Food Blogger | Taste Bud Diaries

03
Sep
2016

What I Ate in Iceland

When my friend asked if I would be interested in going to Iceland, I said “Why not?” (I read Shonda Rhimes book the Year of Yes, so I’m very open to things this year).

It’s a surprisingly short flight (only 5 hours from JFK airport in New York), it’s clean, modern, they speak English, and there are drop-dead gorgeous landscapes.

As I started my research, I kept reading that Iceland has terrible food. I will admit that I didn’t have any of the dried fish or rotten shark BUT I was able to have some food that was tasty and delicious. I will note that the food in Iceland is expensive. It seemed as if everything costs a minimum of $20. Minimum.

If you ever make your way to Reykjavik Iceland, be sure to check out these dishes and restaurants:

Breakfast/Brunch

Slippbarrin

I stayed at the Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Marina (excellent hotel that I would HIGHLY recommend) and the breakfast and Sunday brunch were excellent. They have a fantastic variety with foods including oatmeal, flatbreads, waffles, bacon, quiche, breakfast pastries, fruit, etc.

The Sunday brunch costs about $30 USD and the breakfasts during the week are about $25. This breakfast/brunch is worth the price. We ended up going there 3 times. So good.

Lamb Soup:

I had some lamb & vegetable soup at Geysir Restaurant during one of the tours I went on to see a Geyser, and it was absolutely delicious. According to my tour guide, sheep live as wild animals in the mountains resulting in excellent quality meat. The soup had a light broth, had a mild in flavor, and great texture. I would highly recommend it if you like lamb. The cost was $20 and included bread and butter along with 1 free soup refill.

Ice Cream at Valdis:

As cool as it was in Reykjavik in August (Mid-50’s), Ice Cream was a popular treat.

A local suggested that we visit Valdis over by the marina, and it did not disappoint. The flavors were incredible. I had a flavor called Bailey’s & Ranill, which tasted like RumChata, and I paired that with a coffee-flavored ice cream. Best combination of all time. They also had an interesting grey-colored licorice flavor, which tasted like a black jelly bean. The shop is a little bit off the beaten path, and there seemed to be mostly locals at this shop. They also give huge portions if you wanted to share with a friend. My two scoops of Ice Cream on a cone cost me about $6 USD.

Seafood at Saegreiffin – The Sea Barron

This place was so good that I forgot to take a picture. There was a line out the door that was about a 30-minute wait. They are known for their lobster soup & they offer a number of grilled fish items on skewers, and you can also get potatoes and vegetable skewers. I had the salmon skewer, and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. After I ordered, they said that it would take another 30 minutes for the food to come out. It was worth the wait – definitely stop by here for some fresh seafood. It was also relatively inexpensive at ~$25 USD for the Salmon skewer and the potato skewer.

Hot Dogs at Bæjarins Beztu

This is a famous hot dog stand in Reykjavik where celebrities frequent, including Bill Clinton and most recently the Kardashians. The hot dog was tasty and had unique toppings including ketchup, a mayo sauce, sweet mustard, and fried crispy onions underneath the hot dog. The crispy onions added nice flavor and crunch – I would definitely get it again. My hot dog cost about $5 USD.

Ramen at Ramen Momo

For a change of pace, we tried a Himalayan-Tibetan restaurant with Ramen noodles. I had the chicken broth and chicken added to my noodles but found it to be bland. Be sure to ask to for it to be spicy, as my friend did and liked hers better. The chicken dumplings were ordered as a side item and those were crunchy & delicious! The space is tiny, so we got the food to-go and ate it at the hotel. The cost for the Ramen and fried dumplings was about $25 USD.

Lava Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon

The food here was good, but ridiculously overpriced. For lunch, I ordered the Cod fish with potatoes along with a beet salad, and tasted my friend’s crème brulee. The cost was about $65 USD.

Skyr Yogurt

The Skyr yogurt in Iceland is delicious, silky, smooth, and packs a lot of protein. In general, be sure to have any dairy products that you can – the texture really is fantastic. Almost luxurious. This yogurt is available everywhere, from hotels to convenience stores – you won’t be able to miss it. I’m going to be looking for this at Whole Foods here in the states.

