Blog – Page 5 – Chomping Chica

SLA Thai

Post author By chompingchica
Post date August 1, 2021

“People who love to eat, are always the best people.”-Julia Child

Sunday was Brunch with my Sister-in-Law and we decided to try a cute Thai spot in Montclair, NJ. Beautifully decorated restaurant, located right in downtown Montclair, they serve Northern Thai dishes. “SLA” stands for Simple, Love, Authentic.

So for starters, we ordered the Spring Rolls and the Chicken Sate. The Spring Rolls were excellent! They were crispy and flavorful. They were not at all oily and so easy to pop in your mouth. The red dipping sauce that accompanied it was soooo good. It was light and sweet, but not overpowering. It added a nice touch to the rolls.

The Chicken Sate was good. It had a lovely grilled sear that added a nice salty taste. The chicken was moist and not at all dry. However, I felt it was missing something. The accompanied dipping sauces (peanut sauce and cucumber vinaigrette) were extremely tasty and paired well with the chicken.

Entrees…. soooo good! The Khoa Kapow Moo Krob … amazing! The texture of the pork belly was crispy, with just the right amount of saltiness. The basil sauce that accompanied this dish was done beautifully, with a delicate sweetness and I loved combining the Jasmine rice, the egg and the rest of ingredients with the sauce. All the ingredients in this dish just complemented each other nicely.

The Bamee Hang … omg delicious as well. The Pork Belly and Shrimp were cooked beautifully (we love pork belly in this family). The Noodles were perfectly prepared. I also enjoyed the Bokchoi :).

Overall, it was a great place to try! Definitely recommend SLA! The menu is small and refined. A place to chill and relax with spectacular food. Staff was attentive and service was spot on. Do not forget, this is a BYOB. Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-Chomping Chica-

The Barrow House

Post author By chompingchica
Post date July 28, 2021

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience” – James Beard

So this food outing we were celebrating my hubby’s birthday and we decided to go to one of our favorite places, The Barrow House! The Barrow House is a Colonial Era Farmhouse located in Clifton, NJ on the site of a former farm. They serve rustic American Farm Fare, as well as, handcrafted cocktails and a great selection of craft beers. They are currently doing an outdoor dining experience which runs until August 31. The theme of this eating experience is called Camp Barrow.

First off… cocktails! Two of the drinks, Scout’s Honor and the Fireside Punch, were from their Camp Barrow Menu. When I ordered the punch, I was pleasantly surprised by it’s packaging …so fun!! The pouch takes me back to when I use to have Capri Sun as a little kid. The only difference is that this version has alcohol in it and the creative way they labeled this drink, (Camp-Ri Sun instead of Capri -Sun). This drink was very refreshing, with a tropical flair. The other drink from Camp Barrow was the Scout’s Honor. Presentation was so pretty and artsy. The drink itself was very good. It was sweet, citrusy, with hints of a floral undertone.

Appetizers next… the Sausage Samper from the Camp Barrow menu was soooo good! All the sausages in the sampler were juicy and flavorful, but my favorite was the Kielbasa. I was big fan of its smoky taste and couldn’t get enough of it! In addition the dips, the pretzel bread and the pickled cabbage added a nice touch to this dish. I especially enjoyed the creaminess of the beer cheese, which paired nicely with the smokiness of the Kielbasa. The Pretzel bread was soft and warm in the middle. The outside was crispy, with just the right amount of salt.

From the regular menu, we ordered the Cornbread and the Loaded Fries. The Cornbread was sweet and savory. It was moist and not at all dry (some places you go, the bread is so dry it disintegrates in your hand). It was so good, we had to order another one for the table!! The Loaded Fries were amazing!! The fries were crispy and the flavors that accompanied this dish just melded so well. Definitely a party in my mouth!

mac and cheese — Black Truffle Mac & Cheese with Fontina, White Cheddar and Jack Cheese

Pasta — Black Truffle Mac & Cheese with Fontina, White Cheddar and Jack Cheese

Atlantic Salmon with Mango Salsa, Forbidden Rice, Caulilini, and Basil oil

The entrees were also from the regular menu. All dishes were delicious, but my two favorites were the Mac & Cheese and the Shrimp Po’ Boy. For the Po’ boy, the bread itself was soft and warm. The breading on the shrimp was nicely seasoned and held together (some breading just falls apart and it’s just a big mess). The sandwich was very good and had a nice tangy taste.

