Category Archives: Food Reviews

A Weekend in Montréal: Friends, Food, and Frigid Temps

After two weeks in Pittsburgh, Dave and I decided it was time to take our first road-trip together from Pittsburgh.  With Dave’s extremely busy volleyball schedule on the horizon and my freedom to travel during the week (since I don’t have a job right now), we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to see a new city. We both love to travel, don’t mind driving long distances, and have a great friend who lives in Montréal, which made our destination decision easier. We mapped out our route, which included a pit stop in Rochester both ways (Dave’s Hometown), which put us at about 20 hours in the car.

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Spread out across three and a half days, our weekend getaway to Montréal was one to remember.

Day One: Thursday, April 12th, 2018

3:45PM – To help reduce the total number of hours in the car, I took the P67 bus out to Monroeville to meet Dave by his office. Not only did this lower our time on the road, but also helped me get acclimated with Pittsburgh’s public transportation.

4:45PM – On the road! Next stop: Rochester!

5:00PM – Just kidding! Quick stop at Chick-Fil-A to get some dinner! Chicken nuggets and lemonade were calling my name after a three-day juice cleanse.

9:30PM  After a quick four and a half hours in the car, we finally made it! We unloaded some items we’re keeping at his parents place,  caught up for a little bit with his family, and went to bed so we could be ready for a long day on the road tomorrow.  Goodnight!

Day Two: Friday, April 13th, 2018

8:00AM – Time to hit the road. Next stop: Montréal!

3:20PM – After a gas stop, and an extended wait at the border, we finally made it!

4:00PM – Time for a late lunch at Olive Et Gourmando. Our concierge at the hotel recommended  this cute little cafe for us plus it was on our way to the waterfront. I indulged in the Grilled Cheese and Sautéed Onion Panini, while Dave opted for the healthier green salad with roasted almonds, red onions, house vinaigrette. We also ordered two La Saison du tracteur beers and Dave finished off the meal with an Elixir + Bourbon (green tea, ginger, pomegranate).

4:30PM  Walk around the waterfront, up and down Rue Saint Paul, and around the ‘old city’. We also stopped in the Intercontinental Hotel to see a piece of the Berlin Wall and an ‘infinity pool’.

7:30PM – Quick workout at the hotel. Chest and Tri’s and 20 minutes on the bike to get the blood pumping.

9:00PM – Meet up with Wojtek and Memye and head to dinner. I chose Brasserie 701 based off Yelp reviews and it’s pretty close. Win-Win!

10:30PM – After an amazing dinner, we decide to head out on the town. I indulged in Scallop Risotto with Truffles, Dave got Duck with Mushroom Sauce, Wojtek ordered the Duck with Apricot Sauce, and Memye had the Rosemary and Red Onion Marinated Flank Steak. We bounced around Montréal from: 3 Brasseurs to The ColdRoom, which was a speakeasy with a freezer-like door opening.

Day Three: Saturday, April 14th, 2018

9:30AM – Up and at ’em! Time to take on the day. Dave and I sneak out for a quick breakfast and coffee at La Finca, which is down he street from our hotel.  Dave ordered the Danois Dejeuner (Breakfast Danish) with coffee, and I had a croissant (my fav) and a Chaud Chocolat (Hot Chocolate).

10:30AM – We returned to the hotel, grabbed Memye and Wojtek and headed out for the day.  First on our list: Fairmount Bagels! Apparently bagels are different in Canada and I wanted to try it!

11:15AMFairmount Bagels was a disappointing adventure. The bagel was small, not toasted, and sweet?! It makes me miss my NYC bagel habit (Salt Bagel with cream cheese, anyone?)

12:10PM – Time to head to Mont Royal, which is the name sake for the city of Montréal. It is an extinct volcano with beautiful panoramic views of the entire city and a cross on the top. Unfortunately it was extremely cloudy and FREEZING (about 24 degrees!), but we still had a nice walk to the top.

