Brunch: NYC Style

In case you haven't noticed, I like brunch. It's probably one of my favorite meals to eat at a restaurant. It's so decadent which makes it the perfect way to start a relaxing Saturday or Sunday or overcome the night before. Whether I'm looking for brunch to help me get over the revelry of the night before, energize me for a busy day of relaxing (and occasionally studying), an afternoon of shopping, to enjoy a little hair of the dog that bit you, or simply to catch up with old friends, I'm a brunch girl. This past weekend, I was in New York visiting friends and relaxing, so obviously brunch was necessary. For a relaxing Saturday mid-day meal, we decided to try The Mercer Kitchen in SoHo, one of Jean-George's restaurants. We entered the restaurant and headed downstairs to the hostess stand; the upstairs section is more of a bar. We had a reservation and were seated within just a few minutes. The interior is dark with open paneling on the ceiling and exposed brick walls and arches. Mirrors and glass throughout the restaurant make it seem larger, and also more intimate at the same time while upside-down umbrellas hanging from the ceiling add some type of decor. The mirrors reflect the tables and the low-lighting keeps the room feeling warm, despite the industrial build. The open kitchen is also a nice touch, just a personal preference. The brunch menu varied from Asian-inspired starters to classic American staples like the (MERCER) burger, all featuring fresh and seasonal ingredients. The whole menu sounded fresh, light, and delicious, making the decision very hard. Starters included butternut squash soup, salmon with crispy sushi rice, crispy squid, a beet salad, figs with mozzarella, basil, and prosciutto, and a raw kale salad, among other choices. The brunch entrees included savory lunch options like a burger, sea bass, a lamb sandwich, and even a NY Strip. It also contained more breakfasty choices like an omelet with goat cheese, french toast, and eggs benedict. There was also a small raw bar menu and a few pizza choices.
I was in the mood for the ideal brunch balance: a little breakfast, a little sweet, a bit savory, and something lunch-enough to hold me until dinner. So, I chose the smoked salmon pizza. This was no usual pizza though, it was essentially a deconstructed lox and bagel, kicked up a notch. The crust was a thin and the wide, almost an inch, edges were seasoned like an everything bagel with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic, onion and salt. The center of the pizza was covered with a dill mascarpone spread. The dill flavored the soft cheese, which was sweeter but a milder and more intricate flavor than cream cheese. Then, the pizza was covered with fresh, flavorful, not overly-salty smoked salmon. The smoked salmon was spread across the whole pizza and then topped with tomatoes. Lastly, there were a few vinegar-treated red onions. They tasted like they'd been soaked in red wine vinegar and excellently broke up the sweetness of the cheese, saltiness of the fish, and savoriness of the slightly-chewy crust with their tart acidity. The pizza was awesome! It was like eating a super bagel, and made for a super brunch. It was so unique in concept and the way the flavors all came together was delicious, despite the simple concept of the dish. My friends ordered goat cheese omelets served with rosemary potatoes, which they said were perfectly cooked, packed full of fresh goat cheese, and that the potatoes were very well seasoned. Overall, it was the perfect choice for catching up with old friends and starting a great day of traipsing around New York. I highly recommend trying Mercer Kitchen for brunch, or any meal, but definitely make a reservation! 

A Moveable Feast [Four all Seasons]

While Hemingway coined the term "moveable feast" to describe Paris, I discovered a moveable feast here in DC this weekend. With my uncle visiting, we decided to go for a big brunch and try out the Four Seasons' all-you-can-eat gastronomical celebration. When I first think of buffet, the image that comes to mind isn't necessarily the classiest, so before I begin the explanation of my experience at Seasons, throw out every image in your head of some greasy food sitting under heat lamps for hours with  flies buzzing around and other customers looking like they eat exclusively at buffets. The restaurant is located through the elegant Four Seasons Georgetown lobby, down a set of plush stairs and into a warm, open seating area. The restaurant itself is essentially a large banquet room full of spread out tables with simple white tableclothes. The room is big and has different stations spaced throughout the room, which keeps a crowd from gathering at any one area and giving the whole room a calm and elegant feel. I was lucky enough to visit the Seasons on a gorgeous fall day and sit outside on the intimate and sunny patio, which holds only about 5 tables. After entering the restaurant, we were greeted and taken to our table,  where out waiter came over, explained how the restaurant worked, and began to fill our champagne flutes with the bottomless mimosas. He explained we were free to visit the tables or order belgian waffles or eggs benedict from him at any time. The atmosphere truly added to the leisurely nature of the meal and the attentive service just furthered me feeling like a VIP.

A Seafood Feast

To start, we began at the seafood table where we had so many delicious choices to make. At the beginning of the table, I grabbed a smoked fish dish, crab cocktail, three different kinds of smoked salmon and some items from the fresh seafood bar. I took several raw oysters on the half shell and jumbo shrimp, which really were huge! I skipped over an olive oil poached tuna served on a bean salad, a curried scallop with coconut chutney, bagels, and huge King Crab legs. The smoked fish salad was deliciously salty, full of smokey flavor and served atop horseradish and beet bavarois. The beet mixture was airy and light, almost like a cross between a spread and a mousse. It was also sweet from the beets, which paired perfectly with the fish's smoky notes. This was probably my favorite dish from the seafood section. I also enjoyed a crab cocktail with pickled ginger and grapefruit. The fresh, lump crabmeat was tossed in a classic, creamy seafood salad sauce, that the ginger and grapefruit cut with their acidity. However, the ginger added a tart bite to the mayonnaise while the grapefruit added a subtle sweetness. Both added texture to the dish but somehow instead of overpowering the crab, just gave more flavor to it. I tried a piece of pastrami smoked salmon: a little too salty for me. The dill marinated salmon which was great, the plain smoked salmon was fresh and flavorful, and the jumbo shrimp were huge and fresh. The raw oysters were fresh, not too briny or salty, and subtly sweet in the way only oysters can be. To go with the seafood, there were about 8 sauces and condiments displayed including a wasabi sauce, horseradish sauce and plain cocktail sauce.

