Dua Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Hey Ya'll!

As you all know (or if you don't) I am home for the summer. I work in downtown Atlanta, and that puts me in the area of some great eats! I have been to quite a few places but now I am highlighting one- Dua Vietnamese Noodle House.

Located on Broad Street, this place is a very popular place during lunch time. The line is guaranteed to be around the room, but don't worry it moves fast! Vietnamese food is very similar to other Asian cuisines, but  here are the differences: 1. It is a lot healthier than Chinese food. 2. It carries an Indian/Thai influence such as using curry flavoring and spice (it's not as spicy heavy as Thai foods though), and 3. It is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world!

This particular restaurant is pretty inexpensive... for an entree plus the spring roll and drink it could be about 12 dollars. You get a lot of food as well. I always get the shrimp or chicken Mi Xao. That is noodles with veggies and peanuts (picture included), and it comes with a soy-like sauce. I also love their spring rolls, I have gotten the pork roll and the shrimp (picture included).  I plan on trying other items on their menu soon, but it's definitely something you gotta try!

GORDOS CUBAN CUISINE

OK..HERE'S THE SECOND PLACE

NOW, WHERE I'M FROM CUBANS AREN'T WHO YOU NORMALLY SEE...DOMINICANS...MEXICANS...BUT NO CUBANS. LETS JUST SAY IVE ALWAYS BEEN ANXIOUS TO TRY THEIR FOOD.

ON MY FAVE SHELLIE'S BIRTHDAY WE DECIDED TO GO...SINCE SHE'S FROM MIAMI AND LOVES CUBAN FOOD.

WHILE THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TOTALLY AUTHENTIC WHEN IT COMES TO WHO PREPARED IT...IT WAS STILL GOOD.

FIRST AND FOREMOST THE BLACK BEANS WERE DELICIOUS!!!! NOW WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT LATIN "TASTE" THAT FOODS FROM THOSE CULTURES CAN HAVE...BUT THIS HAD A WHOLE NEW FLAVOR TO IT.

DISHES RANGE FROM CUBAN SANDWICHES TO EMPANANDAS TO STEAK WITH SIDES LIKE BLACK BEANS AND RICE, RED BEANS AND RICE, AND PLANTAINS.

AND GET THIS...... THE PRICES ARE VERY AFFORDABLE RANGING FROM ABOUT $1-10 AND YOU GET A NICE PORTION OF FOOD.

I HAD THE MEDIA NOCHE WHICH IS A CUBAN (HAM, SEASONED PORK, SWISS, PICKLES, AND MUSTARD WITH THEIR SPECIAL GORDO SAUCE) ON SWEET BREAD AND PRESSED..WITH A SIDE OF BLACK BEANS AND RICE.

GORDOS IS LOCATED IN TALLAHASSEE

THE ITEMS ON THEIR MENU ARE IN SPANISH WITH THE DESCRIPTIONS IN ENGLISH... I LOVED IT..AND IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING YOU GOTTA TRY!!

-LILFOODIE2011

COPELAND'S CHEESECAKE BISTRO

HEY YA'LL...

I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG TIME NO POST...I AM A SENIOR BROADCAST JOURNALISM STUDENT..YA KNOW!!

ANYWAY...IN THE MONTHS THAT I DIDNT POST I WENT TO A COUPLE OF GREAT PLACES TO EAT!!

THIS POST IS ABOUT THE COPELAND'S CHEESECAKE BISTRO..

ONE WORD DESCRIBES THIS PLACE: AMAZING!

MY FRIENDS AND I WENT HERE DURING SPRING BREAK IN NEW ORLEANS. NOW, I HAVE A BUNCH OF PICKY EATING FRIENDS-- NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ALWAYS HAVE TO CHECK THE MENU BEFORE ARRIVING-- BUT EVEN THEY LOVED IT!

THE MENU RANGES FROM TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS DISHES WITH A CULINARY SPIN SUCH AS PO' BOYS AND ORIGINAL WRAPS AND BURGERS. THEY MAKE HOMEMADE PIZZAS, SEAFOOD AND PASTA DISHES, AND SALADS TO DIE FOR!

MY FRIENDS AND I LOVED THAT PLACE SO MUCH THAT WE EVEN WENT THERE A SECOND TIME BEFORE DEPARTING FROM NEW ORLEANS.

I WILL SAY THAT THIS ISN'T EXACTLY YOUR POPEYES...PRICES HERE RANGE FROM ABOUT $9-27 FOR A DISH...BUT IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

THE PICTURE OF MY DISHES ARE THE HOUSE SALAD AND THE JAMBALAYA PASTA. AND, I GOT THAT THE FIRST AND SECOND TIME I WE WERE THERE.

