Pizza in a Cone - Hellz Yeah!

I do not usually like to reference the enemy, NYMag.com, but they do have a lot of good articles about new restaurants opening up.

When I saw this one I had to write about it.

K!Pizzacone just opened up in midtown Manhattan today. It is on 33rd and 5th in that no-mans land near the Empire State Building. My fav cuz lives around there so I perhaps will take him on date here.

K!Pizzacone is actually pizza in a cone like shape. I belive a lot of my friends gave up pizza for lent. Good thing I am a jew and don't have to do things like that.

Anyway, what is awesome about this place is that you get to pick what you what in your pizzacone. They have two sauces types, tomato and pesto. I would get pesto (obvi), mozzerella cheese, garlic and maybe chicken. They also have standard choices as well. I am picky so I would pick my own.

I doubt this is as good as a NYC slice, but it is a fun concept that is a welcomed in NYC.
Please comment if you have tried this yourself. I am really interested in how it is.

Mesa Grill - Super Chill

It turns out pretty much every time I have a client lunch the topic of my blog comes up. Probably because it is so freaking rad, everyone around me always wants to talk about it.

Today I went with my girl TSwan and a new client to Mesa Grill. It was my second time there. The first time was for brunch a couple of years ago, but I cant remember what I had to save my life.

Today when I went I was pleasantly surprised with the Grill. The ambiance is lovely and is located in one of my favorite neighborhoods in NYC, 5th Ave - Flatiron.

I started with a salad which was by far the weakest part of my meal, Sophie's Chopped Salad. Not sure who Sophie is, but we sure have different taste in salad. There was no description on the menu so I figured it was just lettuce and some veggies chopped up. Plain and simple, nope not at all. It was filled with all types of beans, olives, tomatoes, cheese and just a little bit of lettuce. Others might like it, but not for me.

For my entree I got the shrimp tacos and they were AWESOME!!! It was a relatively small size, 8 little shrimp, 2 tortillas, slaw and three spreads, a green salsa, some yummy yellow sauce and guac! Even though I thought the portion was kinda small, it actually filled me. The shrimp and all the accompaniments were just delicious. I really could not ask for more.

I didn't get dessert but I did get a cappuccino that was perfect. It really hit the spot.

My dining companions also seemed happy with their choices. They got Tuna Nachos that got good reviews, a burger that looked huge and delicious and a fancy Cobb salad.

Sadly, there were some stomach aches after, but that is just par for the course sometimes my friends.

Good job Bobby Flay, my crush on you will continue!

Glen W. Bell - Rest in Heaven, Not Hell

This week the chain world lost one of it's great innovators, Glen W. Bell the founder of Taco Bell.

The first Taco Bell was in started in California is 1962. It now has thousands of locations in many different countries around the world.

I am pretty sure it was the first taco chain and the reason we have so many great Mexican chains to chose from today.

Taco Bell will always hold a very special place in my heart. I remember when I was in Teen Travel Camp, we would stop there for lunch or a snack before heading back after a trip. I would get a hard beef taco and cinnamon twists. It was such a delicious, fun treat.

When I went to college at BU and lived in Warren Towers, there was a Taco Bell on the first floor. I had many a meal here, usually two hard shell beef tacos. Then I learned about the wonders of burritos so I would have a beef burrito. For a college student, it was a cheap, quick meal. I loved Taco Bell because they let me alter my tacos and burritos to whatever I wanted and never fussed about it. I know there are a lot of fancy tacos and burritos on the menu like the Gordita and Nacho Crunch Burrito, but I kept it simple, kept it easy, like Greyhound!

Since living in Manhattan, I admit I don't go to Taco Bell as much as I used to. I am intrigued to go again, especially with their new drive thru diet thing going on now. It seems kinda gimmicky, but there are 7 choices, with 4 of the choices, all of them the tacos, all under 200 calories. Not terrible, but you would probably need 2 to be full.

I think in honor of the great Glen Bell I will go try some of these items in his honor.

RIP good man, you were truly an innovator.

Yo Quiero Taco Bell - iconic!

Wendy Williams Embraces the Chain - How you doin??