Quinoa, Cauliflower Romesco and Foraged Mushroom Salad

After finishing off my seafood plate, I visited the cheese and salad stations. At the cheese station, each cheese was displayed with a Stonewall Kitchen spread as suggested accompaniment. To try each cheese as objectively as I could, I took two pieces of each cheese: one plain and one with the suggested sauce. The first cheese I tried was not my favorite. It was a dark yellow/orange colored Porter cheese with dark marbelization because of the porter beer in it. It was a very strong cheese with malty, chocolate flavors and was a little too weird for my taste, even with the simple mustard it was served with. Next, I tried the Humboldt Fog. To be fair, this is my favorite kind of cheese but this was probably the best Humboldt Fog I've ever tried! For those that don't know, Humboldt Fog is a goat cheese with essentially three different types in one. The outside is spreadable and runny with a texture more like brie, the inside is a traditionally crumbly, smooth and delicious goat cheese and the middle is a strong ash which tastes almost like a blue cheese. The Humboldt Fog was served with a really light and scrumptious honey which countered some of the cheese's tartness and highlighted its sweet notes. I also tried a cheese that tasted like a milder Brie. If Brie cheese had a slightly milder and harder cousin that would be even better than Brie on sandwiches - that was this cheese. Think Muenster consistency meets Brie flavor. Delic. I also had an orange cheese which had a nutty flavor like white cheese but the color of cheddar and was softer than most cheddars, I'm not sure what kind of cheese it was. Lastly, I tried a piece of manchego that was being served with fig and ginger jam. I always like nutty-flavored, hard manchego cheese but the fig and ginger jam was a great accompaniment. I also enjoyed a few pieces of prosciutto, salami and coppa with the cheeses. The salad table featured eight visually-appealing salads and vegetables including an Asian slaw with sesame-ginger dressing, a celery root slaw, roasted acorn squash with pumpkin, and a pear salad. I chose to try the cauliflower romesco which was nutty and warm and a sweet and savory quinoa with butternut squash, toasted hazelnuts. The two perfectly embodied this first fall weekend as I sat outside watching some leaves that had already begun to change in Rock Creek Park. My favorite salad was a foraged mushroom, artichoke, preserved tomatoes, and ricotta salad. The mushrooms were earthy and delicious and the other ingredients freshness was not overpowered by the light and simple oil and vinegar dressing. Also, the mix of mushrooms with the summery tomatoes was an ideal fall salad!

Next, it was time for the main course. For my veggies, I had brussels sprouts (my favorite veggie) with hazelnuts, brown sugar and sage carrots, and sweet potato puree with a pecan crust. I always love sprouts, the carrots were perfectly soft on the outside but still crunchy and the sweet potatoes were creamy, sweet and more like dessert. I also had cheesey grits that were literally 75% melty, oozy cheese and very few grits - in a good way. For protein, I had a buffalo-style quail with homemade blue cheese dressing. It was my first time having quail but I found the dark, rich meat delicious and the buffalo sauce surprisingly good, and it packed a kick! I also had a charcoal-grilled lamb chop with a tiny bit of mint tomato sauce. The meat was so tender and instead of needing a heavy sauce, the tomato mint had flavored the lamb while it cooked, giving it a deeper flavor.

Each season, the buffet offers a specialty themed food table and this fall it was "Mexico City" theme. There were several options there but I chose to try a beef enchilada. This was no usual beef enchilada though! The beef was a texture almost like pulled pork, wrapped in a corn tortilla that was being warmed while I waited. Just the beef was delicately wrapped in the tortilla, then smothered in a red enchilada sauce and queso fresco. The red sauce was authentic, I presume, spicy and rich without being gloppy or heavy. The corn tortilla had an authentic crunch, the smoked beef was delic and the cheese, well, I love cheese.

Then I entered the room of heaven: dessert. Dessert occupies its own whole room full of boundless possibilities  temptations, and pleasures both optical and edible. There were nearly 20 cakes, pastries and sweets to choose from and everything I tried was delicious. I started with the pecan pie in a jar. It was basically caramelized pecans mixed with brown sugar and melted butter that was still runny, followed by a layer of chocolate chips, homemade whipped cream, a thick chocolate mousse that had a consistency almost of ganache, and a crunchy cookie stuck in the top. Not only was it absolutely adorable, it was the best "pecan pie" I've ever had! Next, I tried the super moist chocolate cake. It was beautifully garnished with a piece of milk chocolate with white chocolate details and a white chocolate decoration on top of a chocolate cream icing, on top of three layers of moist chocolate cake. As the name suggests the cake was beyond moist and each layer was separated by layers of light chocolate icing almost like mouse. If you're going to name a cake so ambitiously, it better live up to it, and this cake definitely did! Next, I tried the deconstructed pumpkin pie. This consisted of homemade pumpkin filling with nutmeg and cinnamon, homemade whip cream, pumpkin seeds, flaky, cinnamon-sugary crust pieces, and topped with a mini pumpkin meringue. It was amazing! Finally, I tried a carrot cake made of layers of carrot cake, separated by thick cream cheese icing, and topped with  candied fruit.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

Carrot Cake

Pecan Pie in a Jar

Although the buffet was way out of my budget so I'm not sure I'll make it there again, it was a culinary and visual journey not soon to be forgotten. If you're looking for a treat, I would highly, highly, highly recommend Seasons' brunch at the Four Seasons!

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Delicious Party Apps

As you may have noticed by the lack of recent entries, I've been crazy busy trying to get back into school. And one of the great things about being back at school, is that all of my friends have been having apartment warming parties. But with so many parties, places to be, people to see, and oh yeah, classes, it's not always easy to make a great dish for a party. One of the dishes I made a few times, always with rave reviews, is a fig and honey baked brie. You might be thinking, baked brie? How wintery? But these figs and honey keep it light and great for any season. Plus, it's so easy to make!

Ingredients:
1/8 round of Brie cheese (I bought Trader Joes' and it was only $3 and tasted just as great!)
About 6 medium figs
1-2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup - 1/2 cup honey

Take the brie out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature (This will probably take around 20 minutes). Preheat the oven 350. Slice the figs in halves or quarters. How big you want the pieces of fig is completely up to you! I chose to cut some pieces into thirds, others into quarters, and some even slightly smaller. You don't want to cut the pieces too small though or they won't give as much flavor the cheese. Place the brie on an aluminum foil covered baking dish. Pour about half the honey over the Brie evenly, making sure it pours off the top to the sides. Spread the figs evenly around the brie so the piece of cheese is completely covered, including the sides. Pour the rest of the honey over the figs and cheese. Splash some Balsamic on the whole thing to really help pull out all of the other flavors by cutting some of the honey's sweetness and brie's rich, saltiness. Be careful not to use too much! Bake for about 7 minutes, checking after 5. I ended up baking it for more like 11-12 minutes but just make sure you're monitoring. Take the cheese out when it smells heavenly and the cheese is melting onto the figs and honey.

