Five Lamps Tavern

Five Lamps Tavern is a new addition to the upper west side and a good addition it is.

Not only do they have amazing burgers, they have a 75 seat beer garden in the back - yay!  

The first night we visited, it was packed but we managed to find seats at the bar (it was a little chilly for outdoor seating). We ordered a couple of beers and looked over the menu, which is pretty small but also understandable for a brand new restaurant. Hopefully they'll expand the menu as they mature. 

My husband ordered the classic burger...and loved it. The fries were awesome too! 

CLASSIC BURGER

Brooklyn Blend, soft lettuce, tomato, red onion, house rémoulade.  

Served with IPA Fries

The first thing on the menu that caught my eye was the grilled salmon BLT...grilled salmon fillet, bacon, romaine, tomato, toasted fennel rémoulade, country bread, served with IPA fries. I must not have been alone, because by the time we put our order in they were sold out of the salmon. 


In a spur of the moment decision I went with the 5LT burger...it ended up being an excellent choice! 

5LT BURGER

12 oz cajun-crusted, house blend with 

slab bacon & Roquefort, lettuce, tomato, red onion. 

Served with IPA Fries

I LOVED this burger!  It's right up there with my all time favorites. 


Still in first place is Rocky's in San Diego... 

Rocky's Burger

The 5LT burger is definitely a stand out and one of the best burgers I've had in a long time! The bacon and roquefort are mixed into the patty and they add such an amazing difference to the burger. I like my burgers medium...it looks pretty pink in the picture but it was done perfectly and so juicy that the bottom bun didn't hold up to the challenge. 

Last weekend we went back to Five Lamps for brunch and everyone had the classic burger (unfortunately the 5LT isn't on the brunch menu, and they wouldn't make the exception..boo). We had a great time and the food was excellent, again. 


We'll certainly be back for many more enjoyable experiences at Five Lamps, and maybe next time I'll try something other than a burger! 



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Burrito Pie

I came across this recipe while looking for new ideas for Taco Tuesday 

and decided to give it a try and lighten it up a bit!

It turned out pretty darn good!

You’ll Need –

1 package of taco sauce (I used a leftover one from a taco kit) 

1 cup water

1 small can tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

salt & pepper to taste

1.5 pounds ground beef  (90/10)

3 flour tortillas (I love Tumaro's brand low carb multigrain tortillas) 

2 cups (1 bag) shredded light mexican cheese blend

1 can refried beans (warmed)

Garnish with - chopped jalapeno and scallions (optional)

Start by adding the first 6 items into a saucepan and simmer for 15-20 minutes. While your sauce is simmering, brown the ground beef. Stir in one third of the sauce.  Add another third to the bottom of a greased baking dish.

Place one tortilla on top of the sauce, (if you need to tear it to fit bottom of pan, that’s fine). Next,  top that tortilla with half of the meat mixture and cover with a third of your cheese.

Add another tortilla and cover it with the refried beans then remaining meat. Sprinkle another third of your cheese on top. Layer on the last tortilla and top with the last bit of your sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with chopped jalapeno and scallions if desired.

The original version had 8-10 servings each with:

578 calories, 25 g fat, 46 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber and 35 g protein.

My lightened up version with 6 servings clocks in around:

 370 calories, 15 g fat, 17 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber and 36 g protein.

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Co Ba

Co ba is a cute Vietnamese restaurant in Chelsea. The menu is inspired by traditional Vietnamese food stalls which in Vietnam are called Co Bas.

The menu is fairly limited but then again, so is my knowledge of Vietnamese food! 99% of my Vietnamese food consumption is alongside one of my best friends Vicky, who is in fact Vietnamese and has the same taste buds I do...I always trust her to point me in the right direction!

This occasion we were celebrating Vicky's upcoming trip to Vietnam and decided to meet up at Co Ba for brunch!

The brunch menu features three hearty combo meals with *UNLIMITED* Mimosa, Bloody Marry, Lychee Bellini, Vodka kumquat limeade Or House limeade(non alcohol) and coffee or tea for $21.95!

