Falafel and Dogs

If the title of that post doesn't lure you in with smiles on your faces, then I hate to break this to you but you might not be my target audience ;-) I kid, I kid. But really, what more could you want?

Last week I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take the train up to NYC with some friends to catch Next to Normal. It's an excellent cast preforming a Pulitzer award winning play. Again, what more could you want? Throw in some falafel and I was in Heaven! We got to the City kind of late and didn't have long until our show started. One of the friends that I was with, Andrew, said he had a good idea for dinner since we were pressed for time. He knew of this vegetarian take out place with a "funky salad bar". Since he knew I was all about that stuff, he suggested we drop in and grab some take out.

He ended up taking me to Maoz which was right on the way to Times Square from Penn Station. It would not have been more convenient...or good! I've been in a bit of a falafel depression since we got back from our amazing experience in Paris. I hate to sound like one of those people but the bar was set so darn high that I was having a difficult time finding a decent falafel that satisfied the itch back home. I've been to several places in Princeton and nothing has really done it for me (otherwise I would have written about it!). I have a fever and the cure is Maoz.

Back in the early 90's, Maoz opened in the Netherlands. Their mission is a quick, quality meal and they definitely deliver. About eight years ago, the first U.S. location opened in Philadelphia. There are five in New York City and, as I was glad to know, we also have one in New Brunswick. I'd heard about it before from a friend and we even passed it back earlier this year when Chris took me to see Porgy and Bess. The colors and set up are fresh and eye catching so it was hard to miss. When Andrew suggested it, I was excited to finally have the chance to check it out.

They have several different combo options that range from a full on falafel sammich with fries and juice to a salad or just some of their Belgian fries and a juice. You have your choice of fresh iced tea, lemonade or some incredible orange juice that is pressed to order. You have to pay a dollar more for it but trust me, it's totally worth it. You can also upgrade to sweet potato fries. Both fry options are great but if you like your sweet potatoes, these are killer.

Another shining star at Maoz is their salad bar. If you buy a falafel sandwich, you can hit the salad bar and load up with toppings. They have incredible options such a red cabbage, fresh sauces, seasoned couscous and, my favorite, pickled baby eggplants.

I couldn't stop thinking these little guys! I am sure Chris was sick of hearing me rant and rave about Maoz so when I suggested it on Sunday, he agreed to make a detour to New Brunswick on our way out to Silver Forge Farm. I was thrilled! It was everything I remembered it to be and I was glad to see that he enjoyed it as well. For the both of us to get our sandwiches, orange juice upgrades and fries of our choice cost us a little less than $20. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious. I'll tell you what, this particular stretch of George Street in downtown New Brunswick is a force to be reckoned with! Makedas, Chipotle, Maoz and a bunch of other great places are all within a few blocks of eachother. TKO!

We had to hurry over to Manalapan afterwards. We agreed to farm sit for our friends Shannon and Eliezer so we got here ASAP yesterday evening to dispense some dinner to the masses. We had a long list of animals waiting to be fed so we went down the line and tossed some hay to the sheep, feed to the chickens, scraps for the pig and such.... More on that as the week unfolds.

My dog Chowder and his girlfriend Ripley.

Our main charge while we are here is Ripley. Silver Forge lost an important member of the family earlier this month when their golden retriever, Harrison, died of cancer. He went peacefully in his sleep and he's definitely missed around here. Ripley, their St. Bernard, has been especially sad so they were worried about her emotional state if they left her alone while they went on their family trip to Cape Cod. We were excited to step up to the plate when they asked us to spend the next few days here at their farm with her. She has a bad leg so it wouldn't have been possible for her to come to our place and have to go up and down the stairs a lot. Plus, our place is a bit small for such a big girl! Chowder has been keeping after her and making sure she isn't too lonely. As the time has passed, she's grown more accustomed to having us here with her which has been nice. The two of them go in the back yard while we feed the rest of the Silver Forge crew.

They're already close but they were both a bit shaken up at first. Ripley with her family leaving and Chowder with being away from home for the next few days. Today, they've both been better. They seem to be reasonably considerate of one another which has been nice to see. It's definitely been an adjustment not having Harrison around. His dog buddies miss him. Chris and I do as well.

Rest in peace, Harri.

Maoz Vegetarian

385 George Street

New Brunswick, NJ

08901

Times Square

558 7th Ave

at 40th St

New York City

248 South Street

or

1115 Walnut St

Philadelphia, PA

It's Been a Long Time

Too long actually. I know it's been two and a half months since I've updated but it has also been over six since I've had the opportunity to eat ETHIOPIAN FOOD!!!!

I can rarely convince Chris to make the trek to Makeda in New Brunswick . Even I don't care to go for dinner because it's a bit pricy. That being said, it's still a great spot to take a date because it's dead sexy. Sometimes, however, I don't need sexy. I need functional and delicious. We had some friends who came to visit us from my hometown (Huntsville, AL) and they made it a point to mention how much they'd like to try Ethiopian cuisine. We don't have a lot as far as ethnic food goes in Alabama...especially if you're looking for an authentic experience. We have some Asian food (a great Korean place and good Thai as well) but as far as Africa goes? Fughettaboutet!