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to appear on the fabulous Wendy Williams show. It was a dream come true. Wendy was a very sincere person and seemed very down to earth. She acted the same when the cameras were running and when they were off.

One of the nicest things about the experience of going to the show is the fact that while you waited for the show to begin, she provided lots of Dunkin Donuts munchkins and coffee for everyone in the audience. How lovely is that? She should get them to sponsor her show the way Starbucks does Morning Joe. If I was Starbucks, I would demand Mika be removed from the show because she is so nauseating, she might make people throw up their Starbucks every morning.

New Mexian Chain Opening Soon!

I interupt your online surfing for a breaking news alert.
Nina just informed me, throught an article on NYMag.com (please note, I am in no way promoting the competitor) that there is a new mexican buritto chain opening in midtown east. It is called Oaxaca. The menu pretty much looks exactly the same as Chipotle. I guess once it opens I will go and taste it to see how it compates.
Here is the link to the article to see for yourself.

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/01/tropical_twofer_oaxacan_and_po.html

Beyond that link, it was hard to find much info on the chain itself. Oaxaca is a pretty common name for Mexian joints.

Amber - Not My Color of Choice

Since it is so cold in NY, I really do not enjoy leaving my apartment except for work purposes or meeting my people for wine.

Good thing, pretty much every place in NY delivers.

In my old age, I have tried to acquire some sort of taste for sushi. No, I am not putting Tuna or Eel or some other weird thing in my delicate mouth, I eat what I have dubbed "Rori Sushi." What is that you might be asking yourself. Well it is strictly "sushi" only made with vegetables, shrimp and rice. Also, I refuse to put any form of seaweed in my mouth so I sub for some rice paper. I know, you are saying, Rori, that is not sushi and therefore you have no right to comment on sushi. I see your point and I don't usually agree with people. That being said, this is my blog, if you don't like my views, too bad. Go read some fancy food blog where people eat pork belly and bone barrow.

OK, back to the food. First mistake with my delivery, they forgot the edamame. That sucked, because I was really in the mood for it. They didn't charge me at least. I ordered a cucumber avocado roll and a shrimp avocado roll. Neither of them were very good at all. I was eating it, just to eat it, I really wasn't enjoying it. Especially the cucumber avocado roll. It was way heavy on the cucumber, should have had more avocado if you ask me. Also for some reason the thought of the shrimp was making me sick. Perhaps I should stick to shrimp tempura.

Amber also has a full menu of Asian cusine of non-sushi choices so maybe that stuff is better.

There are two locations in Manhattan, one in Murray Hill and one on the Upper East Side. The one on the Upper East Side has actually been featured on Real Housewives of NYC (Ramona and her husband dine there). How is that for a fact you don't need?

Anyway, the atmosphere here is really nice, trendy, for a not too expensive Asian place. They also have a nice drink menu too. I think I would give them another try if I was in the mood for a more upscale restaurant in the hill.

Yes, I Will Pick A Bagel

I recently discovered something life changing. The bagel delivery. I can wake up with my usual weekend hangover, rollover to find my phone and within 30 minutes have a hot delicious bagel, coffee and water (sometimes a Diet Peach Snapple too) at my fingertips. With this luxury, I see no need to leave my apartment in the winter months besides maybe to buy beaded t-shirts and statement necklaces at JCrew. SandiCheeks LOVES the bagel delivery too. Probably because it proves to her just how lazy I am and its not something you can do in Rockland.

Usually I order from Bagel and Schmear (not a chain) but yesterday for some reason they were not answering their phones. After a minor cardiac arrest, I got myself together and realized they were not the only bagel place that would deliver. In fact, if my memory serves me right (and it did) there is Pick A Bagel on 23rd st and they would probably deliver to my little palace in the hill.

I used my new computer to look up the telephone number and found some reviews. The reviews said the people that answer the phone to take your order are mean so I was a bit intimated at first. But, that was not the case at all. I even asked what kind of whole wheat bagels they had, and that, that is when I found my happiness. It was almost as good as meeting a tall pizza bagel, who likes the Yankees and wants to take me to Puerto Rico for the weekend. The lady told me they had whole wheat cinnamon raisin bagels. What? I never heard of that. Umm yes I will have that.