The truffle mac & cheese….so yummy! It had a good amount of black truffle on top and it was so cheesy and it melted in your mouth! The combination of the truffle and all three cheeses was AMAZING!

So it was a great experience, especially for the birthday boy and for the rest of our party. Whenever we go, it is never a disappointment. If you can, try to visit the Barrow House, especially when they have a themed outdoor dining experience! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next! Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-Chomping Chica-

Strawberry Crisp

Post author By chompingchica
Post date July 19, 2021

So baking this Crisp was very easy and it came out delicious! Very few steps and a crowd pleaser! This particular recipe I got from a website called “I am baker” (link below). I decided to take a crack at it. 🙂

Strawberry — Fresh Strawberries are a must!

So when cutting these gorgeous strawberries, remove the leafy green parts of the berries (hulling the strawberries) and cut them into quarters. After cutting them, make sure you have six cups worth of strawberries. (I bought about 3 packs of strawberries. Initially bought two packs, but it wasn’t enough.)

Mixing ingredients — The dry ingredients and butter

So the next step after cutting the strawberries, is mixing them in a bowl with brown sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and set them aside. Then in a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients which are the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Add in the cubed butter and use your hands to combine. You want the butter to be pea-sized and coated entirely. You should have 6 cups.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13 pan with baking spray or coating with butter. (I used butter, because I felt it might give it a better taste.) Spread 3 cups over the bottom of your prepared pan and press flat. Pour the strawberry mixture over top and press down with rubber spatula. Pour remaining crisp mixture over top of the strawberries and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. I baked for the full 45 mins because I like the top of the crisp to be darker, but if you prefer a less dark, crispy top you can add a foil tent to the crisp after 35 minutes.

So I love to serve it warm, but you can serve it cold. If served warm, add a bit of vanilla ice cream with a touch of whipped cream.

So the finished product was amazing!! The strawberries fused with the brown sugar, cinnamon and oats was just perfect. The one modification I did was instead of putting two cups of brown sugar in the oat/flour mixture, I did 1 1/2 cups. I felt 2 cups would make it too sweet, and the 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar was just right. So overall I loved how it tasted and how simple it was to make. I give this Strawberry Crisp recipe a 9 out of 10. Here is the link to this scrumptious recipe https://iambaker.net/strawberry-crisp/#wprm-recipe-container-95728

Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-ChompingChica-

The Fox & Falcon

Post author By chompingchica
Post date July 17, 2021

Glad we tried this place on a whim!

“I can’t stand people who do not take food seriously.”

-Oscar Wilde

So on a whim, my husband and I decided to try this place recently. It is located in the heart of South Orange, NJ. The Fox & Falcon has a warm and inviting ambiance, which reflects in their food as well. The menu consists of contemporary American cuisine that is elevated into unique and exciting dishes.

MEATBALLS – beef, pork & veal meatballs, sunday sauce, ricotta, sourdough bread
SEASONAL TOAST – fava beans, edamame, chili crisp, lemon ricotta, spicy honey drizzle (vegetarian, contains nuts)

So the appetizers were amazing! Let’s start with meatballs. The meatballs were moist and flavorful. They were seasoned to perfection! The sauce had a perfect amount of spices and the consistency was perfect. It was definitely a “Sunday Sauce.”

The Seasonal Toast was very interesting. I’m usually not a big fan of fava beans, but this dish definitely made me want to eat them! The beans paired nicely with the ever so creamy lemon ricotta, with a hint of spice from the spicy honey drizzle. All ingredients just melded together very nicely.

My husband tried the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. It was very close to Hattie B’s Hot chicken (If you ever go to Nashville it is a must visit !!!)… at least here in the Northeast. The outside was crispy and had a very nice kick. The chicken itself was moist. I HAVE to mention the french fries. They had the right combination of crispiness without being too overdone. The spice on the fries were sensational.

So my dish was the Filipino Fried Chicken. The outside of the chicken had a combination of sweet, savory, and spicy. These flavors worked well together, without one overpowering the other. The chicken itself was succulent and moist. The chicken was paired nicely with their white rice, which was light and fluffy. The pickled green mangoes were a nice touch to the dish.

