$3 Margaritas At Blockheads 12/31/2009
  photos courtesty gina.h @ flickr Yup, you read it right. $3 margaritas are what Blockheads, a Mexican franchise throughout Manhattan, serves up all day, every day. You'll love their kitschy style (read: strange monkey sock puppets everywhere) and their veg-friendly menu. Not to mention, the food is cheap and tasty. I always order the Sauteed Spinach Burrito, stuffed with black beans, Spanish rice, and Monterey Jack cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and served with salsa and sour cream on the side. And for all you vegans out there, Blockheads will gladly substitute soy cheese and tofu sour cream for the usual dairy products. They also have brown rice and whole wheat tortillas if you really wanna get healthy. I frequent my neighborhood Blockheads (50th between 8th & 9th) with my girlfriends and go here for a fun date night. It’s always obnoxiously loud and filled with residential 20-somethings, but that’s part of the appeal. The food is your average mainstream Americanized Mexican, but perfectly suitable for a fun night out with friends. As for the frozen margaritas, they’re saccharine-sweet, and strong with bottom-shelf tequila. But they’re $3! So drink up and celebrate the New Year the savvy way. Have a safe and tasty 2010 from The Savvy Soybean! 1 Comment  photo courtesy robjtak @ flickr UPDATE: Supermac closed up shop in January 2010. The spot is now taken over by a Kosher vegan restaurant, Loving Hut. Rest in peace, Supermac. Your bubbly, cheesy goodness will be missed.
Next to a hug from your mom, there’s nothing more comforting than mac & cheese. There’s just something about hot, gooey cheddar melted throughout bits of buttery pasta that can cure any and all sadness in the world… and here to capitalize on this is Supermac: “Creative Mac & Cheese.” Located in the heart of the fashion district on 7th between 29th & 30th, Supermac is the premier place for all your cheesy needs. They’ve thought of everything from Wild Mushroom Mac (Cremini, Shitake and White Truffle oil with Parmigiano Reggiano) to Mykonos Mac (spinach, Kalamata olives and red onions with goat cheese). But not to worry, the Traditional Mac with American and cheddar cheese is the first on their menu. Vegetarians will love the 7 veg-friendly options to choose from, and people who feign healthfulness (…in a mac & cheese shop) will appreciate their whole wheat pasta option...  Wanna impress the pants off your vegetarian and meat-eating friends alike? This recipe is a sure winner- and it's perfect for a dinner party or family get-together. I was floored when I tasted the complexity of flavors and how they melded together so nicely. Plus, it’s super healthy- and you got the rice n’ beans in there for complete protein. The only ingredients I ran out to buy were the fresh cilantro, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. The rest were in the pantry! Though the prep time (chopping, peeling and such) is longer than some of my other recipes, the result is a hearty, fragrant main dish...
Antique Café Is Adorable 12/28/2009
 UPDATE 12/20/10: Unfortunately, the FIT branch of Antique Café hasn't been open all semester! I’ve never had a bad cup of coffee at Antique Café, located right on the FIT campus at 27th between 7th and 8th aves. It’s my go-to coffee shop before those brutal AM classes and a perfect detour while strolling around Chelsea. Though Antique café has a larger, more sleek shop on 26th and 6th, I personally love the cozy, familiar feeling that the 27th street shop exudes. The narrow café reminds me of an old house- perhaps someone’s den- with mismatched upholstered furniture, dark wood and quirky decorations throughout. Antique café is packed with both students and local residents during the semester, so the place is prone to long lines- but it’s worth it. They have a zillion delicious well-priced baked goods and their homemade croissants are perfection. I’ve relaxed there plenty of times on a comfy chair with my laptop (free WiFi) and found it to be a far better study environment than the school library. And although the café does serve lunch and dinner entrees, I’d steer clear- only because that’s where things start getting pricy. But if you’re in the neighborhood and need a yummy pick-me-up, the 27th street Antique Café is the place to go.  photo by midtownlunch @ flickr Though I’ve never set foot in Minar (apparently on 31st btwn 5th & bway), I deem it the cheapest, tastiest, most satisfying Indian restaurant in midtown. How is this possible? A New Yorker’s favorite activity: ordering in. There’s nothing more thrilling than the shrill ringing of the buzzer and the hand-delivery of food to my doorstep. That being said, dining out is a wonderful experience in the city and shouldn’t be missed for those spending a few nights. But for regular New Yorkers dealing with these disgusting weather conditions day in and day out, a domestic meal isn’t such a bad idea.
