Cienfuegos

Here are some of my favorite photos that I shot for TastingTable during their Born to Rum event at Cienfuegos. Check out the rest of the set here!

Artisan Filet Mignon Tasting

A few months back, I discovered the The Oliver Ranch Company's Artisan Steak Tasters Pack through a Twitter convo with CEO & Founder Carrie Oliver. The idea is basically like a wine tasting, but with steaks. Tasters have the opportunity to discover four unique styles of steaks from natural and organic ranches across the country, each specializing in a different breed, diet, geography and aging technique. While there were several cuts to choose from, I opted for the Filet Mignon taster pack. Little did I know, my whole understanding of steak was about to change. More pics and tasting results on the next page!

Oysters 360 Part 3Great NYC Shuck 'N Suck

Water Taxi Beach, South Street Seaport: the perfect scene for a 6,500 all-you-can-eat oyster free-for-all, a tag-team shuck 'n suck contest, and a series of short firms about the beloved bivalve. This was the stage for my third and final oyster adventure. The NYC Food Film Festival's premier event, "The Great NYC Shuck 'N Suck," was a multi-sensory homage to the oyster. However, the last time that such a quantity of oysters were in this location was probably in the late 18th century! An acoustic and strings folk band jived up the atmosphere, while I tried to get my hands on as many Beausoleils, Malpeques and Rhode Island Watch Hills as I could without looking like a massive pig. More pics and a special guest on the next page!

Oyster 360 Part 1New York Oyster Lovers at Essex

Technically, it's not the best oyster-eating season anymore. But does the absence of an "R" in the month and eagerly spawning product stop me? Heck no! Since last fall, I've been charting an exciting edible journey across the world of oysters. A couple weekends ago, I took my obsession to the next level by attending a series of oyster-devoted events. It started innocently enough with a second New York Oyster Lovers meet up at Essex Restaurant. Then, a small cluster of us trekked out to the Great South Bay to tour the Blue Island Shellfish Farms with owner Chris Quartuccio. Finally, I attended the NYC Food Film Festival's Great Oyster Shuck 'N Suck party and met my hero, Liza of food.curated. By now, and thanks in part to Liza, most of you are familiar with my oyster log, but wait until you hear what I'm about to do next! More pics, stories and an exciting announcement on the next page!

Big Apple BBQ Block Party

I never got the chance to put my two cents in about the Big Apple BBQ Block Party! I didn't get to try it all, but what savored really made my day. The pork shoulder burger from Dinosaur Barbeque was absolutely fantastic. I could feel my eyes roll back in my head with sheer pleasure after each warm, tender, and juicy bite. It almost made me want to trek up to 131st St for an in-house experience. Just when I thought it couldn't get better, Mb and I shared a monster brownie a la mode from Blue Smoke, followed by cheesy, buttery corn-on-the-cob from Tabla. For those who want to partake in the festivities next year, a few words of advice: get there early and go on Sunday. You'll encounter less crowds, which ultimately translates to more eating and enjoyment. 

Click for more pics!

Lobster Rolls

One of my favorite foods of all time is lobster. Chunky, perfectly intact, unadulterated pieces of claw or tail meat. Dipped in butter or nothing at all—the flavor and texture just can't be beat. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I discovered a new way to enjoy this delicious crustacean: meet the lobster roll. Earlier this month I had the honor of participating in the TastingTable Lobster Roll Claw-Off, which made all of my friends supremely jealous (whether they admitted it or not.) My verdict and more pics on the next page. 

New Taste of the UWS

In a land where Foursquare still considers to be Far, Far Away, the food scene has rapidly bubbled into one of Manhattan's finest. As a relatively new resident of the Upper West Side, I have absolutely zero recollections of the desolate dining environment that this neighborhood once was. Instead, I was met with blissfully fresh macarons from Bouchon Bakery, sinfully aromatic prosciutto from Salumeria Rosi, and soul-warming locavorian entrees from Recipe. The New Taste of the Upper West Side's Best of the West event showcased over 40 of these amazing gourmet restaurants, dessert havens, and brunch bistros from my 'hood. A few were no-brainers, but I did encounter some pleasant surprises. My tasting favorites, favorite UWS restaurants, and more pics on the next page!