Enjoy the cheese with any crackers you like, I used Trader Joes' Rosemary Raisin Crisps. This dish is full of sweet, oozy goodness and makes a great treat for a housewarming party or a casual weekday snack! (I cut the leftovers up and tossed them with spinach the next day for a delicious salad!) Happy cooking!

New Hampshire's Finest

I have discovered some of the best Indian food ever, and it's tucked away in the ski town of North Conway, New Hampshire. To be fair, I've loved Shalimar since last summer but this seemed like the perfect time to post about it! I love Shalimar so much it made my top ten list of reasons I was excited to return to camp this summer; it's that good! Since I've been going there for two summers now, I've gotten to try a few dishes and I thought I'd tell you about my favorites. The restaurant is tucked in between a large area of outlet malls and the picturesque old town of North Conway but is beyond authentic! The unassuming location should not deter diners! The inside is warm and the family that owns and operates Shalimar is kind and attentive. The tables are decorated, underneath sheets of glass with notes of adoration from past diners. The warmth of the restaurant itself just foreshadows the homey, authentic, warm flavors of the cuisine.

For starters, the mango lassi is delicious! It's richer than many but full of creamy, real mango flavor. Each table is served crispy papadan with two contrasting sauces. The first is a thick, spicy sauce almost like a chili paste and the second is a runny, sweet sauce. Both are delicious on their own but the combination is the perfect mix of sweet & spicy and textures. All of the lamb dishes are served with large, tender, flavorful chunks of meat. The korma sauce, a spicy yogurt sauce, is full of spice while simultaneously refreshing, all without being too creaky or rich. Another dish I've tried is the chicken tikka masala: an Indian staple. The chicken is well seasoned with a dry rub and grilled (what makes it chicken tikka) and the masala sauce is awesome. My favorite entrees are probably malai kofta or paneer masala, both of which are fresh, full of flavor, and pack a kick. The chana masala (chick peas) make a great side dish! The best part about Shalimar though, and the item I craved most during the year, is the coconut naan. I'd never seen this on the menu at other Indian restaurants before visiting Shalimar, and still haven't (trust me, I've looked everywhere), which is part of the reaso it's so coveted. The naan itself is perfectly cooked to give it a subtle grill flavor and the perfect amount of chewiness. The bread is then stuffed with sweet coconut and raisins. It is unreal; I literally could eat baskets on baskets of the stuff! It is so deliciously sweet on the inside but the savoriness of the bread keeps it an acceptable accompaniment for dinner, not just dessert.

If you find yourself in North Conway, anywhere or New Hampshire, or anywhere else in New England, Shalimar is definitely worth a visit!

Chi-Town Chow Down

This week, I visited friends in Chicago for a few days and had some great times, good drinks, and delicious food! My first night, I went to Rockit Bar and Grill where I was very impressed! The menu was eccentric with a good mix of creative dishes and new takes on classic American options like burgers. For starters, we ordered the double dip: a platter full with a bowl of hummus, a bowl of tomato goat cheese dip, plenty of veggies, crackers and pita bread. The white bean hummus was fresh and good but the goat cheese dip was my favorite. Served as a generous portion of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a simple tomato sauce. I was initially a little underwhelmed but after mixing the goat cheese with the warm sauce and watching it melt into the sauce, I understood the draw. It was a delicious and rich combination. For my meal, I ordered a turkey burger with avocado, Swiss cheese and house mayo on a pretzel bun. The bun was chewy and the burger perfectly savory. The cheese and mayo were great accompaniments but my favorite part were the truffle fries. Thick cut and covered in truffle oil, parsley and sea salt the fries were amazing! The drinks were also delicious! I ordered a martini with mango vodka, mango syrup, lime, and mango purée. They were dangerously sweet!

The next day I went to Orange for brunch. With several locations around the city I figured it must be good but did not know what to expect. The menu featured several unique drinks such as their house-made orange j fused coffee and an extensive create-your-own juice list. For an appetizer, my friend insisted we try "frushi": Orange's speciality. This fruit sushi initially did not sound appetizing but was very surprising. The specifics change every day but we were offered strawberries with coconut rice and a piece of nigiri with pineapple and coconut rice. The rice was flavorful and moist while the fruit was fresh. The plate was decorated with a flavorful melon sauce, strawberry sauce, and grape garnishes. They were a colorful, fresh and delicious start to the meal.

For dinner my second night, I went to Carmine's: a Chicago Italian landmark. The large patio was buzzing and great for people watching. We were served warm bread with a plate heaping of Parmesan and olive oil. For my meal, I settled on the classic pasta: bolognese. It was delicious! Overall, I had a fabulous trip full of wonderful food and great friends. Now I am off to Maine for the summer so entries may be less frequent but hopefully just as mouth-watering when I get the chance to post! Expect at least one post about lobster!

Blast from the Past

I'm often asked in conversation, "if you could have lived in a different time when would it be and why?" I have a few answers to this question but I'm often drawn to the 1920s: the first talkie films like The Jazz Singer, my favorite authors Fitzgerald and Hemingway, flappers, the allure of the speakeasy, and the excitement of the decade. My second choice decabe to explore? The 1950s. However, unlike Owen Wilson's character in Woody Allen's latest movie, Midnight in Paris, I don't have the chance to explore Paris in the 1920s. But, a hidden lunch gem in St. Louis helps me relive both of my desired decades. Jennifer's Pharmacy and Soda Shoppe, tucked in the middle of downtown Clayton, is a true blast from the past.

