Meat & Veggie Bars, from Wild Zora

Update Review: June 2019

I've reviewed Wild Zora before, when I was able to try one of their 7 bars (the fascinating BBQ Beef with Kale, Tomato, Red Bell Pepper), but I did note that the flavor wasn't really what I wanted.  I was excited when I found them again, and this time, in a different flavor: Parmesan Beef with Kale, Tomato, Basil.

These really are an interesting product.

PARMESAN BEEF BARS WITH KALE, TOMATO & BASIL.

"Parmesan Cheese and Beef Wild Zora Bars are our most very savory recipe – highest in protein, this gluten-free snack for kids features a familiar combination of 100% free range, grass-fed beef sweet red bell peppers, kale, and dried apricots; mixed with parmesan cheese, dried tomatoes, and a hint of fresh basil. Our Italian friends call this, “the pizza flavor!”"

Like the previous flavor I tried, the base of this is beef ... with fruits & veggies (red bell peppers, apricots, dates, kale, tomato, celery), basically the same base, just differently seasoned.

This seasoning in this is much more bold, which helped temper the fruits in particular, I didn't taste the apricot or date this time.  It also was a far better match for the other veggies, tomato, basil, and parmesan makes sense with bell peppers and greens, as they say, kinda akin to pizza.

So, how was it though?  I think I like these.  They really do fascinate me, in a good way.  The texture is chewy like beef jerky, but not as chewy.  You do taste beef.  And, if you are in the mood for pizza-jerky, then I think these deliver.

Again, I'm fascinated, and will certainly be happy to try more varieties.

Original Review: April 2019

I review a lot of snacks, but definitely not many of the, er, healthier variety.  So for once, a snack that actually is better for you, and even filled with protein.

Wild Zora makes 3 very different product line: snack bars, soups, and freeze-dried Paleo meals.  I guess the common thread is that they are full of protein and good for camping?  Not exactly my world, but I somehow wound up with a bar to try, and it was different enough that I decided to learn more, and review.

Meat & Veggie Bars

"Looking for Paleo snack bars, low-carb gluten-free snacks, or just a healthy snack the whole family will love?"

The bars are made from meat, veggies, and fruits.  The protein options are fairly varied (beef, turkey, lamb, pork), all treat the spicing as a key element, and most have a surprising ingredients or two (apricot? kale?).  They come in 7 varieties:

• BBQ Beef with Kale, Tomato, Red Bell Pepper
• Chili Beef with Kale, Apricot, Cayenne Pepper
• Curry Turkey with Spinach, Dates, Cardamom
• Mediterranean Lamb with Spinach & Turmeric
• Parmesan Beef with Kale, Tomato, Basil
• Apple Pork with Kale, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme
• Taco Pork with Cilantro, Lime & Jalapeño 

All are gluten-free, grain-free, nut/peanut/tree nut-free, soy-free, MSG-free, and contain no added sugar, hormones, antibiotics, or chemical additives.

I tried one, but, I'm not rushing back to try more.

Packaging.

The bars come packaged with two mini bars (really, more like slices), in a pouch.  I liked the see-through window so I could see that it did really look like beef jerky.

BBQ BEEF BARS WITH KALE, TOMATO & RED BELL PEPPER.

"BBQ Beef Wild Zora Bars are our first and most traditional recipe with a zesty combination of 100% grass-fed beef, sweet red bell peppers, tomatoes and kale; mixed with dried apricots and a hint of chipotle and ancho chili peppers — but not so much that you'd call it, "spicy" (for that, see our Chili recipe)!"

Ok, this tasted as strange as it sounded.  Yes, it was sorta beef jerky, but ... it had so many savory vegetable tastes mixed in (red bell pepper, tomato, kale, celery), and aggressive spicing from ancho chili pepper, chipotle, and garlic, then the unmistakable texture and sweetness from dates and apricots.  It was just so strange.

The flavors, at least the savory ones, were good ... but not in this application.  The texture was not bad exactly, but if you wanted chewy beef jerky, this was certainly not that.  If you thought of it as a savory veggie bar, it kinda worked, until you tasted the beef.

Just, odd.  So odd.

I didn't like, but, I give credit for a healthy wholesome snack ... if that is your thing.

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I-CE NY, Boston

Rolled ice cream.  It has even reached Boston now.  Amusingly, it has basically left Sydney, the first city I saw rolled ice cream in.  They have moved on.

Anyway, my first encounter with rolled ice cream was at Icicles in SF, and I was impressed by the texture of the ice cream, very different from what I imagined.  So when in Boston, and I saw rolled ice cream, I decided to check it out.

"Our ice cream has a uniquely smooth and fun texture. Because of our distinctive freezing technique, we are able to create ice cream that is creamy and smooth by balancing the size of ice crystals and air in the ice cream. Customizing your order with mix-in ingredients, such as fresh fruits or your favorite candy bar, enhances your experience, giving you a texture you’ll keep coming back for."

I went to I-CE NY, a chain that started outside the US, but when they expanded to the US adopted the "NY" part of the name, even though they now have 20 locations in the US (and 250 in Asia).

The setup was similar to Icicles in San Francisco except ... well, they got many things wrong.  The in-store experience was not pleasant.  I blame this franchise though, not the brand.

To go through a few of the ... issues:

• Credit card reader broken.
• Bathroom door had no lock.
• Bathroom had no paper towels (and no hand dryer).
• Napkin dispenser empty.
• Floor of entire place *very* sticky.
• Staff wearing plastic food service gloves, touching food and doing prep, and then using same gloves to touch computer screen, handle money.
• Out of several items.

And ... the biggest offender ... it took me 45 minutes to get my ice cream, even though there was only 1, yes 1, person in line in front of me to order when I arrived.

Cute Location.

The location in Boston is on Newbury Street, like many of the ice cream shops, it occupies a lower floor space.  It had a cute courtyard with seating outside.  Newbury Street really does have some charm.