2:30PM – We headed back to the hotel to drop off the car and grab some lunch! We decided on a cute fondue and creperie about a half mile away from the hotel aptly named, Creperie Chez Suzette. I ate the Crepe Parisienne, Dave had the La Spécial Délice, and Wojtek and Memye ordered the La Charlevoix and French Onion Soup! Dave and I also enjoyed a Strawberry and Dark Chocolate Crepe for dessert – my sweet tooth was more than satisfied! We spent the afternoon giggling (mostly at my poor french skills), eating our hearts out and enjoying each others company.

5:00PM –  The four of us retreated from the harsh conditions outside into the warmth of our hotel room and continued catching up for the next few hours before we said our goodbyes! Trips like this remind us how blessed we are to have friends around the world.

9:30PM – After a mini nap (errr.. 2 hour nap), Dave and I headed back out to dinner at the nearby Monsieur Resto+Bar which was a 30 second walk from the hotel (and another Yelp find)! The atmosphere was incredible – jazz music in the background, cool lighting, and lively! I saw scallops on the menu and I had to order them again, this time with an asparagus risotto. Dave ate the butternut squash gnocchi and said it was amazing!  We retreated back to the hotel after a cozy dinner and I fell asleep to the Trailblazers-Pelican game.

Day Four: Sunday, April 15th, 2018

9:00AM – After two unanswered alarms on my phone, we finally got up and hit the road. We decided to stop in Rochester on the way back to break up our drive and aimed to get there around 3PM.

3:20PM – Safe on deck in Rochester! We were making great time, but unfortunately got stuck behind two snowplows that were going about 30 MPH for about an hour and experienced some terrible weather. Major Bummer, but we made it safely!

5:45PM –  After a great lunch/early dinner, we were back on the road to Pittsburgh. I was at the wheel for the majority of this leg, until we got hit with a torrential downpour closer to the city and Dave took over for me.

10:30PM – Home Sweet Home! Trust me when I say, nothing feels better than crawling into bed after a long weekend away.

While we didn’t have the time to do Notre Dame or the Olympic Stadium or eat Poutine, it was still a wonderful weekend. I am definitely glad to be back in the ‘burgh, and in my routine of working out and eating healthy. Here’s to our next adventure, whether that is near or far! Au Revoir!

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White Rose

What a weekend it’s been! I returned to San Diego on Monday for a few days (48 hours to be exact) before I jet set back to the East Coast on Thursday. Call me crazy, but I’ll tell you I’m having the time of my life living bi-coastally.

I am currently recovering from an amazing weekend spent at Dave’s fraternity formal in New Jersey.  In March, I was  invited to Sigma Nu’s White Rose Formal – this formal not only celebrated the chapter and its accomplishments but also the 115th Anniversary of the founding of the fraternity. It was a very big deal and was hosted at a beautiful resort in the mountains.

I flew out of San Diego on Thursday morning and stayed with Phebe for our typical girl’s night in the city. The first thing we did after dropping off my luggage, was grab a slice of dollar pizza. I hadn’t eaten all day and since she had yet to find shoes for formal, I knew that I needed some fuel before embarking on one of our shopping adventures. We rushed to Macy’s and couldn’t find anything, but we ended finding some cute white heels with studs around the ankles at Aldo.

The following morning, I had an interview uptown and was also able to meet up with my old bosses, which was great . I was very fortunate I had the free time to squeeze in the interview and see everybody! Later that day, Phebe and I headed to Hoboken with all of our gear ready for formal weekend. We got to the house before the boys were done with practice, so we dropped off our bags and beelined straight to the store to grab some snacks to fill up the cooler for the weekend. A cooler, you ask? Yes, you read that right. Right after Dave asked me to formal,  I came to learn that it is a fraternity tradition for a girl to decorate and fill a cooler for her date to show her appreciation. Most people know that I have close to ZERO experience or skill with a paintbrush, but I was determined to decorate it to the best of my abilities with some of his favorite things (Volleyball, Beaches, The Chargers and Bills)  and surprise him with it.  Even though I struggled tremendously with the artistic aspect of decorating the cooler, I would like to believe I excelled in filling it with goodies, transporting it 3000 miles across country, and answering a million questions from other curious flight passengers. I’m in the process of making a time-lapse video and  blog of how one should go about making a cooler – I’ll upload that as soon as I finish it!  After the boys were done with practice, Dave and I went out to 1 Republik for dinner and later to Tally Ho to play some Jenga with one of his friends. It is weird to think that it had been nearly two months since we had last seen each other, but we picked things up right where we left off.

