Pho 79

Name: Pho 79
Style: Vietnamese


Likes: Best Pho in Richmond, The Price, Extra Onions, Bountiful Spring Rolls

Dislikes: It’s too far away, limited menu choices, no more cool t-shirt that said “Pho-King Good!” 

I have been eating at Pho 79 since 2005. If a coworker had not introduced me to this restaurant, I would never have gone here on my own. Simply put, it looks very sketchy. It used to be an old McDonald’s that is painted blue and green. There are pink chairs and fake flowers on the wall. There is always a fish tank with one giant fish in it. I always wonder if I am going to end up eating that fish one day…

I come here because the pho is the best in Richmond, and lots of Vietnamese people eat here. I usually get a small number 7 pho. The small is plenty of soup. They also have a large which my husband usually gets. And then, there is THE SUPERBOWL. We saw a man eating the superbowl once and it was larger than you could imagine.

We always order cheap extra onions for our pho. I like to add limes and jalapenos, while Brad likes bean sprouts. He skips the limes, which are really the best part. However, he will use a lime for his water.

The spring rolls also come with two per order. They are very large and come with both pork and shrimp in them. My grandmother has eaten them and she was impressed. They come with peanut sauce and not the icky fish sauce which delights me because I don’t have to smell fishy dirty feet.

If you have never had pho, you should try it one day. It is rather healthy because it is mostly plain noodles and beef broth. Pho is also exceptionally helpful when you have a cold. But beware, on any day you should come with extra tissues. 

Chuy's

Style: Mexican
My Rating: 5/5

Website: http://www.chuys.com/#/menu


Likes: Two meals worth of food, CAKE, neon signs and pink walls, CAKE, good recommendations from the server, CAKE, visible prayers, CAKE

Dislikes: Mandatory valet parking. Really?

We pulled up to the parking lot at Chuy’s (pronounced Chewy’s) and were flagged down by a bunch of adolescent boys. If we wanted to park outside of the restaurant, we had to participate in complimentary valet parking. It wasn’t a huge inconvenience, but we had no singles to tip the teenagers. If you decide to check out this place, and you definitely should, bring teen tip money!

We sat down at a table in a restaurant that was packed at 4:00 on a Saturday afternoon. That sheer amount of people is always a good sign at such an off time. There were lots of families, some younger couples, and a mish mosh of others. We were greeted by a friendly server who brought us a couple of cervezas. As I sipped a Negra Modelo, I noticed a sign that said Hecha a Mano, meaning handmade, since every food item is made by hand at this restaurant. They also have bright pink walls, fake palm trees, and great oldies music to listen to. 

One thing that took us by surprise was that the silverware was wrapped in a paper packet that guaranteed their sterilization. The next weirdest thing, was that the back of the paper packet had prayers on them for Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish religions. Although I am not institutionally religious, I admire that there are different prayers of thanks that were presented.

Next we snacked on homemade tortilla chips. They were extraordinarily thin and were paired with fresh salsa made with limes and cilantro. These chips were the best I had ever had and the taste of the salsa made me want to drink… a lot. I had visions of sitting on a back porch with the salsa and a beer in some hot summer heat with just one bite.

Our entrees greeted us on very large plates overflowing with sauces and aromas. Brad ordered the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo, which came complete with a Beef Tex-Mex enchilada, cheese Ranchero enchilada, chicken Tomatillo enchilada, seasoned ground sirloin crispy taco & homemade tostada chips dipped in chile con queso. I snuck a bite of the cheese ranchero enchilada, which was a mouthful of elastic cheese that laced my mouth with flavor and grease. The chicken tomatillo enchilada was also a bite of Mexican goodness, with a tangy verde sauce that cleansed the palette from previous bites. 

I ordered the Comida Deluxe Combination, because I wanted to try a bit of everything. I am just saying that on an empty stomach, I could not finish this entire meal. It came with Cheese Tex-Mex enchiladas, chicken flautas, a seasoned ground sirloin crispy taco, guacamole & homemade tostada chips dipped in chile con queso. The chicken flautas were smaller than I was used to seeing and at first I was unimpressed. Then I crunched through the crispy shell and tasted a smoky chipotle sauce that was to die for. Plus, those tostada chips with the chile con queso were my favorite thing on my dinner plate. I could eat a whole meal of these. The queso was slightly spicy, but had a salty, smoky chipotle taste that oozed over the crisp tostada.