Interior Seating.

Inside is more tables, round tables, or counter seating.

The space is fairly large, and although full, didn't feel crowded.  Maybe because we were all just standing or sitting around ... waiting ...

Action Station.

Step number one in waiting?  Ordering.  

I walked in and there was 1 person in line in front of me.  Her order was not taken for nearly 20 minutes.  No one even acknowledged us.  Eventually, we were able to order at the register in front (but not pay with credit card, since the machine was broken).

It was then time to wait again.

I got my ice cream ... 45 minutes after entering.  I would have NEVER waited if I knew it was going to be that long.  It was ... extremely frustrating.

The store was staffed with only two people.  One was making the ice creams, one at a time.  He clearly had a big backlog.  Each one takes about 3+ minutes.  He worked steadily, but, there were many to make.

The other person was stocking some items, and then disappeared for 20 minutes, and then came back to take orders, and then left again ...  this was a rare moment with them both in the room, but, it was short lived, as he scraped the other mixing surface clean, and then took over being the one making ice cream on that plate, while the original ice cream maker wandered off.

The kids did love watching it, but the shop filled with a bunch of cranky kids pretty quickly.

Anyway.

Behind the action station is the menu of their recommended creations, full of fun things like the "Mango Sticky RI-CE", with toppings not available on the create your own menu, as in, literally topped with coconut sticky rice and coconut sauce.  Nearly everyone in line around me ordered pre-made ones, which surprised me a bit.

Create Your Own Menu.

"If you prefer to use your creativity, you can mix and match our flavor, mix-in, topping and sauce. We will make the ice cream base of your choice with your favorite ingredients right in front of you within minutes. With this customization, every cup will be unique and perfectly matched with your liking.

7 ice cream base flavors + 20 mix-in ingredients + more than 32 toppings = endless opportunities to challenge your creativity. "

First, pick your base.  Out of 9 options (not the 7 quoted in their marketing ...)

Ice Cream Base:

• Sweet Cream (Vanilla)
• Chocolate
• Coconut Milk
• Green Tea
• Taro
• Thai Tea
• Mango
• Milk Tea
• Vietnamese Coffee

Then, only one mix-in.  No you cannot add more for another fee.  The mix-in lineup includes fewer options than the toppings, but all mix-ins are available as toppings as well.  Clearly, they have identified these as the ones that actually work to chop up and mix-in.

• Fruits: Banana, Blueberry, Lychee, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry
• Cookies: Biscoff Cookie, Graham Cracker, Mint Chocolate Cookie, Nilla Water, Oreo
• Cereals: Cookie Crisp, Corn Flakes, Fruity Pebbles
• Other: Coconut Flakes, Cheesecake, Coconut Jelly, Red Bean, Sprinkles

Next, toppings.  Only 3.  No you cannot add more for a fee.  All of the mix-ins are available, plus:

• Chocolate candy: Hershey's Bar, Kit Kat, M&M's
• Soft candy: Gummy Bears, Mochi
• Garnish: Cookie straws, marshmallows

And then, an optional drizzle:

• Caramel
• Chocolate
• Condensed Milk
• Strawberry

And finally, optional whipped cream.

It is a lot of decisions.  No matter most people go for pre-made ones.  But not me!

Smashing in the Mix-In.

"The process starts by pouring our premium ice cream base with your choice of mix-in ingredients on our custom designed metal plate that can get as cold as -15 degrees Fahrenheit. We then use metal paddles to quickly chop and smash the ingredients together and spread it into a thin layer."

As with all shops like this, the process starts with dumping the ice cream base and the mix-in onto the cold plate, and chopping it all up.

Ready to Roll.

"In just two minutes, the ice cream firms up and it’s scraped into chubby rolls, ready to serve."

After a bit of chopping and mixing, it is smoothed out, and then, scraped up into rolls.

Into the Dish.

Once the rolls are formed, they are plucked up one by one and moved into your dish.

Finally, the server adds your toppings, and hands over your creation.

Yes, it is a bit fun to watch ... the first time.

Taro base with lychee mix-in,
topped with red bean, mochi, coconut jelly,
with condensed milk drizzle, and whipped cream. $7.

I of course made a custom creation.

The choice of base was a no brainer.  Obviously, I wanted taro.  I love taro.

My mix-in and toppings took a bit of thinking.  I had a slew of options, but finally decided the 4 things I wanted most as mix-ins/toppings: mochi, red bean, lychee, and coconut jelly (with mango as a nice thought, but I wasn't sure about the taro/mango combo, and rainbow sprinkles were hard to look past ...).  From there, I couldn't do mochi as a mix-in (not allowed), and I didn't want red bean throughout in case I didn't like it (and I worried it would take away from the taro flavor), so that was out.  So, coconut jelly or lychee it was, and, when I thought about which one I'd prefer as a topping, that was clear, I wanted the coconut jellies on top, not just a whole lychee.  So, the lychee went as my mix-in, the others on top.

My drizzle choice was easy, since caramel and chocolate would clash with taro, and I don't really like strawberry syrup.  Sweet condensed milk goes great with taro, and I knew it.  

And of course I opted for whipped cream.

The result?  Well, it was pretty great.  I was fairly grumpy after my 45 minute wait (I'm not exaggerating), and was ready to *hate* it, but ...

The ice cream base was smooth.  The taro flavor was strong.  The bits of lychee were a fantastic mix-in, just little pops of a really pleasant complimentary sweetness.  The texture remained great as it melted.  Everything about this base just ... worked.  Go me.

My toppings were all fine choices too.  The mochi were soft, the coconut jellies more fruity bursts and a bit of texture.  The red bean I'd probably leave off in the future, just because it was a bit too strong of a flavor, and I wanted to taste everything else more.  I'd consider mango or lychee (or jackfruit if they'd let me, since I know they have it for a pre-made one), or perhaps a toasted marshmallow in the future instead.  Or just more coconut jellies.

