Tarta Mandel (Almond Cake) from Ikea

After trying out a slice of almond cake from Ikea the other day, I figured that if I bought a regular box from Ikea and eat it at home it would taste exactly the same. Boy was I wrong! It was extremely dry although you have the option of heating it up. The cake in the box was enough to serve 4 people.

I highly recommend eating a slice from Ikea’s restaurant rather than purchasing it from a box. It looks exactly the same but the taste is rather bland and not as creamy as I thought it would be.

1 Beard St
(between Halleck St & Otsego St)
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Cheyenne Burger, Dallas Burger, Sweet Potato Fries, and Beer Battered Onion Rings at Bobby’s Burger Palace

My friend Woojin took me out to eat lunch one day to Bobby’s Burger Palace. I was surprised to hear that the infamous Bobby Flay was the owner of a fast food burger place. It was funny because we would order at the register like a regular fast food place, take a number, and a waiter/waitress would bring the food to your table. I was very excited to eat here because of the name and also the huge line that almost went out the door.

My friend Woojin ordered the Cheyenne Burger which was the September Burger of the month. His burger consisted of smoked cheddar, BBQ sauce, shoestring onion rings, and bacon. I had the Dallas Burger which had spice crusted patty, coleslaw, Monterey Jack cheese, BBQ sauce, and pickles. I did not get to try the Cheyenne Burger, but the Dallas Burger was mighty good. The flavors between the coleslaw, cheese, and the patty is to die for. Although the bun tended to get soggy because of the juiciness of the burger, I would not have minded if Bobby Flay would have picked a more sustainable bun.

The onion rings were a bit on the heavy side but the sweet potato fries were amazing. They were extremely crunchy and had a hint of sweetness that really worked well with the honey mustard horseradish sauce they gave us to dip in.

Overall, I had a pleasant first time experience there and it was fairly cheap. Highly recommended.

610 Bergen Town Center
Paramus, NJ 07652
201-368-7001

Korean BBQ and Korean Stew at Mandangsui Restaurant

While strolling around Koreatown in Midtown Manhattan, I was craving for some Korean bbq. Most of the Korean bbq restaurants are located in Queens, New York but that happens to be extremely far away for me. John and I happened to stumble upon a hidden gem called Mandangsui on W. 35th st. which was a couple of blocks away from K-Town.

This place seems to be extremely popular and packed that customers were waiting outside. People tend to come in big groups for Korean barbeque but they do take reservations. However, we got a table right when we arrived. Throughout our whole meal, the staff was very attentive and welcoming which is a definite plus. The usual side dishes of banchan came out quickly, which varies from fermented cabbage (kimchi), wakame seaweed, and other small dishes including a small pot of Korean steamed egg casserole (gyeran jjim). This egg dish is also popular in Chinese cuisine while I was growing up.

We decided to go for two servings of their Yang-Ngyum Galbi (fresh butterflied & Korean style marinated short ribs). It’s a bit pricey (like most Korean bbqs are) but the meat was tender, a little fatty, and of good quality! I couldn’t have asked for better. Our waitress was very alert to the beef that was marinating on our built-in grill in our table and helped us cut it. After it was done grilling, we wrapped our beef in these fresh lettuce leaves and added some spicy paste (ssamjang), and spicy spring onions (pajori). We also ordered a bowl of Korean stew (sundubu jjigae), which we thought was okay. We will definitely come back for more if we are ever in the area and order some soju to complement our meal. Of course our clothes reeked of bbq smell when we left but we were satisfied with our dinner.

35 W. 35th St.
New York, NY 10009
(212) 564-9333

Meat Soondubu JJigae and Galbi at So Gong Dong

My mom took me out to eat after my lasik surgery. It was hard to see the food but my tastes buds were working perfectly fine. It was seriously one of the best korean tofu stews I had in a while. You could pick from not spicy, medium spicy, spicy, to extremely spicy. My mom advised me to order the spicy one. The broth which I feel is the most important factor in a Korean stew was well balanced, hearty, and extremely flavorful.