The unassuming storefront should not be a repellent but instead a testament to the genuine nature of Jennifer's. Inside, is a true old-fashioned pharmacy with its traditional companion: a soda fountain and lunch counter. The front of the shop sells pharmacy items, although slightly quirkier than your average CVS with fun toys and creative gifts. The back of the shop is a true, working pharmacy. Yet, the middle is what I'm going to focus on, given this IS a food blog. Set-up as a single lunch counter with fewer than 20 stools, Jennifer's caters to regulars. My friend and I were the only diners who didn't seem to know the two women running the shop but instead of feeling like outsiders, we were welcomed warmly. The friendly, neighborhood nature of the place was apparent and also a relic of a type of community that is hard to come by these days. Diners have a choice of 30 traditional sodas, "phosphates,"and a range of more exotic ice cream and phosphate combinations like an egg cream: chocolate syrup, milk and carbonated water. A phosphate is the name of soda's predecessor which involved carbonated water and syrup. I opted for the strawberry phosphate and it was delicious! The bubbles were refreshing and the syrup was just sweet enough. I was a little concerned since I don't love the overly sugary syrups that make up most grape and other fruit flavored sodas today but was not disappointed! I could drink 100 strawberry phosphates on a hot day. My friend got a lime phosphate, which was even more refreshing, a little sweet, but overall, a little bitter for me. Oh well, it's not what I ordered and he enjoyed it! 

The food menu consists of a handful of classic sandwiches, hot dogs with a few different topping choices, and the house chili. I decided to try the turkey reuben and it was just what the doctor ordered! The food is served in a plastic basket but the presentation feels natural and in keeping with the theme of the restaurant. The bread was perfectly toasted; it even had cute little toast lines. The sandwich was stuffed with juicy turkey, succulent thousand island dressing, swiss cheese, and crunchy sauerkraut. The thousand island was creamy and a great companion to the tart sauerkraut and sharp swiss cheese. Not a bite was left. On the side, diners have a choice of chips or coleslaw and I HIGHLY recommend the slaw. I'm not the biggest fan of most slaws but decided it would give me a better taste of Jennifer's than the chips. It was creamy, the kind of slaw I like, but still had a nice vinegary tang. It mimicked the flavor contrast of the sauerkraut and dressing on my sandwich, which made it the perfect side! Next time though, I'm leaving room for pie! 

Whether the 1920s and 50s are your flashback decades of choice or not, Jennifer's is truly a gem worth visiting. The delicious food, old-style soda, and warm atmosphere will really take you on a trip down memory, or imagination, lane. And one of the best parts? The prices feel more like a lunch in 1950 than 2012 too! (Maybe not quite 1950 but it's definitely a deal in the middle of Clayton). 

Idol Worship

What do I do when I find myself with a break from my busy schedule? Food Network. While I eat lunch? Food Network. While I cook? Food Network. Ok you get it and my favorite chef is the none other than the Food Network star extraordinaire, Bobby Flay. Flay owns several restaurants around the country, including Bobby's Burgers in DC (I'm obviously a regular). One of his first and most famous restaurants though is Mesa Grill. Originally in NY, Mesa has a location at Caesar's in Las Vegas, where I was for a wedding this weekend. Flay is most well-known for his creative and modern twists on southwestern food and Mesa specializes in these types of dishes. As soon as I realized I got to choose the lunch locale for Saturday, I instantly jumped on going to Flay's culinary creation since I'm a huge fan! I don't want to give my experience away too soon but, since Vegas is the place for happy endings, Mesa lived up to both the Vegas reputation and Flay's.

The restaurant is tucked along the casino floor just behind the sports screen and area to bet on sports. The restaurant's exterior is decorated in multi-colored glass panels with big, colored block letters spelling out the name. The restaurant winds around a bend and guests enter through an opening in the glass panes. We were then directed to wait in the lounge, sets of oversized couches looking at the semi-open kitchen, while our table was prepared. Like many places in Vegas, the lunch menu is not available on Saturdays and is replaced by weekend brunch. The brunch menu contained about 12 entrees and a handful of starters. Our waiter told us about the special of the day and encouraged us to try the house margaritas. Craving something sweeter, I ordered the white pear margarita while someone else at my table ordered the traditional. Mine was sweet but not sickly so and well blended, as was the traditional. Making decisions among the succulent sounding choices was far too challenging of a task for me so I mentioned a few things that sounded good and let my parents choose. We decided to order 3 main courses and split all of them three ways. While we waited for our food, we were brought an incredibly varied and unique bread basket. The basket contained several types of breads, scones and biscuits each of which was beyond flavorful. The jalapeño biscuits were about the size of a corkscrew, crumbly, and full of peppery jalapeño flavor without being spicy. The scones was moist almost more like a pound cake or a cookie than a traditional scone. The blueberry cake was to die for! It was made up of a generous layer of powdered sugar, crunchy brown sugar, blueberries, and a beyond moist coffee cake on the bottom. It was sweet, the perfect texture and full of flavor; I easily could have eaten a basket of these. But my favorite item in the bread basket was the cornbread-type item. It was corn based for sure but nothing like a traditional cornbread with its intense corn meal flavor, hints of pepper and pieces of whole corn. It was almost like a tamale bread. Then, our entrees came.

I'll start with the most breakfasty dish first: chicken hash with sweet potatoes. For starters, this dish was beautiful (as they all were). It was served as two compotes of the hash topped with a poached egg, green chile hollandaise and a pepper sauce. The thing that initially struck me was the color! The eggs' yellow shone underneath the green and red sauces while the compote was a rainbow of reds, yellows and oranges. Both eggs were perfectly poached so as I poked them with my fork, the yolk oozed into the hash and blended with the sauces. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! The hash was a blend of succulent chicken, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro, among other spices. The hash was flavorful enough to eat on its own but mixed with the oozey egg, the tangy and creamy hollandaise and the spicy red sauce it was to die for! I'm not even joking when I say I would eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday. Our next dish was technically a starter: tuna nachos. This plate was just as breathtakingly colorful with bright red cubes of tuna surrounded by a brilliant orange mango salsa, red habanero sauce and a green avocado crema sauce. The tortilla chips were served on the side making the dish almost like a tartar accompanied by chips. The tuna was PERFECT! It was fresh, tender, cut into perfect bite size pieces, and AMAZING with the sauces. Something in the sweet mango salsa brought out the tuna's natural sweetness giving the dish an initially very sweet flavor. Diners should not be fooled though, about a second after dwelling on the sweetness, the habanero kicked in for a real kick in the mouth. Finally, the avocado crema took over mitigating the spice and sweetness with its mild creamy flavorful leaving the diner wanting more. It's one of the few dishes I've had where I felt like each bite was truly an experience among itself. Wow. Lastly, and perhaps least adventurously, we ordered a cheeseburger. I mean, we saw a few go past our table and they all looked bomb, as they were. The bun was golden and topped a well-cooked, well-season burger. It was garnished with grilled onions that were great and tasted almost as if they'd been pickled before being grilled. My favorite thing about the burger though, was the homemade mustard that came on the side. It had a traditional mustard seed flavor followed by a fierce hit of horseradish. The horseradish was a unique twist on a traditional mustard and worked well; I couldn't get enough on my seasoned fries. I looked at the dessert menu but the only thing that really stood out to me, churros with a chocolate sauce and a coconut sauce, wasn't available so I opted to skip dessert.

