Tag Archives: food

Brunch at La Contenta

In New York City weekend brunches are an absolute must. Sometimes I can’t imagine even eating on the weekends if my day doesn’t start with brunch.

La Contenta NYC Brunch

My friends at citizenMag recently treated me to a fab brunch at La Contenta, an adorable Mexican place on the Lower East Side. After having brunch there, I already can’t wait to go back. Not only is it moderately-priced by NYC standards, it’s also delicious. During my visit I had the best guacamole and huevos rancheros that I’ve ever had.

The margaritas at La Contenta are not only delicious, they are also naturally sweetened with ingredients such as agave so you don’t have to worry about added sugar and calories. They actually specialize in agave-based cocktails and spirits. In my opinion, natural sweeteners taste better too because they aren’t overly sweet. I often don’t order cocktails because I don’t want to be ingesting artificial sweeteners and added calories, but I was totally fine with ordering two at La Contenta. Since I saved on the sugar with the margaritas, I decided to order a slice of tres leches cake for dessert.

Having a Venezuelan mother, I grew up around a lot of tres leches cakes and flans, but I was never a huge fan of them because the consistency was always too watery for me. But since I’d already had a tasty Mexican brunch, I figured “when in Rome” and ordered the cake. It was super yummy and had a lot more structure than most of the cakes and flans I’ve had. It was a great finale to the brunch.

If you’re planning a brunch at La Contenta (which I hope you are), I suggest making reservations. It’s a small restaurant that could easily fill up fast. So make a reservation just to be safe. On top of going back for another brunch, I also want to go back for happy hour for more naturally sweetened cocktails.

Photos by: Zarif Taufiq

Lower East Side La Contenta

Huevos rancheros

NYC Brunch

Tres leches cake

Find me on: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Savor the Taste of Taiwan

It’s always been a dream of mine to visit Taiwan. What first got me interested in visiting and learning more about the culture is the food and its emphasis on light, natural flavors.

Set B (with fish congee)

I absolutely love Taiwan’s rice noodles, unique teas and the melting pot of culinary styles that come together to create a delicious flavor of its own. So, when I found out that the Taiwan Tourism Board was hosting a five-day festival in Flushing, New York celebrating delectable Taiwanese dishes made by Taiwan’s top chefs, I knew I had to have a bite.

Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine

The Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine food festival is taking place October 16 – 20 at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel. Mark your calendars and come hungry. Both gourmet dishes and a fusion of local snack options from a variety of influences will be available. Guests will enjoy a choice of three sets consisting of different Taiwanese street food; all with “Chou’s Shrimp Rolls” as the main dish. Chou’s Shrimp Rolls were created by Chef Chou in 1965 in the city of Tainan, the food capital of Taiwan. Chef Chou’s shrimp rolls are iconic throughout Taiwan and the world.

Chou's Shrimp Rolls

While Taiwanese cuisine often features high quality fish and meats, there are also many vegetarian options. There’s something for everyone. Though I hope to visit Taiwan someday, it’s good to know that I can get an authentic taste of Taiwan right here in New York. Find out more about experiencing the flavors of Taiwan for yourself!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but the opinions are all my own.

Find me on: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Brunch at Hotel Chantelle

hotel chantelle brunch

Like every other classy New Yorker, I’m always searching uptown and downtown for the perfect NYC brunch. So when my friend Tracy asked if I wanted to join her for a birthday brunch at Hotel Chantelle, I couldn’t resist. After brunching, I must say that the Hotel Chantelle’s roofdeck is now one of my favorite places for a weekend summer brunch. While it has a sophisticated French feel and serves French-inspired cuisine, it’s still incredibly laid back. They even have $0.92 cocktails!

mimosa cocktails

brunch

Sangria

brunch cocktails

brunch in NYC

Find me on: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Macarons in the Window

Laduree

With their bright colors and fancy packaging, macarons by far one of the most stylish sweets. So it’s no wonder they’re at almost every fashion event alongside cupcakes and champagne. When I came across the famous Ladurée luxury French bakery on West Broadway, I was hypnotized by the beautiful sweets in the window. Judging from this display, these double-decker macarons that sell at a rate of 15,000 a day, are enough to make any girl feel like they are in the company of Marie Antoinette or Blair Waldorf.

French Dessert

Macarons

yum food foodie

sweets

Find me on: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Ninth Avenue International Food Festival 2012


For almost two years, I’ve been a resident of Ninth Ave.  I love my Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood because it’s so easy to walk to most places in Midtown Manhattan.   The name Hell’s Kitchen only sounds scary.  Decades ago it was a high crime area, but now it’s just a part of the city where there are a lot of restaurants so the name kind of stuck.  Every year around this time, they hold the Ninth Ave. International Food Festival that spans from 42nd-57th Streets.  It’s basically the urban version of a county fair and features food from all over the globe.

Though it was only here Saturday and Sunday, naturally, I attended the festival four times stocking up on empanadas, pad thai, spring rolls, pirogues, samosas, lemonade, and sangria.  I even got a psychic reading that was pretty accurate.  Walking up and down Ninth Ave. on a beautiful day experiencing food from all over the world made me so thankful to be living in New York.  I may have many dreams that have yet to come true, but at least one already has.

Home Sweet Home on Ninth Ave.