Washington D.C., A Food Hopper Recomendation

Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington D.C, 20006

One of my trusted Food Hoppers reported back from Washington, D.C and made a recommendation. I will not be able to visit there for awhile so I thought why not highlight it?

Try Founding Farmers on Pennsylvania avenue! The On the Ranch Land and Sea plate looks delicious, along with the diver scallops, and the brackawurst on a roll for something unique. Try contacting me with your Food Hopping recommendations from your travels? Email me at thefoodhop@gmail.com

Moleskine Arrives with Foodie Journals

Do you like to write down what you just cooked up for dinner? How about track the different wines you taste during your travels? Ask for these great food journals that allow you to write, track, and draw what you eat in a sleek, compact book from Moleskine! Check out Cookin in the 'Cuse blog to find out more! http://jbbsyracuse.typepad.com/cookin_in_the_cuse/

Appetite City by William Grimes

In the midst of reading Appetite City by William Grimes. Good read about the history of gastronomy in NYC! Learning all about the local oyster bars that are now extinct. Wouldn't it be cool if someone opened a restaurant that was a throw back to the early days with local menus, and the old decor? Oh looking for a good xmas gift for a Food Hopper you know? Try Food Journeys of a Lifetime 500 by National Geographic.

Central & Upstate NY... Starting January ,09

I will be starting to Food Hop around central and upstate New York starting in January 2010! I want your input on where I should start! Please give me your feeback right on my blog by clicking on comments! And stay tuned for my Food Hop selections for my NYC trip in December!

December '09 New York Trip

I will be heading to Manhattan in December! Make sure to suggest where I should Food Hop next. Magnolia Bakery & Matsuri Sushi have all visited my blog and invited me back for special events!

Estes Park Food Hop #2: The Estes Park Pie Co.

370 East Elkhorn Ave

Estes Park, CO 80517

"You need pie!" is the theme of this local Estes Park pie company. When you put it that way, it easy to walk in the door. Homemade pies greet you in the cute glass display cases, and they serve up some very unique pie combinations. I chose the apple ginger peach with crumb topping, and my friend had the triple berry. Yummy! Food Hop here and savor the pie from local owners Valerie & Rick Thompson. I was surprised to learn that even brides are giving up their wedding cake to serve up their creations. Grab a forkful of pie and walk around downtown. Remember Colorado has 300 days of sun a year!

Estes Park Food Hop #1: Ed's Cantina

390 E Elkhorn Ave

Estes Park, CO 80517

Ed's Cantina greets on your way into downtown Estes Park, CO, the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. This is the only restaurant open downtown in the middle of October, and is a reliable "late night" pick. I had the fish tacos with rice and beans. The cucumber coleslaw with spicy cilantro was the highlight of the meal. This Food Hop is one you may need in your back pocket if you plan on eating in Estes Park after 8pm. If you can afford the Stanley Hotel, however, head on up the hill and Hop past this stop.

Boulder Food Hop #3: Tee & Cakes

1932 14th Street

Boulder, CO 80302

I was greeted by an employee wearing a BACON t-shirt and I soon learned why. Chocolate bacon cupcakes.... genious! Maybe not so good for you.... but oh wait! They have tasting cakes; small sweet experiences of all Tees & Cakes has to offer. As the BACON employee packed up my tasting cakes (strawberry milkshake, bacon chocolate, and butter cream) she was more excited than I was in how cute they looked in their pink cardboard box! Delightful, delicious, and very Boulder this Food Hop is one you cannot miss. And with small tasting cakes you get to try more then one!

Boulder Food Hop #2: Sushi Tora

2014 Tenth Street

Boulder, CO

So I was ready for some sushi, and Sushi Tora served up a very unique Japanese experience. I have had a lot of sushi, but this was the first menu that served up an orgasm! Oh... I meant an orgasm roll consisting of a california roll baked with salmon and creamy sauce. Just Food Hop here and order it ladies. I don't think you will need much convincing.

