I just saw on Twitter that though they're still working on the final paperwork and other little things to get going, The Wild Cow will be open starting tonight to sell gluten-free cookies and muffins!
Their Grand Opening is Saturday night, December 12. Ten dollars gets you into the party for all you can eat samples from the menu and a nice libation; 75% of the money will go to the East Nashville Community Action Network. Sadly, I'll miss the festivities (baby shower in Memphis!), but I'm sure there will be a great turnout. I know a lot of people have eagerly anticipated their opening.
Anyhoo, they're at 1896 Eastland Avenue right across from Rosepepper. I hope to visit soon.
Note: Technically, the wild cow does not exist due to hundreds of years of domestication for food and labor. Bison are technically bovines and do somewhat exist in the wild, but for the most part, "the wild cow" is a now-extinct creature.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Top Chef
The other night, we were watching the first part of the finale of Top Chef with Pregnant Padma on...in trying to figure out if that poor woman had to host the show in her first trimester, I discovered that she's due either one month or two--depending on the report--after I'm due. I'm gonna say two. Though as I was gloating about how much bigger she was, I got to the news that she has endometriosis. Ooh, yikes. I definitely felt like a jerk then. Karma got me, though. My rear is now too large to fit in my pajamas. Unlike Padma, I'm not gaining weight all over; just in my mid-section. So I still have a thin face and stick arms and legs except for my thighs, hips and belly. I must look like something out of a cartoon. Nine (or less!) weeks to go!
Anyhoo, in order to celebrate the last few weeks of freedom, the Husband and I decided to take a short trip down to Atlanta to eat at a few Top Chef restaurants. Our number one goal was to visit Kevin Gillespie's Woodfire Grill. Sadly, we didn't plan this, oh, three months ago when we could have maybe gotten a Saturday night reservation. Our friends, however did get to go Friday night (at 10:30!) and had the tasting menu and reported back that it was just as good as one would expect. The husband is still disappointed we couldn't go. Interesting story, our server for dinner at Craft (see below) got a spot for 7pm Friday night when he called the restaurant on Thursday. So if you want to go and are flexible, keep trying and even call; I assume that a cancelled reservation came open.
Though we didn't get into Kevin's restaurant, we did go to Richard Blais's Flip Burger Boutique for lunch on Saturday. The most "Richard" thing about the restaurant is that the milkshakes are frozen with liquid nitrogen. The menu is impressive, though (for a burger joint). Hand cut french fries (delicious), homemade fried bread and butter pickles (a nice twist on a standard and incredibly tasty), a very savory and yummy mushroom patty burger and of course...milkshakes. The husband had the Krispy Kreme milkshake (very sweet and very good) and I had the pumpkin pie milkshake (so rich that even with help from the rest of the table, it didn't get finished).
A couple of things to note about Flip: it's popular at lunchtime. We got lucky and arrived just before noon and got a parking spot in the actual lot and got a table right away. But within 15 minutes, there was a line for a table despite the fact that a few warm-natured folks were dining outside (there is a nice patio). And if you think you'll be clever and send someone in ahead, Flip is one of those places that does not seat you until your entire group has arrived. The host was very pleasant about this; some aren't. Regardless, it would have been worth the wait. Those pickles! Two vegetarian burgers to choose from!
To continue our theme for dinner, we ate at Tom Colicchio's Craft Atlanta. My friend and I had been to Craft Bar in New York for brunch a couple of years ago, but this was our first experience for dinner.
My friends are all omnivores, but I knew that a restaurant like this would have something I could eat; something really good. But I'll get to the food in a moment. First things first is the space...it's in the busiest part of Buckhead, right around the corner from the malls and is connected to a hotel. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but once you step inside, you're greeted with the fire for the grill. The decor is heavy and dim (like a steakhouse) but modern. We were led upstairs, seated and greeted by about three different people. Frankly, I was confused as to who our server was for the first 15 minutes.
