STEP 1: Chicken Prep (NOTE: make sure when you handle chicken you wash (scrub!) your hands, knife, cutting board, etc with soap and waterafter since you are handling raw meat).
-Chicken breast tenders (chopped into small pieces)
-Dash of Cayenne pepper (optional)
-Dash of salt
-Dash of pepper

1. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels,
2. Chop chicken into small pieces and place into a bowl,
3. Add a bit of cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you want), salt/pepper to chicken and mix to make sure all pieces have some seasoning,
4. Heat frying pan to high/medium heat, add 1/8 stick of butter (or 1-2Tbs Olive Oil), add chicken and cook thoroughly (until chicken is slightly browned on the outside and no longer pink on the inside)
5. once chicken is cooked, turn off burner and set aside.

STEP 2: Pasta Prep
(roughly 3-6 servings depending on how hungry you are)
-1 cup orzo pasta
-1/4-1/2 cup of diced Asiago cheese (or some other cheese you like)
-pinch of salt (for boiling water)

1. Bring a few cups of water to a boil, while waiting for the boiling point add your salt,
2. Pour orz0 (or your choice of pasta) into boiling water and let boil for 9-11 minutes, until cooked to al dente (a.k.a. slightly chewy).
3. Once pasta is cooked, strain the water, (if you don't have a colander, you can use the pot lid by covering most of the pot but leaving just enough open to let water out but keep pasta in),
4. Add a little olive oil to pasta (so that it doesn't stick to the pot) and set aside.

STEP 3: Mushroom Mix
3 cups chopped mushrooms (about a small package, I used white mushrooms)
1/4 stick butter
2 Tbs breadcrumbs (optional)
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper

1. dice mushrooms into small pieces
2. heat up a frying pan to medium heat, melt 1/4 butter and add mushrooms,
3. Saute mushrooms until most of the butter is absorbed, then cut heat to low, add salt/pepper to taste,
4. add bread crumbs, set aside.

Bringing it all together! Congrats, the worst is over :) However, if you don't want to bake the dish, you can just mix everything together add some cheese and enjoy!
Final Steps
-Oven safe dish
-Pasta, Chicken, and Mushroom mix
-Cheese

1. Set oven @ 350
2. place pasta in the oven safe dish, add chicken and mix, then add mushrooms and mix,
3. Mix some of your diced or shredded cheese into the pasta dish and sprinkle remaining on top
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes (checking every 5 minutes, you want the cheese to be melted!)

To add a veggie as a side, steam your favorite or grab some frozen veggies and put them in the microwave for a quick zap.

All the best and hope this has you saying "nom nom nom."

-The Georgetown Foodie