Food Truck Friday

As I mentioned in the previous blog I have been in D.C. for the past month and I have had the opportunity to visit the monuments and a few of the Smithsonians , which are pretty cool and free :). I have also had the opportunity to dine out and try different things, but nothing really worth writing about. However, I have found culinary inspiration from what I have dubbed "Food Truck Fridays" . For the past few Fridays during lunch, I stop by the U.S. Department of Agriculture farmer's market  for some fresh kettle corn ( yum!) and then I walk over to the food trucks.....sigh!

The farmer's market and food trucks are a great conclusion to my week and this little outing allow me to enjoy the great weather, fresh  air ( from being inside all day) and the people. I love walking down the row as I look at what each truck has to offer for the day, and each truck is distinct in their cuisine and look, and I love it! The first week I tried the cheeseteak truck, which was pretty good and the second week I tried the Korean truck and got a bulgogi rice bowl ( Korean beef BBQ) and it was pretty good. I also enjoy watching the many people sitting on the grass and anywhere there is a seat hanging out and enjoying their lunch selection as well.

 

Each week I try to eat something different in an attempt to live outside of the box. This Friday, I am not sure what the selection of the day might be but I will be sure to let you know!

Max's Steak ......Cheesesteak That Is!

Greetings readers! I hope that you had a fantastic weekend....I know I did! This blog is a follow-up to a post on August 7, 2011, entitled " Cheesesteak...yum!" regarding my discovery of a cheesesteak eatery in Stone Mountain, GA, called Weeyums Philly Style. In the post I mentioned I had yet to have a "real" cheesesteak from Philly, well this weekend I finally had the opportunity to have one hot off the grill from none other than Max's Steaks in Philadelphia, PA!

If you have ever watched the Food Network or know anyone from Philly ( or who have been there) they all have their own favorite spot that they frequent. Food Network declared Pat's and Geno's as having some of the best cheesesteak sandwiches in Philly, but according to some locals Max's is the best....and I went to find out.

Over the past month I have had the pleasure of living in and exploring Washington, D.C. . In doing so,  I did not realize that Philly was just a 2 hr train ride away and needless to say I took my first train ride on Amtrak.....which was different, relaxing, cheaper than a flight and a lot freer ( that is a whole nother blog). Anyway, once I arrive in "the city of brotherly love" I found what I was looking for and I felt the love.

To describe Max's is best by describing the location, which is in the "gutter" part of town as the natives say. This part of town is known by some as Germantown and is no way deemed a "tourist" location. However, there were a few who dared to venture to Germantown from the likes of  D.C., LA and Atlantic City, and they were all waiting to get a taste of the greatness. Max's is my type of place because it has character, not only in the location but also in the staff that works in there. The friendly cook was the highlight of my experience after he found out that this was my first. He declared " you are family and I am going to take care of you" and that he did. So, as I waited in line as the lady from D.C. ordered 7 steaks to go, I was amazed at the level of care taken as they packed and marked the steaks "to travel" as they say.

So, when my time finally came, I placed my order for a large steak with only mayo and cheese and proceeded to take my experience to the trunk of the car.....because there was no seating, again! As you can see from the picture below, this thing was huge ( no I did not eat the whole thing)! Not only was it huge, it was delicious! Everything from the bread, which I found out is Amoroso bread made in Philly and it is the key to a great sandwich. The seasoning was on point and the steak it self was tasty! So tasty, that I did not want the experience to end.

After that experience, I am happy to finally say that I have had an original cheesesteak from Philly. Although, I do not have anything to compare it to at the moment, I can offer a recommendation as to what I enjoyed. If I am ever in the area again, I will definitely try Pat and Geno to see what all the fuss is about.

Happy Eating!!

The Golden Voice

Happy Labor Day weekend to you all! I just finished reading one of the best books that I have read thus far in my life, "A Golden Voice......" by the now famous Ted Williams, who was homeless and later video taped on a street corner. Thanks to my favorite electronic device (my kindle) I have rediscovered my love for reading! Therefore, let me indulge you for a few with food for your mind :).

http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Voice-Humility-Brought-Salvation/dp/1592407145

I first heard of this book when I was watching (of all things) Wendy Williams and Ted was on there talking about it. So, I researched and was pleased to see this book was rated very high based on reader reviews. This is not your everyday autobiograph and it is not a pity party for Ted but more so an appreciation for his journey , good and bad. The writing is superb as it reads like a novel and has flow as it takes you through his many (and there were many) ups and downs and chances at life. It details struggles, successes, failures, love, hopelessness but most of all the grace of God!

