Marvel Nikel Eats

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What's on the menu?

Welcome to the first installment of what's on the menu? where I basically make stuff and take pictures of it and post them on this blog. 

Despite the fact that it is not very warm and that it is currently raining, I idecided to make a nice summery pasta salad with red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers, green squash, sweet peas, grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese, "garden" radiatore, and a balsamic vinegarette with salt, fresh cracked pepper, olive oil, sugar, basil, and oregano.... I would have loved to have some asparagus in here too, but that wasn't in the budget.

I love pasta salads like this because it incorporates lots of fresh raw vegetables, which helps you get more balanced nutrition within one meal. 

*(My mom is more of a carnivore than I am so she's cooking some hot italian turkey sausage on the side to add to her pasta salad).

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ISO a Good Taco

I admit, this is my first time posting, but I’ve answered a lot of ads for chicken tacos, and please believe, in NYC there is a lot. I have only met what I was looking for once, but it was just a one night stand, I did not get the its name and number.. don’t even know where I met it, but if you fit these specs then please respond.

Traditional small soft flour tortilla

Chunks of flavorful chicken, NOT saucy, NOT shredded, slightly crisp on the outside (prehaps from a grill)

With or without onions (but if you have onions I prefer them to be raw and red)

Fresh chunks of tomato

Shredded cabbage

Fresh cilantro

Queso Fresco

Wedge of lime and some salsa on the side.

I’m not a huge fan of mexican food, but many people are and find myself partaking in it much more often than I would choose to. I really enjoy the freshly made chips and salsa usually better than my meal. Before I close myself off to the Mexican food experience, I want to put this ad out. Please, if you’re out there come find me! Even if your restaurant looks a little crusty on the outside, I’m really in search of what’s inside (your chicken taco)! I know we could make this work Mexican Food! We had that one great night. Let it not be the end.

Sincerely,

Hopeful and Open-minded Eater

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Delicious Drinks in NYC

I love to drink.

Yes. I love to drink. I am a bit of a picky drinker though. My usual is a whiskey and ginger ale, or as I like to put it "Makers and Ginger" (please don’t forget the lime). If I want to switch it up I’ll have a Jack Daniels---and Jack Daniels only, (other whiskeys just don’t seem to work right)---and cranberry juice. I also like sour cocktails… tequila sour, whiskey sour, daiquiri (traditional, never of the frozen or strawberry variety). I have an occasional margarita or mojito. And on rarer occasions I’ll partake in a frozen margarita or, if I’m at BBQs, a Hennessey Colada. I dislike super sweet and/or super fruity drinks. I am not a huge fan of gin. I only want to drink a vodka cocktail with premium liquor. Vodka should not have a taste. Usually to me if it does have a taste, it tastes like cough medicine when mixed with cranberry juice, but goes surprisingly well with some tonic and a lime.

The best cocktails I’ve ever had in NYC:

1. Coconut mojito at Market Café- 496 Ninth Ave. nr. 38th St

- Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had anything else at this place. If I am in the neighborhood, I always stop by for it. I’ve tried coconut mojitos elsewhere, and they fall way short of this one. The last time I went, my bartender and I had a good 3 minute long conversation on the deliciousness of this cocktail. He told me “I fall in love with this drink all over again every time I make it.” YES! It’s that good! The bartender attributes the supremacy of the drink to the fresh squeezed lime juice used in it. Simply delicious!

2. Tennessee Tea at 5 Napkin Burger- 630 9th Ave @ 45th Street; 2315 Broadway @ 84th Street (as well as a location in Astoria, Queens).

-As a whiskey lover, I get bored with just having a whiskey ginger all the time. I want to expand my whiskey horizons. The bitters in Manhattans and Old Fashions don’t do it for me. Straight, on the rocks, with soda---all a nice change of pace, but when I want something with a mixologist’s hand at work I like this Tennessee Tea, which is basically a variation on my usual: whiskey (in this case, Jack), Sweet Vermouth, Ginger Ale, and Fresh Mint. Awesome!

3. Apple Jack

-I'm sorry, i really can't remember where I had this one. I know I was somewhere after the NYC Pride parade. But anyway. This was a nice change a pace. Like i said, I already like jack and cranberry.... this drink is that with apple puckers and a splash ginger ale. A little sweet, but it has sourness and whiskey, so I'm with it!

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The first time I went to Sushi Samba

I will never forget my first time. It was the spring of 2005. I had just graduated high school. Me and my two friends decided to go to the city to have a celebratory dinner. Thanks to Sex and the City, we chose Sushi Samba. At that point in time, I did not eat sushi (I’m not really a fan of seafood), but their menu has so much more.

            The first thing I appreciated about the place is that despite the fact that we were three black teenagers, the wait staff treated us kindly and equal to the other patrons. I wish everywhere was like this. As I’ve gotten older and explored more, I am met with a lot of ignorance (ignore-ance and ignorance), but that is a topic for another posting.

            Anyway, I watched as my friends ate fusion sushi that incorporated mango and other tropical fruit, and raved about it’s deliciousness. On to the entrees! I had some sort of free range chicken which was good. Chicken can be messed up, just ok, or really good, and this was really good. No super special flavor as I recall, like bbq, or honey lime glazed or anything, just simple flavorful chicken. My friends both went with the whole red snapper. All I can say is that it looked pretty. They raved about that too. Dessert. Well let me just tell you, I can appreciate some good sweets, but dessert is not a course I look forward to or make an effort to leave room for. We ordered some sort of crème brulee flan like dish. Oh my goodness! It Was AMAZING! I didn’t even really like eggy custardy jelloy desserts, but I LOVED this one.

            All in all it was a great experience, and possibly the experience that initiated my interest in foodying. Thanks Sushi Samba (and Sex and the City).

http://www.sushisamba.com/