On Saturday morning we got up relatively early to head to the resort so we could make our tee time at noon. We carpooled with one of Dave’s fraternity brothers, Chris, and his girlfriend Lexi, who also happened to be our golf partners for the day. We arrived at Mineral Springs about 20 minutes before our tee time so we headed right to the club house instead of check in. To be honest, I was pretty worried about my golf game (or lack thereof), but I was assured that we would be playing best ball and it would be fun. Much to my surprise, we had A BLAST on the golf course playing the first nine holes. By the end of the round, we had a little less than two hours until we had to be on the buses headed to the formal venue. One quick cat nap later, we started to get ready and hopped on the bus. This was my first formal fraternity function, and I was beyond impressed with everything! I loved seeing the guys and their dates dressed up and looking dapper in suits, learning about the tradition, and meeting current and former brothers of the fraternity. In addition, the Gamma Delta chapter (Steven’s)  was awarded the Rock Chapter Award  for excellence in pretty much all that they do. Congrats guys! Overall, the weekend was magical – we had perfect weather and danced the night away – a perfect ending to say the least!

Sunday morning, I returned with Phebe to the city, while the boys practiced. I decided to meet up with my former roommate Erin in the park after grabbing bagels from Tompkins Square Bagels – it had been months since we had caught up. After the boys finished practice, I headed back to Hoboken to meet up with Dave and grab some dinner. As some of you know, I LOVE trying new restaurants, so Dave took me to this great hole in the wall called Tony Baloney’s . I’m not the biggest sandwich fan, but between Vito’s and Tony’s, I think I’ve changed my mind. I ordered the Kaka Sub, while Dave munched on the Revel Boy and split the Shitfaced fries (absolutely delicious). Tony’s is one of my new favorite restaurants and definitely recommend trying it!

I headed back to the airport on Monday afternoon, but unfortunately my flight was delayed nearly four hours and I didn’t get home until past midnight. On a positive note, the flight attendant that I bonded with over the cooler (on the original the trip over), sat next to me before boarding and asked about my weekend!

I had a great weekend at formal and can’t wait for this upcoming weekend, where I’ll be catching Dave and his team, the #1 ranked Steven’s Volleyball team host and compete in the NCAA Championships.

 

 

Phebe Comes to Visit

The saddest thing about graduating, perhaps, is the loss of all the holidays and breaks. I really enjoy planning trips and traveling, so this “lost” time really hit hard. Everything really came “crashing down” (excuse my melodramatic candor) when my Instagram and Facebook feeds quickly transformed into a mecca for bikini-clad girlfriends and #nofilter beach sunsets the first week of March. Luckily for me, I have one of the best friends in the entire world who decided to spend part of her Spring Break in beautiful Southern California for a week of shenanigans. It had a been a little less than a month since I had seen Phebe, but it felt like eternity.

Sushi Paradise

Sushi Paradise

Phebe arrived last Tuesday night after a whole day of traveling (4 airports, 3 flights, 2 layovers, in 1 Day)  and in typical Meg and Phebe fashion, we headed straight to a sushi bar in North Park, but not after wandering around for a bit to stretch out the legs and get some fresh air. After chowing down on some delicious California, Tempura, and Spicy Tuna Rolls at North Park Sushi and Grill, we headed back to Scripps Ranch to say hit to my parents and get ready for bed.

