Food on Wheels, The Final Chapter [DC Summer]

My summer in DC and the food truck adventures that have come along with it have finally come to an end. To celebrate both my last day of work, and last day in DC, Stef, Laura and I met for a final food truck lunch break.

To get through all of DC's food trucks, I'd need 5 more summers down here (and a lot of dedication) - so I'll leave this food truck adventure and this summer saying that this is only the beginning. For my last food truck, I went for Korenergy - a Korean food truck serving up familiar classics like BiBimBap. And...even though it was a sweltering hot DC day, nothing satisfied my hunger better than a warm bowl of Spicy Chicken Bibimbap.

Here's how it looked: 

SPICY CHICKEN BIBIMBAP

[mushrooms, rice, sprouts, radish, carrot, broccoli, egg, sesame oil, pepper paste]

Cost? For $8 you'll get a bowl that's big enough to (happily) satisfy you through the rest of the workday.

The bowl was a perfect balance of spicy, tender chicken complimented by crisp, fresh vegetables and was a great way to end both the summer and my DC food truck adventures.

Putting to rest the [DC Summer] food adventures for now and continuing to blog as I head back to NJ and soon (but not soon enough...) Ann Arbor!

Behind the Bookshelf [DC Summer]

There's no better way to finish off a jam-packed weekend of eating, exploring, and lots of walking than with a Sunday brunch. While I've covered most of Ann Arbor's brunch offerings (like Angelo's, Broken Egg and Afternoon Delight), I've only just grazed the surface of the hundreds of brunches scattered across DC and this weekend when my mom was in town, I had to try out one more.

Nearly every full-service restaurant here has their own take on a Sunday brunch - ranging from the classic eggs and pancakes, to the not-so-traditional crab cakes benedict or chicken and waffles. Knowing that my mom would probably choose a breakfast that falls somewhere in this range, I chose to take her to Kramerbooks and Afterwards Cafe in DuPont Circle. 

Kramer's is slightly deceptive - from outside it looks like any other bookstore in DuPont or nearby neighborhoods, but once you're inside and behind the books, you'll find yourself in food heaven. Kramer's unsuspecting appearance and incredible food is what makes it so great

Immediately after being seated, my mom and I were greeted with homemade breakfast breads and jam (such as buttermilk biscuits, coffee cake and sweet muffins), alongside fresh orange juice. As if this wasn't enough, the service was fast and friendly and we were served our main meals in under 10 minutes of ordering them. Everything on the menu is absolutely worth-getting and is more than enough food to fill you up for the afternoon.

Here's how my mom and I did Kramer books:

ORGANIC MUSHROOM OMELET

[portobello & organic mushrooms sautéed w/shallots in a 3-egg omlet w/Jarlsberg cheese]

SOUTHWESTERN OMELET

[sweet peppers, onions, mild green chilies, jack cheese, corn & scallions;folded in a three-egg omelet with guacamole & salsa; mini quesadilla]

Cost? Kramer's brunch runs a little bit higher than what I'm usually willing to spend for brunch (most dishes are between $15-17), however, you're paying for quality and great service.

Atmosphere? Go for the indoor/outdoor seating - you'll get all the sunshine of a DC summer morning in the comfort of an air-conditioned atrium.

Check out their Sunday brunch menu to try it out for yourself. Or, if you're not in the mood for brunch Kramer's also offers up an awesome dinner selection.

Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe

1517 Connecticut Ave. NW (Across from DuPont Circle Metro, Q St. exit)

Washington DC

A Breakfast Fit for a Founding Father [DC Summer]

Since starting University Meets Food Diversity, I've made my breakfast and brunch restaurants frequent posts on this blog. While Angelo's and Broken Egg will remain my favorites from Ann Arbor, nothing quite compares to the brunch I had last week at Founding Farmer's in Washington D.C.


Although Founding Farmer's hasn't been in DC for more than a few years (yes, despite it's name it has not been around since Washington and Jefferson were alive...), it has become a staple in the DC food culture. The restaurant's menu consists almost entirely of locally-sourced and/or organically-grown ingredients, so the food is always guaranteed to be incredibly fresh. My dad, brother and I may have only had the opportunity to check out Founding Farmer's brunch selection, but rest assured, I'll be back sometime this summer to try out their dinner menu.


Here's how we did Founding Farmer's:

 

Bloody Mary. In-House Organic Infused Pepper Vodka, Founding Farmers Bloody Mary Blend

 

Drag Through the Garden. Pan Scrambled Egg Whites, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, Spinach, White Cheddar Cheese. 

Pastrami Hash. Shredded Leek Hash Browns, Poached Eggs, Beef Pastrami, Creole Mustard Hollandaise.

Banana's Foster Buttermilk Pancakes. Golden Griddled Cakes, Whipped Farm Butter.