The condensed milk was my only losing selection.  It was fine, standard condensed milk, but ... it made the whole thing sweeter than I wanted.  The taro base was already fairly sweet, and with the lychee in there too, it was just a bit more than I wanted.

Whipped cream was standard from a can.

Overall though, this was lovely, and I would get another but ... sigh, the wait.

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11 Howard, NYC, Dining

I have never really been happy with any hotel I've stayed at in Manhattan.  No, my complaints are not the standard "ZOMG the rooms are so small, I can't even open my suitcase in here!", nor are they "WTF is this 'destination fee'".  I've really just had a slew of things go pretty wrong at NYC hotels, and, none have left me eager to stay at a property again (although the Westin near Times Square is where I often wind up, always half-heartedly).

Anyway, during my July 2019 visit to New York, I took a tip from a friend, and tried a new property, 11 Howard, located in Soho, an area I haven't spent much time in, but I was eager to get way from Times Square, even if it meant a longer morning commute to the office.

I ... was quite pleased with the experience.  The location was far more interesting, right on the edge of Chinatown, right in the middle of more things, and, NOT slammed with tourists.  Major benefits.

The rooms *were* small, and they do not have suites, but, the rooms were modern, comfortable for sleep and leisure, well appointed, really, quite lovely.  And quiet.  No idea how, but my room was silent.  The gym was amusingly small (really, two tiny rooms, one for "Run" with a single treadmill and single elliptical" and one for "Lift" with the bare minimum of weights, but they give you gym access nearby).  There is no real lobby, no extra frills.  The staff were friendly, and responsive over e-mail in advance, and over the tablet system in the rooms.  Really, I have nothing negative to say about the property, even though I did have mishaps (like, um, my minibar coming with an opened bottle of alcohol in it, expired items, and more fun), but they handled it all quite well.  I'll definitely return.

But this is Julie's Dining Club, and if you are still reading, you likely want to know about the food program, not the hotel itself.  So I'll stop rambling.

Breakfast

The hotel offers breakfast, but they do not have a real restaurant, and so there are several options: you can go for in-room dining, made *super* easy by a tablet based ordering system in your room (available for on-demand or advance schedule), or you can go sit and dine in "The Library", or you can pick up takeout from the Library.  I tried the in-room dining (both pre-order and on demand), and the takeout.  I didn't ever really feel like sitting in The Library, although many people did, and it was a lovely space.

I appreciated that breakfast was available from 7am to 11am, much later than most places.

Breakfast Offerings.

While I appreciated the ease of ordering, the nice packaging for takeout, and the interesting drink partnerships, I can't say I was generally impressed with the food itself.

Tablet Ordering

Tablet Ordering.

Ordering from the room was crazy easy, all available on a tablet provided in the room.  Every menu item was illustrated, and had options to provide customizations, preferred style (e.g. for in-room dining or if you wanted it to go, etc).  I liked that you could pre-schedule, or order on demand, and it gave you a time estimate.

Really, quite easy.

The Library

"11 Howard has reinvented social spaces, making them multifunctional and moving them to the second floor, as true extensions of the guest rooms. With plentiful tables and chairs, The Library is an ideal place to work, meet, sip tea in the afternoon, or unwind with a cocktail in the evening. The Library features wide-plank wood floors, plaster walls, plush area rugs, and furniture collected from around the world. Images by renowned Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto grace the walls."

The Library is not a restaurant, but they have a kitchen in back somewhere.

The library is a kinda common space, available all day to guests to work, hang out, and get a drink in the evening.  For breakfast, they do have table service if you choose (or takeout, as I did), and they have coffee available for free in the morning as well.

Couches, Chairs.

By day it is bright and light filled, really a lovely space.

The layout of The Library included many, many different types of seating.  I don't think any two tables were the same.

Prefer a couch? A arm chair?  Yup, options.

Dining Table.

If you wanted a traditional dining table, that was an option, like this.

Small Tables.

Smaller, lower, not as easy to dine at tables were also available, with chairs that looked interesting, but weren't actually comfortable.

Lounge.

Lounge spaces were there too, not really what I was looking for at 8am, but I could imagine are nice in the evening.

Beverages

The beverage lineup available was fairly fascinating.

Beverage Menu (page one).

In addition to the complimentary brewed coffee for everyone, there is an a la carte beverage lineup as well.

Standard coffee and espresso drinks (La Colombe), tea (Palais Des Thés), and classic juices, but they also partner with quality vendors, like Substance Vitality in midtown to feature a few fancy cold pressed juice blends, and with Dirty Lemon for some trendy detoxifying beverages.

I wouldn't normally opt for those kinds of drinks, but, I decided to have a little fun and mix it up on this trip (also, the brewed coffee was horrible!), so I tried a few.  I was pleasantly surprised, but they didn't convince me to become a juicer.

Complimentary Brewed Coffee.

This was not good coffee.  Not good at all.

It was harsh.  It was acidic.  I tried to water it down with hot water (provided for tea) and that took the edge off, but it was still really horrible.

Even in my jetlagged state, I couldn't bring myself to have more than a few sips of this.

Decaf Ameriano. $7.

This. Was. Not. Good.

It was scalding hot.  Too hot.  As in, I think it was likely bad extraction it was so hot.  It took forever for it to be drinkable.

And the flavor was stale.  Muted.  Old tasting.  Just not good.  Although, compared to the regular coffee? Um, slightly better?

Decaf Coffee. $6.

The next day, I just ordered for decaf coffee, assuming it would be equally bad, but really wanting a second cup.

I was thrilled to find that it actually was half-decent.  No idea why it was so much better than the Americano, but it had no funk to it.  Not that it was amazing or anything, but, it certainly wasn't awful.