Pheb in La Jolla

Pheb in La Jolla

 

 

 

 

The next day was a pretty lazy day after November Project in the morning, but we headed down to La Jolla to get some shoes for Phebe’s meeting  and went to La Jolla to see the seals at the Children’s Pool and explore the area. We stumbled upon this amazing bakery/café and definitely  recommend it for lunch if you’re in the area – Girard Gourmet. Phebe got the Chicken Curry Sandwich on Eight Grain Bread and I got the Pear Cambozola w/ Glazed Pecans & Strawberries and substituted the dressing  for Balsamic Vinaigrette. That night, my Mom made a delicious Salmon dinner for us and we got to ride in our friend’s Tesla which was pretty cool!

On Thursday, we ventured up to the city of Angels for Pheb’s business meeting. Afterwards, we walked around the shops in Beverly Hills and ate lunch at my favorite restaurant, Urth Caffe. Phebe had this beautiful fruit plate (judge for yourself) and I indulged myself in their Caesar Salad (typical!). We wanted to beat the bad traffic so we headed south to the beaches in Manhattan and decided to get an easy 4 miles in before laying on the beach for a few hours. Heading home, we eventually got stuck in traffic, but it was well worth our boondoggle up to LA. I also decided that if I were to ever move to Los Angeles, I would love to live near the beaches. Meg in Manhattan Beach, anybody?

After a long and exhausting day in LA, we decided to stay in San Diego for the next few days. On Friday we headed to my favorite part of SD, Coronado (also known as Crown Town). We drove down and parked North West of the Del and spent the day on the beach. After braving the elements (we kept getting whipped in the face with sand by the wind), we got hungry and decided to head to my FAVORITE place – Miguels Cocina. Lucky for us, Happy Hour started at 3 so we indulged on some chips, guac and white jalapeño sauce (my absolute favorite thing there) before ordering our margaritas and entrees. That night, we were invited to see an old friend that had recently returned from Memphis, TN for a quick trip. As we made our way up to Bay View Park, we realized that we didn’t have any costumes for St. Patrick’s Day, so we stopped at Buffalo’s Breath, the oldest and COOLEST costume warehouse, where we found tutus and matching gold sequin bras (yes, you read that correctly).

My three favorite holidays (in order) are: The Fourth of July (I LOVE AMERICA), St. Paddy’s Day, and Cinco de Mayo. That being said, I love to celebrate all three holidays to the fullest, which made Saturday a day to remember. After a few miles in the morning by the house, Pheb and I got decked out in all green and gold for a day of partying with our friends from TN. We started at our friend’s house in Pt. Loma for some early morning shenanigans before heading to Balboa Park for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. We danced, got on stage (fine, that was just me) and made my Irish ancestors proud before heading back to Pt. Loma for some food, then back to the house for some pizza and a movie (Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion).

Sunday was a recovery day for the both of us and we headed back to the beach in Coronado, this time at the Amphibious Base for some more R&R after we bike and lifted for a quick workout. We were planning on going on the boat, but unfortunately, our hot water heater broke so we opted to get out of my parent’s way and head to Nado. Following our beach adventures, we stopped at our favorite coffee spot and grabbed some cool drinks at Coffee Cart (aka Madrid Cafe) before heading up to Del Mar for the sunset. I love watching the sunset at the cliffs in Del Mar and walking the railroad tracks afterwards and knew that Phebe would love it as well!

Phebe’s flight to San Francisco was on Monday afternoon out of Long Beach, so we quickly headed out of the house on Monday morning to Pacific Beach to walk around and catch some more rays!  After a few hours walking the beach, we got in the car and headed up to Long Beach before we said our goodbyes. Thankfully I’ll be seeing Phebe in a month back in New York.

Watching the Sunset in Del Mar

Thank you Phebe for sharing your Spring Break with me down in San Diego, I hope you had as great of a time as I did! Love you.

What’s good San Diego?