Washington D.C. has the highest concentration of Ethiopian immigrants in the country so the food is abundant. It's actually close to the top of my list of things I want to do if I ever get the chance to go to D.C. I've only driven through on the way to and from New Jersey. Luckily for me, Philadelphia also has a reasonable selection of places where they throw down with the wats! I'd never been to any of them but I know someone who lives in Philly and has is often out and about so I asked her where to go for the best. She recommended Almaz Cafe. She said the ambiance was humble but the food was top notch.

It doesn't really stick out so you do need to actively search for it. It's a small restaurant without much seating but we got there right around 5 in the afternoon so we had our pick of the few tables they have.

They have the atmosphere of a coffee shop and the offerings to back it up. They also serve breakfast and lunch of the Americanesque persuasion. My daughter ordered the berry salad and they delivered a shimmering bowl of fruit and toasted pecans on top of a bed of lettuce with a side of balsamic dressing. We all stared at her with envy for a few seconds but quickly reminded ourselves that our moment would come. Almaz didn't let us down.

This is the vegetarian sampler. All four of us ordered the same thing. The same smiling faces also brought us a huge plate that was piled high with injera. We quickly depleted it and it was immediately replenished.

For $10.95, you get to try out all four of their veggie based wats. Each one is a unique experience. We enjoyed them all but I think the across the board favorite was the tikil gomen which is the one in the separate dish. I'll probably get an entire meal of it next time. Even now, the thought of it makes me shake my head with wonder at how something that seems so simple can shock the senses with layers of flavorful pleasure.

The service was friendly and the food was full of comfort. To top it off, the prices are very reasonable which makes it a triple threat in the streets of Philly. You can top off your meal by venturing up to Artery and Salvage which is an awesome shop full of handmade arts and crafts from the locals. You can get yerself a souvenir that will beat the heck out of a bear that looks like Benjamin Franklin or a plastic Liberty Bell. I have no doubt that my return to Almaz will bring about thoughts that are similar to what is going through my head right now: It's good to be back.

Almaz Cafe

140 S 20th Street

20th and Walnut

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-557-0108

Artery and Salvage

108 S 20th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-360-5548

Feels Like The First Time

Chris and I have a new favorite meal and it comes to us courtesy of my friend Shannon. I know what you're thinking S, it's not the sprouts with ghee but we do love those too!

Like anything else on this blog, this meal has a backstory.....

The very first time I ever had bok choy was after I moved up north. It's not a common sight in Alabama. We were living right outside of Philly and every once in a while we'd go into the city and shop at this amazing grocery store called Essene. Parking on South Street can be nearly impossible and we wouldn't have even bothered if this place wasn't so awesome. It came highly recommended by our friend John. He does these cleansing fasts a few times a year and when he prepares to break it, his first meal is usually this total hippie soup. It's chock full of nutrients and quality ingredients and he buys it all from Essene. He informed us that if you go a while without eating, the first meal that you ingest is going to be deeply absorbed into your system so it better be top notch.

Chris and I never got around to fasting but we did decide to go check this place out for ourselves. We did some shopping and decided to sit down and enjoy a meal from their entirely vegetarian and mostly organic food bar. I thought the bok choy cabbage looked great so I put some on my plate. I don't remember anything else I had but I remember how much I loved those greens. The texture was a cross between crunchy celery (but more mild tasting) and a flat leaf kale. It was very simply seasoned but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I didn't have nearly as much experience with that sort of thing as I do now. I think it's funny that our Turkish friends avoid bok choy because bok is their word for shit. Pardon my French. Or should I say Turkish?

Fast forward through several years of cooking up bok choy in several different and pleasing ways but never really forgetting the greens from Essene. I know, it's a bit ridiculous the way certain things stick with me. A few months ago, my friend Shannon gave me an old grill pan that she was going to Freecycle. I'd been wanting to get my hands on one so I was excited! Our condo doesn't allow grills. Some people have them anyways but we have a nosy neighbor who has the association on speed dial and would probably rat us out!

While we were snowed in last week, we had company. Our friend Vahe is a complete health nut so while we were getting ready to play some Settlers of Catan, I looked into the fridge to see what I could cook up. My bok choy was looking sad so I figured I'd use it or lose it. We were at Whole Foods the day before and I saw some heads cut in half and grilled with a glaze. It looked great so I decided to try something similar with my pan. I cut them up and mixed some tamari, sesame oil and some ginger juice together to brush onto the mix. I cut up a brick of tofu and threw on some shitake mushrooms that also were looking a bit dejected....

Look at those lovely grill marks!!!

This really turned out to be quite tasty! It's definitely the closest I've ever had to the Essene bok choy. I think the slight char is what did it. It made everyone happy and gave me the fuel I needed to lay the smack down in Catan. I made it again for dinner tonight and the family scarfed it up. The best part? The entire meal is very low in calories and quite high in fiber and nutrients so it's very diet friendly. Between the watermelon I had for lunch and the grilled dinner, it almost feels like summer despite the fact there is a foot of snow on the ground!

If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend treating yourself to a meal from Essene. There's never a lack of inspiration for future meals you can cook at home. Bonus: There is a cool tea shop across the street!

Essene Market & Cafe

719 South 4th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147

215-922-1146