This was one of the most flavorful meals and complete culinary experiences I've ever had. And in the middle of a casino! I highly recommend checking out Mesa Grill if you're in Las Vegas or NY. I have not lost my amazement for or obsession with Bobby Flay and it has instead been solidified by his creative blending of ingredients, mingling of favors and use or vibrant color. I can't wait to try other Flay restaurants now too! Bar Americain, watch out next time I'm in New York. I know some say avoid the celebrity restaurants in Vegas because they charge a premium for the celeb name but Flay is trusted in food and hey, I like to gamble on the slots not my meals!

Loco for Lobster

I love lobster. Always have. I love it served as a full Maine meal steamed with drawn butter, corn on the cob, potatoes, and ice cream. I also love it in bisque. And yes, lobster rolls. The fresher the roll tastes, (less mayonnaise) the better but I'd walk uphill in the snow both ways even for a slightly oversauced lobster roll. But today, I had a PERFECT lobster roll: from a food truck! I'd heard great things about Red Hook Lobster Pound but hadn't tried it because the long line always scared me away. Yet, almost serendipitously, I happened to walk past while the truck was on campus today and it had no line! It was fate!

For lobster rolls, guests have the choice of Connecticut style which apparently means a little butter or Maine style which is a lemon mayo dressing. I obviously chose the Maine style and was blown away! I expected the roll to be good but a little saucy; I mean we're in DC not New England and it's not even summer yet. The roll was straightforward and no frills: a buttery toasted bun, a little lettuce, a few scallions, huge pieces of lightly dressed lobster and paprika. It. Was. Perfect. The lobster, which I initially needed to eat with a fork because the roll was overflowing, was perfectly cooked! Each bite gave a slight light flavor of lemon from the dressing and then tasted like simple, fresh lobster. It was also ideally cooked and tender, not at all chewy or tough (symptoms of overlooking). The toast was buttery with a slight crunch on the edges and soft in the middle. It was easily one of the best lobster rolls I've ever had, including the many I've tried in Maine.

I'm sort of an iced tea nut. And also very particular about my iced tea. In my opinion, the South and New England are the only places to get really good iced tea. Despite being bordered by the South and the Eastern Seaboard, DC has terrible iced tea so I've been brewing my own sun tea. Which isn't bad, I just wish more places sold good iced tea. Well, Red Hook does! I ordered an Arnold Palmer and it was ideal! It was just the right balance between lemonade and iced tea. It was initially sweet but not overly so, followed by a slight tartness. If only other places sold such well-balanced Arnold Palmers...

This post is quiet effusive I know but I really cannot say enough how great this meal was! I would go again in a heartbeat even with a line! Although sadly, the steep price may keep me away for a few weeks.

Artichoke Chicken with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This week I made a delicious and simple dinner so I thought I'd share the recipe with you all! It's not easy to find the time to make a gourmet dinner but this took under an hour and tasted like it took wayyyy more time and work! I shared it with my housemates after and they couldn't get enough!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: literally roasted veggies are one of my favorites and beyond easy to make. Preheat the oven to 400. For the brussels sprouts, cut off the ends and cut each in half. Toss them in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat each of them, a generous amount of sea salt, and a little pepper. Like a cookie or baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the brussels sprouts (or any veggie) along the foil and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. Take tongs and shuffle the sprouts around a little, add another few grinds of sea salt, and put them back in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending how crunchy you want the outsides to be. Take them out, and enjoy! So easy and good enough to make those who don't like brussels sprouts change their mind!

Artichoke Chicken:
2 boneless chicken breasts
Sea salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Jarred garlic (or fresh)
Can of artichoke hearts drained and sliced
About 4 Tablespoons of butter
Olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon flour
Lemon juice from about a lemon and a half

Pound the chicken so it is less than 1/2" thick, it doesn't need to be cutlet-style thin though. Cut into four pieces. Season each piece with a little sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle with a little flour, not enough to fully bread the piece. Make sure to season both sides! Heat a teaspoon or so of olive oil in a skillet with a teaspoon of jarred garlic and when hot, add the chicken. When I made it the chicken needed about 4-6 minutes per side, but it will vary based on how thick your pieces are. As the chicken cooked, I added another little drop of jarred garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice to each piece. Once the chicken is cooked, put it aside covered by foil and put 3T of butter in the skillet on low-medium heat. As the butter starts to melt, add the artichoke hearts, the juice from one large lemon (about 3T) and about 1 1/2 t garlic on low heat. Add in another tablespoon or so of butter to get your desired consistency. I let the artichokes sautee for less than 5 minutes. Be sure to taste the sauce as it cooks and decide if you want more lemon, garlic or butter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and enjoy!

It's a fairly healthy meal (brussels sprouts must be healthy right?) and so easy! This is a great meal to make when a friend is coming over to dinner because of its simplicity but gourmet flavors! Enjoy!

A Weekend of Fine DC Dining

This weekend, my grandparents came to visit me in DC and while this means several things, most importantly for all of you, it means great food! I certainly didn't starve this weekend and it was a great break from my usual, student dining restrictions.