The best part of this whole meal came last. We decided to grab a dessert because it was our first time there. We thought we would split some churros, but they did not have them. Our server recommended the Tres Leches cake, so we ordered it. I think my eyes must have doubled in size when this came out. It was a huge square portion of cake, with a caramel topping and some strawberries. It had been soaked in sweet milk, which trickled to the bottom. The entire cake laid on a bed of vanilla cream, which tasted as though it came directly from the bean and the cow that morning. Upon one time, my mouth was greeted by a symphony of moist cake, thick vanilla cream, and a crisp and sweet strawberry slice. It was absolutely breathtaking. 

By the time we went to check out, were stunned that we had two large entrees, a dessert, and two beers for under $35. When we walked out around 5 pm, this place was packed. We could barely make it to the door. However, if I had the chance to be stuck here with Tres Leches cake, I would have no qualms about not being able to get home.

DoG Street Pub

Style: Gastropub (Beer and Food)
My Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

Website: http://www.dogstreetpub.com/

Likes: Quality ingredients, a beer for everyone, friendly service, gorgeous setting, standard fare with flair

Dislikes: It's on Duke of Gloucester Street, so parking is a pain


In the past, Duke of Gloucester Street in historic downtown Williamsburg, VA has been a source of disappointment and frustration. I have always wanted to like going there, but there are three things that highly annoy me. Parking is very frustrating, everything is generally highly overpriced, and the food and service in the area have been lackluster. So when I heard that DoG Street Pub opened up, I was very interested but hesitant. It took me almost an entire year to work up the motivation to check out the restaurant. But I finally did so and am so happy that it worked out.

We walked in at about 1:45 on a Saturday afternoon. It was a lovely spring day, with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 60’s being carried by a gentle breeze. The pub had seating outside, but we decided to sit inside because of the intense amount of pollen that has been plaguing the air. Inside I was stunned by the décor. Beautiful tiled floors and ceilings, with gorgeous wrought iron chandeliers and gates. 

There was also an interesting mix of people here. We were sat down next to a group of elderly women. Looking around the room, I also noticed young families with children, tourists, and college students. It seemed basically as a neighborhood restaurant where everyone is welcome. 

The pub had a descent menu of beers and our waiter could actually recommend beverages. It seems like many times in a restaurant, the serving staff has limited knowledge of the drinks. I was lucky to have an Old Rasputin from North Coast on draft and my husband had a bottled Fuller’s London Porter. The really cool thing was that they kept blue swing top bottles on the table for water so we could serve ourselves as needed. They were gorgeous bottles. 

I ordered the Honey Ham and Cheddar sandwich and it was worth every penny. It was a double layered sandwich with three slices of thick homemade bread. The bread tasted slightly like it had been smeared with garlic butter so that it would grill nicely. It had a generous amount of ham and cheddar between the three slices of bread, which was garnished with bacon. It was served with crispy kettle chips.

Brad had the hamburger. It was done to the perfect temperature, a medium, leaning towards medium rare. It was served with a special pub sauce which looked like remoulade, but tastes gentle and robust at the same time. The french fries that came with the burger were served in a cute little pail. The fries were thick cut steak fries with a touch of seasoning and partially skins were left on.

I wish that we had tried DoG Street Pub a little sooner. I enjoyed the scenery, the service, and the food. Now, we look forward to returning soon.

Irish Soda Scones

Growing up in New York, I became enamored with St. Patrick’s Day. All of the parades, bagpipes, and Irish tap dancing was so exciting. As I got older, the Guinness and Bailey’s made this even more exciting. The one food that was always present through these memories was Irish Soda Bread.

This year was depressing in terms of shamrocks and leprechauns because I did not do anything for St. Patrick’s Day. I actually spent it at the Google Apps Teacher Conference in Charlottesville, VA and even forgot to wear green! I am sure my Great Grandmother Lillian from Limerick would be very disappointed in me.

