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Archives for Feb 2007

Pizza, Pizza

Wonder Pizza USA has taken pizza to a new level by creating the Wonder Pizza vending machine. The vending machine holds, cooks and serves 9" pizzas in about 90 seconds. You can choose from 3 different pizzas and even adjust the crispiness of the crust! Each machine holds about 102 pizzas, made by Connie's Pizza of Chicago, in their own separate and sealed trays. The pizza's will set you back about $5.
    

I love pizza and have even been known to eat Ellio's back in the day, but something about pizza coming out of a vending machine feels really wrong. Maybe it's just me!

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 28, 2007 by misterbelly | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: fast food pizza

Girl Power

The Michelin Guide appears to be taking baby steps into the modern age by awarding 3 Michelin stars to several young French chefs, including a woman by the name of Anne-Sophie Pic.  Pic is only one of four women to have ever received a 3 star rating from the prestigious guide.  The petite, soft spoken chef has headed the kitchen at "La Maison Pic" for more than a decade and is a specialist in fish. 

This appears to be a big step forward for the guide, but is seen by some as half hearted.  Francois Simon, Le Figaro's restaurant critic, said the Michelin was an out-of-touch relic and its award to a top female chef would sadly not change much in the "blocked, macho world of French gastronomy".

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 28, 2007 by misterbelly | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: celebrity chefs

Good Eats?

Trans fats have been the topic du jour lately, with the new ban on trans fat taking full effect in New York this summer.  The trans fat ban is making way for other types of food related debates, including whether or not restaurants should make caloric information available to customers. 

Many chain restaurants are balking at the idea of making this type of information public, since it would almost certainly force them to make drastic changes in the way they cook and serve food.  Almost all of the chain restaurants have some item on their menu that greatly exceeds the recommended daily allowance of calories for both men and women.  One such chain is The Cheesecake Factory, who consider their cheesecake their pride and joy.  Many customers don't realize just exactly what they are  getting when they order a slice of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.   Yes, you get the usual cream cheese, eggs and sugar in your slice, but you also get an extreme dosage of calories.  A slice of the Godiva cheesecake (pictured) will set you back 1,000 calories and 41 grams of saturated fat!  The problem is not with the cheesecake, but with the portion size.  A typical slice of cheesecake at C.F. weighs about 1 pound and is 6 inches tall. 

Not to be outdone, Uno Chicago Grill offers an appetizer on its menu that has a whopping 2,050 calories!  The appetizer is a cross between pizza and stuffed potato skins, containing two types of cheese, bacon, mashed potatoes and the kitchen sink.

I don't know about you, but trans fat seems like the least of our worries with restaurants like Uno and Cheesecake Factory not being held accountable for their  lack of public nutritional information.

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 27, 2007 by misterbelly | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: dessert

Run For the Border!

Yum Brands Inc., parent company of KFC and Taco Bell just can't seem to stay out of the news lately.  This time a Taco Bell/KFC in Manhattan comes under severe scrutiny as it fails it's health inspection due to a rat infestation.  Nearly two dozen rats were spotted at the restaurant, prompting an inspection resulting in 92 points worth of violations, which is 64 points above the limit. 

The restaurant was fined and forced to shut down immediately.  The severity of the violations has caused quite a stir in Greenwich Village, with many people stopping by the closed restaurant just to see the rats frolicking about inside.  You can see the rats for yourself on YouTube.   

Ok, no more fast food posts this week...unless Ronald McDonald has a Britney Spears style meltdown. 

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 26, 2007 by misterbelly | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: fast food new york city

Holy Chicken

KFC, best known for its fried chicken, is introducing it's first system wide fish item called the KFC "Fish Snacker" via a controversial publicity ploy.  KFC president Greg Dedrick wrote a personal letter to Pope Benedict XVI, asking the head of the Catholic church to bestow a formal blessing on the Fish Snacker.  The new fish item debuted on Ash Wednesday, just in time for Lent and the traditional abstaining of meat on Fridays. 

I don't know about you, but I still wouldn't eat KFC even if by some miracle (no pun intended) the Pope actually did give the fish sandwich his blessing.  In fact, aliens from outer space could come down and tell me that the sandwich was a gift from the universe and it would make just about the same amount of difference to me.  What do you think?  Do you feel compelled to check out a new food item if it has a clever marketing ploy attached to it or do you prefer to discover new things on your own? 

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 23, 2007 by misterbelly | 1 Comment | Share It

Filed under: chicken fast food

Where's The Beef?

Step aside Kobe beef, and make room for the next big thing in the gourmet beef craze - Akaushi beef! Ok, you're probably wondering what exactly is Akaushi beef, and how is it different from Kobe beef?  Let's take a step back and explore beef and Kobe beef, so we can truly understand Akaushi beef.

 
Beef, as Wikipedia so kindly states, is the "culinary name for muscle tissue obtained from bovines, especially domestic cattle."  In the US, the highest  grade of beef is known as 'Prime'  and only 3% of US steaks are currently certified Prime.  Which is fine and dandy, but it isn't Kobe beef.  Kobe beef, refers to the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle raised in Kobe, Japan.  Outside of Japan, the meat is commonly known as 'Kobe style beef' or 'Wagyu.'  What makes Kobe beef so special is the treatment the cows receive, which includes regular massages, as well as meals containing corn, barley, alfalfa and beer...yes I said beer.  The beer is said to help the cows relax, which produces more fat in the meat.  The beer also encourages the cows to eat more.  Long story short, Kobe raises plump, and fatty cows, which makes for a damn fine piece of steak. 