To finish off our meal, we had a decadent Mixed Berry Pie! I’m always a big fan of having desserts served in a cast iron skillet because it gives it such a homey taste and flair. The pie had a sweet crumbly top with a light, flaky crust. The inside of the pie was not TOO sweet, with the essence of the fresh berries. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top was refreshing and paired nicely with the decadent taste of the pie.

Booze — WATERMELON MARGARITA – tequila blanco, fresh pressed watermelon juice, lime juice, agave syrup, with a salt rim (unless you tell us otherwise)

Now, how could I forget to mention the drinks? Both beverages, were very delicious! My margarita was light and refreshing. The watermelon flavor was perfect and not overpowering. Hubby’s drink ( he is a big whiskey man), was refreshing with a nice minty finish.

So overall, a great place to go! Flavorful, unique food and with a very chill, inviting ambiance. In addition, they have a plethora of entertainment ranging from comedy shows, live music and weekly trivia. I give this restaurant an 8 out of 10. Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-Chomping Chica-

Almond Flour Pancakes

Post author By chompingchica
Post date July 11, 2021

I always wanted to try almond flour pancakes. One day at the store, I came
across the Simple Mills Almond Flour Pancake Mix and decided to give them a
whirl ;).

So preparing and cooking them were not bad. The batter was interesting, it was more crumbly and coarse. When you mixed all the ingredients ( I used almond milk, instead of regular milk. I also used olive oil, instead of the vegetable/coconut oil) it came out smooth,
but with a very thick consistency. When putting them on the griddle, they cooked nicely, but had to make another batch of the batter because they came out smaller in size and quantity. I added some fresh blueberries to pancakes because I love blueberries in my pancakes. 🙂

So the overall taste was not bad. It had a nutty flavor, with a mild sweetness. A bit dry, but that can be fixed if one played around with the recipe, but it also can be due to the lack of
Gluten. (Which does not bother me and it’s healthier for you) But overall not bad, I would cook it again. I give it an 8 out of 10. Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-ChompingChica-

South + Pine in Morristown

Post author By chompingchica
Post date July 10, 2021

South and Pine — Great experience in Morristown from a “Chopped” Chef!

“Love At First Bite” — So my food curiosity led me to this place! Morristown, NJ always has great eatery gems. This particular place is owned by Chef Leia Gaccione, who has been in “Chopped” and has worked with Bobby Flay as a sous chef for three episodes of Iron Chef America. She is also NJ born and raised!!!

So from the start, amazing appetizers! The Jersey Corn Empanadas, so flavorful and creamy. The outside was crispy and savory. The Pork Belly was awesome! The watermelon, fresno chile, and tamarind vin paired nicely with the pork belly. It gave both a nice hot and cooling effect all at once. I definitely wanted some more.

Chicken and Waffles — Fried Chix 2.0
polenta+salumi waffle, calabrian chili honey

Prawns — Fried Chix 2.0
polenta+salumi waffle, calabrian chili honey

So out of all these dishes, the Tile Fish was the best! The fish was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with a creamy corn chowder. Amazing!! Another dish that I wanted to mention, (unfortunately no picture was available due to my husband devouring it!) was the Local Beef Burger with house-smoked cheddar, bacon aioli, and a farm egg. But, he told us it was very juicy and flavorful, with a nice smoky taste.

Strawberry Short Cake — Chocolate Sesame Cake with tahini caramel and vanilla ice cream

The Chocolate Sesame cake was my favorite out of these two desserts. The chocolate was not too sweet, with a hint of salty flavor. The sesame seed definitely complimented the flavor of the cake by enhancing both the sweet and savory. Finishing it all off was the creaminess of the the vanilla ice cream.

Wilde Cock Wine from Willow Creek Winery 🙂

So overall, it was a great place to go. I would definitely go back and try other things on the menu. If you do go, just remember it is a BYOB. I brought one of my favorite brands of white wine… Wilde Cock (stop your laughing) from Willow Creek Winery, located in Cape May, NJ. This particular bottle is called Prestige Silver. I give this restaurant a 7.5 out of 10. Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!

-Chomping Chica-