Three Latest and Best
The last few weeks were a flurry of food! I'm still catching up, but in the meantime, here are my three latest and best:
Little Goat Cheese Tarts: Sometimes having a party catered can be hit or miss. You're juggling budgets, staff, and a hope that you get lucky and get good food, but when you've got it dialed in, it shows. On Derby Day, I put on a hat and attended a lovely party with -- wait for it -- good catered food! MBP did the honors with a great buffet table balanced with sweet and savoury. My favorite? The mini goat cheese tarts with the sweet sauce drizzle. (I didn't ask, I just enjoyed.) Bonus: Best mint julips *ever*.
Smoked Onion BBQ burger at Meridian: Most days when I go to lunch with a colleague or pal, I opt for the sensible choice. A salad. Seafood. Lighter fare. (Unless I'm corrupting Cory with the burger at MacNiven's.) And the other day, fully intending to order a Bibb salad, I was sidetracked by a big ol' burger at Meridian. This one was thick with BBQ sauce, onions, (I added avocado) and fries. Why is it I always feel a little dirty afterwards?
Produce at Saraga: I had a dinner party last week and a needed fairly long and disparate list of produce. Trying to keep my grocery shopping stops to a minimum, I could only think of one place that's blowing the doors off produce right now -- Saraga. When Marsh or Wild Oats/Whole Foods consistently leave me hanging, this funky international market manages to keep an enormous array of fresh fruit and vegetables in stock -- and it's not only good but at reasonable prices. I didn't just find the basics (onions, shallots, cucumbers, fruit) but some of the harder to find -- and expensive at other stores -- items (tomatillos, leeks, true green onions, baby bok choy, mint leaves in bulk, fresh thai basil, Japanese eggplant, 3 lbs of fresh shitake, enoki, and portabella mushrooms.) The big frozen food coolers are back online for dumplings and frozen breads. And the best part? This place is always busy. So glad to see they just keep getting better and better.
5 comments:
I'm glad to see you hyping Saraga. We have picked up some amazing items and inspiration. Plus, there are always a couple products on the shelves that are good for a laugh, or a shock. I wasn't expecting the goats head in the meat case!
Do you, by any chance, remember what you paid for the mushrooms per pound?
I've been a big Saraga fan since they opened. (My first post on Saraga was June of 2006.)
re: Mushrooms. I have no idea what I paid, but I remember thinking it was very reasonable at the time.
They have a halal butcher most days for goat and lamb. I'm always amazed at how mobbed the fish case is, and the Mexican bakery smells great on weekend mornings. Their prices have gone up some in the past few months, but they're still the best option for most everything.
Has anyone eaten at the little food court at the front of Saraga? The Salvadorian food looked really tempting last time we were there but we were full from Abyssinia. Just wondered if there were any reviews.
Their staff is also really great, always pointing me in the right direction!
Since you're into mushrooms, I'd love to have you submit one of your favorite recipes to our mushroom recipe contest at MarxFoods.com. The winner will be mailed 2 lbs. of fresh morel mushrooms! And if you have 'shroom loving foodie friends and blog readers, please pass this on. Deadline is May 16 (this Friday). And would you be willing to share the recipe for your goat cheese tarts?
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