Fast Food: Domino’s Pizza

I hate to admit it, but I ate Domino’s Pizza in Iceland. (I know. Shameful.) There was a late bus schedule at the Blue Lagoon and we got back to Reykyavik after 10pm. Little did we know that all the restaurants close around 10pm in Iceland. We ordered pizza delivery because we were tired and cold and didn’t feel like walking across town to the one restaurant that was open. Note that a small pizza in Iceland is more like a personal-pan pizza size in the US. Itty bitty. I live in Chicago so I never eat Domino’s but it was actually pretty tasty (or maybe we were just hungry). The cost for a small pizza and wings was about $25 USD.

As a side note, there is no McDonalds or Starbucks in Reykjavík. I was told that there was a McDonalds but it closed down because the prices were too high.

Reykjavik is a charming city and I hope that it can maintain it’s charm with the influx of tourists. I ate very well in Iceland & hopefully with these tips, you will too!

Við skulum borða! (Bon Appetit!)

15
Apr
2015

Working the Red Carpet at Chef Blend Weekend

categories: Events, Taste Bud TV

I had the incredible opportunity to work the red carpet and interview local Chicago chefs and celebrities at Chef Judson Allen’s first annual Chef Blend Weekend in January. The purpose of the event was to eradicate childhood obesity and celebrate locally grown food and restaurants.

This event really was a treat, as local restaurants, bakeries, wine brands, and foodies from all over Chicago came together for an evening full of flavor, music and fun. One highlight of the event was seeing Chef Judson’s team surprise him as they revealed a picture of him on the cover of Cuisine Noir. He had no idea that he was going to be on the cover. I love seeing nice surprises.

I also had a ball interviewing Alderman Bob Fioretti, and cutting the rug with him on the red carpet. Who knew that he could dance? You’ll see a couple of his moves in the video below – at the 2:07 mark. Fun!

Check out the event video footage, and be sure to look out for Chef Judson Allen’s Chef Blend Weekend next year!

01
Sep
2014

“On-the-Run” Foods for Before and After Your Workout

categories: People You Should Know

Markita Staples is a fitness blogger that focuses on quick workouts for people that don’t have a lot of time – that’s my kind of fitness! Fitness and food are intertwined, so we wanted to provide you with some ideas for “On-the-Run” foods for before and after your workout.

Markita and Erica Pic updated — Markita the Fitness Blogger (left), and Erica the Food Blogger (right)

Markita doing one of her 15-minute workouts

BEFORE your workout:

Markita recommends fruits, veggies and healthy fats before your workouts. You want to have a good amount of energy, but you don’t want to take in so many calories that you spend the entire workout burning them. When people think “carbs” they usually think of the traditional things like bread, rice, grains, and flour-based foods. However, fruits and veggies are full of carbs, plus they are nutrient-dense so will give you “higher quality” energy. Healthy fats like nuts or avocado are great because they also give you a lot of energy but burn slower, so they keep you fuller longer. If you are dying for energy and need to eat more traditional carbs, go for slow burning carbs like sweet potatoes and brown rice.

AFTER your Workout

After a tough workout, where you’ve exhausted your muscles through strength training or cardio, your body is craving to be “repaired”. Protein does this best. Basically, your body breaks down its own protein to build muscle and burn fat, then you replace it later. Protein traditionally includes meat and dairy. Markita is a fan of a nice grilled piece of chicken or salmon. However, if you’re not a meat or fish fan, things like quinoa, nut milks (Markita loves almond milk), and protein shakes are awesome options. Remember how we said to eat carbs before your workout if you’re going to eat them? Well, keep that in mind post-workout. Your body soaks up calories like a sponge and unless you plan to do another workout after the workout you just finished, those carb calories are going to sit there and eventually add some unwanted weight to your body. So of course, avoid eating a ton of carbs and go for proteins, veggies, and fluids (I’m sure you’re thirsty!) instead.

Below are my recommendations for “on the run” foods that are great before and after your workout:

BEFORE your workout:

Smoothies from Mariano’s:

Mariano’s has an amazing made-to-order smoothie bar with some great green smoothies using fresh ingredients. I’m a huge fan of drinking my veggies, and the Spinach Green Goodness smoothie is one of my favorites. The best part is the price. A 12 oz. smoothie is only $3.99. I love a great deal. Check out the smoothie menu here: http://www.marianos.com/smoothiemenu

Trail Mix:

Trader Joe’s and Costco have delicious trail mix packets that you can take with you to hold you over from the hungry monster when you are on the run. Throw them in your bag or purse, and you are good to go whenever hunger strikes!