My quest for quick, reliable Indian delivery commenced in early 2008. I began with Bombay Garden- a bland, tasteless excuse for authentic Indian cuisine. I pressed on to Swagat. They had their good days and had their overly spiced, sluggishly slow delivery days- but consistently good naan. I was troubled. Should I keep with the gamble that is Swagat delivery or should I venture out into new Indian culinary domain? I chose the latter… and so glad I did. Minar has been my go-to Indian delivery for the past two years. Incredibly cheap and always flavorful, Minar delivery is a lazy vegetarian’s dream... Christmas Hangover? Amy's Bread. 12/26/2009
 photos: amysbread.com & cherrypatter.com. After hitting the Eggnog a bit too hard last night, you’re probably in need of some good ol’ carbohydrates to soak up that excess rum and get on with your day. Enter: Amy’s Bread. Founded in 1992 in a brightly painted shop in Hell’s Kitchen (9th between 46th & 47th), Amy’s Bread bakes up outstandingly tasty breads and pastries at terrifically affordable prices. And with locations in Chelsea Market and the West Village, nearly everyone can snatch up some hearty Potato Onion Dill bread or perfectly tangy Sourdough.
But don’t just come for the Challah (theirs makes a mean French Toast, by the way)- Amy’s Bread prepares everything from Orange Butter Cookies to gooey Cinnamon Raisin Twists. And such variety! The chefs seem to do no wrong as they concoct what they please each day… If You Forgot To Bake Cookies For Santa... 12/25/2009
 photo courtesy grwflwrs Here’s another 5-ingredient wonder! Found at allrecipes.com, this recipe for jam-filled butter cookies is super quick, easy, and even fun. Make these with your kids or throw ‘em together before company arrives for Christmas dinner. You most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry, so here’s a way to put them to good use...
El Centro: Kitschy Mexican Gem! 12/24/2009
 photo by shanna ravindra El Centro is the place to go for authentic Mexican cuisine without putting a hole in your wallet. Located on the corner of 54th and 9th in Hell’s Kitchen, it’s a super fun place to take a date, a friend, or even your kids. You’ll love the kitschy, brightly colored get-up and accommodating staff- and you’ll squeal with excitement when you realize the grilled vegetable taco with red rice & salsa roja is only 5 bucks! The food itself tastes extremely fresh. Unlike the usual senseless slathering of cheese and sauce in other Mexican establishments, El Centro carefully balances flavors and spices to achieve a taste all its own. Though prices range from $5-16, I found that the less expensive choices easily fill up a mildly hungry individual. I’ve dined here on a number of occasions and was particularly impressed by the Mexican corn on the cob ($3, covered in melted queso blanco, paprika and cilantro) and the aforementioned veggie taco. Not the usual pepper and onion parade, the vegetable filling ranged from sweet yellow squash to grilled zucchini. I especially appreciated the conservative cheese sprinkling- it allowed the vegetables to maintain their crispness and flavor without the palate becoming overwhelmed by a single component. Very, very tasty. If you’re in the area and thinking Mexican, El Centro is a solid option. SAVVY SPLURGE: Best. Cupcake. Ever. 12/23/2009
 photos courtesy thewanderingeater @ flickr Every once in a while, a savvy girl’s gotta step back and take note of her accomplishments. She must commend herself on rocking a good semester or impressing the pants off of her colleagues during that big meeting. Sticking to a budget is important, but every once in a while it’s totally ok to blow it off for something awesome. Yes, kids, I’m talking about the sinfully sweet “s” word: splurging… also known as the $4 chocolate soufflé cupcake at Kyotofu.
“4 bucks for a cupcake?! Isn’t that… a lot?” you might say. Yes. Yes, it is a lot. It’s also the best damn cupcake you’ll ever eat...  Photo: foodnetwork.com (I miss my camera.) When the weather outside is frightful, it’s always delightful to stay in and cook up your own good eats. Whether it’s a quick lunch or full-out feast, cooking is a great way to wind down and get something yummy out of the process. But cooking that’s easy and doesn’t take all day? I’m there. A city girl has places to go and people to see! So when I stumbled upon Giada De Laurentiis’ 5-ingredient Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, I couldn’t resist.
The recipe itself only calls for 5 simple, inexpensive ingredients- most of which you already have around the house. And the savviest part? It takes literally 10 minutes to throw together. The recipe can be found on Giada’s Food Network page, but here’s my own variation on the dish... |
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