When they arrived Thursday night, we went to dinner at one of my favorites: Kinkead's. This long-standing restaurant is a bit of a dining classic in DC, especially for seafood. The restaurant calls itself "an American brasserie" and it's menu reflected this broad name. Though about 95% of the dishes involved some type of fish of seafood, there were dishes ranging from spicy ceviche to Asian influenced fish with coconut broth to their "Kinkead's classics." last time I peered the simple salmon, which was far from simple but delicious, so I decided to be a little more adventurous this visit. For my starter, I choose the "Mexican-style" seafood cocktail because the waiter told me t was one of their newest menu items, and one of his favorite. It was sort of like a ceviche married a shrimp cocktail in a joyous and flavorful ceremony. Served in a cocktail glass, the appetizer had a tomatoe sauce base like a traditional cocktail. Yet, it was diluted with a acidic and vinegary mixture, like a ceviche. The glass was then loaded up with several shrimp, a few scallops, a clam or two, and some white fish. All of the fish was fresh and full of the flavor. To help flavor the cocktail and add crunch, there were also jalapeños, peppers and onions with the sauce. It was a delicious, fresh, light and surprisingly filling appetizer! For my main course, I ordered a pasta with a simple sauce of garlic, olive oil and a little vinegar. The noodles were fresh but what really made this pasta though was the giant and flavorful head-on shrimp topping the pasta. These giant prawns were succulent, beautiful, and full of flavor. The clams in the pasta were also well cooked and the tomatoes were perfectly steamed. The pasta was simple but full of flavor! Despite being so full I was concerned about my ability to walk home, I naturally ordered dessert. For dessert, I got a mini pecan pie tart with rum ice cream. The ice cream tasted very strongly of rum but the tart was perfect! The outside was crunchy and subtly sweet while the inside filling was sticky, crunchy and yummy. I tried not to imagine it having the same effect on my arteries. It was a struggle to walk home after eating all of this food. (But totally worth it.)


Friday was a busy day of sightseeing, shopping in Georgetown, and the newseum so miraculously, I was hungry again by dinner time. For dinner, we went to a hidden gem I discovered freshman year, I Ricchi. Tucked off from the street and situated between the downtown business center and DuPont Circle, I Ricchi is truly a worthwhile find. How does a lowly freshman discover such a great restaurant you may ask? , of course! The small inside is intimately decorated with vines, a few plants and sandy orange hues which truly give the restaurant an Italian feeling. The open window to the kitchen, decorated with copious amounts of bread adds to the Tuscan ambiance. After being seated, our waiter came to our table where he talked us through the huge three page menu, pointing out his favorites along the way. The individual attention of the waiter, who was only serving one other table despite a nearly full restaurant also helped add to the atmosphere of the meal. The entire first page of the menu was full of the daily special starters, salads, pastas, seafood and meat specials. The next two pages consisted of an enormous list of their staple offerings. Our waiter encouraged us to order Tuscan-style since it was a traditional Tuscan restaurant, meaning we order a smaller portion of pasta and then a meat. For my starter, I opted for one of the daily specials: a smaller portion of a risotto with sun-dried tomatoes and  cheese. It was delicious! The rice was perfectly cooked and the sauce mild but flavorful. The rice was ideally al dente: soft while maintaining a slight crunch. The sauce was made of a mild tomato base but was simple, allowing the flavors of the tomatoes and cheese to truly flavor the dish. I could not get enough! For my main course, I ordered one of the special fish dishes of the day. It was a trout grilled with only a few spices and then served with sauteed artichokes, lemons and a simple lemony roux. The sauce was full of flavor but not overpowering, the artichokes were tender and the fish, which flaked easily, was perfectly cooked. For dessert, we ordered a chocolate mousse which was one of the most unique dishes I've enjoyed! It was prepared and looked like a slice of cake, with a thin layer of meringue on top of the dish, which was then dusted with powdered sugar. Beneath the meringue was a generous portion of dark chocolate mousse and then a thin layer of chocolatey crunch. Then, a layer, equal to that of the dark chocolate, of semisweet mousse and finally another layer of chocolate crunch on the bottom. Chocolate + chocolate + chocolate mousse + chocolate mousse + meringue = more please! In case the dessert wasn't sweet and decadent enough, one side of the plate had a tart, simple rasberry sauce which helped balance the chocolates but the other side had powdered sugar and cocoa powder in case you wanted to make it more chocolatey. It was AMAZING! 

Overall, it was a lovely weekend full of delicious meals! If anyone else wants to come visit me at school, I can promise just as exciting a culinary tour of DC and a shout out in the corresponding blog entry. Just throwing it out there...

10-Step Tacos

Tonight for dinner, I decided to make one of my favorite dishes: fish tacos. I'm sure you all have figured out by now I'm on a bit of a taco craze right now so it really shouldn't be that surprising. I was surprised by how easy and flavorful it was to make great fish tacos though so here's the recipe! I made this recipe for three people and we each had two tacos. The amount of fish worked out well but there was extra sauce. As for the other toppings, adjust accordingly for the size of your group.

All of the toppings waiting to be enjoyed: (clockwise from top left) Cotija cheese, avocado, cabbage, Panela cheese, Green Chile sauce.

Marinated red cabbage

1/2 cup Frontera Grill Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 avocado
Cotija  cheese
Panela cheese
1 lb. Tilapia -feeds about 3-4 people
Red cabbage - I used about the four outer layers
1-2 T lime juice
Plate full of cornmeal
Sea Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Canola Oil
Corn tortillas - I used 6
1 can black beans



1. The morning before you plan to serve the tacos, peel off and wash the cabbage you want to use. Then rip it into the size pieces desired, I hand-shredded the cabbage to about 1/4" wide and an inch long.

2. Put the cabbage in a freezer bag and pour as much lime juice as desired, about 1-2 T and a few grinds of sea salt. Seal the bag, shake it up, and put it in the fridge.

3. Also in the morning, mix the half cup of sour cream with the half cup of enchilada sauce, cover, and put in the fridge.

4. About 30 minutes before you want to eat, begin to season the fish. I simply flavored each piece with a little salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne. Make sure to season both sides!

5. Then, dip the fish in the plate of cornmeal gently to give the fish a little breading which will add a nice texture to the tacos.

6. Cut the fish into strips around 1/2" by an inch or two long: it's not a science.

7. Heat a can of black beans according to the can directions, the stove or microwave works.

8. Prepare the toppings- this can be done ahead of time or while the fish cooks. Slice the avocado, bring the sauce out of the fridge, get the cabbage, and cut your cheeses. I grated the Cotija to go on top of the beans because it's sharp but sweet flavor. I cut slices of the Panela cheese to go in the tacos themselves. Panela is sort of like a Mexican Mozzarella: a soft cow's milk cheese with a mild flavor. Heat the tortillas in a microwavable dish, covered with plastic wrap in the microwave for 45 seconds on high heat.

