Tag: Foodie Friday

hello, i love…Bruxie

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Okay, now onto the fun stuff. What have I been up to? I am not very good at actually blogging while I am on vacation. Since I don’t get to see my family that much, at the end of the day, I would rather spend more time with the ones I love than behind the computer. So, I decided to wait until I came back from all of my little vacations to update the blog.

When I knew I was traveling down to Southern Cal, I had a list of restaurants I wanted to try. Is that weird? Probably. Moving on…

My sister Gingi (real name: Lindsey) told me about this place called Bruxie in Old Towne Orange that serves sandwiches in…WAFFLES! I had to try this place and we made plans to go as soon as I got down there.


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First, I have to add that I am in love with Old Towne Orange. I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and I am hopelessly nostalgic so I am charmed by the quaint feeling of the downtown area. There are great restaurants and shopping, especially antique stores. If we move back down to Southern Cal, this is where I want to live. And maybe eat at Bruxie once (errr twice?) a week.


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To begin, Gingi and I ordered the seasonal milkshake which was made with fresh California Strawberries. So refreshing. And see that strawberry sauce on top? Jamie Oliver would be proud to know that it is also made with real strawberries and not high fructose corn syrup. I liked this place already. Real. Delicious. Food.


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Next up–our sandwiches. I am not sure when my love affair with chicken and waffles began but it is safe to say we have been going strong for many years. And now I am pretty sure it is going to continue for many more. Think lightly breaded boneless chicken breast covered in a chili-honey glaze and mayo-free coleslaw folded into a light Belgium waffle. Served with real maple syrup, naturally. We all couldn’t believe how juicy the chicken was considering fried boneless chicken is usually dry…like really dry. Not at Bruxie. This is a must order if you stop by.

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Since Gingi and I ordered the same thing, Reg wanted to be different so he went with the “grilled” cheese with melted Gruyere and Cheddar. He is a genius and added avocado and bacon. So glad I married that one. The waffle fries that were served with his sandwich were perfect as well. Yum!

Overall, I would highly recommend Bruxie. The service was really impressive. Everyone that worked there was friendly and talkative but none of the employees came off phony or inauthentic. That alone made me love the place a bit more. Seating is limited though so I wouldn’t go with a big group. But if you ever find yourself in Orange, I highly recommend stopping by.

xo

hello, i love…Dottie’s True Blue Cafe

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As you know, each Friday Reg and I venture into the city for our special lunch. This past Friday, though, we had to drop off my grandmother at the airport early in the morning so we decided to turn our usual afternoon date into a breakfast. And I am so glad we did!

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day. I was never the child that you had to pry out of bed and force feed a pop tart before school. I usually woke up with plenty of time to make myself oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, or french toast. Early in my pregnancy when I was really sick, the only foods that sounded remotely appealing were typical breakfast foods. Luckily, my husband never objects to eating pancakes for dinner. So my point is, when I got to pick out a breakfast place I was really excited. Let’s face it though– I get excited every time I try out a new restaurant but this one was extra special.

After a quick search, I decided on Dottie’s True Blue Cafe. With almost 1400 reviews on yelp, I figured I could not go wrong. When we arrived, the 10 people waiting in line down the block had the same idea. Luckily, the line moved fast and we were seated with hot coffee before we knew it.


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I ordered the Whiskey-Fennel Sausage Scramble with Mushrooms and Spinach. This was ah-mazing! The whiskey flavor was subtle and unique. The vegetables were fresh and the eggs were scrambled to perfection, not overdone which I find to be a common problem with similar dishes. The breakfast potatoes were also excellent but it was the homemade, grilled cornbread that was the starchy standout. I slathered my slice with their homemade raspberry preserves. I love how the bread (and many other items) are made in house–makes the food a little extra special, right?


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Reg ordered a combination of crispy bacon, fried eggs, potatoes and my favorite plate of the day–ginger, cinnamon buttermilk pancakes. These were unreal, probably the best pancakes I have ever had! They were fluffy with just a hint of spice. I kept offering Reg bites of my plate to get more of these. Luckily, I am carrying his son so he happily shared. Good man! 😉

Overall, Dottie’s was incredible. From the service to the food, I was very impressed. I have since learned that there is always a wait so grab a cup of coffee, bring a couple chatty friends and get ready for a fantastic breakfast.

xo

{Foodie Friday} Pizzeria Delfina

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Most people love Fridays because the weekend is near and for the next two days they are free to do whatever they please. When I lived in Long Beach, I looked forward to Fridays for a different reason. Now that we live just outside of San Francisco, I have a whole new reason to look forward to Friday. The reason for my excitement is that each Friday my husband and I venture into the city so that he can check on a few projects and then he takes me to lunch anywhere I want. San Francisco is a total foodie city so I really look forward to trying somewhere new each time and exploring the different flavors the city has to offer. This is especially enjoyable because I am at the fun point in pregnancy, where food actually starts to taste good again. And Pizzeria Delfina was no exception. So far, this is my favorite wood-fired pizza place in the city.


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Located in the Mission District, Pizzeria Delfina features traditional and creative wood-fired pizzas in addition to fresh salads, homemade mozzarella, and small plate specials like arancini (rice balls) and meatballs. Think Naples meets New York style Pizza–pretty much my idea of perfection. The menu does rotate but the quality and service does not. We have been here once before and my husband and I agree this time around was even better. That says a lot, considering we were already planning a second visit while we were paying the check on our first trip.

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Today we started with the meatballs in sugo. Growing up, we ate meatballs almost every Sunday. My mom makes amazing meatballs, in addition to being an all around great cook. But these are sure giving her some stiff competition (don’t hate me Mom). They were moist and rich in flavor with a light tomato-meat sauce, accented perfectly with sharp parmesan cheese. If you ever stop by Pizzeria Delfina, don’t miss these. I could have eaten all 5 for my own personal appetizer. Luckily, for my husband, I felt like sharing.


After annihilating the meatballs, we moved on to two different pizzas–the Carbonara and the Margherita.

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The Carbonara features Guanciale, Scallions, Panna, Black Pepper, 1 Farm Egg, which they take the time to spread over the pizza halfway through cooking. This method really allows you to get a bit of yolky richness in each bite. You would think that the combination of cream sauce, bacon-like Guanciale, and an over easy egg would lead to a heavy, comma inducing like state, right? Not really. In fact, because their crust is so light, this dish does not weight you down. I had to restrain myself to not finish the whole thing myself.


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The Margherita Pizza was next. The crust was perfectly crisp and not weighed down by the sauce, which in itself was light and somewhat sweet. High quality, fresh mozzarella and crispy basil complete this simple pizza that continues to be named by 7×7.com as one of the 100 Things to Try Before You Die in San Francisco. Once you taste it, you will understand why.

Now I am off to cuddle with the husband and the cute puglet. It is raining like crazy in the Bay Area so I am thinking a movie night is in order.


xo