Catching Up

So. I graduated! It's been a whirlwind of a month, but I finally found some time to sit down and write an update on my many food adventures.

Disclaimer: I wrote an entire, very comprehensive post, but lost it when it didn't save somehow, so sorry this new version will be a bit more sparse.

Philadelphia: Farm & Fisherman BYOB

On a day where almost every restaurant in the greater Philadelphia area is packed with the families and friends of recent college graduates, I opted to celebrate with my family at a smaller, more intimate venue. The Farm and Fisherman is a quaint byo opened by the former chef de cuisine of Blue Hill, the critically acclaimed farm-to-table style restaurant in New York. Everything on the menu was great, but the table favorites were definitely the bloody beet steak and the asparagus. 

Photo credit to the talented Jeremy Tang for these shots from F&F.

Clockwise from top left:
Seafood bouillabaisse
Spring asparagus
Duck confit tagliatelle
Bloody beet steak

Clockwise from top left:
Roasted Chicken
Smoked cod
Seared hanger steak
Halibut

Powdered doughnuts with chocolate and berry preserves
Chocolate hazelnut mousse

NYC: Aldea

Had a spontaneous dinner with friends at Aldea, a one Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant in the Flatiron district. I've only had one experience with Portuguese cuisine, which was fused with Chinese influences at a restaurant in Macau, so I'm not exactly sure how authentic the flavors and dishes on the menu were. The food itself was a bit salty, but the appetizers were very unique and presented beautifully.

Clockwise from the top left:
Sunburst Farms Rainbow Trout, lightly smoked, horseradish, dashi, spring greens, fingerling potato, honeycrisp apple
Sea Urchin Toast, cauliflower puree, mustard seed, shiso, lime
Chocolate pear cake + Gianduja mousse
Creekstone Farms Hanger Steak, charred ramps, rutabaga roasted "en cocotte", spinach, porcini jus

Las Vegas: Joel Robuchon

I had the most amazing opportunity to dine at the three Michelin-rated restaurant Joel Robuchon on a recent trip to Las Vegas for a good friend's birthday. The restaurant itself is located right through "The Mansion" in MGMGrand and situated next to the entrance of Cirque Du Soleil's Ka. Each course from the menu was innovative, decadent, and worthy of all three of its stars.

To Matt: I hope you had an unforgettable birthday! I definitely had an unforgettable time celebrating with you :D

Hand-shaven French butter (is that even a thing?) + endless varieties of bread!

Courses 1-4 (exact names will be updated when I find the menu I saved)

So much dessert :D

Will post photos / stories of Greece soon!