A lot of people have been asking me about what I’ve been up to since returning to California in December.  Instead of boring you with a wordy recap of the past three months, here’s a quick gallery with some highlights including new favorite restaurants, bars, workout partners, and fun memories.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

New York owns a very special place in my heart. It’s the place where I feel most alive, I feel like I belong. The city is a playground that I haven’t quite discovered, and Brooklyn is one of those “undiscovered” places. Though I have walked the bridge a few times, Dave had not ventured over to Brooklyn via the bridge and I had always wanted to walk it at night so we decided  to kill two birds with one stone and embark on a Megventure across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Though it was late January, the weather was tolerable and the bridge wasn’t too crowded, which made for great photos. After our trek across the bridge and through DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), both of us found ourselves craving some pizza. I had tried to eat at Grimaldi’s a few times before but had never been able get in, so I recommended that we try to grab a table. Grimaldi’s is located right next to the Brooklyn Bridge and is home to the best slice of Margherita pizza I have ever had in my life. As soon as we walked in, we were seated upstairs, but reminded that it was cash only. Between the two of us we had 16 bucks, enough for a small pizza, generous tip, and some great memories. The small ended up being the perfect size for the two of us and we gobbled down the extra thin pie before venturing back to the city.

New Faces, New Places

Remember how I said I wanted to try some new places around the city? Well, I just wanted to provide a quick update on some of the bars and restaurants I’ve finally got around to going to. Over the course of the past few weeks, I’ve slowly but surely trying new places and falling in love with them! Here’s my top 5:

Brazen Fox – Located on 3rd and 13th, this bar has great relaxed vibe. We sat upstairs on a beautiful New York evening and enjoyed the views of Third Avenue while we sipped away on their Cherub Cup and some craft beers. I also recommend their Pretzel Baton appetizer – it was delicious!

Niagara – Located on Avenue A and 7th, this East Village hang out is where my friends and I danced to some old school jams late into the night! A fun, eclectic crowd gathers in the back room to show off their coolest dance moves. Best bring your dancing shoes.

Whiskey Town – Located on 3rd St between 2nd and 3rd Ave, this dive bar is one of my favorite weekend spots. They play great music from the late 90’s and early 2000’s and have a Photo Booth in the back corner. My favorite part about this bar, however, is the great prices!

Phebe’s Tavern – Located on Bowery and 4th, this Irish bar and grill is one of the most crowded spots in the village. Phebe and I found this tavern our freshman year and vowed not to return until we turned 21 – and we didn’t until we celebrated our 21st there! They have a great menu as well – my Dad loves their Shepherds Pie!

Hair of the Dog – Located on Stanton and Orchard, this bar is part of the NYC Best Bar Family and one of my personal favorites. Though it is a bit of a trek from my apartment, this bar has great deals during the week and enough TVs to satisfy even your biggest sports fan.

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Megventure

Sometimes there are just days that slip by and I find myself completely immersed in my own world. The past few days have embodied that free-flowing and adventurous spirit I have come to call, “the Megventure“. Usually characterized by a series of rash events and unpredictable story lines, these “Megventure’s” are typically filled with close friends, spontaneity, and of course, an unmatched sense of wanderlust.

My Megventure began on Thursday night at a small Italian restaurant, tucked in the far confines of the East Village. Surrounded by some of my newest and closest friends, as well as two professors from the Tisch Center, I indulged in a delicious Insalate de Spinaci (Baby spinach, roasted almonds, ricotta salata, strawberries and balsamic reduction) and Fettucine al ragu di Salsiccia (Buckwheat tagliatelle with broccoli rabe puree, Italian sausage ragu and pecorino) at Paprika – t’was delicious! The best part of the night, however, was not the food, but the company. I was introduced to people within the department I would not otherwise would have had the opportunity to interact with, and also strengthened my relationship with one of my favorite professors, David Hollander. Sitting in such an intimate setting with only ten other people gave us the opportunity to open up, in a way that is not normally afforded in a classroom. I am so lucky to have had this amazing opportunity to get to know my classmates and professors on a much deeper level.