After it is all said and done this is one of the must purchase books. During this story I was inspired, encouraged and felt that I can do better as an individual, friend, sister , daughter and future wife and mother. In spite of his hard times he never changed who he was as a person and despite his failures , he tried and at the end of the day that is what life is.....a series of tries , some failures but never giving up. Even as he was smoking his drug of choice he acknowledged and gave thanks to God (crazy I know) and then went on to share with others who could not afford drugs (even crazier). However, through it all he never gave up rather he survived, and in all that he endured he finally got to a point that we all forget " acknowledge God in ALL our WAYS"!

I said all that to say, get back to the basics and pick-up this great book and be encouraged, because we all need it in some way or another.

Classic Car Show (Louisville, KY)

Something about me this week......many people that know me do not know that I have a love for cars, classic cars at that. It all started growing up in Miami where the normal was seeing the "tricked out" low riders, which eventually evolved into box Chevy's and my all time favorite, the Chevy Impala's ( '71-'73). I remember riding in a Chevy with a guy I use to date in high school and I lovvvvved it! I loved everything from the loud pipes to the rims and custom paint.

Years later, I would move to Arizona where I began to see the old school classics like the Chevy Bel Airs and Cameros that would pass me buy on the highway.The trend continued in Atlanta and I began to notice them now more then ever. As a result, I have always wanted to attend a classic car show, and a few weekends ago I did just that in Louisville, KY!

On this particular weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the National Street Rod Association's national meet and car show, and it was nothing short of awesome and amazing (awemazing!!!!). It was like a crayola crayon box exploded on the Louisville fairground and painted the 13,000 plus classic cars various colors. In my book of "life changing" experiences this rates as one of those moments. I will admit it was overwhelming because it was cars everywhere! I think I only had the opportunity to see 5% of the cars that were out there.

One of the coolest experiences was seeing the small community of black car owners with some of the nicest cars out there. Of course, there was a section for the younger guys with the Impalas, Cameros and Chargers.

Inside the exhibit hall is where a car lover's dream resides because they have exhibits galore and car enthusiasts have the opportunity to purchase anything you can imagine for their car, even a frame.

(My Favorite)

If you are an enthusiasts or you want to have a different type of experience, this is your place. Louisville, KY (or Loouvule as the locals call  it) was also a pleasant surprise and a great experience as well. I can say this is definitely on the list of places to visit again. Besides, who would have thunk.....Kentucky! 

(Second Favorite)

Food Truck Festival

Greetings folks! I hope all is well in your world as it is in mine. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the first ever Atlanta Food Truck Festival a.k.a Atlanta Food Street Festival. As some of you may know, food trucks have become the latest craze in the culinary industry and I was too excited to begin my tasting adventure.

I actually found out about the festival from a Groupon that I purchased and I later learned there would be music, fun and the top 10 food trucks in Atlanta. So....., I brought my appetite and folding chair and I was on my way to Piedmont Park in the city.

When I first arrived, I was surprised to see the massive crowd and the loooooong lines that equated to 45 min. to a 1 hour wait on food, in the sun! Needless to say I was not happy at all. Although there were a wide variety of trucks there ranging from the Puerto Rican truck, Healthy Food truck, Smashed and Mashed truck and a Cuban truck. Sadly, I did not get an opportunity to try any of them because of the long lines, but I did hear the Cuban sandwich was not that great.

Thankfully, my friend and I had a strategy to prevent either one of us passing out in the heat, and with that we managed to get a pork sausage link from Black Tie Catering and it was good ( yes, I forgot to snap a pic). What made this link so good was that it was pretty big and the mixture of mustard and bbq sauce was great. Not to mention it was on a fresh potato bun that was awesome. My food companion had her link with cole slaw on it and she said it was pretty good. Thankfully, she purchased a third link for us to split, which really hit the spot. Surprisingly after we ate, sat under the tree and listed to an awesome band named "Grits and Jelly Butter" we were good to go.

In the mist of us standing in line we managed to try salt and vineger popcorn, lemon pepper pop corn and a cake shot that was a replica of a pina colada, which was very different but good none the less. All in all we had a great time and I look forward to attending the event next year. However, next time I will have a better strategy to get the most out of my experience.

Happy Eating!

Nothing Bundt Cakes!

