Move OVER Spin Dip! Hello Mo's Jalapeno Cheddar Dip!

Move OVER Spin Dip! Hello Mo's Jalepeno Cheddar Dip!

(ps: I know Jalepeno is spelled Jalapeno, but this is how it is spelled on the container, so I'm just repeating!)

The Wilsons are big BIG ole fans of Whole Foods and feel pretty lucky to have one so close by where we live.  

We were at a Birthday dinner for a friend a month or so ago and his girlfriend bought all sorts of fabulous food and apps at Whole Foods.  

Naturally I parked myself directly in front of the cheese and dip offerings and discovered something truly revolutionary.  Truly Divine.  One bite and the sky opened and the angels sang.

Or, let's face it, I just ate nearly the entire thing ... of MO'S JALEPENO CHEDDAR DIP. (carried in the cheese section at Whole Foods in El Segundo, CA)

I don't know if they carry it at every Whole Foods, but where ever you live LOOK INTO IT.  Shreds of cheddar, just enough chunks of Jalapeno, and all sorts of fabulous creamy goodness that are listed on the label but I'd rather just know that it tastes LOVVEEELYYY.

Low in calorie? I think not.  But when in the mood for a dip, or having a party  this is a brilliant dip to offer.  

I think instead of chips some really crispy and sweet red pepper wedges would be a good option to dipping or even some cool crisp cucumbers. 

DELISH!  Go find yourself some Mo's Jalepeno Cheddar Dip!

EAT LOTS, EAT WELL, BE MERRY

THE WILSONS!

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Italian Ice, Popsicles, and Top Chef.

Image via Wikipedia

Hi Wilson Eating Tour friends,
Just a note to say,
We haven't forgotten about you,
or about food
or wine
or apps
or vodka
or even scotch,

It's just that I (the missus) who does the writing portion of this tour can't exactly eat for a couple of weeks because I got my tonsils & adenoids out. So, for now, I watch the Food Network longingly from my bed as I ice my neck, down some pain killers, and suck on sugar free popsicles.

So, please know that we'll be back with a vengeance soon, and have some exciting things in store,

but for now, it's me, a box of popsicles and some Italian Ice (which as it turns out is really good!)

As a side note, I am loving Top Chef this season, and think Kevin and Jennifer are going to make it to the finals. This season is amazing! High stakes, Vegas, and lots of food gnarliness. Anyone else have thoughts on who might make it all the way??

Food Frenzy Newport, Rhode Island (Part I)

It's been a week or so since we posted any tasty thoughts. I think we've been recovering from our attack on Newport, RI for a food frenzy. Below are a couple of mini restaurant reviews along with some tips on our favorite dishes.

I realize that lots of our California friends would not necessary think of going to Newport, RI, because frankly in my wildest dreams, as a west coast girl, I never imagined going there, but I have to say, Newport was a pleasant surprise. Even though it was a little tourist heavy down at the piers (it was August after all), there was much fun to be had between the restaurants, the cliff walks, mansions, sailing (it is the sailing capital of the US I believe), and tennis hall of fame (TBD next post!)

First Stop:

22 Bowen's Wine Bar & Grille
Overall, Great first stop. Indoor and outdoor seating. We ordered the Lobster Roll and the Burger special of the day. If you go, I'd say pass on the Lobster Roll, because there are much better options in town, and go for the burger.

The burger was packed with a smokey flavor thanks to the smoked Gouda, bacon, caramelized shallots and a garlic aioli. It was a top 5 burger ever.

Also a great spot to go for drinks or even eat at the nice air conditioned bar on the hot summer days.

Only complaint:
For Bowen's and the other restaurants down on the piers, it didn't seem like there were many options of spots to just sit out and have cocktails on the water. It seemed like you had to order food if you wanted to be outside with a good view.

Second Stop:

Cold Fusion Gelato
Definitely a stand out Gelato joint. I had the cake batter, and it tasted exactly like the frosting from my favorite cake in the world back in Pasadena, California (by Federico's). Husband got coffee heath bar and some type of caramel cream. We each ordered a small, and honestly, I only took a few bites. It was so rich and satisfying, but there was no way I could finish it (I'm ashamed to admit this, and wish I could have it back now!!!)