Artisan Thick Cut Bacon with Black Pepper Maple Glaze


Cost? Not the cheapest of fares. While most breakfast meals were between $8-12, you'll want to order plenty of sides and fresh made drinks and juices, which will tack on at least an additional $4-6 to your meal.


Atmosphere? New-age, eco-friendly...yet rustic feel. The pickled vegetables and fruits scattered around the restaurant add to it's organic ambiance.


Best dish? Impossible to give the award to one dish. The Banana's Foster pancakes were fluffy and full of flavor and the banana-rum syrup wasn't too overwhelming - if you're going to get the pancakes you have to get some sort of addition on top. When you go though, you have to get the bacon (preferably with the Black Pepper Maple Glaze). This is the best bacon I've ever had - take it from a girl who occasionally claims to be vegetarian and never eats bacon. This bacon - thick cut and griddled to perfection - is worth foregoing any dietary restrictions you may have.


If you want to check out their menu before heading over:
http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/washington-dc/ff_menus/menu-breakfast/


Founding Farmer's 
1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 

A Locally-Grown and Locally-Sourced Breakfast

A little more than three years ago, a unique and sustainable way of serving food to local community members was conceived. Selma Café was “envisioned as a center, a hub, a heart of the many ongoing efforts to improve our lives through community building, free access to affordable, healthy foods, and to foster right-livelihood in vocations with meaning and purpose” (www.repastspresentandfuture.org). Each week, Selma Café features an array of locally grown breakfast dishes prepared by local chefs and volunteers. Although you won’t be met with a bill at the end of your meal, suggested donations are $10-15 for breakfast. Selma is an all-volunteer operation and all proceeds go directly to the local farmers and producers that supply the ingredients and to non-profit groups working to expand access to healthy, sustainable food resources.

In light of Selma Café’s recent showcase at the University of Michigan TEDx this April, Sam, Julie, Ben, Zack and I decided to visit Selma to find out for ourselves what all the talk was about.

What to know about Selma Café before heading over:

You won’t find Selma located on State Street, Main Street or near any of the other restaurants in the Ann Arbor area. This is because Selma Café is hosted at the home of Lisa Gottlieb and Jeff McCabe on 722 Soule Boulevard in Ann Arbor.  Also, be ready for an early breakfast. Selma Café is open from 6:30-10:00am every Friday, but I suggest getting there early because food runs out quick and every entrée is worth trying!

We managed to brave the dreaded early Friday morning wake up and got to Selma around 8:00am, just in time to beat the second wave of breakfast rush. Although we had to wait anxiously for 30 minutes for enough seats to clear, during our wait we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet Jeff and Lisa, and speak with them further about their experience at TEDx.

Once we were finally seated, we decided the only way to get the full Selma Café experience was by trying out all of the dishes on the menu that week:

Here’s how our Selma experience went:

If you're looking to support the local, sustainable food movement and you're craving something different than the usual breakfast places by U of M campus - I'd definitely advise checking out Selma Cafe, it's worth the early Friday wakeup.

Here's their website if you want to find out more about the mission of Selma and what's on the menu for this week: http://www.repastspresentandfuture.org/site/fmselma/

The Never Ending Breakfast Adventures

Just when it seemed like I had exhausted all of Ann Arbor’s breakfast places, there was one more left that needed exploring (I know that once this article is published, I’ll somehow manage to come across another). The perfect fit for a snowy Ann Arbor morning, Northside Grill provided Jessie, Julie, Jordan, Sam and I with an amazing breakfast before heading off to a Michigan basketball game.

Here’s our take on a Northside Grill breakfast:

Vegetarian. Egg white omelet with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and mozzarella-cheddar cheese mix (the hash browns were key, but ask for them well-done)

Our food was great, however, I found that our omelets weren’t anything out of the ordinary and that we didn’t give Northside Grill the justice it deserves. I definitely want to go back soon and try the skillets (a mish-mosh of hash browns, veggies, meats and eggs) or the breakfast sandwiches.

Cost? Although omelets and skillets were on the more expensive side ($9-10), the portions were very generous.

Atmosphere? A cozy breakfast and lunch eatery that is reminiscent of a place you would find in a small New England town.  

Northside Grill is located at 1015 Broadway St in Ann Arbor, MI.

If you want to check out their full menu before heading over:

http://web.me.com/northsidegrill/NORTHSIDEGRILL/Breakfast_Menu_and_More.html

Continuing the Breakfast Adventures...

With an eight-day break between exams, I figured there was no better way to enjoy the downtime than by exploring more of Ann Arbor’s restaurants. Looking for a way to unwind from a morning exam and catch up on the semester, Lisa and I decided to check out The Broken Egg.

