Caracas Arepa Bar

The first thing I noticed was the smells. Not in an overwhelming, affronting way, but in that warm tendril of scent that creeps around your nose way. Bright colors and a cozy setting added to the tantalizing aroma, and I had to restrain myself from tackling the waitress and stealing the food from her tray.

To my taste buds’ delight, the food tasted even better than it smelled. With a menu composed of traditional Venezuelan Arepas, I devoured delicious (gluten-free!!) corn tortilla sandwiches stuffed with things like grilled leeks, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and guayanés cheese.  Sweet plantains stuffed in a cinnamon plantain batter with white cheese tasted like bread pudding, and the guacamole was perfect.

(Leek Jardinera)

To top it off, the cocktail entitled Michelada put a new twist on a refreshing beer.  Caracas Arepa Bar blends raw sugar cane with habeneros, lemon, and a salted rim glass that goes perfectly with the Pacifico beer that you pour in yourself. It may not have been Mexican, but this Cinco de Mayo meal couldn’t have been better.

(Michelada)

Caracas Arepa Bar can be found at 93 ½ E 7^th St, NY, NY 10009 (212) 529-2314, www.caracasarepabar.com/manhattan 

Spring Bliss

Not really much more I could ask for than a poached egg on top of some roasted asparagus. Well, it would have been fantastic if I hadn't overpoached the egg and had been able to grill the asparagus, but I'll still take it. Dusted with some salt pepper and paprika, and that is one happy dinner.

My (not-so) New Obsession

From time to time, I get a strong craving for pasta. And by time to time, I mean every day. In cases of sheer desperation: enter Spaghetti Squash.

Spaghetti Squash might be my favorite vegetable on the planet.  To cook it, all you have to do is cut it in half and put it in the microwave for 9 minutes. Then, using a fork, you scrape out the insides and it naturally shreds like spaghetti.  Top it off with some homemade beef Bolognese and you’ve got guilt-free linguini. Or settle for some store bought pesto with sundried tomatoes and chicken. Eat it plain with salt and butter. Just eat it.

And it’s magic. Bet you had to look twice to tell this wasn’t real pasta. Check out the Mushroom and Leek Spaghetti Squash recipe on the other tab as well for an easy, yet again impressive dish to make for friends.

Little Muenster

My three favorite foods are mac & cheese, grilled cheese, and pizza. In December, I discovered that I had a dairy and gluten intolerance, and my life basically lost all meaning.  My fantasies of homemade baked and breaded, gluttonously cheesy mac turned into torturous nightmares. Pizza translated to death. And grilled cheese? Just stop.

Then, I discovered the answer to all of my gluten-free prayers. A tiny LES h(e)aven called Little Muenster. This perfect hole in the wall of a restaurant specializes in one thing: grilled cheese. And while I don’t discount her amazing abilities as a chef, these aren’t your mother’s grilled cheese. I’m talking masterpieces like gruyere, goat cheese and leek confit with pancetta.  I’m talking butternut squash, brown sage butter and pecorino. Essentially, if you’re mouth isn’t watering already, you don’t have a soul.

How did I eat these? Well, Little Muenster not only takes gourmet to another level, they also offer all of these options with gluten free bread AND vegan cheese. What more could you ask for? Besides a warm bowl of tomato soup that is, which they also have.

Little Muenster can be found at 100 Stanton St, NYC, NY. (212) 203-7197, littlemuenster.com