I was quite pleased when my delivery arrived. It came pretty fast, and the bagel was huge and tasty! The coffee was also good and made the way I like it, plus with extra sweet and lows. The only down side is that they have a minimum for delivery. No biggie though, I just order Diet Peach Snapple to get to the $10.oo mark.

There are 6 Pick a Bagels all around New York City. You can stop in and try it yourself or be a lazy lard like me and have it delivered to you.

New Year, New Computer, New Blogs

She's back!!!
Happy New Year everyone. So far I have not been good with my resolutions, but the most important one I am going to stick to. Starting blogging again girlfriend. This is a work of art, how could I ignore it for so long? I think I was just so overwhelmed all fall with the Yankees and I lost track of what was important to me. Food, chain food to be exact. I apologize and promise to blog again. I got a new computer for Hanukkah, holla, so I have no excuses. I am also stealing lots of wireless Internet, it is kinda like using a fake idea when you are under 21. Thrilling!

Citi Field - you might not get a good game, but you can get a good meal

A few days ago my cell phone rang. It was my good friend and loyal Chain of Food reader Brian calling. I must be psychic because I knew what he was going to say. I quickly blurted out, you have tickets to the Mets game, yes I want to go!

There it was, my chance to see how the other half lives. What do these lesser fools feast on while watching their team lose? The great debate could finally be put to rest. Which is the superior chain food stadium?

At Citi Field, there is your standard chain fare, like Nathan's and Carvel. I had some Nathan's fries that night and no surprise, they were delish, always are!

Of course, the big draw at the stadium is the famous Shake Shack. When I went to Shea, I mean Citi Field, I knew I had to try Shake Shack. I would wait on the ridiculously long line so I could finally see what all of the fuss was about. Brian explained I had to not just try a burger, but a shake as well. A burger and a shake? My little kosher fairy would not be happy with this move, but I am a food blogger, so I had to go all out.

At first sip, I really loved the vanilla shake. Then I realized, I don't think there has ever been a shake I didn't love. I just don't indulge in them all the time. Of course it is good, it is a shake, creamy and delicious!

When I sat down to watch the game, it was time for my first bite. The anticipation was killing me. Now, I know I am going to upset a lot of people when I write this, but I really don't understand what all of the fuss is about. Sure the burger is tasty and the special Shake Shack sauce is good, but the whole thing is rather greasy and I didn't find the actual burger that great. I like a thicker, more juicy burger.

The other famous chain option at Citi is Blue Smoke (now a chain bc of the 2 locations). I did not have a chance to try it at City yet, but I do like it in Manhattan. The menu is not that impressive at the field. There are only a few choices on the menu, no chicken, just pork, and I am not really a pork person.

Overall, there are a lot of impressive food choices at Citi Field, like Catch of the Day which has a Shrimp Po' Boy (I don't like my boys Po'), Box Frites (love me some French Fries, just not French people except the Roys and Carla Bruni) and El Verana Taqueria which has Steak Tacos and Chicken Mole Tacos. Now, all these choices are very grand and wonderful, but they are not chains. Therefore, due to actual lack of chain choices, I have to give my chain crown to that magical building in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium!

P.S. The Met obviously lost that day.

Whole Lotta Love

There has been a whole lot of interntal debate about whether Chain of Food should include Whole Foods in it's marvelous blog. Clearly, by reading this posting, you'll realize that a decision was made. Let's write about it. It is too good to ignore!

While primarily a supermarket, most Whole Foods also include giant premium hot and cold food bars and options like sushi, pizza and hot entrees. It is really a foodies paradise. Walking in, one might get overwhelmed with all of the options. Sandi Cheeks for example, never knows what to do when she walks inside and usually ends up with a tuna sandwich. Then she sees me eating my feast and is alway so shocked on how I was able to navigate this food jungle.

Because of all the options, I head straight to the hot and cold bar. I am really bad at making decisions like do I wear a one shoulder dress on friday night or my black tank dress? These types of decisions keep me up at night tossing and turning. That's why I love a food bar so much! So many options - you can get everything! Actually, what bar don't I love?

