tbt: Blue Moon Cafe

The first place I remember seeing featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” was a breakfast spot in Baltimore that had a female owner with a rock-and-roll personality and a menu full of crazy, drool-worthy meals. I sat there thinking, “If I ever open a restaurant, THIS is what I would want it to be.” And when I had the opportunity to finally visit Blue Moon Cafe in Fell’s Point last month, that feeling only grew.

I’m not usually a waffle/pancake person when I’m out to breakfast, but there was no way I wasn’t getting the as-seen-on-TV Captain Crunch French toast. I’d been dreaming about this thing for, like, five years. I can still taste the sweet, buttery goodness… the tart berries… the fresh whipped cream. You need this. YOU. NEED. THIS.

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staying classy in San Diego

One of the reasons I did the GM diet/cleanse when I did was because I was a week away from leaving for a business trip to San Diego and knew I would be eating like a queen, but working 17-hour days and not getting a chance to exercise; I figured it would help me feel a little less guilty about all the calories if I had that 6-pound buffer. Really, I should have done it before and after because man did I eat…

Two recommendations I got before departing – Mexican and seafood. I did a little of both, and sometimes within the same dish. Here’s a little food porn for you, West Coast style. Feel free to drool. I did. Repeatedly.

pizza makes it all better

I guess my “I’m going to post more” timing wasn’t the best, considering I’m packing my apartment and moving twice within in the next few weeks (long story), but here’s some food porn to whet your appetite: spinach pie from Manco & Manco in Ocean City, N.J. Formerly Mack & Manco, this place has been a destination for me on every trip to the Jersey Shore for as long as I can remember, and with good reason. Up until recently, I had only had their standard plain pie, but I highly recommend the spinach. And don’t get all bummed that it’s almost fall and you won’t have a chance to get down there; at least one of their locations stays open all winter long for you to get your Manco fix.

No recipe today, but hopefully this will hold you over for now. Consider it a “piece” offering.

brunch at Supper

If I’m going to be terrible and neglect my food blogging duties during these busy summer months, I might as well post periodic food porn. Here are a few shots from a recent brunch I had with my friend Laura at Supper in Philadelphia. Brunch at Supper. Makes sense, I know.

Cheers! Laura’s mimosa and my drink, which for some reason was called the Danny DeVito.

The Hoboken Benny: two fried eggs, taylor ham, smoked mozzarella, garlic pizza knots, basil hollandaise and tomato jam.

Red Velvet Waffles with sweet cream cheese mousse, toasted pecans and molasses bourbon cherries.

that’s how I ‘roll’

I like to try new things, and often I’m met with “eww, that sounds gross” when my menu selection goes off the beaten path. Such was the case last Friday when I hit PYT with a few of my friends. I opted for their special “Philly Roll” burger with cream cheese, smoked salmon, fresh cucumbers and a pinch of seaweed. When it arrived at the table, everyone took a taste. When their disgust turned to jealousy, I retorted, “Fortune favors the bold.” That’s how I roll.

pretty young takeout

My friends and I had another fantastic meal at my favorite Philly burger place, PYT, this weekend. Check out Randi’s s’more milkshake and my Chinese Takeout Burger, a fried chicken patty in a sweet and sour chile sauce topped with cabbage, cucumber and scallions and finished with fried wonton strips. (It even came with a fortune cookie!) If you live within 50 miles of this place, you must go.