Our server was friendly and helpful, but mistaken in his assertion that side dishes and appetizers were "individually portioned." By the time we'd received all our food, our table was very crowded. So take note: any salad you get will easily feed four people as a first course and appetizers, two-three people. And most side dishes are enough for two people. And the entrees are huge, too. I think the Husband and my friend could have shared their braised shortrib...and maybe it wouldn't have gone cold by the time they finished (there was that much food!).
Regardless of those very slightly negative points, this dinner was amazingly good. I informed the server of a few preferences (the entree I'd seen on the website was not available) and I got one of the best pasta dishes ever...a fresh linguine (as in, they got the order and rolled out some pasta for me) in a mild butternut squash sauce topped with assorted roasted mushrooms (including my favorites--oyster and hen of the woods). I can still taste how good that pasta was. Spectacular. The omnivores agreed.
Along with the pasta, I had a nice arugula and pine nut salad and side dishes of yukon gold creamed potatoes, roasted sunchokes and a few bites of my friends' gnocchi. That was the first time the Husband and I had ever had sunchokes (the tuber of a certain type of sunflower and also known as Jerusalem artichoke) and I'm sad that we waited so long. They're delicious. I hope I can prepare them at home just as well. Also, the gnocchi...the Husband noted a difference in the taste and texture of the gnocchi and I sheepishly responded that it was because he'd never had fresh gnocchi. As in, I think those little guys were part of a whole potato less than a couple of hours before we ate them. Wow. Sadly, I was too full for dessert (and was not tempted by the scuppernong sorbet), but our friends got the dessert accompanied by the quince sorbet...one taste made me wish I had room for it. Delicate and delicious.
We wrapped up our trip with a fairly uninteresting brunch at a local hippie place (which is probably better for lunch proper--though to be fair, I think we all had food hangovers) and a trip to IKEA. My first trip to IKEA! The main draw was the baby stuff...three hours and $300 later, we emerged exhausted and with a four hour drive ahead of us. But the trip was totally worth it.
And now we have to go back sometime after the kidlet has arrived so the Husband can go to the Woodfire Grill. Not quite sure when that will be...wonder if they have high chairs...
Anyhoo, in order to celebrate the last few weeks of freedom, the Husband and I decided to take a short trip down to Atlanta to eat at a few Top Chef restaurants. Our number one goal was to visit Kevin Gillespie's Woodfire Grill. Sadly, we didn't plan this, oh, three months ago when we could have maybe gotten a Saturday night reservation. Our friends, however did get to go Friday night (at 10:30!) and had the tasting menu and reported back that it was just as good as one would expect. The husband is still disappointed we couldn't go. Interesting story, our server for dinner at Craft (see below) got a spot for 7pm Friday night when he called the restaurant on Thursday. So if you want to go and are flexible, keep trying and even call; I assume that a cancelled reservation came open.
Though we didn't get into Kevin's restaurant, we did go to Richard Blais's Flip Burger Boutique for lunch on Saturday. The most "Richard" thing about the restaurant is that the milkshakes are frozen with liquid nitrogen. The menu is impressive, though (for a burger joint). Hand cut french fries (delicious), homemade fried bread and butter pickles (a nice twist on a standard and incredibly tasty), a very savory and yummy mushroom patty burger and of course...milkshakes. The husband had the Krispy Kreme milkshake (very sweet and very good) and I had the pumpkin pie milkshake (so rich that even with help from the rest of the table, it didn't get finished).
Flip Interior.JPG)
Krispy Kreme milkshake with the gases still burning off.jpg)
Mushroom burger (ground mushrooms in a patty under a thin layer of swiss cheese; not a mushroom cap, thankfully)
A couple of things to note about Flip: it's popular at lunchtime. We got lucky and arrived just before noon and got a parking spot in the actual lot and got a table right away. But within 15 minutes, there was a line for a table despite the fact that a few warm-natured folks were dining outside (there is a nice patio). And if you think you'll be clever and send someone in ahead, Flip is one of those places that does not seat you until your entire group has arrived. The host was very pleasant about this; some aren't. Regardless, it would have been worth the wait. Those pickles! Two vegetarian burgers to choose from!