I ordered it again the next day, and yup, surprise, it really was pretty good.  And the second day, it came labelled "decaf", which reassured me greatly.

La Colombe Cold Brew. $7.

I prefer warm coffee in the morning, but the brewed coffee and espresso based drinks were so bad, I gave them one more try and went for the cold brew instead.

I was pleased to see it was just a can (served with a cup, straw, and large ice cubes), and served black.  

I really liked this.  Really liked it.  Smooth.  Lovely complexity.  Not acidic. 

A fabulous cold brew.  La Colombe makes several types of cold brew, and I have had some of the others before (my office carries the Draft Lattes, but those have milk, sugar, and come in several flavors like vanilla and chocolate, and just aren't how I like my coffee).

I stuck to this every morning after, and did not regret.

DIRTY LEMON +CHROMIUM / guarana and blue spirulina. $10.

I really wanted the +CHARCOAL, featuring lemon and ginger and activated charcoal, but, alas, it was sold out.

So I went for the other option, +CHROMIUM instead.

The bottle alone was worth $10 right?

This was ... well, intense.  It had many different fruits in it, but I didn't taste them.  Just lemon, and lots of ... I don't know.  I didn't care for it.

DIRTY LEMON +CHARCOAL / lemon, ginger, himalayan sea salt. $10.

Finally, my last morning, the +Charcoal was available!

But ... you guessed it, I didn't like this either.  It was quite bitter, in a way I wasn't expecting, way to ginger forward (like a hit in the face!), and, well, very strong lemon.  Not for me.

Substance Cold Pressed Juice: Heart Beet. $13.

"Beet, Carrot, Orange, Pineapple, Ginger."

I'm ... not a juice girl.  Not at all.  Not fruit juice with breakfast, and certainly not a post-workout juice chugger (this is designed for "post workout recovery", according to Substance).  And I certainly don't pay $13 for a juice.

But ... I was eating heavy and unhealthy the entire time I was in NY, and the idea of a lighter start to my day was appealing (alongside other things of course ...).

I liked it.  I loved the slight hit of ginger.  I was surprised by how refreshing and very balanced it was - not to vegetable forward, not too fruity, just, refreshing and strangely satisfying.

Yes I had it after a workout.  Yes I feel like a cliche.  But I liked it.  I think my favorite.

Substance Cold Pressed Juice: Knock Out. $13.

 "Grapefruit, orange, ginger, turmeric, cayenne."

The next day, I couldn't resist.  Yup, another juice. Another good juice!  This one was designed with the intention of "Vitamin C and cayenne to Knock Out your cold", which, I didn't have, but found it made for a far more interesting version of a standard breakfast orange or grapefruit juice.

Again, it was all about balance.  Not too sweet, not too acidic, just, balanced.  And again, I liked the kick from the ginger (and cayenne!).  Refreshing and quite drinkable.  This I really could imagine wanting with my breakfast! I think my second favorite, but nearly a tie.

Substance Cold Pressed Juice: Fresh Cut. $13.

 "Cucumber, Apple, Kale, Spinach, Ginger, Parsley, Lemon."

My final morning, I selected the one I was least excited for, a green juice (Substance makes many, but the hotel only offered one).  It was, as I expected, my last favorite.  But not why I thought it would be.

This one is intended to be "sweet greens for digestion aid."  I was thinking it would be vegetablely and refreshing, somehow missing the "sweet" part.  It was very sweet.  And very ... fruity?  The apple juice was dominant, unlike the others, this one just didn't seem nearly as balanced.

I shook it up, and tried it a few more times, but always found it to be just too sweet and apple-y for me.  Least favorite, obviously.

Breakfast - Mains

The options for Mains included the egg classics (Eggs Benedict, an omelette, a breakfast sandwich, a scrambled egg plate), plus some very trendy items (yup, avocado toast and acai bowls), a healthy choice (granola bowl), and a single hot carb (french toast).  All had unique components though, like spiced cashews, lemon & lime zest, and mint on the french toast (that used marble rye as the base), or the avocado toast that came served on sunflower batard and topped with chilis.

Mains (one page).

It was a menu I'd like to explore more, but, I was mostly getting smaller breakfasts, as I had huge lunch (and dinner ... and dessert) feasts lined up.

Housemade Granola / Thai Coconut Milk / Add Berries. $13 + $5.

Granola.  Not the most exciting item perhaps, but one that I've found to be shockingly good at some hotels (I'm looking at you Sheraton on the Park in Sydney!), or the fascinating coffee flour granola at the Lakehouse at the W in Bellevue.  So when I saw it was housemade, it seemed worth trying.

The granola comes with two options: yogurt, or thai coconut milk.  No regular milk (to eat like cereal), option.  I'm not a big fan of most yogurt in the US (but the full fat creamy stuff in Australia ... now that's another story!), and the thai coconut milk seemed really unique, so this was an easy choice.

I asked to have it packaged separately so as not to get mushy before I was ready to eat it, since I picked it up to go on my way to the gym.

For an additional $5, you can add on berries, which I did.  The berries were just blueberries and sliced strawberries, both fine, but not particularly notable - not bursting with flavor, but not too sad either.  Not really worth $5, but it was nice to have the fresh fruit with the coconut milk in particular.

Now, that coconut milk.  The portion here was amusing.  A huge container filled with the coconut milk, which was thick, rich coconut milk more like a coconut cream, really.  It seemed like it belonged in a dessert.  Which of course, did not make me sad!  It was nice to drizzle over the fruit and granola, and I found many fun uses for the generous amount I had left over, but I can't really imagine having a bowl of this like cereal milk, and they certainly provided ...  well, way too much really.

And finally, the granola.  The portion of this was the opposite: the container was not even half full.  Which, given that granola is actually usually very high calorie and high fat, made it a very reasonable portion, actually.  But it did not match the milk, certainly.  More on the granola soon.