9.  Put enough Canola Oil in a large skillet and heat on medium-high heat. When the oil's hot, drop in the fish. Depending how thick each piece is, it will take about 3-4 minutes per side. You know Tilapia is cooked when it flakes easily with a fork.

10. Assemble your taco, let your friends and family assemble theirs, serve with black beans topped with the Cotija cheese, and ENJOY!

Midterms (a convenient excuse)

I just wanted to take a minute to apologize to you all for my lack of postings recently. I'll blame midterms since it's easy to do so but now midterms are over and I'm heading back to St. Louis for spring break so you can look forward to MULTIPLE, yes I'm promising more than one entry, in the coming week! Thanks for your continued readership!

Food that get me through midterms? I can't stop snacking on Whole Foods Lemon Hummus with a local restaurant's tzatziki. One of my favorite things about Whole Foods is that they sell food products from local restaurants. I encourage you all to grab a dip they're featuring from an area restaurant next time you go into Whole Foods; they're usually more flavorful, taste handmade, use fresher ingredients, and give back to the local community. I also LOVED the "Good Guy" cupcake I had from Crumbs the other day it was the perfect pick-me-up after a long day of studying!

Far East Euphoria

This week, I finally had another great meal in my food truck challenge! After the weekend in New Orleans, my favorite city, celebrating Mardi Gras, I expected to come back to DC and write a blog about all the fried oysters, po boys, and hurricanes I had but instead, my Tuesday lunch blew them all out of the water. (That is not to play down how amazingly well I ate in New Orleans it just proves how incredible my food truck lunch was.) I decided to eat at Far East Taco Grille. Best. Decision. Ever. Ok maybe I'm being a little dramatic but hey, I'm allowed it's almost my birthday!
The truck is not particularly bright and colorful but for some reason it piqued my interest. The menu affords the diner many choices and extreme personalization of their far east soft taco experience. First, you choose whether you'd like flour or corn tortillas. Guests then choose from Powerful Steak, Bang Tang Chicken, Spicy Flying Pig (pork), and Sweet Sexy Tofu. I ordered three different meats but we'll get to my choices after I explain the whole menu. After settling on a meat, a sauce must be decided upon: spicy Salsa Roja, milder spicy mayo, #15 Sauce, the house specialty, and Spicy Pineapple. As if the choices weren't enough already, you then have to choose your slaw. These choices are kimchi-lime, spicy yellow corn, sweet chili romaine and grilled bean sprouts. Finally, each patron must chose a "finisher:" onion-lime relish or cheese-crema. With over 100 possible creation combinations, I did not take deciding what to order lightly. Also, I'm terribly indecisive so it was even more of a challenge but I managed and am very pleased with my decisions.

I chose to have all three of my tacos on flour tortillas because I prefer them over corn. For my first taco, I chanced it with the bang tang chicken, #15 sauce, spicy corn and cheese-crema. This first taco was hands-down my favorite. The chicken was juicy and packed a nice grilled flavor while the #15 sauce, which they describe  as sweet and mild, was unreal! It was a light juicy red colored sauce that was sweet almost like a sweet BBQ sauce but then had a big kick. The corn initially seemed like a balancing factor to the spice because of its texture but then had a strong adobe, chipotle flavor! The #15 sauce spice was sweet with a vinegary spiced flavor as an aftertaste while the corn had a more southwestern bite. The cheese sauce was the ultimate finish with its richer, mild texture, subtle sweetness of the cream, and tartness of the cheese. Wow. Next time I go, I'm definitely ordering three of these!
My second taco was my second favorite made up of steak, salsa roja, kimchi lime and onion-lime relish. The steak was also juicy and flavorful but what made this taco was the slaw and finish. The salsa had the spice and fresh flavor of a traditional red salsa. The kimchi lime slaw had an awesome crunch from the fresh cabbage and the lime flavor was so fresh it tasted like someone had picked limes from a tree that morning and marinated my kimchi in them. The onion-lime relish was a great accompaniment which paired ideally with the lime slaw. I loved this taco for its refreshing, sharp, flavors and how well they paired with the heavy steak protein.
For me, the third taco wasn't as much of a hit but with 100 other possible combinations, it won't deter me from returning to the food truck. My third taco was filled with the pork, spicy pineapple, sweet chili romaine and onion-lime relish. The chili romaine was good and added a nice crunch but the spicy pineapple consisted of almost no pineapple and the pork wasn't really to my liking.
Far East Taco Grille was a delicious lunch and for eight bucks, it can't be beat in terms of value! I definitely recoomend a visit to this food truck if you're in DC!

Superbowl II

As the big game approaches, I thought I'd share a few more tips about making your Superbowl great. Firstly, don't go overboard. This isn't a chance to show off your great new furniture and your fabulous life to everyone you've ever met and their plus one. It's a football game: invite a FEW of your friends and keep it casual, it will be way more fun. If you don't want to just stick to the status quo and order pizza, or you're worried about waiting four hours for your delivery, fear not. If you're sick of listening to everyone fight over their topping choices this fun, easy take on individual pizzas is for you!

Economy-Friendly DIY Personal Pizza

Pre made pizza dough (one bag for every two people)
Jar of pizza sauce (one jar will probably make 4-6 mini pizzas)
Mozzarella Cheese
Optional:
Parmesan cheese
Goat cheese
Feta cheese
Olives
Pepperoni
Salami
Bacon
Pineapple
Peppers
Artichokes
Tomatoes
Basil
Chicken

Cut each bag of premade pizza dough, I like Trader Joe's whole wheat dough, in half and knead or roll it out into a circle. Arrange the jar of pizza sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you buy in bowls. When guests arrive, before the game starts, ask each to to spread as much sauce as they like and their choice of toppings on their personal pizza. Ask them to go enjoy the game. When it seems like people are getting hungry, pop the pizzas in the oven according to the directions on the dough and enjoy a pizza that pleases everyone!

How to Have a Super Superbowl Part I

Everyone knows Superbowl Sunday is all about the snacks, the beer, potential halftime show drama (think Janet Jackson) and the commercials. Oh and I guess football. And since this year's matchup happens to be between two of the most commercialized teams in the NFL, I decided to also sell out and share some Superbowl recipes and ideas.