Third Stop:
Asterisk Restaurant
A fabulous casual indoor / outdoor restaurant with steaks, seafood, and even a little pizza & pasta. Great service and ambiance. Seemed like it was converted from funky old garage. They had a good martini and vodka list.

The appetizer was the stand out here.
*Shrimp stuffed with crab and wrapped in prosciutto served inside some crazy Parmeasan wrap over home made salsa. (photo above) Say no more. It was spectacular and frankly, it out shined the entrees.

The entrees were pretty good, we got a Steak Domenico style with the peppercorn sauce and Crispy Salmon over a orzo risotto in a Cabernet sauce. Both were unique and apparently locals favorites, but we wouldn't necessarily get them again.

Only complaints:
It seemed kind of secluded and parking was a real pain in the "As*terisk."

*Also our server was very helpful and told us about the best locals spot to go for breakfast the next day, Franklin Spa. A hole in the wall with good prices, friendly service and good eats. To be discussed in Newport Part II!

Have you been to Newport? Did you have a feeding frenzy on your summer vaca, tell us about it!!!

To Comment, click on the title and scroll down to click on "comment" and write up a storm!

LONG LIVE THE FOOD FRENZY!
The Wilsons

Lunching & Drinking With the Ladies

It's been a little quiet here over at Wilsons' Eating Tour. That is because we have had some fabulous friends in town, so there was much food and wine to consume.

My girlfriends and I went to Mercer Kitchen in SOHO on Saturday for "Lunch." It was a bit of a mini-reunion with two of my college friends that I hadn't seen in awhile, we'll call them Rabbit & Fealey.

I showed up with our "agenda" for the day all typed up, starting with Mercer Kitchen at 1 pm. Naturally, we started off with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and then spent awhile trying to decide what we should order, each of us afraid to be "out ordered."

We started off with a shrimp cocktail, flanked by 3 sauces (which lead to a conversation on sauces. I think Fealey will be writing a guest post devoted to sauces). It was pretty good, nothing to write home about.

Instead of ordering 3 entrees like good healthy girls should, we ordered a fourth entree (pizza) for the "Duck." The Duck being a recently published children's book by Rabbit's little sister. ( We will be reviewing the Duck With No Legs soon on www.conquerthemonkey.com, stay tuned!) The waiter probably thought it odd that a cartoon duck needed a pizza, but some how it made us feel "justified." Duck's gotta eat, no?

Lunch was pretty good, the food was ok, the service a little slow and they tried to keep our wine bottled chilled at a location away from our table (we rectified that). A bottle of wine and champagne later we missed out on shopping and barely made it to Bliss spa for part II of our day (loving Bliss Spa's newest tag line for their "Gorilla Marketing" seen above). Then onto more wine at Chez Wilson, and more food up in our hood (Nice Matin) for burgers at 10:30 PM.

This was one of those days that food served a purpose, but the main event was the laughter with my two dear friends. I am so thankful that they came to play in the Big Apple -- I haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. There were many hilarious quotes from the weekend, but one of my favorites was from Rabbit who - when talking about her dog's personality (a Chihuahua) said she "had the balls of a burglar." I still giggle thinking about that.

Now, the husband and I are gearing up for a weekend in Newport RI. We plan to follow Giada de Laurentis weekend get away guide and hit up all the spots she suggested. We will have much more to post next week!

Have a great week and weekend, please email us some tips, recipes, or foodie experiences, or ask us anything you want!

Cheers!
The Wilsons

The Paella Virgin. (Socarrat Paella Bar NYC, Restaurant Review)

If you read our review about Raines Law Room (a NYC speakeasy/lounge) then you are up to speed. If you didn't, I'll cut to the chase. Our friend, who I have decided to call "San Diego," (much to his chagrin), was in town from San Diego. He took us to a killer place for drinks called Raines, then onto the truly spectacular, Socarrat Paella Bar.