Farmer’s Fridge:

Farmer’s Fridge is a vending machine (yes, a vending machine) that serves delicious, handcrafted salads with gourmet ingredients. The salads are prepared in a kitchen at 5 am and delivered to the machines around 10 am. There are a few of these machines located in the city, and they aren’t your typical vending machines- they are smart machines with touch screens and they are quite impressive. I tried the machine at 201 N. Clark, and my salad was delicious – it truly tasted homemade, and the dressing was amazing. The best part is that the salads come in beautiful plastic jars that can be saved for another use, or recycled right at the vending machine.

Farmers Fridge Salad Pic — Delicious salad from Farmer’s Fridge!

AFTER Your Workout:

Roti:

One of Markita’s favorites is Mediterranean food after a workout, and Roti is one of her go-to’s to get the protein she needs. The kabobs are great, as the meat is seasoned very well, and they also have other options like The Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
Epic Burger:

Another great way to replenish your protein is to grab a burger or chicken sandwich without the bun. Epic Burger has a few locations in Chicago, and they focus on a “more mindful burger,” providing quality natural and organic meats.

Costco Rotisserie Chicken:

If you are a Costco member, the Rotisserie Chicken is the best deal in town. It’s only $5 – you can’t even get a whole raw chicken for $5, much less a cooked one. If you live near a Costco, go directly to the Rotisserie Chicken section and pick up your chicken, and head directly to the cash register. Do not look anywhere else in the store, or else you will end up spending +$100. You must stay focused when you go to Costco. (Same goes for Target). If you don’t live near a Costco, other grocery stores also carry Rotisserie Chicken, which is a great item for when you are on the run, especially since it will last you a few days.

Hopefully this post provided some good ideas on quick ways to fuel your workout. In the meantime, check out Markita’s website www.sweshfit.com for inspiration on quick 15-minute workout ideas!

09
Jun
2014

Lunch in the Loop Just Got More Exciting with Rustle + Roux!

categories: Restaurants

The face of lunch in the loop is now much more exciting with the opening of Rustle + Roux Cafe, located in the Franklin building at 227 West Monroe Building on the 2^nd Floor Mezzanine.

This upscale, quick dining experience features Italian fare from Mercato by Fabio Viviani, and Mexican flavors from Mercadito Taqueria. (Yes, the same Mercadito from River North is now available in a smaller, lunch version!)

Chef Fabio Viviani will be onsite at the grand opening on Monday, June 9^th from 11am-1pm for cooking demos, giveaways and more.

Rustle + Roux will offer seven food stations:

– Mercato – Napoli-style pizzas, fresh salads and a variety of gnocchi and pasta made from scratch

– Mercadito Taqueria – delicious salads, tacos, and traditional side dishes

– Grill’d – freshly made sandwiches

– So Deli – a sandwich station complete with a carvery

– Create – a station of daily made to order items

– A salad bar – fresh, seasonal ingredients

– illy coffee bar

As a food blogger, I was invited to visit Rustle + Roux to check out the place and taste some of the food. I had the opportunity to try the Baja Mahi fish tacos, fried plantains, and guacamole and chips from the Mercadito Taquiera, and they were all delicious. The tacos tasted just like they do at the original Mercadito location (which happens to be one of my favorite restaurants), and I was especially excited about the fried plantains, which comes with a fantastic lime sauce and is not something that is offered very often on lunch menus.

The Mercato station is a mini version of the ever-popular Sienna Tavern restaurant with the homemade gnocchi and pizza options. I tried the Basil and Parmesan pesto gnocchi from the Mercato station, which were soft, fluffy and delicious, with full of flavor, along with the slow braised Bolognaise, which was just perfect.

Delicious Mahi taco at Mercadito Taqueria

Each station will have a specialty menu, in addition to new daily and weekly options featuring fresh ingredients and scratch-made entrees that are sourced locally whenever possible.

The café will serve breakfast and lunch weekdays from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., with illy coffee and to-go menu items offered until 3 p.m.

Rustle+Roux will also offer catering, so for those of you that have the option to select lunch meeting food, this would be a great option for catering. Wouldn’t it be great to have tacos from Mercadito Taquiera for your office lunch meeting?

The cafe also offers free WiFi, which is a great touch for those that need to multitask during lunch.

Lunch in the loop has definitely taken a step in the right direction. Break out of the monotony and check it out – I will admit that it’s a little tricky to find at first (go up the escalators after entering the lobby to the second floor, and follow the signs), but once you go just once, it’s easy to get to. More information can be found at the Rustle+Roux website www.rustleandroux.com. See you there!