This past weekend, I decided to make up for my missed holiday and I made some Irish Soda Scones. These are like the soda bread, except that they are denser and are in scone shapes. I also like that they are in six pieces, which saves me from eating half of the bead in one sitting. 

I do not make traditional Irish Soda Bread. I add much more sugar to make them sweeter. Traditional American Irish Soda Bread also calls for raisins and caraway seeds. I definitely add raisins. I used golden ones in this batch of scones simply because it was what I had. I used fennel seeds instead of caraway. They deliver a sweet and subtle licorice taste and are not as harsh.

I like to eat these scones for breakfast, cut in half with some butter and honey. They are also fabulous with a cup of coffee, and even better with Earl Grey tea.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
¼ cup raisins
1 tsp fennel

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and make sure a rack is in the center of the oven. 

2. Line a backing sheet with a silicone pad or parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly add the buttermilk, blending the flour using a circular motion and a wooden spoon. Feel free to add a splash more of buttermilk if it is needed for the crumbs to draw together. The dough should be moist, soft, and sticky.

5. Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead the dough gently into an 8 inch round.

6. Cut the circle lengthwise three times, creating six triangular pieces. 

7. Place the scones on the baking sheet and brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk and dust with flour.

8. Bake the scones for about 20 minutes. Test the scones by tapping the bottom because it should sound hollow. 

This recipe makes 6 large scones. 

Honey Butter's Kitchen

Style: American Diner (leaning towards Southern)
My Rating: 4.5/ 5 stars

Website: http://www.honeybutterskitchen.com/

Likes: Large portion sizes and cheaper prices (you get more than what you pay for), retro music (everything from the Beatles to Patsy Cline), cute country décor, easily accessible, great food; everything is basically what you would expect from a fabulous diner

Dislikes: Really odd hours (check the website for times), omelettes aren't fantastic

When I walk into Honey Butter’s restaurant, the theme song from the 80’s sitcom Cheers immediately comes to my head. Even though no one in there actually knows my name, certain waitresses have clearly known others. It is not unusual for waitresses to stop by certain tables that they are not responsible for, and say hi to “Joe” or “Peter.” Last time I was here, the waitresses put a few tables together around 7:30 am for a group of about eight people. Ten minutes later, a regular group of elderly men walk in and the waitresses exclaim, “We’re glad you made it.” Some of the men even receive hugs.

Sitting down, I do not actually hear Where Everyone Knows Your Name, but the Under the Boardwalk song instead. We are there for breakfast and are given the breakfast / lunch menus. One time we were given dinner menus, picked out what we wanted, and then were told we had to have a different choice because they gave us the wrong menu. It was 4:45 pm and dinner was not served until 5:00 pm. That was annoying at the time, but since then we have learned to plan ahead.

The menu is a cross between traditional diner food and southern fare. They have pancakes and eggs, but also greens and fried chicken livers. One of the dishes we have tried and is not pictured on this post is their corned beef. They season it in house and it is soft... melts in your mouth soft. I do not order it all of the time because it is a huge portion, but it is fabulous.      Plus you get to pick sides with it!

When we go for breakfast, my husband almost always gets the same thing: corned beef hash, scrambled eggs, and rye toast. In my opinion, the rye toast is the best part of his choice. It is thick, and has been toasted on the grill. It has also already been buttered, so it's nice and melted when it gets to your table.

I love their pancakes. They are thick and flavorful. They are the type that when you pour syrup over the entire piece, that by the time you get to the second half, it has already been absorbed. Time to pour more! They are also huge, so you can order them a la carte, or however many you think you might be able to eat.

One menu item that is not my favorite is their omlettes. I ordered a three cheese one once, and it had parmesean cheese was not melted in the middle. Another time I ordered the  Salute to Pork omelette, with ham, bacon, and sausage. Although it was tasty, it was frustrating to eat because they did not put enough cheese on it to hold it together. All those little pieces scattered the second I cut into it, and I had to poke diced meat with my fork or use my toast to scoop it onto the fork. 