To continue our theme for dinner, we ate at Tom Colicchio's Craft Atlanta. My friend and I had been to Craft Bar in New York for brunch a couple of years ago, but this was our first experience for dinner.
My friends are all omnivores, but I knew that a restaurant like this would have something I could eat; something really good. But I'll get to the food in a moment. First things first is the space...it's in the busiest part of Buckhead, right around the corner from the malls and is connected to a hotel. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but once you step inside, you're greeted with the fire for the grill. The decor is heavy and dim (like a steakhouse) but modern. We were led upstairs, seated and greeted by about three different people. Frankly, I was confused as to who our server was for the first 15 minutes.
Our server was friendly and helpful, but mistaken in his assertion that side dishes and appetizers were "individually portioned." By the time we'd received all our food, our table was very crowded. So take note: any salad you get will easily feed four people as a first course and appetizers, two-three people. And most side dishes are enough for two people. And the entrees are huge, too. I think the Husband and my friend could have shared their braised shortrib...and maybe it wouldn't have gone cold by the time they finished (there was that much food!).
Regardless of those very slightly negative points, this dinner was amazingly good. I informed the server of a few preferences (the entree I'd seen on the website was not available) and I got one of the best pasta dishes ever...a fresh linguine (as in, they got the order and rolled out some pasta for me) in a mild butternut squash sauce topped with assorted roasted mushrooms (including my favorites--oyster and hen of the woods). I can still taste how good that pasta was. Spectacular. The omnivores agreed.
Along with the pasta, I had a nice arugula and pine nut salad and side dishes of yukon gold creamed potatoes, roasted sunchokes and a few bites of my friends' gnocchi. That was the first time the Husband and I had ever had sunchokes (the tuber of a certain type of sunflower and also known as Jerusalem artichoke) and I'm sad that we waited so long. They're delicious. I hope I can prepare them at home just as well. Also, the gnocchi...the Husband noted a difference in the taste and texture of the gnocchi and I sheepishly responded that it was because he'd never had fresh gnocchi. As in, I think those little guys were part of a whole potato less than a couple of hours before we ate them. Wow. Sadly, I was too full for dessert (and was not tempted by the scuppernong sorbet), but our friends got the dessert accompanied by the quince sorbet...one taste made me wish I had room for it. Delicate and delicious.
The grill
Wild Arugula Salad.jpg)
Just half of the side dishes....jpg)
Probably the best pasta dish I've ever had in my life...
We wrapped up our trip with a fairly uninteresting brunch at a local hippie place (which is probably better for lunch proper--though to be fair, I think we all had food hangovers) and a trip to IKEA. My first trip to IKEA! The main draw was the baby stuff...three hours and $300 later, we emerged exhausted and with a four hour drive ahead of us. But the trip was totally worth it.
And now we have to go back sometime after the kidlet has arrived so the Husband can go to the Woodfire Grill. Not quite sure when that will be...wonder if they have high chairs...
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Suzy Wong's House of Yum
A couple of weeks ago, Husband and I finally tried out Arnold Myint's latest restaurant, Suzy Wong's House of Yum. I've decided this man can do no wrong. I love his food. My only complaint is that the steamed bun is only available with barbeque pork with no vegetarian option. But I shall live. I'm currently in posession of an uncorrected proof of Momofuku that includes a recipe for bao, but guess what? The last line of that recipe: TK. [For those not in the biz, that means "to come." D'oh!].
Anyhoo, I have little energy for words and since pictures are worth a thousand, I'll just let them tell the story...some of it.