The Broken Egg is located 221 N. Main Street and has successfully been added to the list of “must-go” breakfast places in Ann Arbor after today’s dining experience. After eating at both Afternoon Delight and Angelo’s, I have come to realize that each of Ann Arbor’s breakfast places distinguishes themselves by the way they prepare their omelettes. As someone who is a personal fan of having their omelette add-in’s cooked into the eggs instead of separately, I was extremely happy with the way my eggs turned out and can safely say that there are enough omelette options to please any meat-eater or veggie lover.

Here’s what Lisa and I ordered:

We both went for the Greek Fetish Omelette: A jumbo four egg omelet sauteed with fresh baby spinach, feta cheese, red onions, green and red peppers, mushrooms and calamata olives. Served with hash brown potatoes and toast or english muffin.

And of course had to split the Banana Walnut Cakes: Three fluffy buttermilk pancakes filled with sliced bananas and walnuts, topped with a splash of whipped cream and served with warm maple syrup.

So how does The Broken Egg rank against the others?

Cost? Fairly reasonable, for a coffee and omelette with some substitutions the bill came out to $12. Pancakes, waffles and French toast range from $5.50-$8 and omelettes are $8.25

Atmosphere? Simple, cozy with a mom and pop feeling. Definitely a good place to go if you’re looking for a casual breakfast that’s away from the chaos of State Street.

Best dish? The Greek omelette was the better of the two dishes, though after going to all the different breakfast restaurants I would still say that Angelo’s omelettes are the best I’ve had yet. A great balance of toppings and egg, the omelettes are definitely the dish to get when eating there.

If you want to check out the menu before heading over yourself:

http://www.allmenus.com/mi/ann-arbor/274897-broken-egg/menu/

On An Island Down South...

Although I created the ‘Jersey Diner Series’ with the intention of exclusively visiting New Jersey’s finest, I couldn’t help but to write about an amazing diner experience I had this past weekend while on vacation.

Harold’s Diner, located on Route 278 in Hilton Head Island, SC, proudly flaunts their motto “Eat here, or we both will starve” and is a place coveted by locals and lucky tourists alike. Take a seat at the counter with caution…you’re likely to be criticized and ridiculed for your inability to order properly off of the “fill-out-your-own-card” style menu. But not to worry, there is not a single thing on the menu that is not worth trying.

The experience was definitely something different. Dining with my grandparents, dad and brother at a loud, hearty place was different than any of the gourmet meals we had throughout the trip. But, being the chatty and curious bunch that we are, we attempted to make friends with the tough-to-please owner while laughing over the many funny and crude bumper stickers that lined the walls (my favorites being “raising children is like nailing Jello to a tree”)

Of all the breakfast foods ordered, the hash browns stole the show. Soft and warm chunks of perfectly seasoned and griddled potatoes rounded out our plates of omelets, fried eggs and bacon. Usually, I rate the quality of my eggs and potatoes on a ketchup scale (the less ketchup used, the better the food) and I can safely say, this was a no ketchup meal. The omelets were fluffy, yet had the just-right ratio of egg to vegetable, and all of the breakfast meats were juicy and given a fresh crisp on the griddle.

The only downside? There were so many places on the island to try and so little time, that we were unable to make a trip back for lunch. However, since we dined just as the menu was switching from breakfast to lunch, I was able to check out what others were ordering. The burgers (in particular the famous H burger), the cheesesteak and onions rings all looked mouth-watering good. If I hadn’t been so full, I might have gone in for a second round.

Regrettably, I forgot to bring my camera along for the trip so all the pictures shown have been taken from online. Maybe this will give me a reason to road trip back down to Harold’s sometime soon… any takers?

The Clinton Station Diner

Location: Exit 13 off Route 78 West in Clinton, NJ

Coming from the Westfield area, Clinton is not exactly right around the corner. But to kick off the Jersey Diner Series, my cousin Dan, my brother Michael, and I, felt the 30-minute trip down Route 78 was necessary.  

The Clinton Station Diner hosts two different dining ambiances that both overlook a scenic area of 78: one half is a927 Blue Comet observation train car and the other is a much more cozy, family dining atmosphere lined with model train tracks suspended from the ceiling. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and happy to serve all their customers. We were also impressed by how quickly our rather large order was served (we did get some stares for ordering enough food for six even though there were only three of us).

Now onto the food. Clinton Station Diner had a fairly standard diner menu, with breakfast served around the clock, however, there were a few items that set this place apart from other diners.

Burgers and fries: The burger was juicy, flavorful and char-grilled to perfection. Their fries, hand cut from fresh potatoes, were wedge-sliced with a great balance of crunchy outside and soft, warm inside.