For lunch, one time I had the patty melt. I ordered it cooked to medium and it came medium! So often they come over done. The juices from the burger soaked into my beloved rye toast and it tasted delectable. The potatoes that I chose as my side should also be noted. These are their garlic hash brown potatoes. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Each piece is a perfect size, and the garlic taste is phenomenal. Perhaps not the best first date food, but I would take someone here just for the rye toast and the garlic potatoes.

Honey Butter's also has excellent fried catfish. We ordered a lunch portion once, and it could have served as a dinner portion. My husband ordered it with hush puppies that were thickly crusted and soft on the inside. We also had onion rings that were fresh and crunchy with a soft inside. In general, they do deep fried food very well.

If you have a love of diner food with southern favorites, you need to go here. Period. End of story. Go. Now.

Tarte au Citron (Lemon Tart)

I baked this tart for the first time last year at Easter. My family asked me to bring a dessert that was fruity and not chocolate. I am not really a pie person, so I decided to start thinking of something new to try. I immediately thought of lemon bars. They are so bright and cheerful for Easter, plus tart and sweet at the same time. I did not want to bring bars though. I rather like presenting a whole dessert. There is more of a show when you cut into and present it. Plus, people can have more control over their portion size. You can have a sliver. You can have a chunk. Whatever!

I originally started with a recipe from Illustrated Step by Step Baking, by Caroline Bretherton. So many changes were made to the recipe over the few times my husband and I have made it, that it really has evolved into its own. For example, we made a bigger tart. We had to bake it longer. We added more lemons. You get the picture.

We made it again for Easter this year. My grandmother approved, even of the crust, which I feel is a huge success. She is a Midwest baking expert who makes the most delectable cherry pie. In addition to the approval of the grandmother, this dessert is also good for having the family help. I am blessed with a husband who likes to be in the kitchen. Many times he offers to help. With this dessert, he has become the official lemon juicer and zester. Thanks Hon!

A variation to my recipe that could be feasible, would be to sift some confectioner’s sugar over the top. Mine have been too wet and the sugar gets absorbed so that it is not even seen. You could try it out on yours if you’d like. It didn’t work for me.
I recommend this dessert for spring and summertime palate cleansing. It is tart and sweet, making it a perfect way to end a meal on a warm day. It is also great for High Noon Tea too!

Special Equipment
Food processor with blade attachment
11 inch tart pan with a removable bottom
Baking beans

Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
9 tbsp butter, chilled
½ cup sugar
1 large egg

Filling Ingredients
6 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 5 lemons
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. To make the crust, place the flour, butter, and sugar into a food processor and pulse until it resembles crumbs. Add the egg and process until the pastry draws together into a ball.

2. Take the pastry dough and press it into the tart pan. Make sure that the pastry is at least half an inch above the edge. It will shrink during baking.

3. Chill the crust in the pan for at least 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the lemon juice and zest (double check for lemon pits!). Whisk in heavy cream. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the pastry crust with parchment paper, fill with baking beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, and bake the pastry for another 5 minutes, or until the base is crisp.

Tart filled with parchment and baking beans

Finished crust. Notice the fallen crust pieces. I will gently break off others to make it uniform, but will not use a knife to cut them. This way it looks homemade and rustic.

6. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Pour in the lemon filling, being careful not to allow the filling to spill over the edge. Bake for 30 minutes, or until just set. It will look somewhat like Jell-o when moved. 

7. Remove from the oven and cool. I prefer mine just out of the refrigerator, but it can be served at room temperate with at least 1 hour of resting time. It can even be made the day before if left in the fridge and covered.

Shake Shack

Style: Fast Food
Website: www.shakeshack.com

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Likes: No cheesy decor, Brooklyn Brewery brewery bottles a beer just for them, they have their own wine too, the names (which is honestly why I wanted to go)


Dislikes:  Lots of people with not lots of seats, cranked up air vents that blew napkins away, Are you sure you put malt in my shake?,  the shake did not quite hold up to the name of the restaurant that I definitely romanticized all on my own...

Imagine you had just been a bridesmaid at a wedding. You are tired. You danced a little, but were mostly tired because you were awake at 4:30 am to get ready for said wedding. You took pictures, reminisced, and toasted to the happy couple. Then the wedding is over in the early afternoon and you go to the hotel room. It is completely logical that a nap is needed. Then after said nap, you need to get your burger on.