Greetings folks! I hope everyone is doing well. You should know by now that when I am MIA it is not due to lack of inspiration ( because I am always eating :) ) but moreso due to life and work taking over. None the less, I have something for you...."Nothing Bundt Cakes", in Sandy Springs, GA (yes, I be every where)!

In early June, I had a girlfriends weekend and it was great! We hungout, ate, relaxed and had a fabolous time in the ATL! Normally when I have guest I try to take them to the best "mom and pop" restaurants in town because I figure, why eat at chain restaurants when there is so much variety in Atlanta?

So....of course, I made my pilgramige to the infamous Cami Cakes and without fail my guest looooved them! While we were eating our cupcakes a friend of mine mention a place in Alabama called "Nothing Bundt Cakes". She went on to say they sale miniture ( and large) budnt cakes in a few flavors and that they are awesome ( this is where get excited). She said they give out free samples and they encourage you to try as many as you like. However, she warned me that the red velvet had choclate chips in it and they were "unexpected" and a different experience. So, I made a mental note and we went on with our weekend.

Lo and behold on Sunday when we went to The Flying Biscuit ( another favorite) I saw this cute little van next to the restaurant that advertised bundt cakes. Next thing I knew, I looked up and I was standing infront of the bundt cake store!! Unfortunately, it was Sunday and they were closed.

However, the following Saturday I was going to a concert in the area and I stopped by to finally give this place a try. When I walked in I expected the shop to smell like sugar and fresh baked goods, but to my suprise and disappointment it smelt like nail acrylic....WTH! I mentioned this out loud and the worker said it was a nail shop next door and the fumes were so strong it overpowers the store.....wow, can we say health hazard!

After getting over the initial shock I saw the amazing display of cakes!!!!! I also looked in the corner and saw red velvet samples!!!!! Before I could even taste one, I picked it up with a napkin and noticed it was sooooooo moist. Thankfully, my friend had prepared me for the choclate chips but to my suprise they were not that bad, just different. With every bite ( yes, I had two samples) all I could say was " oh my god!" because this stuff was better than good, lets say "life changing"!

I was so excited that I could not decide on which one to get, so I ended up leaving with a red velvet and a pecan praline that is slap your momma good. I do not know what they put in them cakes to make them so moist but they do a hellava job.

Evevrytime I think of them my mouth begins to water  ( like now) . I have to try my best to stay away while I am on " Operation Sexy Back" but whenever I make my trek to the concert hall I will be sure to stop by!

Zuma Sushi & Sake Bar (Highlands)

Last night I had the pleasure of dinning at Zuma Sushi and it was amazing! I have a co-worker that has been raving about this place for the longest and I finally decided to try it for myself. I must warn you the parking is crazy in the Highlands but it is worth the trip down there. They also have another locatio, which maybe lest troublesome near Druid Hills.
On any account, the atmosphere is wonderful due to it being very open and appealing to the eyes. In addition, you have the option of sitting inside or outside, which is always a plus. There was also light music playing in the background and the chatter amongst the dinners were not over bearing and noisy as in most restaurants.

The sushi is by far the best I have had in Atlanta. There are a few places in Atlanta that have  pretty good sushi as well but Zuma has the best selection and most creative sushi rolls that I have seen. When I lived in Arizona, I was introduced to sushi via the California roll and Vegas roll. The Vegas roll was my favorite because it was lightly fried on the outside and it had everything I loved to eat on the inside. Since leaving Arizona, I have not been able to find a good fried roll because most places just add that crunch stuff on there and claim it to be "lightly fried".

Well last night I found my fried sushi roll spot!! Zuma has a great selection of fried rolls that range from a lobster roll to the basic California roll. Being that this is my staple starter roll I had to try one and...... OMG!!! My friend that went to dinner with be laughed because I said " I saw my life flash before my eyes" because it was sooooooooo good and I was soooooooo serious. I do not know how they fried it but it was fried perfectly on the outside and everything in the middle was fresh as can be. I nearly hurt myself trying to finish it all.

In addition to my signature roll, I had the Super Crunch roll that is always delicious with smoked salmon, steamed shrimp and avocado on top. On the inside was shrimp tempura and a few other vegetables. Also on the menu was a Calamari roll, which was delicious as well.

By the end of the night I was pleasantly satisfied with my dinning experience and could not wait to write about my new discovery. If you are ever in ATL and are in need of sushi stop by Zuma and I am sure you will enjoy it!

Happy Dinning!