Boulder Food Hop #1: SALT the bistro

1047 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO

New to the Boulder, CO scene in August 2009 I took a chance and decided to eat here over the acclaimed The Kitchen restaurant in Boulder. It was well worth the risk! I picked the grilled flatiron steak served over top a forest mushroom pumpkin bread pudding. This savory and cozy meal helped me settle down for my drive to the rocky mountains! I recommend the seating at the kitchen bar where you can view the chefs cooking in their trendy open kitchen. Food Hop here and you won't be disappointed!

Denver Food Hop #4: root down

1300 West 33rd Ave

Denver, CO 80211

Hands down this is the best restaurant in Denver, and I have a Food Hopper Stephanie to thank for the recommendation! From its open kitchen to its throwback 1950's decor, root down knows they have it going on. Not to mention that everything they used to build the restaurant is recycled. The menu is designed for tasting and highlights all local Colorado food & drink. The meal started off with a Colorado sourced Cabarnet. Everyone at the table ordered two tasting plates, and each were passed around encouraging a social dining experience. I was so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture so I apologize if some of the pictures are half eaten.... but still beautiful! Some of the star dishes included perfectly cooked seared achiote rubbed Colorado lamb, golden beet risotto, King Canyon Ranch buffalo sliders, and organic hazel dell mushroom bruschetta. The finale of the meal was an unforgettable banana "creme brulee" pie with peanut butter crust. This Food Hop was one of the best I have visited to date! Put this on your itinerary the next time you visit Denver.

Denver Food Hop #3: Tamayo

1400 Larimer St

Denver, CO 80202

Order the guacamole and dig in! Otherwise hop right past Tamayo, a modern Mexican restaurant in Larimer Square. Not many of us at the table could taste our meals because our mouths were on fire! Believe me when I tell you... all Mexican does not have to burn the palate. My chile relleno stuffed with shrimp, and topped with crema fresca was good in a painful kind of way. For me I would hop past this food stop, and try another memorable Denver restaurant from my blog. Oh did I mention the watery margaritas!

Denver Food Hop #2: Rialto Cafe

934 Sixteenth Street

Denver, CO 80202

Rialto Cafe is strategically placed on the popular 16th street mall featuring a wide variety of food at low prices. This is a reliable stop if you need a quick place to eat while shopping. There was little wait, but the restaurant had a nice buzz. I ordered the pistachio crusted salmon with wheatberry pilaf. Sweet, tart flavors combined on top of the perfectly cooked salmon. However, for me a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand overshadowed any part of the meal. Creamy, fruity and light all the tastes of this wine combined to create a memorable glass . So order up any of the dishes, but make sure to try that Kim Crawford Sauvignon blanc!

Denver Food Hop #1: Luca D'Italia

711 Grant Street

Denver, CO 80203

Luca D'Italia is off the beaten path in Denver and highlights one of Denver's hottest chefs, Frank Bonanno. I ordered the house salad with an appetizer portion of the egg pappardelle with lobster and red sauce. The pasta was al dente, and the lobster a bit overcooked. It was tasty but did not blow me away. In addition it was very expensive... $17.00 for an appetizer portion of pasta. If I was food hopping in Denver again this would not be a repeat. I would stop by Osteria Marco run by the same chef on Larimer Street if I were you. Affordable and very delicious with outside seating. If I learned one thing from my trip to Florence, Italy it was that good Italian does not have to be expensive.

Denver, Colorado Trip

Hey all! Well I am about to get food hopping again in Denver, Colorado. I need some suggestions on where to eat. I will be there for four days, and then two days in Rocky Mountain National Park. I am staying at the Stanley Hotel where the shining was filmed. So far I have a few food hops as possibilities to eat at...... help me add a few more.

Snooze for brunch, Denver, Colorado http://www.snoozeeatery.com/

Luca D'Italia, Denver, Colorado http://www.lucadenver.com/

Fruition, Denver, Colorado http://www.fruitionrestaurant.com/

Nepal's Cafe, Estes Park, Colorado

Canandaigua,NY Hop #1: Just Crepes

101 South Main Street
Canandaigua, New York

On my way to a conference at the Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua, NY my friends and I stopped by Just Crepes on the main drag in Canandaigua,NY. The restaurant is formally informal....jeans can be worn but crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. My favorite kind of place. This is my second trip back here which says something, but the first time I had the specialty fruit crepe. Crepes were being freshly made at the counter, and filled with sweet strawberries. They were topped with a berry mix along with a little bit of sugar and whip cream. I highly recommend this Food Hop. Yum! Dessert for breakfast!