House Made Granola / Yogurt. $13.

The next morning I gave the granola another try, opting for the yogurt.  I was hoping it would be as unique as the coconut milk option.

It wasn't.  Instead, the yogurt was about as boring as yogurt gets.  Not thick Greek style.  Not too watery, but really nothing special at all.  Bo-Ring.

Granola: Close Up.

The granola was above average, certainly better than store bought.  It was loaded with all sorts of goodies: pecans, walnuts, almonds for nuts, dried cranberries and raisins for fruit, sesame seeds ... and an oat base.

The first day, it was ... a bit moist though, which was odd.  This was not true the next.

Overall, it was good granola, crunchy, sweet, satisfying.  I wasn't into the cranberries or raisins (they were the hard style), but other than this, this was a winner.

Breakfast - a la carte

Some a la carte options.

The rest of the menu is a la carte, with standard breakfast meats (sausage, bacon, smoked salmon), fruit and veggies, toast, and chocolate croissants.  I was a bit surprised that a single type of croissant was the only pastries available.

Housemade Sausage $7. (plus maple syrup)

I ... have a thing for sausage.  Breakfast sausage that is.  Breakfast sausage *patties* that is.  Yes, I'm this specific, because I don't like breakfast links, and I don't like normal big lunch or dinner sausages (for the most part.  Um, I sometimes love hot dogs if those count, and sometimes a Brat does it for me, but, yes, usually, not a sausage girl).

But breakfast sausage patties?  Love them.

The menu didn't say if it was a sausage patty or a link.  It didn't say what protein was used.  But I still took a gamble and ordered it.  I was thrilled to see that it was indeed a patty.  I still don't know what the protein was, but I think likely pork?

The patty was fairly unique.  No thin wimpy patty here.  It was thick, it was irregular, it, well, had character?  I guess it really was house made.

It certainly was greasy, and the paper it was presented on quickly became translucent with oil.  I can't say that was appealing, but, the sausage was still good.  Nice sear on the outside, well seasoned.  The protein was ground, but had chunks still, resulting in a almost crumbly texture, which was better than it sounds.

I asked for a side of maple syrup, because, just like hashbrowns, breakfast sausages require syrup (in my world).  I loved the sweet, savory, and salty combination.

I was pleased with this order, and I'd get it again.

Housemade Sausage. $7.

I ordered it again my final morning, and ... it was fairly different.

First of all, I got two patties?  Why didn't I last time? Did they decide to give me one because I added syrup?

Second, they were more pale, not nearly as crispy, and slightly less oily (only slightly).  Still, good, with syrup of course.

Sautéed Vegetables. $7.

I *never* order veggies for breakfast, but, as I said, I was eating soooo heavy all week, that the idea of some vegetables was really appealing.  That said, I had no idea which veggies these would be.  The answer?  Spinach, mushrooms, and onions.

Of course, being me, I requested a side of hollandaise to drizzle over it all.  The hollandaise did not come.

The veggies, like the sausage, were very oily.  Very, very, very oily. I assumed the sausage was so greasy to get a sear and some of the fat came from the sausage itself, but, the veggies made it clear that whoever is running the kitchen has a heavy hand with the oil.

The veggies were fine, the spinach wilty, mushrooms not too soft, and I did like the onions.  But the seasoning was odd, salty, but seemingly no pepper.

I can’t say this was good.  Seemed like it belonged inside scrambled eggs or smothered in hollandaise on a benedict (if only they accommodated that request!).  I saved it and gave it to my mom, who enjoyed it in a dinner bowl she made cleaning out the fridge.

Home-Fried Potatoes. $6. (ketchup, hollandaise).

The next day, I was craving greasy carbs, so I opted for the home-fried potatoes, not knowing which style they would be.  I was hoping for crispy shredded hashbrowns, but, alas, they were chunks of potato, fairly crispy, well seasoned with some kind of red rub, and a few bits of onion.

They were fine, but not really the style of potatoes I was hoping for.

They came served with ketchup (never what I want with breakfast potatoes of any style), and this time, my request for a side of hollandaise was honored.  The hollandaise was ... very very odd.  Thick.  It looked like cream cheese.  But it did taste buttery.  Very very odd.  Also, not warm.

I decided to dunk them in syrup (which I had with me), which was better, but, overall, these were just average and not exciting.

Chocolate Croissant. $5.

The only baked good on the menu was a chocolate croissant.  No muffins.  No scones.  Not even plain croissants.  Just this.  Never my top pick of baked good, but baked goods are how I normally start my day, so I gave it a shot.

It was average hotel quality, about as expected.  Crispy but not flaky exterior, very oily moist layers, and a single bar of chocolate in each (but hey, surprise, it came with two?), that wasn’t particularly deep nor good.

Not served warm.  Not worth getting (nor even finishing).

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Mike's Pastry, Boston

If you've ever flown out of Boston Logan airport, you have likely encountered Mike's Pastry, a Boston institution, known for its cannoli.  Seriously.  I don't think I've ever boarded a flight there without seeing someone getting on with a Mike's Pastry box, a white box, blue logo, tied up with twine.

Mike's is famous, and people go kinda crazy for it.  At least, tourists certainly do.

"Founded in 1946, Mike’s Pastry is located in Boston’s historic North End on Hanover Street. Michael Mercogliano (the “Mike” behind the famed Mike’s Pastry) created the one-of-a-kind cannoli that keeps loyal Bostonians and tourists coming from around the world to enjoy. Going to Mike’s has become a Boston tradition when in town whether visiting family, friends, sporting events, college, or any other event. We hope that you continue the tradition and come see us and grab a pastry."

The North End, original, location is a madhouse, always.  But, they opened a location in Cambridge, right off Harvard Square, and after dinner nearby at Alden & Harlow, we decided to swing by to pick up some backup dessert.  Because, um, me and dessert.

