BEST of 2014

As I said in my metaphorical toast— it’s been a delicious year. So many foodie ventures! I’ve indulged in yummy things on the East and West Coast (sweet and savory). I baked, sampled, tasted, ate, and gorged on so many delightful eats. But here are my Best of 2014!

New Recipe

Let’s face it—I like to try out new recipes especially when it comes to baked goods. These are the recipes that really took the cake this year!

Caramel Cake

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Banana Blondies

Bite

I had a lot of bites this year, like a lot. Between Taste of Tribeca, Taste of Hope and all the other chowing down I do, there was no shortage tasty bites, but these were my faves.

Pumpkin Fig Cheesecake

Sugar Couture

Avocado Smash

Little Collins

 

Drinks

Even though apparently I sampled a whole bunch of flavorful libations this year, one spot had my favorite sips.

Fig and Olive

Appetizers

Appetizers can sometimes really steal the show. The starters at these restaurants made for delectable beginnings.

Central Kitchen

Flea Street Café  

Brunch

As that in-between time, brunch menus can offer the sweet and savory stuffs of both breakfast and lunch. This year however, my taste-buds danced for savory brunchy dishes.

Duck Confit Hash

Park & Sixth Gastropub

Shrimp and Grits

The Bistro at Grove Square

Dessert

Dessert is my most favorite time of day. Love salty, but I have a weakness for sweet thangs, and this year, these two desserts really satisfied my sweet tooth.

Snickerdoodle Sammie

Bareburger Hoboken

Pistachio Crème Brûlée

La Nonna

Dish

It’s practically impossible for me to pinpoint the best dish I devoured in 2014, as there were so many extremely delicious, covetable and dreamy eats.  But I stumbled on this one as something I thoroughly enjoyed this year.

Pancetta wrapped Scallops

Battello

Most Memorable Meal

It’s hard to say what makes a meal memorable. Is it the delicious dishes, the fresh ingredients, the agreeable atmosphere and service? Or is it the sheer thrill of caloric ingestion? There is one place that comes to mind that most definitely checks all of the boxes for my most memorable meal in 2014.

Brenda’s French Soul Food

Can’t wait to see what tasty things are to come in 2015!! Don’t forget to follow along on facebook, instagram, twitter, and yelp!

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1.2.15

drink2that: a TOAST to 2014

Cheers to another year, with its ups and downs, its ins and outs, its savories and sweets.

It may seem like I eat far more than I drink (there is a reason for this, it’s because I do), but somehow, this year I have managed to indulge in some sumptuous sips out and about, on the West Coast, and closer to home.

There was a decadent milkshake at Lori’s Diner and strong and spicy cocktails at Flea Street in California, while carefully curated wine at Wine Spot and La Nonna warmed. Fancy, sophisticated and colorful concoctions at Bea, Left Bank Burger, Union Bar and Kitchen, and Fig & Olive made dinners and dates come alive. Tart, tangy and fresh drinks at Marco and Pepe, GP’s and Hog Island Oyster Bar tasted like the seasons. Parties and events, intimate gatherings and home conversations were backdrops for tasty libations. Brunchy drinks at Park & Sixth Gastropub and exceptional coffee from Little Collins were perfect starts. It was a pretty delicious year—I’d drink to that!

It’s practically 2015! Thank you for support in following foodie ventures on facebook, instagram, twitter, and yelp! Let’s make the coming year even bigger, better and more flavorful!

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12.31.14

home is where the HEART is : La Nonna Ristorante & Bar

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Initially, the high ceilings are dark, even intimidating, but the host's welcoming greeting from just beyond the bar creates an immediate sense of comfort and community. Light streams through the large monogrammed windows, casting brilliance onto the earth tones and rustic details, as well as the clean table settings.  

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La Nonna Ristorante and Bar is the second Brooklyn restaurant run by Chef Morena and wife Anna-- a step up from the quick pizzas and pastas of La Nonna Pizzeria Trattoria Paninoteca. The evolving menu consists of antipasti and salads, embellished housemade pastas, hearty carne and pesce second courses, and daily specials and variations, alongside a well-rounded wine list. La Nonna mixes traditional Italian, which demonstrates Morena’s simple roots, with intricate flavors displaying his innovation. The diversity, breadth and charm of the menu makes everyone feel at home.

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As a popular appetizer from its sister restaurant, the tower of fried breaded eggplant layered with plump tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is tested at La Nonna. It is topped with spicy arugula, salty parmesan and a drizzle of sweet balsamic. The crunchy eggplant pairs with the cheese and earthy arugula and tomato for classic flavors and feelings.

Three beautiful and vibrant Blue Point oysters line the slender plate, brimming with creamy spinach, crunchy breadcrumbs and parmesan. Each bring salty and earthy flavors and moments of texture from the chewy oyster to the crisp crumbs and smooth spinach, encapsulating comfort.

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Negative space enhances the aesthetics of the solitary line of the delicate octopus appetizer. Purple octopus and its bed of sliced fennel, red onion, and plump golden tomatoes divide the plate, only surrounded by dark dots of balsamic. The warm octopus is tender with a charred smoky afterthought, while the other cooler elements feel fresh and the herbs make it like a summer breeze.

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Pillowy gnocchi float in just enough familiar red sauce, chunky with tomatoes, onions and garlic. The sauce is readable, its roots apparent. It is soft and buttery, smooth playing to the consistency of the polenta dumplings. Salty mozzarella bonds with the sauce, stretching and sticking to each gnocchi while the green arugula adds bite.

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The six sachetti, draped in a rich brandy cream sauce, are filled with pureed chestnut and mascarpone. Bright cilantro and jeweled pomegranate seeds flirt with the heaviness of the sauce and intensity of the studded filling. Ambitious layering of flavors and textures reveal a complexity different from other dishes, showing Morena’s inventive spirit.

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The homemade multilayer dessert looks to the decadence of nutella, coffee, and chocolate and the lightness of lady fingers and whipped cream. A mixture of tiramisu, dry chocolaty Italian cookies, nutty nutella and a sweet whipped cream with just enough of each consistency and taste to blend to sumptuous sweetness.  The lusted after pistachio crème brulee is a bright green custard, smooth and sweet, with the bite of caramelized sugar from the crunchy shell and meaty roasted pistachios-- a twist on the beloved classic.

La Nonna is a little bit of home, a meeting of regulars and new comers, where everyone is treated with warmth and respect. Even with the high ceilings, pristine tables and refined rustic décor, the large space is cozy and welcoming, just like the luscious foods and wines brought to the table. Chef Morena's delicious offerings warm from the inside and Anna's hospitality recalls those intimate meals cooked by Grandma—La Nonna.

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4.23.14

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La Nonna Ristorante & Bar

184 Kent Avenue

Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11249

ph 718.302.1100