A. COM & RICE COMBO

Includes choice of vegetarian or poached shrimp soft rolls,

mixed greens, fried egg, and jasmine rice and choose one Com meal (beef, chicken or tofu)

B. VIETNAMESE SOUP & SANDWICH COMBO

Includes tofu tamarind soup, mixed greens salad w/sesame soy dressing,

fried seafood dumplings, and choice of sandwich

C. PHO & SANDWICH COMBO

Includes bowl of rice stick noodles in oxtail broth served with sliced sirloin,

bean sprouts, fresh herbs, side of mixed green salad w/sesame soy dressing

and choice of sandwich

Vicky ordered Combo A with the Cơm BÒ LÚC LẮC which was sweet soy & sake marinated beef sirloin and onion served over jasmine with vegetarian soft rolls, mixed greens and fried eggs on the side. She loved it!

I was craving Pho and ordered off of the regular lunch menu. I went with the Pho Ba which was rice sticks in an oxtail broth served with sliced sirloin,bean sprouts,and fresh herbs...

It was so good! And anyone who knows me (from this blog or otherwise) knows that I Iike my food EXTRA SPICY! Every few spoonfuls I added a little bit more chili pepper sauce until it was just on the edge of blowing my head off! Some might call me crazy but I love it! 

The hot pepper sauce drastically changed the color of my broth...ha! 

The dinner menu has a much larger selection and is very reasonably priced (the most expensive dish is $20). I think when Vicky gets back from Vietnam we should head to Co Ba to look at her pictures and reminisce about her fabulous trip ;)  

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Jalapeno Stuffed Burgers

These burgers were ridiculously good! 

You'll Need - 

3/4lbs Ground Beef

1/4 Cup Sweet Yellow Onion, Chopped

1 Jalapeno,Chopped

Worcestershire Sauce

Salt & Pepper 

Heat up a small pan and add a little cooking spray. Add in the chopped onion and jalapeno and saute for about 3 minutes. 

Once the veggies have cooked down a little bit add them to the ground beef, along with about a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce and some salt & pepper.

Mix the beef well and form into patties... 

We only have an indoor grill and decided not to close the lid while cooking these...

They turned out super juicy...

Cut up your favorite toppings...

Pile them high...

And Enjoy! 

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Spicy Carolina Style Pulled Pork

My Carolina boy found this recipe online and insisted we try it.

He loves Eastern Carolina BBQ and anything spicy so we knew this was going to be a hit! 

I didn't like the idea of adding the fat or onions back into the meat so I skipped that step and it turned out amazing.

You'll Need - 

3.5 lbs pork shoulder (original recipe called for 5lbs)

2 red onions, quartered

2 yellow onions, quartered

Rub:

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Sauce:

1 cup apple cider vinegar 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper

Start by making the rub...Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper, and rub the mixture over the roast and wrap it tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least a few hours but overnight is best.


To make the sauce...combine the vinegar, worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix well.


Next, place the quartered onions in the bottom of a crock pot. Place the (unwrapped) roast on top of onions and drizzle most of the vinegar mix over the roast. Save a little bit  to add to the shredded meat at the end.


Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 5 hours. (I actually cooked mine for 10 on low because that's what fit in with my work day!)

When your meat is done cooking, remove it and the onions from the crockpot and transfer to a cutting board. Remove skin and fat from the pork. Using two forks pull and shred the pork and top with the remaining vinegar mixture if desired! 

I served this with a side of cole slaw and corn on the cob! But the meat would make an excellent pulled pork sandwich as well!


And lucky Truman enjoyed the pork bone...

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Artisanal Cheese Center's Red, White & Bleu Event

The Artisanal Cheese Center started out as a small cheese cart at Picholine Restaurant. Maitre Fromager, Max McCalman, was the man behind the cart educating diners on the different cheeses, answering questions, and offering advice on wine pairings. As word spead about the exceptional cheeses, they recognized the opportunity in front of them and decided to build thier own cheese-aging caves.

The caves specialize in affinage (AH-fee-Nahj) - the ancient craft of maturing cheese to peak ripeness. As thier webpage explains, "Just as a wine grows in complexity and flavor with aging, this same nurturing process improves the quality of our cheeses. Aging, though, is just one important step in quality. Milk quality, which is often seasonal, is the first step in the quality chain. We look for cheeses made from the highest quality milk that are produced by the best cheese makers throughout the world, so that the finishing-by-aging in our caves consistently delivers the best cheeses available."