To be honest, I don't really like cannoli that much, and I knew I had thought "eh" when I had Mike's before, but I was happy to try again.

Menu.

I was shocked to find that there were literally no crowds.  One family sat on the side eating a pastry.  A couple came in after us.  And that ... was it.  So very very different from the North End location.

It gave me a chance to actually see the goods, as you usually can't due to the hoards.  They also had a menu posted on a chalkboard, although it was fairly general, included everything they make regardless of it they had it, and, had no prices.  Pastries, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, cannoli.  Got it.

Cakes, Cupcakes, etc.

 It was better to look with our eyes anyway.  The lineup was vast, all fairly super sized creations, large slices of assorted cheeseake, layer cakes, and Boston cream pie.  Italian cookies, right alongside whoopie pies.  A large selection of huge brownies, fudgy, and loaded with toppings.  "Cupcakes" that really were decadent looking mini cakes, with fairly involved toppings.  And don't forget all the cream filled items, cream puffs in several varieties, eclairs, and GIANT lobstertails.

I really was eyeing the lobstertail, but it was truly enormous, and we had just had a huge feast, and no one else wanted it.  They just wanted to all try a cannoli.

Cannolis.

 So we moved straight to the cannoli, available in many flavors, mostly with classic mascarpone filling and different toppings.

Pistachio Cannoli. $4.50.

Our group of 5 had two people who had never had a cannoli before, one person who doesn't eat dessert, and one person who really wanted a cannoli.  And me.  So we got only two, and let the person who actually likes cannoli pick it.

He went for pistachio.

The cannoli was ... fine?  Again, I just don't find the shell very interesting (just a pastry shell), and the filling, while rich and thick and creamy, just isn't enough to excite me.  Pistachio was good for crunch and didn't detract.

My review remains the same.  "Eh, its a cannoli."  Probably a very good one, but, just a cannoli.

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Somi Somi Soft Serve & Taiyaki

Somi Somi is a soft serve and taiyaki shop in Cupertino, part of a chain throughout California, with ambitions to expand more.

"Somisomi can be found all over the U.S., offering irresistible Korean-inspired soft serve in ornate fish-shaped cones. We were founded by two dessert enthusiasts whose love for ice cream led to SomiSomi. Our company delivers unforgettable, personalized ice cream experiences with a Korean flare."

Yes, another trendy ice cream shop featuring taiyaki cones.  Another place with ridiculously long lines.  Another place with everyone stopping to take photos before eating their creations.

I know, I know.  But I don't care if you think these things are made for Instagram, and aren't otherwise worthy.  Because Somi Somi has legit good soft serve ice cream.  And as a lover of soft serve ice cream, that is the part I care about.

Somi Somi makes 11 base flavors, although each shop only carries a few at a time.  They pre-announce the next week's upcoming swirls though, so you know what is coming up next.  The range includes a few basics ("milk", chocolate, coffee), a few fruity (strawberry, banana), a few interesting (Oreo, horchata) and a few Asian inspired (matcha, milk tea, black sesame, ube).

I sought out Somi Somi specifically for the ube soft serve, but I hoped that black sesame would be an option too (even better if swirled!).  I called ahead to make sure ube was on offer, and, I was told that this location (Cupertino) always has ube.  YES.  On my visit, the other options were matcha and Oreo (or swirled), and milk (which could swirl with the ube).  I sampled both the ube and milk on their own, and decided to get the swirl.  I'll cut right to the chase: this is the best ube soft serve I've ever had.

Soft serve is available on its own in a cup, or, as nearly everyone opted to do, with a taiyaki cone. They don't even carry regular cones.  One other interesting thing to note - if you get the taiyaki cone, you have the option of having it served "rightside up", e.g. in the cone, with the taiyaki as your cone, or "upside down", in a bowl, with the cone upside down on top.  I haven't seen other places so explicitly make this an option, but, I think I quickly saw why they do.  More on this soon.  And yes, this was also the best taiyaki cone I've ever had.

Taiyaki Making.

Like most places, Somi Somi has the taiyaki molds right in front of you at the store, and the aroma of freshly waffling cones fills the air.  It really does draw you in.

The taiyaki options at Somi Somi were the most extensive I've seen at places like this.  For filling, for the cone style, you could pick from fairly common custard, red bean, or Nutella, but they also had taro filling as an option, which made me quite pleased.  These are not made to order, but seemed fairly fresh.

For regular taiyaki, as in, just taiyaki, not the cone style, they also have a cheese version, which sounds pretty fascinating.  Unlike the cones, those are made to order, so the cheese would be melty, and I think would be great to try.  The little filled taiyaki are available in singles or trios, and seemed fairly popular too.  I'd love to try these next time, maybe split a ice cream version, and get at least one on the side?

Toppings.

The only negative I have to say is that ordering is a bit chaotic, as the place is just packed, and no one seems to really know where they should be.  The line went out the front, and down the sidewalk, but inside was filled entirely with people waiting for their turn to customize.  This is because when you get to the front of the line, all they want to know is your base flavor, and style.  Then, you pay, and shuffle off to the side, try to stay out of the way, until your name gets called to specify your toppings.  People seemed generally confused, and, in each other's way.

Finally, our names were called to pick our toppings.  The topping lineup is one area that Somi Somi did let me down.

There was not much exciting here.  Just a few cereals (cocoa pebbles, captain crunch, and fruity pebbles), a few crunchy things (graham cracker, coconut flakes, oreos), and rainbow sprinkles.  No drizzles (I was expecting condensed milk drizzle!).  No mochi.

But, toppings are included for free, although most people seem to just pick one, plus they add an option random mini macaron if you please.

Ube and Milk Swirl / Rainbow Sprinkles / Macaron / Taro Filled Taiyaki Cone. Upside Down. 