Manhattan Hop # 9: Levain Bakery

167 West 74th Street

New York, NY

My last food hop in Manhattan has been all over the news, and recomended by a co-worker; I felt that I was forced to stop and try the best chocolate chip cookie on earth. This requires little more then a picture for you to understand why this soft on the inside, crisp on the outside little piece of heaven was worth it. Shared with a friend it might help you feel less guilty.

Manhattan Hop #8: Sarabeth's West

423 Amsterdam Ave

New York, NY

Before heading to the Museum of Natural History, this brunch stop a couple blocks west is well worth it! I had the crisp potato waffles with chunky apple sauce, sour cream, and chicken apple sausage! Get a little bit of each on your fork, and refuel at this food hop! Cute quaint and well worth a stop on your next trip to Manhattan. Oh yeah and the museum was nice too.

Manhattan Hop # 7: Matsuri Sushi

369 W 16th Street

New York, NY

From the moment I walked in I knew this would be my favorite food hop on this trip. The lighting is what hits you first with large paper lanterns lighting the japanese restaurant with a soft yellow glow. To my benefit they were participating in restaurant week and I had a three course meal, starting with a perfectly crisp spring roll on a small salad. This was followed by a sushi platter with fresh salmon, eel, avacado, yellow tail, and ahi tuna. All tasted amazing in addition to everyone else's dishes at the table: panroasted peppercorn chicken, avacado arugula salad and salmon with sisho-oba pesto to name a few. But the surprising part of the meal was at the end with green tea tiramisu, accompanied by red bean ice cream and strawberries. The smooth sake and awesome service also helped this food hop become one of the places I will hop back too!

Manhattan Hop #6: Lombardi's Original

32 Spring Street

New York, NY

Lombardi's the first pizzeria in America. I love those Italians! I brought my Italian best friend to sample what New York had to offer! Cooked to order on a coal fire bed our table sampled the margherita pizza. Every part of the pizza was homemade with fresh tomato sauce, fragrant basil, and buffalo mozzerella. The best part of the pizza was the thin crust with the lightly burnt edges. Yum! If you haven't been, it is one food hop you have to hop to once. Yes I have had better pizza but only in Italy!

Manhattan Hop #5: Dos Caminos on Park

373 Park Avenue South

New York, NY

Food Hop #5 was on of Dos Caminos several locations in Manhattan. The atmosphere was awesome and the service was excellent. Because this was my first time at the restaurant I was served a complimentary vegetable empanada with chipotle sauce. This small bite was the highlight of the meal. The rest of the dinner was good, but I have had better mexican at Rosa Mexicana on 1st & 58th in Manhattan. My main course was the black angus skirt steak with frijoles borrachos. It was good don't get me wrong, but I think I can get better more authentic mexican in one of the burroughs... maybe next time I'll hop somewhere else.

Manhattan Hop #4: A Salt & Battery

112 Greenwich Ave

New York, NY

I have heard about this fried fish for awhile, and I have never been to England for fish and chips. So this is the closest I believe I could come. I had the 4 oz haddock filet and split chips (british french fries) with my hubby. The fish was so fresh, and fried to order. Crunchy and crisp breadcrumbs coated the soft fresh fish topped with homemade tartar sauce. My husband had the chicken chunks (not a fish fan). To our surprise there was a hidden taste, and after talking with the cook we found out that the chicken was marinated in a light curry sauce. This food hop is an inexpensive quick lunch in a great part of town!

Manhattan Hop # 3 :Magnolia Bakery

401 Bleeker Street

New York, NY

This is my favorite stop in Manhattan. Yes there are two other locations in Manhattan now, but nothing beats a fabulously buttery vanilla cupcake topped with crunchy sprinkles off of Bleeker street in the west village. Everytime I go I have to stop. Yes it was on SATC, and yes I heard of it there! But there is a reason why people keep coming back...... and it is the whole experience down to the cute little box they come in! This time I got a pink and purple just for me. I recommend the buttercream frosting with vanilla cake. If you have a sweet tooth, you can rely on this food hop every time you are in manhattan.