Friday night was an adventure in itself. I ventured out to Brooklyn for the second time (ever) with a few other classmates (all guys of course) to cheer on the Nets as they battled against the Detroit Pistons. So maybe “battled” might not be the best word, because the Nets blew them out, but it was a hell of a time if I may so myself. It was my first ever professional basketball game, and I am so glad I was able to experience it at Barclay’s. There is an ineffable vibe that certainly draws in the young people to the game – it was a sporting experience unlike any other. Though I am not a huge fan of professional basketball and the game was less than entertaining, I had such a great night at Barclay’s.

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Saturday morning started with brunch at Veselka – days that start with brunch are usually ones worth remembering. And Saturday was no exception. I’m not one to complain, but after the horrendous winter that we had the past six months, it was so wonderful to finally break out the sandals and explore the city I have only begun to scratch the surface of. Saturday morning was the beginning of a day-long adventure throughout the city – one that resulted in a number of firsts. Following brunch with my best friends, Phebe and Ryan,and their two friends, we decided to go to the High Line in the West Village. For those of you who don’t know me very well, the High Line is a sanctuary of sorts of me, and one of my favorite places to take people when they visit the city.

Tori, Ryan, Phebe, and Graeme

Tori, Ryan, Phebe, and Graeme

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We walked, talked, and wandered down the mile and half path before deciding to venture up to Times Square to expose Ryan’s girlfriend to the circus that is New York City. Phebe, Ryan, and I  immediately decided to escape the mayhem and wander into yet another sanctuary – Central Park. Our tired legs yearned to rest, so we found some boulders and relaxed among their nooks and crannies. In the middle of relaxing, Ryan had an epiphany that we should go to the American Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaurs. My inner five-year-old self was excited beyond words – I had never been to a museum in NY and dinosaurs are so cool – what’s not to love?IMG_2395 IMG_2410The AMNH was amazing (and crowded) but so worth it! Though we wandered aimlessly through the dinosaur exhibits and probably didn’t learn as much as we could have, it was the perfect end to a perfect day spent with friends. My favorite dinosaur, besides the T-Rex (Duh!) was the Megaloceros (for obvious reasons).  The museum pulled at my child-like heart-strings and inspired me to get out and see more of my amazing city.

IMG_2418 IMG_2421The rest of Saturday was a blur, as I prepared myself for an early wakeup the next day. Sunday was warranted by a soccer session at Gaelic Park and a less than exciting evening filled with homework. Little did I know that my sense of adventure would get the best of me and I would be once again on the road with my roommate, Erin and her friend, Alyson, to a wonderful restaurant in Chelsea.  Don’t let the pictures of Co Pizza below deceive you – the restaurant was AMAZING. The wooden walls, dimmed lighting, and candles on the table made it feel like we were away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  We all ordered one pizza and split the three flavors between us. I ordered the Cuattro Cipolla (4 Onion) and it was divine. The Straciatella and the Popeye were also lovely – I felt like I could just nom on them forever!

IMG_2422 IMG_2423On the way home from Co, we encountered an abandoned subway car. I know what you’re thinking – DON’T ENTER, IT’S A TRAP! Don’t worry, we were fine (no creepy guys, no bad smells, you get the picture). My inner-child awoke and before I knew it, I began to swing from pole to pole until the train began it’s journey along 14th street.IMG_2430Though the weekend seemed to pass by in a single instant, I am so incredibly fortunate to have spent my Megventure of a weekend with my closest friends.

Until next time!

 

 

Menú del Día-ing

In Spain, it is not uncommon for most restaurants to offer un menú del
día for lunch – sort of a prix-fixe- but for only about 10-12 €. It’s
about the hottest deal in town and usually includes 2 courses, a
beverage, bread and your choice of coffee or dessert.  I’ve definitely
taken advantage of this amazing deal, as to try as many Spanish foods
as possible.

A few  Saturdays ago, I went to this restaurant off of Calle called
Cervcería. Though it wasn’t my favorite menú thus far, I’m glad I
tried it because I got to taste new dishes including. This past weekend in Barcelona, I somehow ended up with baby octopuses in my soup – trying food has definitely become an adventure.