Inside, the restaurant is a bit New York-y. Tables are close together and it's pretty "hip"--it has to be; it's in that strip of clubs on Church Street where, um, style matters. Let's just say that. There's also a place outside that I hope you will find me this summer--a great little courtyard and even an area with couches for lounging. Even though it was a bit chilly when we went, a few people were enjoying the outdoor space because it's so nice. Can't wait to try it out! Though I suppose by then there will be no pumpkin cheesecake wontons. *sigh*
Anyhoo, I have little energy for words and since pictures are worth a thousand, I'll just let them tell the story...some of it.
Vegetable Summer Rolls
Curried Tofu and Potato Pockets
My favorite of the bunch.
Vegetable Gyoza Pot Stickers
Steamed BBQ Pork Bao Bun
Sadly, no vegetarian version. To some, a vegetarian bao is sacrilege, but I think something good could be stuffed in there. I did pinch off a little of the bun. Tasty.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Wontons with caramel sauce
Unbelievably delicious.
Inside, the restaurant is a bit New York-y. Tables are close together and it's pretty "hip"--it has to be; it's in that strip of clubs on Church Street where, um, style matters. Let's just say that. There's also a place outside that I hope you will find me this summer--a great little courtyard and even an area with couches for lounging. Even though it was a bit chilly when we went, a few people were enjoying the outdoor space because it's so nice. Can't wait to try it out! Though I suppose by then there will be no pumpkin cheesecake wontons. *sigh*
Thanksgiving
Quel surprise, still no post about New York. Perhaps I should just do a photo essay. Each one is worth a thousand words, right?
I had a very orange Thanksgiving. Nary a mac nor a cheese to be found. I suppose I know what I will make next year. But this year, I took this cous cous salad with butternut squash from Erin to dinner. Except, of course, I changed it up (as I did the first time I made it, but I made even more changes this time). I left out the coriander and cut back on the savory spices and subbed in toasted walnuts and added honey (therefore, it was no longer vegan).
And it was...not great. It was okay. Previously, I used crispy fried chickpeas and Israeli cous cous and it was a lot better. And I didn't skimp on the cumin (though it caused some distress in the upper portion of my torso where all my organs are squished in from the enlarged uterus and alien life form in residence). So, try this recipe out, but the only change should be crisping the chickpeas. And maybe using Israeli cous cous.
Anyhoo, "dinner" was rounded out with sweet potato casserole, asparagus casserole (very yummy), and pumpkin pecan pie. I'm surprised I'm not orange. I am, however, pretty round. Ten weeks (or less, please) to go!
I had a very orange Thanksgiving. Nary a mac nor a cheese to be found. I suppose I know what I will make next year. But this year, I took this cous cous salad with butternut squash from Erin to dinner. Except, of course, I changed it up (as I did the first time I made it, but I made even more changes this time). I left out the coriander and cut back on the savory spices and subbed in toasted walnuts and added honey (therefore, it was no longer vegan).
And it was...not great. It was okay. Previously, I used crispy fried chickpeas and Israeli cous cous and it was a lot better. And I didn't skimp on the cumin (though it caused some distress in the upper portion of my torso where all my organs are squished in from the enlarged uterus and alien life form in residence). So, try this recipe out, but the only change should be crisping the chickpeas. And maybe using Israeli cous cous.
Anyhoo, "dinner" was rounded out with sweet potato casserole, asparagus casserole (very yummy), and pumpkin pecan pie. I'm surprised I'm not orange. I am, however, pretty round. Ten weeks (or less, please) to go!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Cravings
Two months later and I still haven't posted about my trip to NYC. I've even been again (just last week). In my defense, there's a lot to write. Some other time.
In the meantime, here's my little project from last week. It was based on this amazing post from Love & Olive Oil, but I lazed out and used box mix (Orange Supreme) and canned frosting (not a good idea at all). Oh, if only.... Though in a couple of years, I can blame my decorating failures on the kid. I've been warned that doesn't last long, though; once they get about four or so, they can rat you out.