Some of my favorite items are the chicken masala, which is pieces of chicken in an Indian sauce, the cranberry cous cous, eggplant parm, pesto tortillini, hummus and my most favorite........... the seasame tofu! OMFG, it is fabulous! It is the reason I am so in love with tofu. It tastes better than chicken here, which is a lot coming from the chicken finger queen!

Persy Please

When one is in Cape Cod and sees a quaint restaurant that claims to have the largest breakfast and lunch men in all of New England, one seems to believe it. Well, one should not do that, because it is not true. There are a lot of things that are messed up about Cape Cod like the way they say scallop, the Barnstable cops, the traffic, and ...lying restaurants that claim to have the largest breakfast and lunch menu in New England. Now, I can't exactly tell you which restaurant in New England actually has the largest breakfast and lunch menu, but I am pretty sure it is not Persy's Place.

Persy's Place is, as I mentioned before, a quaint looking restaurant I recently dined at in Hyannis, Mass. There are a few other locations scattered around other parts of New England making it a chain. Sadly, the menu proclaims they are not a chain. Umm Persy, you're a chain. What are you so ashamed of? Craftbar, Nobu, Capital Grill, all chains. You are in good company. Persy, you should be more ashamed of your lying claim and sub par food.

So yes, the food was sub par. The menu, while large, really was not that diverse or interesting. Pretty much just standard diner options. Maybe a few unique omelet options but that is about it. I thought there would be fun wraps and salads, but no, just eggs served with Boston Baked Beans. Gross.

The one thing that did stand out on the menu was the corn chowder. It said it was grandmas secret recipe, and not that I ever met "grandma" but I figured I would give the lady a try. Well, maybe grandma should stick to knitting because the corn chowder was just ok. Hale and Hearty and Flavors in my building have much better chowder. I liked that it was served in an actual mug, but the chowder was rather oily and needs lots of salt & pepper.

For my meal I got a spinach and onion omelet which is pretty much my go to omelet. It was kind of greasy and not cooked very well. It was like a pancake with spinach and onions in the middle. The eggs came with home fries that were good and a HUGE piece of cornbread. The cornbread was definitely the best part. I don't think I ever had a bad piece of cornbread though.

The rest of the people I was dining with also did not seem too enthusiastic about their entrees. Maybe because we all were ready to get out of Cape Cod!

How Sweep It Is

Last night I was pretty sure that the headline of the Post this morning was going to be How Sweep It Is. I was wrong, but in honor of the 4 game Red Sox sweep this weekend I will be blogging about the Hard Rock Cafe in Yankee Stadium. I have been a few times now for drinks and on my most recent visit some chicken fingers (obvi).

The Cafe is located in the stadium near Gate 6 on the ground floor. You don't need a ticket to go in which is very nice. Most of the times I am here, I am surprised how not crowded it is. It is not a huge place, most other Hard Rocks are much larger, but I figure the rent in the most prime South Bronx real estate must be quite high. The bar has your standard drinks, which is nice because if so some reason you want a Malibu Bay Breeze before the game, you don't feel like a tool ordering it here as you might at Stan's. That being said, if you actually did order a Malibu Bay Breeze and you are not 55+, you are a tool, actually, who am I to judge, drink what you want.

I really like the ambiance here. The Rock N Roll memorabilia on the wall is all related to NY or the Yankess. For example, the picture above with 50 in his Yankee hat.

The last time I was here I was with one of my most loyal chain of food readers, Brian. After the game we decided to let the crowds get on the subway and have a post win cocktail. Even though I ate in the Stadium we decided to get chicken fingers with multiple dipping sauces. They were excellent! Much better than anything you could get in the stadium (well maybe in the Legends seats, but I am not that fancy). The buffalo sauce was hot and the honey mustard was delicious. It was also a nice sized platter. The only annoying thing about the place is that the calorie count is listed on everything. Seeing how the chicken fingers had less calories than all of the salads on the menu was enjoyable though.

Next time I am here I would like to have a full meal, probably a hamburger or chicken sandwich with Swisher. That would be fun!

Baja Fresh - Finally

Hola, so I finally did it. I treked on over to the east side from my office to check out the new Baja Fresh in ManHatTan. I know I should have gone sooner as I promised I would but at least I went! I am over the disappointment of the Post not using me in their Baja Fresh article and spoke to the editors to make sure that does not happen again.