Potaje de vigilia – soup filled with garbanzo beans and grape leaves;
it sort of tastes like miso soup but with a lot more filling
Brucheta de solomillo – This dish was a kebab with French fries and
fancy mustard on the side. The meat was a pork chop – very tasty
naturally  but super fatty as well (not exactly my fav).

At the end of my meal I enjoyed a cappuccino – nothing beats frothed
milk and steaming hot coffee in Europe.

That’s all for now. I’ve included pictures from my other menú del día
adventures below with restaurant names as well, so if any one is in
the area they can indulge themselves as well.

Chocolatería de San Gínes

Europe knows chocolate: chocolate and wine, chocolate and fruit, and our new found obsession – chocolate and churros. One of Spain’s most famous desserts, these fried dough pastries and thick chocolate drink are perfect for any occasion.

Interestingly enough, Spaniards order this insanely delicious combination at any time of the day – including breakfast. Yes, chocolate for breakfast – count me in! The most famous chocolatería and where we are the most famous per se, is Chocolatería de San Gínes, a mere three minute walk from the Sol Metro, right between Calle Arenal and Calle Mayor. To say that we are regulars here would be quite the understatement, but somehow we still don’t seem to care that they know us so well.

San Gínes, as we affectionately call it, is easily one of the most touristy places in all of Madrid, but that doesn’t stop us from indulging in our favorite late night treat. Open 24 hours a day (dangerous, I know), this chocolate and churro hang out is the place to go if you want a taste of Spanish culture. Though most people order the typical chocolate con churros, I definitely recommend Porras, which are thicker versions of churros. They have a very simple menu – churros, chocolate, tea, café, and ice cream, but I would recommend staying with the original masterpiece.

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A Trip to the Mercado

Mercado de San Miguel

Mercado de San Miguel

Nestled between a group of apartment buildings, right behind Calle Mayor, off of the Sol Metro stop, sits the glass-enclosed Mercado de San Miguel. One of the most famous markets in Madrid, this Eataly-style building  is filled to the brim with brightly colored fruits and vegetables, the aroma of fresh pincho de tortilla, and hundreds of tourists on the weekends. Luckily enough, I live only a few minutes walk from the Mercado and have been able to leisurely walk between the permanent food stalls without the rush of people pushing me every three seconds.

 

Pincho de Tortilla

Though you do not have to go to the Mercado to find one of my new favorite foods, I first tried this recipe at the Mercado San Miguel (by accident) and immediately fell in love. My favorite Spanish dish so far has to be the delicious Spanish Omelet, also known as Tortilla Española. Filled with eggs, potatoes, onions, and sometimes a splash of cheese, I usually get a pincho (single serving size) of this delicacy. Served either at room temperature or warmed up,  with a side of bread, pincho de tortilla is the perfect midday snack and will fill you right up.  Partnered with a glass of wine or copa de Sangria, this dish will win over your heart at first bite.

Comida Fresca

After going on my long runs on the weekend, I like to cool down and walk around the market to see if anything catches my eye. Though the thought of an ice cream cone is enticing, I usually opt for a banana or salad. The Mercado de San Miguel, is not only home to warm dishes such as pasta and croquetas, but also to fresh fruit, meats, and fish. My favorites are the fruits and the spinach salad with white asparagus, walnuts, tomatos and balsalmic dressing; and the bananas Though it tends to be a bit more expensive than Corte Ingles (which is a grocery store – Bloomingdales – Spa – Target-all-in-one), I indulge and reward myself.

IMG_7365 Everything Else

In the market, you can also find couples sipping on very full glasses of red wine, walking around trying various tapas. A slew of green olives, sushi, and empanadas, among many other things, are at your disposal at Mercado San Miguel. Your taste buds are in heaven at San Miguel and I promise you, once you go, you’ll find it very difficult to stay away.

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