THIS IS A NEW ORLEANS STYLE RESTAURANT AND HAS FOUR LOCATIONS IN LOUISIANA BUT THE FIFTH LOCATION IS HERE IN ATLANTA..AT ATLANTIC STATION!! SO I WILL BE THERE SOMETIME THIS SUMMER WITH MY FRIENDS...AND I TELL YA IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHIN YOU GOTTA TRY!!

-LILFOODIE2011

Cabbage Medley

Ok. This is not from a restaurant. Actually my brother Dwayne made this the other night. It is called Cabbage Medley and it is sooooooo tasty! Not only that, it is good for you as well. This recipe is a great way to make sure you are eating all of the colors. Also, this recipe is very cost efficient to make. I think I paid about 25-30 dollars total for all of the ingredients. When you buy the ingredients it doesn't seem like it will make a lot of food. I personally know as a college student that you cant go wrong with healthy, tasty, cost efficient, and long lasting food to eat. So here is the recipe:

1 small head of cabbage...cut up

Onion: white and red

Bell Pepper: green, orange, red and yellow

Mushroom

Squash

Zucchini

Fresh garlic clove...chopped

1 package of Hillshire Hot & Spicy sausage

1 pound of extra large shrimp

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 can of vegetable broth

Directions: Chop up all ingredients..in a large skillet saute the sausage and shrimp with extra virgin olive oil, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder. Once that is done add the vegetable broth and the vegetables. Steam them to your liking. It is good by itself, or over rice (yellow or white) or noodles.


Now, I am currently doing an experiment for someone so I cannot eat meat this month. Since, seafood is not considered meat (some vegetarians do eat seafood) I did use the shrimp. However, I also added crab meat and vegetarian italian sausage (made my Morning Star) to substitute for the lack of sausage. I couldn't find vegetable broth in Walmart so I used some chicken broth I had. I also didn't buy the garlic I just used my garlic powder from my cabinet. I am a fan of noodles so I put my medley over the garden rotini to go with the healthy colors theme. The longest part of this recipe was chopping all of the ingredients..i hate chopping!! But, after that it basically cooks itself. You just have to stir it occasionally, and for me season it occasionally. I used Tony's Creole seasoning and Old Bay.

The cabbage medley is great and definitely something you gotta try!!!!

Chipotle

Ok! Hey guys! I apologize for not writing in so long but I'm back now.

I know I said I wasn't going to blog about chain restaurants but yesterday night I tried Chipotle for the first time. Everyone I know talks about this place as if it's the single greatest thing ever. So, I decided for my first blog entry I would write about my first experience there.

Menu Item: I got the Burrito Bowl

Items in my bowl: Rice, Barbicoa (which is a spicy shredded meat..probably beef), mild salsa, sour cream, cheese, black beans, and guacamole.

Total: about $8 (because the guacamole was extra)

Ok. My roommate Yelena is from California and she thinks Chipotle is nasty one reason because they use white rice. However, The white rice isn't a bad combination with the other ingredients. I think it actually give it a more upscale feel to southwestern cuisine (and Moe's). And, the great thing is the price is reasonable for a reasonable amount of food. Personally, I can put it away and I got full off of half of the bowl. So, to sum it all up if you haven't tried Chipotle...go. See if you like it for yourself, but in my eyes it's definitely something YOU GOTTA TRY!!

**also: the picture of the bowl may not look appealing, but don't judge a dish by its cover. It was really good!

What led me to this anyway?

Have you ever tried to find a hobby? Well if so, you know that it can be difficult actually finding something you're comfortable doing. That was my issue...until now. One fact about me is I LOVE FOOD. I always have. I'm the type of person who just sits and watches people cook, or who watches the Food Network. And, I am in LOVE with Anthony Bourdain! Anyway, so as a rising journalist and food lover I have decided to create my own food blog. Jan. 4, 2011, YOU GOTTA TRY THIS!!! has been born. Some people don't know what food journalism is. And, I hate to say it but this field ain't (yes I mean ain't) a "colorful" one if you know what I mean. As a student in a college town, I am always trying to find new places to hang out. And, who wants to chill with no food...right? Nobody. My aim is to bring a young, urban, and yes ethnic twist to food journalism. Food to me is not just for eating. It is a CULTURE. It is a LIFESTYLE. In food you can find a person's hardships and successes, the history of a nation, or just plain fun. So, I am looking for it all like mom and pop shops or major chains. Anything deemed to me as something you just gotta try. I will have pictures and videos of the places I visit, and you can refer to me places I gotta try as well. This blog is my baby, and I am excited. Oh yeah, did I mention I have absolutely no idea what I am doing?! I'M SIMPLY JUST FOLLOWING WHAT THE LORD PLACED UPON MY HEART! Let's see where this takes me :) .......... 


"Foodfully" yours


lilfoodie2011