Hungry and ready for a challenge? Clinton Station Diner offers a prize of $5,000 to any ten people who can finish “The 8^th Wonder”, a burger that weighs in at 105lbs including the bun and toppings, in one hour.

If you’re interested in a small taste of their delicious burgers, try the “Nano Bites”, 0.4oz of the same ingredients in their larger burgers.

Pancakes: A perfectly portioned order of fluffy, light and buttery short stacks. 

Omelet: Greek omelet filled with feta cheese, tomatoes, onions and kalamata onions served with well-done hashbrowns that I could’ve mistaken for my grandmother’s latkes. Great way to start, or end, the day.

Greek Entrée: Spanakopita: flaky crust with the just-right balance of warm spinach and feta. Served alongside a Greek salad which on it’s own would be a delicious meal. **Best dish of the night**

Before leaving, we finished off this feast with two desserts: a chocolate mousse bomb and a vanilla shake. Although the shake was a little thin for my liking, the weight of the mousse bomb definitely compensated for it. Both desserts were amongst the many good-looking treats displaced with the other bakery selections.

If you want to check out their menu and other details before heading over:

http://www.clintonstationdiner.com/index.htm

In Good Company.

With freshman year finally coming to a close, I can’t help but to reminisce about the times I’ve shared with friends over a good meal. My Alice Lloyd and Markley crew have a weekend routine that we almost never fail to break, brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These meals normally take place in the Mojo dining hall, however, in search of a delicious breakfast and an adventure, we moved the crew over to Angelo’s for a Wednesday morning finals week breakfast.

Located at 1100 E. Catherine, Angelo’s has been a breakfast restaurant staple in Ann Arbor since 1956. Angelo’s is known for their homemade toast (I suggest trying white or raisin!) that is baked in-house every morning and can be bought by the loaf to take home.

My personal, no-fail favorite are their omelettes. For our breakfast adventure, we each ordered different varieties of omelettes with breakfast potatoes on the side, which I also highly advise.

Here’s how we did our Angelo’s experience:

Best dishes? Although Angelo’s boasts a huge and varied menu, it will always remain my go-to place for omelettes. Pair your omelet with breakfast potatoes and two slices of raisin toast and you’ve assembled the perfect Angelo’s breakfast.

Atmosphere? Quick, friendly service and small or large crowds are welcome, with optional counter seating. Closest to a Jersey diner feel I’ve had since being in Ann Arbor.

Cost? Reasonable. A complete breakfast (with eggs, toast and drink) will ring in around $11 dollars, though pancakes and waffles average around $6.

If you come on a weekend morning you can expect a wait, however, if you’re looking for carry-out, Angelo’s has Angelo’s On The Side (right next door) that operates with a separate kitchen specifically for take-out.

Check out the menu before heading over, you might have trouble choosing just one dish!

http://www.angelosa2.com/complete.pdf

Treat Yourself to an Afternoon Delight.

Walk down E. Liberty on any given Sunday morning and you’ll find yourself peeking through glass windows, wondering why so many people are standing in line just to get breakfast. Afternoon Delight’s breakfast is truly worth the wait. I finally made the trip last Sunday with some friends while my Dad was still in town. Although the group of us normally eats healthy, we threw aside our weekly “diets” and ordered up, leaving no scraps behind.

Eggs:

Egg dishes were all spectacular. Between the table, we ordered…

-an egg white vegetable omelet (on the lighter side, but perfect balance of sauteed vegetables and egg)

-a smoked Nova salmon omelet (on the weekends they serve with it with fresh poached salmon!)

-a veggie boule (imagine…a mixture of vegetables, eggs and cheese served in a hollowed out French bread bowl or “boule”, béarnaise sauce on the side)

-and finally, smoked Nova salmon eggs benedict (the richest of the dishes, but by far the tastiest. Salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onions and poached eggs atop a toasted whole wheat English muffin, smothered in béarnaise sauce. What more could you want?)

Pancakes and Muffins:

-Blueberry pancakes. The size of a dinner plate, this pancake was griddled and flipped to perfection. At the first bite, you were greeted by warm and buttery yet fluffy goodness with the right balance of fresh blueberries. We shared one for the table and it was gone almost instantly. Ironically, nobody wanted to be the one to take the last bite.

-Blueberry and peach muffins. I’m not sure if the muffin is a signature of Afternoon Delight or not, but it was hands down the best thing we ordered. Order it cut in half and toasted or if you’re feeling adventurous (or a bit indulgent), order it split and filled with frozen yogurt.

Although it is a few blocks from campus, Afternoon Delight is worth the walk AND the wait. For under $10, you can fill up on your favorite breakfast foods…and if you’re still not satisfied, they serve lunch too.

Location:

251 East Liberty Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2120
(734) 665-7513

**they don't take reservations and there's usually a wait on the weekends, but you'll be seated very quickly.