***
I'm now 26 weeks pregnant and have an obvious orb in my torso. I've gone from just looking fat to looking obviously pregnant. So I get a lot of questions from people who know I'm vegetarian. The most common? "Have you craved meat?" The answer? No.
My husband was really hoping I'd crave meat. I told him that even if I did, I wouldn't eat it. Some people do and that's fine for them, but not me. I am disappointed that I've had to take a prenatal vitamin that's in a gelatin capsule. But the vegan alternatives for vitamins and DHA in particular were making me sick. It really only takes one time of having DHA come up through your nose to turn you off it completely. I find it interesting that I can get algae-based DHA in a gelatin capsule. I suppose it's for people who may have fish allergies. Anyhoo.
So what have I craved?
During the first trimester, I had the very common craving for lemons. I've read that it may be due to an increased need for vitamin C and also because it helps with nausea. However, past week 11 or so, I could take or leave anything lemon flavored. And I have quite a stash now. Lemon-lime soda, frozen lemonade, lemon candy, lemon cookies...
During my second trimester, it was french fries. See the previous post on Red Robin and their bottomless fries. A co-worker fed my addiction with more servings of Arby's curly fries than I care to admit as well. My theory on this craving is my body's need to bulk up. I gained just six pounds in the first four months, but gained another six pounds in the fifth month. The fry craving was supplemented with mashed potatoes during my bout with the flu. Both helped me pack on the weight. Which I really didn't want. For a brief time in there (about a week), I wanted my fries dipped in pickle juice, too. But hey, I love those dill flavored chips anyway, so it's not like that's some odd stretch.
Now that I'm entering my third trimester, all I crave is Xanax. No, really. Of course, I won't take any (don't even have any), but I just want to relax. I've had an eye twitch for weeks that's likely a result of fatigue and stress. Just one good night's sleep.... I also had a craving for a cigarette recently. This is even more odd than any food craving since I've never been a smoker and I actually hate cigarettes and their taste and smell. I was that kid who bowed to peer pressure and tried one and then immediately exclaimed, "that tastes like crap!" My tastebuds were always more important to me than looking cool (as evidenced by my chubby phase in late elementary/junior high school).
But as far as food goes, I don't have an interest in much. Nor do I have the energy to cook much. So we've been using the excuse of the pending baby to go out to eat a lot.
***
While at a party this weekend, I talked to Chef Andy Hunter of The Acorn. He's working on his fall/winter menu and I'm eager to see what he does with some of the winter squashes. I love them, but rarely cook them because they can be kind of a pain in the ass. I love having chopped acorn squash in a dish, but I'm not a huge fan of skinning and chopping it myself. Andy also showed us some of the pumpkins he carved for Halloween. Holy cow. He said it takes him about an hour to do most (everything from celebrity faces to Muppets of all sorts), but it took him about three hours to carve The Brady Bunch. The detail...wow.
At the same party, I introduced myself to John Cochran, who's opening The Wild Cow soon. There's been a lot of buzz about this place among local vegetarians and we're really hoping it takes off. He said they've had to delay opening, not least because of all the paperwork required to get a restaurant open, but are aiming for December 1 with a grand opening that will benefit a local animal charity. I can't remember which one right now, but I'm going to keep my eye on these guys. We chatted a little about food and he said they're still trying to decide on the purchase of a deep fryer. I hope they make that plunge because "chicken-fried" tofu nuggets would convert a lot of otherwise tofu-averse people over to the soy side. I think their location is good, too; they're at 1896 Eastland, right across from a popular restaurant, Rosepepper, which is often very crowded. It's in a part of East Nashville that's a tad bit more residential and less restaurant-y than parts west of there. I bet they could do a heckuva a takeaway business. I'm hoping that not being quite so far into the neighborhood (as The Veggie Cafe was) will help it, too.