 

Akaushi cattle are highly prized in Japan for their exceptional quality and health benefits of their meat.  Akaushi meat is graded as Prime Plus on the US scale.  Akaushi cattle are fed a diet similar to Kobe cattle, but are genetically pre-disposed to have intense marbling in their meat.  Which means Akaushi steaks are so buttery and tender you can practically cut them with a butter knife. Heartbrand, the current US provider of Akaushi beef, even goes so far as to claim their meat is heart healthy.  They claim their beef has an intense concentration of monounsaturated fats, which means more beneficial fatty acids.  The cost of a Akaushi steak is on par with Kobe prices, with a 14oz strip selling for around $60.

 

All I can say about this is mmm!  I would spend the money on a great steak in a heartbeat (no pun intended).  Do you want to get your Kobe fix?  While no restaurant in the US offers actual Kobe beef from Japan, many do serve Kobe style beef.  In New York, Megu and Old Homestead in the city both serve Kobe style steaks.  Uncle Jack's Steakhouse is the only restaurant in the city currently serving Akaushi steaks (at $200 a pop)!  So what do you think?  Is Kobe/Akaushi worth the money or just a bunch of hype?

 

*misterbelly

 

 

 

Posted Feb 22, 2007 by misterbelly | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: beef

Pinkberry

The West coast imports just keep on coming!  First Starbucks, followed by Jamba Juice and now Pinkberry!  I've read about  Pinkberry in dozens of magazines and online, but had never actually seen one in person, until I was strolling around 18th and 8th and happened upon one.  I'm not really all that enthusiastic about frozen yogurt, but the little fruit add-ons Pinkberry offers, makes me want to run out and try some, but not quite yet.  I'm still all about Jamba Juice and their Citrus Bliss smoothie, which is no longer on the menu, but you can still order it.   

There is currently a bit of controversy surrounding Pinkberry and their unwillingness to "swirl" their flavors together.  A woman visited a Pinkberry in the city and asked them to swirl the flavors together, to which they responded it would cost $7...for frozen yogurt! Long story short, the Pinkberry people are going to look into the swirling option, so keep an eye out! 

Somebody needs to get on the lactose free frozen milk products tip so lactose free peeps like me can geek out in the summertime too. Sorry to say, Smoochies just doesn't cut it.

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 21, 2007 by misterbelly | 2 Comments | Share It

Cooking Mama: Cook Off

Cooking Mama, a cutesy Nintendo DS game about (you guessed it) cooking, is branching out into the world of mainstream consoles by launching a brand new version for the Wii titled “Cooking Mama: Cook Off.”  Cooking Mama: Cook off, will make special use of the Wii Remote to let gamers mash, chop, slice, stir, and cook more that 300 real-world recipes from around the world. Cook Off will attempt to offer aspiring sim-chefs realistic graphics and real-time cooking effects to help keep you from burning your meals. Cook Off will also offer 2-player kitchen competitions, also known as a "cook off", to help find the Iron Chef in your family.

Don’t ask me why, but this game intrigues me.  I wasn’t overly compelled when it was a DS title, but something about that Wii-mote really makes me want to run out and buy it as soon as it comes out, even though I’m fairly capable (imho) in the kitchen.    This would be a great game to play with children to introduce them to the world of culinary arts, and might be a good way to decompress on the weekends.  What do you think?  A total waste of cash or worth a peek? 

 *misterbelly

Posted Feb 15, 2007 by misterbelly | 1 Comment | Share It

Happy Valentine's Day!

D-day, er V-day is finally here and I think the weather in the city today really sums up my general feelings about the holiday – bleak and icy. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the sentiment of Valentine’s Day, but something about Hallmark cashing in on my love makes me feel a tad queasy.  The good part about today’s weather is that a lot of people are canceling dinner reservations, which means you can score a pretty good reservation for tonight, if you’ve been slacking thus far.  The best time to call and check for openings is between 2 and 3 PM.  Otherwise, you can always show up to the restaurant of your choice and have a few drinks (aka liquid meal) and see if there are any no-shows. 

Craigslist is jumping in on the reservation hoopla, with people selling reservations to high end restaurants.  Have $100 you really want to let go of?  Check out this post and get yourself a resy to Petrossian for tonight.  You can always check out Open Table if paying for a reservation is not your deal.  Blue Ribbon Bar [(212) 691-0404] also just opened; you could try to swing by tonight, as the weather may have deterred people from checking it out.

I had planned on getting some Valentine’s Day pho today for lunch, but I don’t know if I can brave the arctic tundra formerly known as NYC.  My plans for tonight?  A bottle of wine, a home cooked meal with my hubby and some much needed couch time. 

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

 
*misterbelly

Posted Feb 14, 2007 by misterbelly | Add a comment | Share It

Drink Up

Swanky bars are popping up all over the city every day, and some are devoting all of their resources to pushing out "designer" drinks.  While usually well worth the wait, these drinks are so carefully constructed that it can take up to 20 minutes before you can get your drink.

The NY Times touts London as "best cocktail city in the world right now," according to Audrey Saunders, co-owner of Pegu Club in New York City.  New York is definitely making strides to join London as one of the best cities to find delicious cocktails, with a variety of small bars and lounges offering up an array of drinks containing fresh juices, lemongrass and ginger syrup.  Some of the most innovative bars/lounges in the city (and a few Yummr faves) are listed below for your enjoyment. 

Hot Spots for Tasty Cocktails

• Pegu Club
  
• Little Branch
  
• Death & Co.
  
• Flatiron Lounge
• Milk & Honey
  
• Double Seven
  

Where are your favorite spots for Yummr worthy libations? 

*misterbelly

Posted Feb 9, 2007 by misterbelly | 8 Comments | Share It