So first off, some ideas. 1. This is a big deal. It only happens once a year. Don't go buy another 30-pack of Natty or Coors: live a little! I suggest Shock Top because it's light enough to drink throughout the game and packs a strong flavor usually only available in darker brews. Plus, the sunny flavors will keep everyone at your party amicable despite the score. Trust me, you'll be happy you did. 2. Don't tell your guests to just bring something: delegate. Tell Suzy to bring pita chips, Mark to bring tortilla chips and Amy to bring her brownies everyone loves. Not being specific and telling people exactly what to bring will result in a Superbowl party complete with four bags of chips and five flavorless, unoriginal ranch-from-a-pack dips. And that just sounds tragic! One thing I'll be making for the Superbowl is my 7-layer dip. It's so good, so easy, and has a little something for everyone!

Ingredients:
One container of Lite Sour Cream
One package of taco seasoning
Guacamole - I use two bags (one box) of frozen guacamole but one refrigerator container of Wholly Guacamole would work too
One can of refried beans
One small can of olives
4-6 scallions, depending on your flavor preference
Shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese
Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or regular tomatoes, diced

The night before you plan to eat the dip, combine the whole container of sour cream with the package of taco seasoning and stir well so that it is evenly mixed. Place it covered, in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator overnight. The day of the party, get out some type of shallow baking dish. I usually use a 1/2 thick, 8" round glass baking dish. First, layer the beans evenly on the bottom of the dish so they coat the entire dish. Then, spread a layer of the guacamole evenly on top of the beans. Next, double check the that the sour cream is well mixed and give it a quick stir if needed. Then spread the whole mixture evenly on top of the guacamole. Add a layer of shredded cheese so the spiced spur cream is covered. Then sprinkle the top with tomatoes, olives and scallions to flavor. Cover with foil and pop it in the fridge until you're ready to eat. It's that simple and so delicious!

Enjoy and good luck with your Superbowl preparations!

Food Truck Feast

Today for lunch I decided to mix it up and venture to one of the many food trucks that have become ever-present around DC and particularly, GWU's campus. In the spirit of trying new things, I settled on  Kimchi BBQ Taco: a brightly colored truck that enticed with its flavorful aroma. Despite the colorful and elaborately decorated outside, the operation is simple: a grill, two people preparing the food, and bomb-ass sauces.
For the tacos and burritos, the main draw, guests have the choice between bologi beef, spicy pork, spicy chicken, or tofu for their protein and a choice of six kimchis. I chose the bologi beef because it seemed the classic choice and sweet-and-sour kimchi because it intrigued me the most. I definitely chose well! I was served three large tortillas overflowing with beef, kimchi, corn, lettuce and then had the choice of homemade sauces to pour on top. In the adventurous spirit, without tasting the sauces, I poured Kimchi BBQ Taco's "spicier spicy mayonnaise" "sweetened sriracha" and a sweet hoison sauce over all three. The dish initially struck me because of the color. There were vibrant pinks from the mayonnaise, reddish-orange form the kimshi, light orange from the sweet sauce, green from the lettuce, yellow of the corn, and brown from the bologi all set against unassuming tortillas in a deceptively simple Styrofoam box. My first bite was a delicious explosion of flavors. The first was a the acidity and crunch of the kimchi (For those that don't know, kimchi is basically Korean pickled cabbage). The sweet-and-sour flavor of the kimchi was not overpowering because I first tasted the crunch and freshness of the cabbage, then the sweet flavor, and finally the kick. By time the kick of the kimchi settled in I was absorbing the calming tastes of lettuce and corn. The real wow factor was the bologi beef: prepared on a grill and doused in the hoisin sauce giving the meat a sweet and perfectly cooked flavor. The final bite was the tortilla which by this point had soaked up the sweet hoisin sauce, spicy mustard, the sweet-and-sour vinegar from the kimchi and the juice from the meat making even the tortilla awesome and full of flavor.
This was a truly great and unique lunch and I enjoyed every last bite of the dynamite tacos dripping down my chin. And it was all from a food truck! I'm definitely going to try more of these trucks, I'm thinking once a week? And obviously an accompanying blog entry to leave you all hungry!

Ellie's Easy Ceviche

Since I've been home for winter break, I've been cooking a lot and I wanted to share with you all something delicious I made this week. I know ceviche sounds complicated or in the very least, may scare you off because of concerns about the seafood not fully cooking but I assure you, it's very easy! For starters, I used Costco frozen, raw, tail-on shrimp and let the defrost in the refrigerator overnight , then made a citrus marinade for the shrimp which is what cooks them and left them in the marinade for another night in the fridge. Finally, a made an avocado salad that I mixed the shrimp into and enjoyed! This dish is a great snack from the bowl or an excellent cocktail party treat with tortilla chips. It's so easy and really delicious! I hope you enjoy it as much my family and I did!

For the marinade:
8-12 tail on shrimp
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
Lemon juice
Orange juice
Soy sauce

Once the shrimp are thawed, remove the tails and cut each shrimp into bite size pieces: I was basically cutting each shrimp into fourths. Place the shrimp in a quart size ziploc freezer bag and add in the chopped garlic. Then pour in around 1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice depending on your acidity preferences and then add orange juice until the bag is roughy 3/4 full of liquid. Add a splash of soy sauce, shake, and place in the fridge for 24 hours.

Avocado salad:
2 large avocados
medium red onion finely chopped to taste
Approx. 1 1/2 T. Lemon juice (based on your taste preference)
2 t. Lime juice
1 t. Soy sauce
1 t. Sugar
A few dashes Sea salt
1 T. Orange juice

Cut the avocado into various sized pieces and put them in a small bowl. Pour on some of the lemon juice to keep the avocado fresh while you work. Add the chopped red onion, more lemon juice, lime juice, and soy sauce. Then add the sugar and salt. Taste the mixture and feel free to add more of any of the ingredients, it's not a science at all and totally about your tastes. Cover the mixture very tightly with almost no air reaching it to keep the avocado from browning. I use a piece of plastic wrap touching the salad and then a Tupperware lid on the bowl itself. Leave the mix in the fridge for about an hour to allow all the flavors to come together. Taste the salad. Then, drain the shrimp reserving the marinade. Gently stir in the shrimp and add some of the remaining marinade to taste, I added about half. Enjoy!