In the meantime, here's my little project from last week. It was based on this amazing post from Love & Olive Oil, but I lazed out and used box mix (Orange Supreme) and canned frosting (not a good idea at all). Oh, if only.... Though in a couple of years, I can blame my decorating failures on the kid. I've been warned that doesn't last long, though; once they get about four or so, they can rat you out.***
I'm now 26 weeks pregnant and have an obvious orb in my torso. I've gone from just looking fat to looking obviously pregnant. So I get a lot of questions from people who know I'm vegetarian. The most common? "Have you craved meat?" The answer? No.
My husband was really hoping I'd crave meat. I told him that even if I did, I wouldn't eat it. Some people do and that's fine for them, but not me. I am disappointed that I've had to take a prenatal vitamin that's in a gelatin capsule. But the vegan alternatives for vitamins and DHA in particular were making me sick. It really only takes one time of having DHA come up through your nose to turn you off it completely. I find it interesting that I can get algae-based DHA in a gelatin capsule. I suppose it's for people who may have fish allergies. Anyhoo.
So what have I craved?
During the first trimester, I had the very common craving for lemons. I've read that it may be due to an increased need for vitamin C and also because it helps with nausea. However, past week 11 or so, I could take or leave anything lemon flavored. And I have quite a stash now. Lemon-lime soda, frozen lemonade, lemon candy, lemon cookies...
During my second trimester, it was french fries. See the previous post on Red Robin and their bottomless fries. A co-worker fed my addiction with more servings of Arby's curly fries than I care to admit as well. My theory on this craving is my body's need to bulk up. I gained just six pounds in the first four months, but gained another six pounds in the fifth month. The fry craving was supplemented with mashed potatoes during my bout with the flu. Both helped me pack on the weight. Which I really didn't want. For a brief time in there (about a week), I wanted my fries dipped in pickle juice, too. But hey, I love those dill flavored chips anyway, so it's not like that's some odd stretch.
Now that I'm entering my third trimester, all I crave is Xanax. No, really. Of course, I won't take any (don't even have any), but I just want to relax. I've had an eye twitch for weeks that's likely a result of fatigue and stress. Just one good night's sleep.... I also had a craving for a cigarette recently. This is even more odd than any food craving since I've never been a smoker and I actually hate cigarettes and their taste and smell. I was that kid who bowed to peer pressure and tried one and then immediately exclaimed, "that tastes like crap!" My tastebuds were always more important to me than looking cool (as evidenced by my chubby phase in late elementary/junior high school).
But as far as food goes, I don't have an interest in much. Nor do I have the energy to cook much. So we've been using the excuse of the pending baby to go out to eat a lot.
***
While at a party this weekend, I talked to Chef Andy Hunter of The Acorn. He's working on his fall/winter menu and I'm eager to see what he does with some of the winter squashes. I love them, but rarely cook them because they can be kind of a pain in the ass. I love having chopped acorn squash in a dish, but I'm not a huge fan of skinning and chopping it myself. Andy also showed us some of the pumpkins he carved for Halloween. Holy cow. He said it takes him about an hour to do most (everything from celebrity faces to Muppets of all sorts), but it took him about three hours to carve The Brady Bunch. The detail...wow.
At the same party, I introduced myself to John Cochran, who's opening The Wild Cow soon. There's been a lot of buzz about this place among local vegetarians and we're really hoping it takes off. He said they've had to delay opening, not least because of all the paperwork required to get a restaurant open, but are aiming for December 1 with a grand opening that will benefit a local animal charity. I can't remember which one right now, but I'm going to keep my eye on these guys. We chatted a little about food and he said they're still trying to decide on the purchase of a deep fryer. I hope they make that plunge because "chicken-fried" tofu nuggets would convert a lot of otherwise tofu-averse people over to the soy side. I think their location is good, too; they're at 1896 Eastland, right across from a popular restaurant, Rosepepper, which is often very crowded. It's in a part of East Nashville that's a tad bit more residential and less restaurant-y than parts west of there. I bet they could do a heckuva a takeaway business. I'm hoping that not being quite so far into the neighborhood (as The Veggie Cafe was) will help it, too.
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