Let's get this out on the table. I was a Paella Virgin until last night. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I just never met a Paella I was interested in. I figured some day I'd go to Spain and really go for it (inspired by Mario Batalli and the annoying Gwenyth Paltrow' show "On the Road Again" on PBS) (on a side note, why is Mario traveling to Spain with Gwenyth? Is he trying to mess with my head? It should be me for chrissake, I mean, she's on a freaking macrobiotic diet - she is so annoying on that show, I can't get inspired by her and her soy latte, non meat eating ways. I digress....)

Where was I. Oh yeah, Socarrat Paella Bar. As their website says, "Socarrat, the quintessence of the perfect paella and for which the restaurant is named, is the delectable, sensuous crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan when the liquid is rendered and the rice reaches its peak of succulence."

I could easily leave it at that but, here is a bit more and the quicky review:

The Lo Down:

• You can't make reservations, so just show up, put your name it and then head to the bar on the corner for a cocktail (just past "Nasty Pig" on the south side of the street. You are right, I just wanted to point out there is a store there called Nasty Pig)
• The paella takes at least 30-40 minutes to cook, so keep that in mind, we ordered it before we were even seated so they get it going.
  
• The joint is pretty narrow and long, like a bar, but it really doesn't matter.
• The prices are reasonable $20 or so for Paella ($6-12 for tapas)- you have to order a 2 person minimum paella. We got 2 paellas (enough for 4) plus two tapas, and .. we. ate. every. last. bite. period. and we also polished off a bottle of wine. (I thought husband would die in the cab home from fullness, or at the very least, loose his "lunch" as it were. I on the other hand felt enlightened and fannnntastic!)

The Review:

• Tapas: We got the garlic shrimp & the fried artichoke. Both were simple but refined, fresh and bursting with flavor. Score: A

• Paella: We got the Carne with chicken, chorizo, duck, (and magic) and the Arroz Negro that was awesome and black because of the squid ink and filled with scallop, shrimp and even more magic. Score: A+++++ (I think all 3 of us were in full agreement)

*Why, you ask, was the Paella so magical? It was kinda like a fine wine. It started of really good, and then the more it sat there and the rice crusted on the bottom, and we scraped it onto our little plates, the better and bolder the flavors got. At the end, when down to the final bites of crispy bottom, the only sounds from our seats were, "mmmm, mmm, oh man, oh god, did you get that crunchy," and more mms and ahhs. You could taste the freshness of the ingredients and the true passion and love behind the dishes and the process of making them.

We can't wait to go back.
I have a feeling that Socarrat Paella Bar is a little bit like one's first love. While I may try other Paella, especially if in Spain, I will always have a special place in my heart for Socarrat.

Still in the food coma, but nearly ready for more! The Wilsons

Montauk: The Lobster Roll Debate (Duryea's vs. Lobster Roll)

Image by Henry C via Flickr

Montauk: The Lobster Roll Debate - Who's is Yummier, Duryea's or Lobster Roll?

We have been living in NYC now for a year and a half, and have had the privilege of exploring the quaint and charming Montauk, NY. Montauk is much less glitzy than East Hampton, but the Lobster Rolls alone make it well worth the few extra miles!

Let's get to the brass tax of this issue! Who serves up the tastier Lobster Roll in Montauk - the lesser known "Duryea's" or the more touristy & well known "Lobster Roll Restaurant" (marked with a sign that simply says "Lunch" on Montauk Hwy). (websites for both below)

The Analysis:

Pros of Duryea's Lobster Roll:

*Duryea's is on the water, and you eat on a cool, old, shaggy looking dock right over the water, it is a quintessential experience!
*You can see the fresh buckets of seafood that the fisherman just brought in, it does not get more authentic and fresh than this.
*The Bread is a nice sesame sandwich roll that seems to have a little butter on the inside and was thrown onto a griddle. It has that perfect slightly crunchy texture but doesn't fall apart like a crusty loaf might.
*The Lobster Salad. The salad itself isn't overly worked with other ingredients, so you can actually see the lobster chunks, and even get multiple pieces of full claw (meat).
*The Fans - last summer we saw Ina Gartner from "Barefoot Contessa" eating a Lobster roll at the table next to us - that is a huge endorsement from a world famous foodie!