One of Chain of Food's most loyal readers, Sarah, is leaving this great city to make her mark in DC. We met back when we were wee bit interns for Fox News (and one WWJD's roomate in college). Clearly, she is a smart girl because she loves da blog and da chain and was so enthusiastic about the Baja opening. To celebrate her big move we decided to get lunch at Baja Fresh, since DC is where I learned about its wonderfulness.

As expected it was awesome. Not too busy, boys with suits, and the amazing salsa bar. I saw a new addition to the bar, the mango salsa, very nice. I went with my old standby the Chicken Mexicano Burrito without the beans. Sarah got a Shrimp Diablo Burrito, very exotic. Both of us were happy and extremely stuffed after our meal.

Anyway, nice to have it in NY. More are opening soon so all New Yorkers can enjoy Da Freshness!!

Welcome to New York Timmy Ho!

Non-stop on the news this morning was talk of the Canadian based coffee chain Tim Horton's opening up in NYC! As your go to woman for all things chain, I had to go to one this morning to see what all the fuss was about. I brought my new co-worker Kelly along for the ride. Little did I know, she was a Tim Horton's expert. She was talking about their sandwiches, special names for things, etc. She got an iced cappuccino which is actually frozen. It turns out they were free, so I got one too! It was pretty good, I still much prefer Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, but it is nice to have another option for coffee in Manhattan. You can tell Tim Horton just really wants to beat up Dunkin Donuts. Really, they are both pretty similar. I am not sure which one I like better. My allegiance is with Dunkin I guess. I have too many memories to just turn my back on them.

I am excited to try more stuff at Tim Horton's though like their soups and sandwiches. I tried some sort of Apple Fritter Donut thing and it was rather delicious. I also want to sample all of their iced coffee flavors like Mint and Cinnamon Bun. I tried to today, but they weren't ready yet.

Only in LA

Only in LA would there be valet parking at Chili's. Whoever said that Chili's is not a classy establishment? I was lucky enough to check out the Chili's in Westwood and see it for myself after my very sweet clients invited me to their birthday shin-dig! I of course could not say no to margaritas and quesidillas.

The Airport Series - The Motor City

If you are one of my close friends or just read my facebook updates, you will know that I was recently stuck in the Detroit airport on my way home from LA because of Thunderstorms in NY. I wasn't really annoyed at the situation because I figured it would be a great excuse to explore the chains of an airport I would not normally go to. I have to say, I was quite impressed, they had Friday's, Caribou Coffee, Coffee Beanery, McDonalds and my choice for dinner, Ruby Tuesdays. Right off the bat, this is by far the best chain restaurant that I have ever been to in an airport. The menu is not abridged at all and they even have their famous salad bar. I was so happy. Check out my picture above, doesn't that look awesome! That is a glass of Sangria and it was on special for just $4.00! If you are ever in an airport and see a Ruby Tuesday go in, you will have a great meal!

Best Chain Choices EVA!

I am about to give an award for the Best Overall Chain Restaurant Mall in the South Eastern United States. That award is going to....drum roll please....The Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale. They have no bad chain restaurants at all, in fact they have four of the best. They include one of my all time favorites, Capital Grill, Olen family fav, PF Changs, Rori on a health kick fav Seasons 52 and Rori & SandiCheeks like to drink a lot of Martinis fav, Blue Martini. On my most recent trip to sunny and sometimes rainy Fort Lauderdale included two stops to this chain heaven. SandiCheeks and I decided to really take advantage of the 1/2 drink and appetizer specials at Blue Martini. Blue Martini is an upscale bar and lounge that features over 20 different fun martini varieties. My personal favorites were the Pink Passion (pictured above) and the Cantaloupe. If you ever are near a Blue Martini (they are mainly in the south) I really recommend going. The place is great! Even if the waitresses wear weird blue bustiers and sometimes you come across rather drunk Australians that decide they want to adopt your mom or couples that look like they could be on The Real Housewives of OC.

Breaking News!

Baja Fresh has finally opened it's first NYC Location on 45th and Lexington.
I will be going there soon. Leave a message if you want to join me.
This is huge and awesome!

