In a New York minute...

New York City has more than 20,000 restaurants to choose from. (This information came from the highly respected wikianswers.com) So upon Dish Gal's return from the Big Apple, I'm sure you're excited to hear about where we ate. The Spotted Pig, perhaps? Daniel? Tavern on the Green?

Ummmm, this trip, not so much... Dish Gal ate at the following restaurants during her travels:

Wendy's ($1.26 for a Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe...nice.)
Dunkin' Donuts (an eggwhite flatbread- I never have those!)
Subway (turkey 6-inch sub with lots of pickles)
Whole Foods (my near-daily lunch stop, a friend at worked pointed out that I can never escape this place!)

The Whole Foods we stopped at was in Union Square. It was crazy! The Disney World-esque check-out area had multiple lines and a color-coded system to keep the mobs organized. I made a scrumptious (yet definitely random) salad though at their stellar salad bar, filled with mango & jicama slaw, mint & orange quinoa salad, Thai beef salad, chili-pepper tofu, and a vegan dumpling on top of mixed greens with tomatoes and green peas.

The one non-chain place we visited was a brunch place called Vertigo in Midtown. I was too hungover and sleep-deprived to really even take more than a few bites. So I can't really comment on the huevos rancheros I sampled...But I can say their bloody mary was so hot, it was as if they had dumped a whole bottle of tabasco in it.

We spent most of our energy, time, and money at nightlife spots rather than restaurants (very un-Dish Gal, but extremely fun this particular weekend). On Friday night, we visited La Caverna, an underground bar on the Lower East Side modeled after Roman caves that played fun throwback tunes. Definitely click on that link, because it has great photos of the place.

Later on, we stumbled over to Tenjune, a celebrity hotspot that we manage to never see celebs at... But it was fun nonetheless.

Saturday night was spent at two house parties, both very different. One was at an apartment with a ridiculous view of the Empire State building, the other at a Soho loft that featured Jacques' band (which was fantastic by the way. I am trying to get them to play in Boston, and will definitely share info with readers if that happens).

OH! I just remembered that we did in fact eat at another non-chain restaurant: L'Express. Open 24 hours, this place is like a less-fancy Gaslight, or an uber-fancy diner. I was starved by the time we rolled in at 3 a.m. I thoroughly enjoyed a croque monsieur. Jamie opted for a prosciutto-mozzarella panini (not very French? but who's gonna argue at 3 a.m.!?), and Skylar enjoyed some French onion soup.

All in all, it was a great weekend, though I certainly am EXHAUSTED today! =)

This weekend

Something about this weekend seemed a little different to Dish Gal. Was it that lots of people were visiting from out of town for the BC vs. Notre Dame game? Hmm, no..I don't think that's it. Was it that it was warm enough to open our windows in our apartment last night, despite the fact that it's well into November? Hmm, don't think it was that either...

And then it hit me. Dish Gal didn't try any new food/restaurants this weekend, and thus have nothing really to report on! Eeek. What is wrong with me!? ;) However, now that I think of it, there is some food-related, Dish This worthy mentionables from this weekend...

Saturday for brunch, Z and I meandered over to Tremont 647. Shockingly there was no wait (there even were empty tables) which was nice. However, what was not nice was the fact that they were BLASTING music which, while I'm sure is fun for the waiters, is not so fun for hungover patrons...We ordered some bloody mary's that were LOADED with black pepper. It was as if someone intended to put a dash in, and the top fell off the shaker so the entire contents poured into the drink. It was grainy, chewy, and a disappointment.

Z suggested we start with the homemade pop tart, which sounded like a silly novelty dish to me, but ended up being SUPERB and decadent (should be a dessert, not an appetizer!). The homemade filling of the day was pumpkin. Here's a terrible cell phone photo of it:

Saturday night I was tailgating at Boston College for the aforementioned football game. I wish I could say it was tons of fun, but Dish Gal was soaking wet (poor choices in rain gear!) and still struggling from Friday night. "Dinner" that night consisted of some of Skylar's guacamole (which I enjoyed thoroughly until she told me she mashed it up with her hands "that she had rinsed with water but no soap"-- haha nice image, Skylar...) and a cold hot dog. And of course, plenty of Coors Light. Blech. (EDITOR'S NOTE: The blech here is to the Coors Light, not to the food at the tailgate; sadly while drinking said beer I forgot to partake in the goodies before it was time to wrap it all up to head into the game! Thus, the cold hot dog and no comments on any other food is simply an example of Dish Gal's ineptness this night.)