Duryea's Cons
* When we went in 2008 they didn't have a liquor license so even though we brought an ice cold Sauvignon Blanc with us, we weren't allowed to cork it there (but, don't kid yourself, we found a way to be sneaky and drink our vino with our lobster rolls!!!)
**However, rumor has it that they now have their liquor license, so if that is the case, problem solved!!

Lobster Roll Pros:
*It's pretty unique to drive by a nothing looking place on the side of the road that just has a large overhead billboard that says "Lunch." We love the idea of getting an unique, hometown meal at what appears on the outside to be a "dive."
*There are no shortage of options on the menu, and it seems like a place more friendly to the person who isn't quite a "foodie" or who is toting kids or grandparents along.
*This no frills joint serves it's Lobster Salad on a hotdog bun, and offers mini buns for those wanting a lighter snack!
*The portion of lobster salad that comes on the bun is plentiful, we shared a cheesy crab dip, and one lobster roll and we felt satiated.

Lobster Roll Cons:
*The actual Lobster salad (on the bun) is much more blended together than Duryea's, so you don't see actual chunks of lobster, it's more like you would think of a crab salad that is more stringy and mixed together. I missed seeing the chunks, claws and all.
*Touristy - it feels less like a "find" because everyone seems to know about it, so it's a less "boutique" experience. (they sell t-shirts and all that jazz)
*it's not on the water or on a dock like Duryea's, instead it's on the side of the highway - again, less "boutique."
*The hotdog bun. We tend to have the philosophy that you should never skimp on the bread - a white hotdog bun is just very bland to me. Why pass up the opportunity to wow the customer with both quality salad and tasty bread. I think this is just an opportunity missed. (We think that you can tell a lot about the quality of any restaurant by the yumminess of their bread).

In this head to head battle, we simply think that while the Lobster Roll's Lobster Roll is very good, the over all experience AND quality of the food (for only a buck or two more) is just over the top amazing at Duryea's.

Duryea's is the big winner, you will be truly pleased if you take the time to find this off the beaten path spot in Montauk for a Lobster Roll!!! You are welcome in advance :)

Cheers to all the foodies out there, we'd love for you to weigh in!

The Wilsons
*A special thanks to our lovely friends, Sarah & Bobby for introducing us to Montauk and letting us stay in their historic & exquisite family home there. Also, full credit to them - two of our foodiest of friends - for introducing us to Duryea's!
http://www.duryealobsters.com/
http://www.lobsterroll.com/

Antipasto Salad, Fabulous for Summer, Healthy & Easy!

Image by Andrionni Ribo (in the Philippines 7/14 - 7/28) via Flickr

Antipasto Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette!

Ingredients You'll Need:

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Antipasto Salad:
1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips
3/4 cup roasted turkey, cut into strips
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips (can use lowfat cheese)
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
3-4 tablespoons of roughly chopped artichoke hearts
4 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips (save time, buy jarred peppers!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Vinaigrette: In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and
pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running,
drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta
and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally,
about 10-11 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad
ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss! (I did not use all of the dressing, I reserved some on the side & kept in the fridge to add as needed for leftovers or other snacks!)

TIP 1 Wine Pairing: Try a nice Pinot Noir with this - it goes well with the heat and smokiness of the salami & cheese!

TIP 2: Store your basil in damp papertowels in the fridge, it will last a little longer and smells fannntastic!

**The recipe above is slightly different take on Giada de Laurentis Antipasto Salad. We love Giada in this house and have ALL of her cookbooks!!

We'd love to hear what you think of this recipe, and hear about your yummy foodie experiences!

Good Food & Good Wine = a Very Good Time!
The Wilsons!