Basil & Parmesan Pesto Gnocchi from Mercato

22
Jan
2014

What’s Good? Punch House and Trader Joe’s Brown Rice

categories: Restaurants, Taste Bud TV

What’s Good, everyone?
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve done “What’s Good?”, but I’m back!
This week’s episode of “What’s Good?” features The Punch House in Pilsen, and Trader Joe’s brown rice.

The Punch House offers a unique bar/lounge concept in the increasingly popular Pilsen neighborhood. The Punch House is located in the basement of a restaurant called Dusek’s (which is also very good and just started brunch service), and it’s set up to be like your grandfather’s old basement back in the 60’s, with the wood paneling and everything. The retro vibe is different and refreshing. They have a large and beautiful aquarium right behind the bar, and at midnight, they stop everything to feed the fishies. It’s an entire event, and it’s quite entertaining. If you are sitting at the bar during this festive occasion, then you get a free shot.

There are several varieties of punch to choose from, and many of them are on-tap. Whether you like dark liquor or light, there is something for everyone. You can also order a punch bowl if you are seated at one of the tables. They have a punch that tastes like lemonade, and I tasted the punch of a friend of mine, which had more of a dark-liquor profile. Definitely ask the bartender about which would be the best according to your taste. They usually have a DJ with great music, and I enjoyed the crowd – down to earth, casual, unpretentious, cool people. They also have a secret room, which they use for private events. It is literally a regular-looking wall that turns around into another room, like you see on the movies. Just one more thing that makes me like this place.
I would highly recommend the Punch House for something to do, especially on a cold, wintery Chicago evening.

Also on “What’s Good?” is the Trader Joe’s Brown Rice. If you like brown rice, you know that it takes FOREVER to cook. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” This microwaveable brown rice is a very convenient shortcut, if you are trying to get a healthy meal on the table in a short amount of time, like after work during the week. The packets inside only take 3 minutes to microwave for perfectly cooked brown rice. You can’t beat that with a baseball bat!

Below is the link to the video. Enjoy!

11
Sep
2013

New Weekly Web Series “What’s Good Wednesdays”

categories: Taste Bud TV

Hi Everyone!

Today I am announcing the launch of my new weekly web series called “What’s Good?” where I will talk about my favorite foods from restaurants, grocery stores and the like. I’ll be posting the episode on Wednesdays.

In this episode, I’m featuring the following:

The Hummus at Bin 36 – I had the hummus at Bin 36 and was floored at how fresh and delicious it tasted. It tasted better than many Mediterranean restaurants that I have tried. I was at a party and had to force myself to stop eating it because I literally had plates of it (small plates, but plates). If I had a picnic or event, I would order the hummus specifically and take it to-go. It was served with pita bread, and I loved it. Very unexpected find at a wine-focused restaurant.

Good Vines Wine – I had the pleasure of trying Good Vines Wine at this same event, and was delighted to learn that they give 5% of their proceeds back to a charity (in this case it’s Common Threads, which is my favorite charity), and they also have a lovely Marzemino sparkling red wine. I said Sparkling. Red. Wine. Who knew? It’s very well-balanced (with hints of berries and violets) and not too sweet, so it can pair with a variety of foods. The wine has half the carbonation of Champagne, and it’s quite refreshing. Definitely the kind of wine that I would take to a dinner party or an outdoor picnic. (Can you tell that I like picnics?). The wine is currently sold in the Chicago area at Mariano’s grocery stores, so be sure to pick up a bottle the next time you go shopping. They also have a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Tai-Pinot Grigio as well. Check out their website at www.goodvineswine.com

Trader Joe’s Macaroni and Cheese – If you don’t have time to cook and you have a craving for some serious Mac & Cheese, Trader Joe’s has a frozen, gourmet Mac and Cheese that you won’t believe came from a frozen box at the grocery store. It’s very creamy and has 4 cheeses. They also have a light version, but I was told to go for the regular version for the best flavor. This item is great for those days where you just don’t feel like cooking a side item, but you want to eat something delicious. Try a box and let me know what you think.

That’s “What’s Good” for this week!

If you have any suggestions on foods that I should feature on “What’s Good Wednesdays”, leave me a comment or email me at erica@tastebudenterprises.com. If I decide to feature your suggestion, I’ll give you a shout-out in the video!

See you next Wednesday!

Tag: food blogger