Skylar's foodie boyfriend, let's call him Jacques (as in Pepin), showed up just minutes too late and was denied access to Shea Field- which was too bad as he showed up with a tupperware filled with sweet potato latkes! HA only Jacques would bring latkes to a tailgate. God love him.

A few hours later, bored out of my mind at the Joshua Tree in Allston, I mindlessly nibbled on some buffalo wings and the worst pizza I've ever tasted in my life. I mean, Celeste pizza puts this pizza to shame. It was like thin cardboard topped with tomato paste and microwaved cheese.

After the loooong and brutal night that was Saturday (silver lining: BC victory!) when Sunday morning rolled around I vowed to not leave my amazing neighborhood's borders (much appreciated after spending the night in Allston). Sebastian, Jamie, and I proudly donned our sweatpants and sweatshirts and took a leisurely stroll over to new-favorite North Street Grille.

We had the same waiter as before, whom I'm growing to love despite his gruff demeanor and his dislike for water (I mean seriously, everyone in that place is under 25 and probably hungover. What's the deal with the lack of H20!?). This time, Sebastian and I were jonesing for burgers, so we both opted for the North Street burger. We were told by said waiter that this burger takes 30-45 minutes.

Come again!???

Are they slaughtering the cow before cooking the burger? So confused. Despite our starvation, we stuck with our order. Jamie went with the french toast stuffed with raspberry and cream cheese. I stole many bites of this-- was sooo yummy. When the burgers finally arrived (probably like 25 minutes later), I was impressed by the yummy toasted and buttered bun, while the burger itself I would've enjoyed with a sharper cheddar or maybe more seasoned meat. Still, it was massive and hit the spot.

Didn't take any photos of the food, but here's a closing photo of the sugar pile we went through as we guzzled down multiple cups of coffee while waiting for the burgers:

All in all, let's sum up what we've learned, shall we?

1. I can't stand the Joshua Tree in Allston.
2. I love the North End (and when Jamie visits!)

Is is the weekend yet?

Dish Gal's picks for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: Sure, the sun is out today, but we aren't fooled: It is cold. Very cold. If you are looking to turn up the heat without paying even more for utilities, head over to the Grand Florida Festival at Magnolia's in Cambridge tonight for some spicy Southern cuisine. Find out more from bostonmagazine.com .

Thursday: Time is running out for the chance to try OM's $33/person three-course dinner celebrating OM's anniversary. This deal is offered only Sunday- Thursday. I have yet to try OM (it is top on my list of "to try" restaurants), but I've heard great things.

Friday: TGIF! While Dish Gal will be heading south for the weekend (don't get jealous yet; I'm greyhound bussing it down to NYC), Boston will have plenty of culinary options while I'm gone. If free Alsace-style pizza at Brasserie Joe doesn't tempt you, why not check out a local, non-chain restaurant in your 'hood? The Phoenix and MC Slim JB provide you a guide.

Saturday: Okay, so your New Years resolution of laying off the sweets may need to go on a short hiatus for this: every Saturday through April 12, Old Town Trolley is running a Boston Chocolate Tour! Making stops at the Omni Parker House (probably for its Boston Cream Pie that it supposedly invented?), The Chocolate Bar at Cafe Fleuri (self-explanatory), and Top of the Hub (huh? I guess it's for the views), this tour will cost you $75, but is a nice alternative to sitting on the couch watching American's Next Top Model with leftover Lindt Truffles from Christmas . (via Boston Chefs)

Sunday: Boston restaurants certainly are making the push for this Sunday supper thing: Sel de la Terre, The Met Club, KO Prime, and Rialto (to name a few) all offer Sunday specials. My parents just visited Rocca and raved about it, so I'll officially recommend theirs: this weekly changing 2 course menu is just $22 per person!

Hope you have a delicious weekend!