Taste of Tribeca

The Taste of Tribeca, one of Manhattan's largest neighborhood-centric food festivals brought in an incredible crowd this year. A showcase over 60 different restaurants sprawled across Duane and Greenwich Streets. However each $40 ticket ($45 at the event) allowed just only six tastings, which forced people to prioritize. Between B and me, we checked out about 16 different places with two tickets. Among the restaurants that we tried, Centrico's seafood ceviche (top photo) was our favorite. The jade dumpling at Macao Trading Co. was a close second. More pics and Taste of Tribeca survival tips on the next page!

LUCKYRICE Festival:Talk and Taste

On the last day of the LUCKYRICE Festival, I learned how to recreate some of the amazing flavors from the weekend's food events. Talk & Taste: Asian Cuisine Cooking Demos—a series of six lectures accompanied by yummy samples—spanned throughout the day at the International Culinary Center. Still similar to my college self, I couldn't wake up early enough for the 12PM lecture (Zak Pelaccio of Fatty Crab making Short Rib Rendang) and ended up regretting my tardiness. However, the rest of the talks were wonderful and surprisingly funny.

LUCKYRICE Festival: Grand Feast

The LUCKYRICE Grand Feast was the crème de la crème of the entire festival. Top restaurants including Daniel, Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges Restaurants, Morimoto and over a dozen distinguished beverage partners came together to produce the ultimate showcase of Asian flavors. I was also excited to see some big name chefs out as well, including: Daniel Boulud, Brad Farmerie, Masaharu Morimoto, Pichet Ong, and Jonathan Wright (all the way from The Setai in South Beach, Miami). I loved almost everything that I tasted, and often went back for seconds... ok, thirds. Before I dive into my favorites, I would like to thank LUCKYRICE again for the complimentary entry.

LUCKYRICE Festival: Night Market

The LUCKYRICE Night Market, inspired by the night markets of many food-obsessed Asian countries, was more than just another tasting; it was a full-sensory experience. Enticing aromas of soy, curry, and roasted meat dominated the air. However, the ever-pungent stinky tofu naturally made its way into the middle of the mix (like the "omg, it's that guy" at your last birthday party). A symphony of sizzling and clattering pans was still audible over the hipster jam music, while the hoards of greedy eaters elbowed their way over each other for the next plate of snacks. All of this made me wonder, "Was I really in DUMBO or was I just transported to Hong Kong?"

LUCKYRICE Festival: Opening Night Cocktail Party

What better way to kick off the inaugural LUCKYRICE Festival than to have a full-blown Asian-inspired cocktail party? The weather was quite perfect for this bubbly-boozy night at The Bowery Hotel, hosted by Kelly Choi. In addition to experiencing the exotic flavors of ginger, lychee, rhubarb and yuzu, I also got to hang out with three other food bloggers: Amy (of Amy Blogs Chow), Jess (of Food Mayhem), and Tina (of The Wandering Eater). We sipped various cocktails and snacked on a couple hors d'oeuvres while watching the mixologists work their deadly magic. Before I dive into the details, I just want to thank LUCKYRICE for granting me the complimentary access into this event.

Hudson Terrace Craft Beer Festival

Want to trade in old-fashioned love for liquid romance instead? The Hudson Terrace Craft Beer Festival would have been your ultimate speed date. There were over 50 types of beer and just two hours to discover your next summer fling. As part of an ongoing  Cocktail Series, which I received free tickets to attend from them, the festival attracted a mix of established beer-lovers and curious newbies. From fruit-tinted summer ales to toasty IPA's, there was a flavor for everyone. B and I both found some new favorites and re-encountered some old friends (e.g., The Pourhouse Bomb).