In 2007, the Artisanal Cheese Center separated from the restaurant business and now provides the some of world's finest cheese to their nationwide customer base! (You can order hundreds of thier cheeses online at http://www.artisanalcheese.com/) ...Yes, that's my shameless plug to order some of their cheeses...because they are so impressivly fresh and delicious, and I honestly believe anyone would agree!


I was lucky enough to be invited to Artisanal’s American Cheese Day, an invitation-only media event held on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at the Artisanal Cheese Center in New York City...

The celebration offered tastings of over 120 delicious American artisan cheeses paired with American beers and wines. The cheeses were separated by the region which they came from, and each region featured an array of soft, hard, bleu, bloomy rind, and washed rind cheeses. All different milks were showcased, as well as varying ages.

Luckily for me, every one that I tried, I enjoyed! Maybe I chose wisely, but most likely they were all just that good!

Everything was truly fantastic and I learned so much about cheese! The people I met were great, the cheeses were all amazing, and I even had opportunity to chat with Max who invited me to come take one of his artisanal cheese classes!

I'm so greatful to have had the opportunity to attend this event and can't wait to learn even more from Max!

* * *

Contents of the awesome goodie bag I received...

  

The fresh mozzarella put to good use...

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Mediterranean Omelette

I love omelettes for breakfast...or even dinner!

This version is Mediterranean style and is filled with tomato, mozzarella cheese, and pesto. 

You'll Need - 

Three Eggs

1 Tablespoon of Milk 

1/2 of a Medium Tomato

Mozzarella Cheese

Pesto 

Crack the eggs into mixing bowl and add about a tablespoon of milk. Season with salt and pepper the beat the eggs until they turn a pale yellow color.

Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat with cooking spray in the bottom. When the pan is nice and hot, pour in the eggs. Don't stir! Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set.

With a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there's no liquid left.

The eggs will look like a big pancake and should easily slide around on the nonstick surface. If it sticks at all, loosen it with your spatula.

Now gently flip the egg pancake over, using your spatula to ease it over if necessary. Cook for another few seconds, or until there is no uncooked egg left.

Spoon a little bit of pesto on the eggs, add the tomato and sprinkle with cheese. 

With your spatula, lift one edge of the egg and fold it across and over, so that the edges line up. Cook for another minute or so.

Gently transfer the finished omelet to a plate. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.




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Wo Hop

Wo Hop is a Chinatown landmark...establised in 1938. There are two locations for Wo Hop and they are right next door to eachother. 15 & 17 Mott Street...15 is upstairs and 17 is down! I read somewhere that upstairs joint is for tourists and suckers, so obviously we went downstairs!

They serve totally Americanized Cantonese food and they've earned fame with late night eaters...Wo Hop only closes for three hours each morning (7:00 am - 10:00am) but all other times you can go there to cure your chinese food cravings!

They turn tables quicky and the waiters are certianly not strangers...It's good service but if you're in the mood to sit and relax, be prepared to feel a little rushed.

A glimpse into Wo Hop...

Tons of sapshots and business card tacked to the walls

And...I left my mark :)

Whatever you order, you will not leave hungry! We didnt get that memo before we went and totally over ordered! As you can see, the portions are huge and the food is heavy.

This is what we had...

Steamed Pork Dumplings

Steamed Pork Dumplings

Shredded Beef, Szechuan Style

Sliced Chicken

Roast Pork Lo Mein

 

While it might not be gourment cuisine, it's actually pretty good, it's open SUPER late and it's cool to expierence a restaurant with seven decades in Manhattan!

One day, when your starved (or hungover!) check it out...but beware, it's cash only!


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Cobb Salad

Everyone loves a good Cobb Salad...

How can you go wrong with bacon, egg, avocado & cheese! 

The "traditional" Cobb salad has roquefort or blue cheese...

for this one I used cheddar. 

The Cobb Salad is the invention of restaurant manager, Bob Cobb. In 1926, at The Brown Derby, he created this recipe as a way to use up leftovers. 


For more history of the Cobb Salad, check out the History of Salads and Salad Dressings. 


Be as creative as you want with the ingredients in your Cobb Salad...use up those leftovers!! 

This is what I had on hand...


Lettuce
Tomato
Cucumber
Avocado
Black Olives
Cheddar Cheese
Bacon
Chicken
Hard Boiled Egg



Wash all your veggies and chop into bite sized pieces. Place your chopped lettuce in a bowl and arrange remaining ingredients on top of the bed of lettuce. Use your dressing of choice and enjoy!







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