That is what me and the wedding party did after the wedding party. On the way home from getting our nails done the day before, the bus drove by Shake Shack. I was intrigued by the name. Anything that eludes to some form of ice cream catches my attention. As the bus drove by, I took note and remembered the way there just so I could get there before we left.

Walking in, there was a hustle and bustle that was beyond the normal fast food joint. But then, we were in Brooklyn. There was a large wall-sized menu above the counter that had a listing of the burgers and hot dogs you could get. They also had a pretty sizable amount of custard desserts you could get. Wanna see the menu? You know you want to see the menu. Click me.

After we ordered, they gave us a number and we would be called to come and pick it up.Trying to find a seat was difficult because there were five of us. I had to be one of those seat stalkers and started laying scarves and bags down on the seats so people wouldn't take them.

For a fast food joint, the burgers were pretty good. I had a single SmokeShack and my husband had a double. They both had bacon, cheese,  and a pretty cool shack sauce on them. The sauce was just a big spicy. I ordered a chocolate malt shake which was disappointing. I couldn't taste the malt! If you see that the shakes are on top of the napkins, it was because the air vents were blowing them away.

Our friend got the fries. They were KRINKLE! :)

Overall, if I were in Brooklyn, I might go back. But there are so many other cooler places to go. Plus, I could get better burgers and shakes at other places. Cheeburger Cheeburger anyone?

The Books are Moving...

Spring Break is just what I needed to do some spring cleaning. Something that had been bothering me was that I had food posts intertwined with book posts. This blog was becoming primarily a food blog, but I wanted to post information about books too. It was a jumble.

So, here is the big news. I just gave birth to a new blog. This blog will be for posts about books. I just can't let them get sidetracked or overshadowed by of the glorious food... and vice versa. Now the book people can view the book blog and the food people can view the food blog. If you are both, well then now you have two blogs for your feed.

Here is the new address for the book blog. Please take a look!

The Page Prowess

Enjoy!

Ham and Pea Tart

I do like ham, but I don't love it just by itself. I like it in small doses or mixed in other dishes. For example, I love ham and eggs, when they are not green of course. Or I will even pretend I'm a real Southerner and mix it up into grits.Therefore, after Easter, I am in a predicament. I don't  want to eat all of that ham by itself. So my husband and I came up with a new way to use some of it. We used a recipe from The Illustrated Quick Cook as inspiration and added a few of our own little touches. 

The crust on this did not come out exactly as I had wanted. I used a 9-inch spring form pan  which I normally use for thick crusted desserts. I used pre-made crust for a time saver, but this could easily use a homemade crust and be made thicker. When I molded the dough around pan, I raised it too high. I had to make it thinner so that it would go that high. In retrospect, I would make the walls thicker and shorter. I might even use both sheets of the crust to thicken it.

This dish could be served after it cools right out of the oven. However, my husband and I like it cooled and refrigerated. We stored it in the fridge overnight and served it the next day. We also liked to squirt a little Sriracha on it to "kick it up a notch," just for Emrill. 

Ingredients
1 sheet of prepared dough for an 8-9 inch pie
all-purpose flour for dusting
1/2 cup parmsean cheese, divide
2 large eggs, plus 1 extra beaten yolk for egg wash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
2 2/1 cups diced ham
1 tsp sage
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Other Equipment
8-9 inch spring form pan
baking beans or pie weights
parchment paper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and press into the pan. I would make it no more than two inches in height and not like the picture below.

3. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are golden. 

4. Brush the crust with the egg yolk and sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesean cheese in the bottom. Bake for another 3-5 minutes to crisp.

5. Set aside the crust and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Meanwhile, heat the in a large frying pan.. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions become translucent. Add the ham and sage, and saute the ingredients until the ham is browned and slightly crispy. Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper.

7. Add the ham and pea mixture to the crust.

8. Beat together the two eggs and heavy cream. Season it well. Pour the cream mixture over the ham and peas. Use a fork and press the solid ingredients down in case they rise above the liquid. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesean cheese over the top.

9. Bake the tart for 20 - 30 minutes until set and golden. I place a pan underneath the spring form in case it leaks.