So, for my creation, I opted for the milk and ube swirl, even though I really did love the ube on its own too.   I was worried that it would get old after a while on its own, and thus, the swirl.

Both flavors were perfectly rich and creamy, very textbook high quality soft serve.  The "milk" flavor was simple, but not too sweet, and I think it was nice to have mixed with the ube.  The ube was very good, and a stunning purple color.  No complaints on this ice cream, at all.

For my toppings, I just went for the rainbow sprinkles, since I don't really like any of the other options.  I found this to be pretty boring quickly though, and really wanted some drizzle, some other crunch, some mochi ... or even, um, more sprinkles?  Because these ran out fast.  Luckily, I had more in my purse ...

The macaron was fine, but, I still just found it random, and I can't say it added to my experience in any way.

And finally, the taiyaki.  I haven't had that many taiyaki cones, because I haven't really liked the others I have had.  But this one was much, much better.  The cone was softer, and more mochi like.  I really liked the texture and the flavor to it.  No eggy quality to it, which was what I didn't care for at Taiyaki NYC in Boston.  I opted for taro filling, which was good, standard taro paste, and it was more generously stuffed than other places have been.  A good item, which again, made me interested in trying just the regular freshly made taiyaki.

I opted for the upside down version, so I could make my own cone, and add to it as I wanted.  Plus, I knew it wouldn't get soggy too fast that way.  My peers however went right-side up, traditional cone style.  And ... let's just say, their cones didn't hold their integrity very well, and they quickly became major messes.  It was a bit humorous to watch adults struggle so badly with ice cream cones, their shirts covered, their shoes covered, and the sidewalk quickly a puddle of purple.  As much as I think the taiyaki at Somi Somi were far better than other places, in taste and texture, they really did fail as cones fairly spectacularly.  I'd still pick taste over function though!  

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Jerry Remy's Sports Bar & Grille @ Logan Airport, BOS

Jerry Remy's is a fairly generic sports bar and grille, located in the Boston Logan airport, airside, terminal C.  It is adjacent to the food court with Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts, etc, and doesn't have its own bathroom facilities.

I've walked by a number of times, but never stopped in, until July 2019, when I was at the airport far earlier than I needed to be, and decided to check it out.

The staff mostly ignored everyone, and looked like they hated their jobs.  Signs said to seat ourselves, but no one came to give me a menu, or glance my way, for nearly 10 minutes.  They were not thrilled with life.

The menu was full of things that I'd actually love to try, if I had time to dine-in, or if I was at a reputable restaurants, with tempting appetizers like fried calamari, loaded fries, fresh haddock with a panko breading (or fried, fish & chips if you prefer, or as a sandwich), lobster rolls, and more.  The sides sounded good too, onion strings, sweet potato fries, and more.

But alas, I was just grabbing takeout, so opted for my airport standard: a salad, and a dessert.  My order was quickly prepared, and, actually, the food was slightly above airport average (not a high bar, but, still).  I would consider returning.

Caesar Salad. $11.

"Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with house made Caesar dressing, garlic croutons and grated Parmesan cheese."

For my savory item, I got the most takeout friendly thing I could - a salad, Caesar, dressing on the side.

It was a pretty standard Caesar - torn romaine, both hearts and outer leaves, bite sized chunks. Not the most crispy, but not too wilted.  Some thinly shredded Parmesan.  The garlic croutons were far better than I expected, really herby and garlicky, crisp, not stale nor soggy.  Actually my favorite part of the salad, a shocker since they are usually so forgettable at a place like this.

Overall, all basic, standard components, not amazing, but, decent quality.  It beat my expectations.

But I'm all about dressing.  This is key.  I knew it wouldn't have real anchovy, or be great dressing, but I was thrilled it was at least the creamy style, as I loath the more vinaigrette style of Caesar dressing.  It too was decent, flavorful, well seasoned.  And, provided in a really large condiment container, so I had far more than I needed, which, as someone who likes to save her dressings for other uses, I appreciated.

Overall, not bad, slightly above average, and a good size (this was dinner size, a side size is also available). 

Mega Box.

Dessert options are basic: bowl of ice cream, brownie ice cream sundae, cheesecake, or "Seasonal", which, in the middle of summer, turned out to be "Chocolate lava cake".  Not so seasonal.

I went with a slice of cheesecake, a common move when I'm about to get on a plane (like Yankee Pier in SFO where it was decent enough, and Romano's Macaroni Grill in O'hare - where it was not a winner .  Most of these restaurants buy low end ice cream, so that is out (and not very savable for later), and they certainly don't make their own desserts, so cheesecake is actually a fairly safe bet.

I had to laugh at the packaging, the slice was a reasonable size, but the box was the same size as my giant salad.  Guess they don't have multiple size boxes?

NY Style Cheesecake. $8.

The cheesecake was a decent size slice, served entirely unadorned.  No drizzle of caramel, chocolate, or strawberry goo.  No whipped cream.  Just cheesecake.  Which was fine with me, but, a bit surprising.  No effort put in here.

The cheesecake though was actually good.  Creamy and smooth.  Slight hint of lemon.  Fairly standard cheesecake, nothing earth shattering, but, solidly good.

The crust too was quite decent, a thick back and bottom crust.  Not just soggy, or cardboard like.  It wasn't anything special, not super caramelized or anything like that, but, it was a good crust.

Overall, this really was a fine slice of cheesecake, I'd gladly get another, and I wonder who their distributor is.

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Big Gay Ice Cream, NYC

Ice cream.  Soft serve ice cream.  It is kinda my obsession in the summer.  I love it, and, San Francisco just doesn't have much of it, which, kinda makes sense, given that we don't really have what I consider appropriate "ice cream weather".

But for a few months of the year, New York certainly does.  And when I'm there, I take full advantage of this.