From What I Remember, Heartland Brewery Was Pretty Solid

As a self proclaimed patriot, Memorial Day is a very special holiday to me. To celebrate the 3 day weekend I participated in pretty much a booze fest with my lady friends that are just as lady like as me. On Sunday I made my way to South Street Seaport and needed a hearty meal to get me through my marathon event. I decided that Heartland Brewery would be the best bet. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with my experience there. To start the meal we got the popcorn shrimp. They were very tasty and not too greasy at all. They were a great size to be shared with the group I was with. For my meal I got a big burger! It was cooked just the way I like it, medium and full of flavor. It was a very good burger. When I have been here before, the burgers were not as good. They also let me substitute mashed potatos for fries. The beers were also very good. I had to take a break to regroup a bit but my friends had some delicious ones, especially this raspberry flavored one. I had a sip and it was delicious. I really recommend the South Street Seaport location. With the opening of the new Water Taxi Beach down there, I have a feeling I will be down there a lot!

My Man is Mister Softee

It is a beautiful day in NYC and there is no better way to celebrate than indulging in a marvelous treat, Mister Softee!! After lunch I went and got some vanilla frozen yogurt from my favorite Mister Softee truck on 45th and 6th. He offers a delicous fat free(so it says, who knows if it is true, doesnt taste fat free) vanilla frozen yogurt in a small cup for the discount price of $2.50. On a beauitful day like today, there is no better way to celebrate.

Little Chrissy got Mister Softee from a competing truck on 48th street and his chocolate soft serve (not yogurt) set him back $3.00 and came is a smaller cup. Ha ha suckah, learn from your elders!

Friday's $5.00 Special - A Great Deal Any Day of The Week

If you are looking for a great food deal, here it is. Friday's is offering their entire sandwich and salad menu for $5.00. Yup just $5.00. At first I didn't believe it, but it is true, but I went and tested it out and it is.

I had the new Jack Daniels Chicken sandwich and it was delicious!!! It is a nice big, juicy chicken breast topped with bacon, onion straws, cheese and of course, Jack Daniels sauce. Friday's really perfected the Jack Daniels sauce, the same way I perfected being obnoxious!

They have expanded their sandwich and salad menu so there are a lot of great things to chose from and the portions are nice and big. I thought that the Shanghai Salad (it has dumplings on top), Strawberry Fields Salad, Chicken Parm Sliders (great idea!), and Thai Chicken Wrap all looked stellar. What I also love is that you can pick your side. I got a salad and it was delicious! Friday's - you are earning your way back to my chain of food heart!

The Chains of Dodger Stadium

On my most recent visit to LA I took a trip to discover the chains of Dodger Stadium. Of course the day I chose for my expedition just so happened to be the day it was revealed that Manny was on the juice as well and would not be playing. That sucked, I was looking forward to booing him and that trader Joe Torre.
I had no idea what to expect on my arrival to the historic field. It is in a very pretty location, close to the city, yet the surrounding make you feel like you are in a mountain park wonderland.

The first chain I saw when I walked through the old, vintage gates was, OMFG, Gordon Biersch. Can you believe it, I love this place, which is surprising because usually I am no a big fan of German things. Now, they don't serve the food menu really, just beer, I had one. It was a heffenwizen and it was delicious! They also serve garlic fries and they looked and smelled off the chain! Another chain I noticed was Carls Jrs. Carls offered lots of premade burgers, fries and chicken fingers as well as a hot dog. I refused to order my hot dog there because I wanted a grilled one, not a boiled one.

In addition Dodger Stadium offers Wetzel Pretzels (which looked delicious), Panda Express and a chain pizza ( I forgot which one, sorry - bad blogger).

All and all not really stellar. I guess I am spoiled with my Yankee Stadium grandeur!

Yogurtland Is My Happy Place

I know I wrote about Yogurtland already, but I am posting this picture to show my love for it.

I have figured out a way for me to move to LA. I am going to open a Yogurtland on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. It is a genius idea, hollah!

Maracas - Shake It

Ahhh, what a lovely weekend I had! I was graced with the presence of Red Headed Kate all weekend! Kate?? No, no, not my old roommate, my bud from the days of being an ASSt.