Manhattan Hop #2: Serendipity 3

225 East 60th Street

New York, NY

Seredipity 3 was inspired of course by the movie, and I have always wanted to get the frozen hot chocolate! It was fabulous! Thank you to my best friends from TN for waiting for a seat with me. Small crystals of ice crunch in your mouth as you sip , and the chocolate taste reminds you of the classic taste you enjoy in chilly weather. Bring along a friend to share... this drink is huge. On my experience as a whole however the service left something to be desired. No one seemed to care that we were there. But worth a stop to try the famous drink!

Manhattan Hop #1 : PJ Carney's Pub

906 7th Avenue

New York, NY

PJ Carney's Pub was a quick pick on my way up to central park after arriving in NYC. I ordered a simple sandwich, a rueben with fries and a beer. The meat was stringy, and the bread was soggy. My friend got a watery chicken pot pie with a roll of phyllo dough crust on top.... not our idea of good eats. This food hop is not one I recommend. Just stop here for a beer and move on.

Next Trip to NYC

Hey all 6 followers.... looking for some feedback on where to eat on my next trip to New York City! I have my favorite places but I am thinking I need to branch out!

Firenze

So I know bloggs are supposed to be up to date current information, and this is the only time I will break that rule... for Italy. I went to Florence, Italy in February of 2009 and fell in love with food. There are three places in Florence that you have to stop if you go. One is the Hotel Rosary Garden http://www.rosarygarden.it/. I know this is a food blog.... just wait... if you stay here right outside the main center it is quiet and you live above the best Gelateria and La Piazzetta (43/R, Vl. Giannotti, Firenze, Italy) in Florence in my opinion. Causal, and amazing. I have dreams about the pistachio gelato mixed with dark chocolate. At La Piazzetta the margherita pizza is served straight from the wood ovens, and if you sit in the main dining room there are large iron hangers that hang spits of meat when ordered.... okay that is number one.

Okay #2. Take the bus to Piazza San Marco every morning. My favorite piazza because it is quiet, and has the best quick breakfast! Stop at Gran Caffe San Marco for a quick espresso and a lemon filled sugar donut! Or stop by Pugi for a quick lunch with fresh pizzas and breads! Neither of these have web links so google map piazza San Marco and take the street view... you will see them on the corner.

Okay #3: I had the best dinner of my life at Trattoria 4 Leoni (http://www.4leoni.com/index.php). I had the Fiocchetti di Pera in salsa di taleggio e aspargi. (pasta filled with pear, in a sauce made with taleggio and asapargus). Little pasta purses stuffed with pear and marscapone cheese and asparagus. This is coated in the lightest cream sauce made with taleggio cheese.Oh my! Please if you can in your lifetime get these little pastas... do so!

Lake Luzerne, New York

On our way up to Lake George this year we stopped by our old standy by with good food, and sundaes that look like little dreams. As a group of eight we had many dishes that were just so good. It is hard to find reliable diner food today. The vegetarian rueben called the Roxanne with homemade saurkraut was fabulous served with a side of fresh snap peas sauteed in garlic and olive oil. One of my travel mates had the homemade raisin bread french toast with a side of home fries. The service was fabulous, and the desert put us over the top. Try a pistachio nut and chocolate sundae with thick hot fudge and fresh whipped cream. Oh and of course a cherry on top! http://www.papasicecream.com/index2.htm

The Food Hop

When I travel I love the culture, the people, the architecture, but most of all I love the food. I think in a specialty dish you can experience everything about a place in a single bite. The path I take on every trip is determined by the places I will be eating. At a fabulous restaurant you experience what the owner has a passion for, and each dish you taste is like a gift. Based on my travels I will post my experiences good or bad. I do have to warn you that I went to Italy this past February of 2009, and will probably blog a little bit about that first.... I am a Polish girl turned Italian.