I finally made it to Big Gay Ice Cream, a New York staple in the soft serve scene.  It started as an ice cream truck, expanded into a brick and mortar, and now has several locations around town.  It gets a fair amount of hype, partially for the name, partially for the Instagram-worthy creations, partially for the crazy flavors offered from time to time (e.g. Cheetos).

But, it turns out, the soft serve is great.

Setting

Big Gay Ice Cream has several locations in New York, but I visited the West Village location.

Signature Storefront.

It is hard to miss the shop, with its giant unicorn decals, and rainbows everywhere.  Perfect backdrop for your Instagram shots.

Seating.

There isn't much seating inside, but I've never seen people seem to mind, as the sidewalk outside is always filled with people eating amazing looking cones.  I think the crowds help to draw in more customers, as, even if you are unfamiliar with Big Gay Ice Cream, one look at these cones makes you do a double take.

Food

Big Gay Ice Cream serves ice cream, and a few other related items, only.  No savory food.

Menu Board.

The menu is all based around ice cream, mostly soft serve, although they have pre-packaged pints available too (which you can also buy in grocery stores in the area).

Soft serve is available as a standard cup, cone (or upgrade to waffle cone), sundae, or in a shake or float.  Or, as a Speciality Cone, more on this soon.

Flavors are simple: vanilla and chocolate (or twist) are always available, and each week-ish 1-2 additional flavors are offered, which always sound fascinating.

And then, the Speciality Cones.  These are the things of Instagram dreams.  There is the "Salty Pimp", with dulce de leche injected in vanilla soft serve, sea salt, and chocolate dip.  The Rocky Roadhouse, chocolate soft serve base, with all the standard rocky road inspired toppings (marshmallow, almonds, chocolate chips), and of course, chocolate dip holding it all together.  And many more.

Toppings.

Toppings are definitely the stars of the show, ranging from $1 each for things like Nilla Wafers, Peanuts, Pie Crumble, Dark Chocolate Pretzels, or Whipped Cream.  Sprinkles are always free.

More Toppings.

Premium toppings like their slew of sauces and dips, are $2.  The sauce lineup includes several fruity options (strawberry, key lime), several sweet options (dulce de leche, bourbon butterscotch), multiple forms of chocolate (chocolate dip, hot fudge, "awesome sauce"), and more.

You can also opt to put fillings into your cone itself, like peanut butter, biscoff, or nutella.

Cheetos with Cheetos Crumble.

My first visit, Cheetos was the special flavor of the week.

I asked to sample the Cheetos, expecting just to get a little dollop of the soft serve, but was presented with this instead!  "You need to try the whole thing!", the server cheerfully proclaimed.  Yes, Cheetos soft serve with Cheetos crumble toppping.

This was my first taste of Big Gay ice cream, and I was impressed with the texture of the ice cream.  So creamy.

The Cheetos flavor was fascinating, yes, truly tasted like Cheetos, but I couldn't imagine eating an entire cup of this.  I was glad to try, but also glad to move on.

[ No photos ]

Cherry Kool-Aid:  My second visit, the special flavor was Cherry Kool-Aid. This flavor was very mild in comparison to the Cheetos.  Vaguely cherry flavored, but, barely.  Not much going on here at all, although texture was good.

Chocolate: Again, perfectly creamy soft serve, texture just perfect.  The chocolate was a mild milk chocolate, a nice flavor and intensity.  Really perfect for a soft serve cone, and, if I was in the mood for chocolate base, I'd gladly get this.

Vanilla Soft Serve / Pie Crumbles / Chocolate Dip.

For my creation, I was met with total indecision.

Big Gay ice cream is known for the chocolate dip, and I was fairly sure I wanted to at least have chocolate dip.

I kinda wanted to try the Salty Pimp, injected with dulce de leche under the chocolate shell.  I loved the sound of the American Globs, with vanilla soft serve, coated in dark pretzels and sea salt, and then coated in chocolate dip.  Sweet, salty, full of texture ... that really called out.  But I couldn't get past one of the topping choices: pie crumble.  Pie!  Crumble!

So I asked if I could modify the American Globs, just with pie crumbles instead of the pretzels.  I was told that sadly, the chocolate dip wouldn't really stick properly on top of pie crumbles, but they could try to sorta drizzle the chocolate over the top, and it would harden ok.  But they couldn't dunk it.  The server was more than willing to do this, but I went back to the drawing board.  

I had a moment of realization that it was 90* out, and I always say that dip is not ok in temperatures like that.  Ice cream melts too fast, and you can't eat it quickly enough with a chocolate shell in the way.  It springs leaks, it makes a mess, it turns frantic ... it is a golden rule of ice cream for me: no dip when the temp is too high!

So I innovated.  I "invented" a half dip.  This solved every problem I had.  I could have the pie crumble on bottom, and the chocolate dip on top!  And this way, I could control the melting.  Perfect.

I was very pleased with this creation.  The vanilla base was just the perfect creamy texture.  Slightly sweet, slightly vanilla flavored, a nice canvas for the toppings.  The chocolate shell was a little above average, not waxy, a nice snap to it, and didn't seem to break apart or spring leaks as easily as many.  And the pie crumble?  Good for texture, but the pie crust nature I was hoping for, more buttery, flaky flavor and texture, wasn't really there.  It was more akin to crushed shortbread cookies, since it was so finely crumbled.

The cone was a very standard cake cone, although the triangle shaped kind (not the flat bottom).  I appreciated the toppings catcher around it.  And I definitely appreciated that the base of the cone was filled with the dark chocolate pretzels (since I did the American Globs on top). 

Overall, I was pleased, and I'd consider this again, or branch out to try something new.

Pie Crumbles & 4th of July Sprinkles.

Oh, and the better part?  My server gave me a box on the side, with more pie crumble, and 4th of July themed sprinkles (it was July 4th when I was there).  "You know you'll want to dip it more while you walk down the street", he said.  

He was right.  This was a bonus that I really appreciated.

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