To celebrate her bday and Cindo de Mayo we decided to go to a fun restaurant in the Village called Maracas. Well I order my huge Margarita and much to my delight I look at my cup and discover, Maracas is a chain. Awesome! Besides their West Village location, there is also one in Ft. Lauderdale. That means when I move to Boca to become a gym teacher (a secret dream I have) I will be able to relive my wild times as a 20 something in NY right in Ft. Lauderdale!

To start the meal we ordered guacamole. I like mine spicy, most of the girls at the table like it mild, boo, boring. Anyway, my spicy guac was just Ok. I would say most of the other Mexican chains in the city have a better, more original tasting guac. I was pretty happy with my Marg. At first I didn't think it was that strong but by my second jumbo sized glass, I could hardly get it down. For $17 bucks a glass, it better be strong! For my entree I went with the Steak and Chicken Fajitas. For fajitas, it really was not a big portion but that was ok, because when your are throwing back margs, you get pretty full and I tend to over eat and then get sick and feel rather bloated in my cute going out attire (TMI - sorry). The fajitas themselves were just ok. I mean they do not hold a candle to Jose Tejas, but really, what does? Other menu items that I thought looked good were the Avocado Shrimp Salad and Pollo Limon. Next time I would probably get the salad. Of course they also have Mexican staples like burritos, tacos and enchiladas, so you could go that way as well.

Truthfully, you don't really go here for the food, you go for the atmosphere and the fun. You see, if it is your birthday, they turn the music up, get the disco ball and lights going, play Happy Birthday and La Bamba, put a Sombrero on you, give you a cake with this crazy candle coming out and take your picture. Its a hoot!

Le Pain Quotidien - Everyday Bread or Bread Everyday - I Don't Know

Not gonna lie I had to look up the definition of quotidien, I assumed it was French, but alas, I was incorrect. Le Pain Quotidien is actually a Belgian chain. Look at that.

Anyway, I apologize for taking some time off blogging. I have no excuse but I am back so...Hollah (yeah for some reason I say that a lot now).

So yesterday I met my buddy Alana for lunch here. Ah, how I miss actually having someone to get lunch with at work. I picked it because I have seen these opening up a bit and thought I should give it another try. You see the first time I ate here was when I was a wee-bit sales assistant who only ate things like chicken nuggets. When I went with some of my co-workers at the time they just loved it, I on the other hand was stuck eating bread with jelly. I believe the girls teased me about it and looked on in disgust. Perhaps that is why they would sometimes not include me on their happy hours. Whatevs, I can prob out drink them all now anyway. Ok, sorry for all the side stories, back to the food.

So yes, I totes eat more food now so I figured I would give it a try. The menu includes lots of sandwiches, tartines (just bread with stuff on top) and salads. Some that caught my eye were the Mozzarella di Bufala & Plum Tomatoes, Shrimp Salad (that has avocado and mango), Mediterranean Platter, Tofu Curry Salad Tartine and the Grilled Chicken and Smoked Mozzarella Tartine. But, the item that really caught my eye was the Black Bean Hummus Tartine and that is the one I went with. Overall it was pretty good but I found it kind of expensive for what it was. All it was, was 5 small slices of bread (that was actually a bit hard) with Black Bean Hummus and avocado on top. It it was more like an appetizer, not an actual meal. I wanted to get Mister Softee when I was done. My dining buddy said she was satisfied with her Turkey Tartine, I do not see how. I bet she was lying and probably could have gone for some Mister Softee too.

Also, the service here was not really that good. I had to ask for Sweet n Low a few times, they didn't have any, only Splenda, boo and our waitress got Alana's order wrong. Duh!

Besides the lunch items I mentioned this place has lots of teas, coffees and yummy looking desserts. I got a chamomile mint iced tea. It was just ok, nothing to write home about.

But the desserts look pretty awesome. They have this sweet Belgium Waffle (that should have probably given it away to me that this was a Belgian and not French place) thing that look amazing. They also had all sorts of tarts like a mixed berry one and a, hold on to your seats, a pistachio one. Those are probably awesome!

All in all, def not my fav place and I probably will not run back. Places like Urth Cafe are WAY better.