We also ordered a serving of galbi which in Korean restaurants if you order 1 serving, they cook it in the back for you and bring on a dish. The galbi was nothing special but the soondubu was to die for. I cannot wait to eat there again.

118 Broad Avenue (North Plaza 2nd Floor)
Palisades Park, NJ 07650
201-313-5550

Shack Burger, French Fries, & Freshly Squeezed Lemonade at Shake Shack

I had a chance to meet up with some of my sorority sisters yesterday; one of them happened to be visiting from Buffalo. We decided to try Shake Shack, located in the Theater District in Manhattan. Everyone seems to be clamoring about their burgers and surely enough when we arrived, there was a line coming out of the door (apparently, the lines are always long even at their other locations). However, the wait to get to the register didn’t seem too long or unbearable. It was extremely packed and hard to get seats but we managed to grab some while we waited for our food to come out.

We all ordered the single Shack burger which comes with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and “Shack Sauce,” whatever that may be. I also ordered french fries and a regular size of freshly squeezed lemonade (which I do not recommend). The total came out to $10…not bad. I wouldn’t have gotten the lemonade if I knew there was a self-serve for water. The lemonade was disgusting and tasted watered down.

I didn’t seem to get a “Wow, this is amazing!” feeling once I bit into my burger. My sister claims that In-N-Out burgers are still the best; which I still have yet to try. The meat was cooked medium and was very tender. However, I really did enjoy the fries, which are made from Yukon Gold potatoes and are free from artificial trans-fats. Not greasy and somewhat crispy. Overall, the food tasted fresh (besides the lemonade), and I would come back and try their frozen custards. I do believe it is a bit over-hyped. It is definitely a tourist attraction but it beats McDonald’s which is located right across from Shake Shack.

693 8th Ave
(between 43rd St & 44th St)
New York, NY 10036

Pasta Marinara w/Swedish Meatballs & Salad and Almond Cake at Ikea Restaurant

If you ever happen to stroll around the long maze in Ikea, you should grab a bite of lunch while you’re there. It is delicious and cheap! I consider it to be cafeteria food suitable for kids and adults. My pasta marinara w/ Swedish meatballs & slice of garlic toast and a bowl of salad came out to around $5. I also had a slice of almond cake which was amazingly scrumptious. There are also a whole bunch of other options to choose from. There are free re-fills which is a plus. The salads are also fresh…I didn’t see any signs of wilting.

The restaurant at Ikea looks and feels exactly like a cafeteria. You wait in line, grab a tray, plate, & utensils, order your food, serve your own salad if you happen to order one, and cash out. Then after you’re done eating, you put your tray away. It definitely felt like middle school all over again.

1 Beard St
(between Halleck St & Otsego St)
Brooklyn, NY 11231

My Brother Thinks he can Cook

My brother, who is only 8 years old, thinks he can cook. It all started when he and my parents went to Ikea and bought this cookbook geared towards making great meals for kids.

One day, he sneaked into the kitchen and I found him cutting apple slices/bread and microwaving Ferrer Rocher chocolate candies. I immediately grabbed the knife away from him and helped him cut the apples. Going with the flow, I followed his directions. He substituted a couple things from the original recipe.

And voila! This is his first creation…not too shabby…it’s just bread, fruit, and chocolate candy mixed together.

Then the next day, my parents were gone for the day and I was alone with my brother in the house. All of a sudden, I heard a racket in the kitchen. My brother was there once again! This time, he already peeled a potato by himself and started mashing it (after microwaving it). He added some butter and it tasted fine…at least it wasn’t raw.

Hours later, he was in the kitchen again. He had already made perfect tomato slices and put them on top of four slices of hamburger buns with ketchup and mozzarella cheese. My mother went into the kitchen and added diced spam and green bell peppers. This was the best yet! (By the way, he loves fake tattoos as you can see in the picture below). I loved how he chirped, “This is for dinner!”

Thank you brother for making my day with your unexpected surprises! (He was thrilled when I told him I was going to put his creations on my blog).