Review: New York Street Vendors

I spent this past week in New York, where restaurants raped me of my money for mediocre meals. After deciding that $15 was way too much money to spend on a sandwich, a few of my friends and I decided to pull a Law & Order and indulge in greasy hot dogs from a street vendor. 

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla
 
There isn't much to say about the street vendors in New York. The food was amazing, the prices were cheap, and the guy selling us the food was more interested in his phone conversation than my order. As a city kid, this is nothing new to me. Although Chicago doesn't have carts with kitchens built in them, they did remind me of fast food around the city (like the ones in University Village).

Photo by: Kara Highfill

Even though their food was pretty good and reasonably priced, one thing I hated was the fact that nobody seemed to know what pickle relish is. I still think they didn't have relish at any of the hot dog stands because they knew we were from Chicago. They obviously have something against Chicago stye hot dogs. (Try asking for a New Yorker for a Chicago style hot dog, and you will get stared down. Trust me.)

In the end, if you're in New York you can't pass up a greasy hot dog from a greasy hot dog vendor. So whatever you decide to order from one of these kitchen on wheels, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: In-N-Out

Exactly one year ago, when my friend and I went to California for spring break, I discovered and fell in love with In-N-Out Burger. I've had some pretty awesome burgers in the past, but this was by far the best burger I have ever tasted.

Photo by: Janaan Hashim

Unfortunately, though, In-N-Out is not available in the Midwest. So whenever I go to the west coast, which is surprisingly often, I make sure to visit the privately owned diner.

The thing I love most about In-N-Out is that they have three options: double cheeseburger, regular cheeseburger, and a traditional hamburger (and of course fries and shakes and soft drinks). The simplicity of the menu makes it easy to decide what to order. My personal favorite is their regular burger, which is always cooked to perfection. It's so good it makes me depressed that we don't have one in Chicago.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

So if you decide to make the ridiculously long trip to taste a life changing burger, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: RA Sushi Bar

Since I'm a giant foodie, I'm not afraid to try out new things. I can eat anything and convince myself it's God's gift to this world. I haven't decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing yet.

Anyway.

Whenever I tell people I love raw fish, most look at me like I'm insane. But I don't really care because sushi is amazing and if I wouldn't die of mercury poisoning, I would eat it every day.

I've been to a number of sushi bars, but the one that stands out to me most is Ra. I was first introduced to the chain last summer and I fell in love. Not only is the decor and overall feel of the restaurant really pleasant, but the prices are decent as well.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

My favorite thing about Ra is their happy hour menu. Every Monday-Saturday, from 3-7 pm Ra offers their customers $2-$7 (select) sushi, appetizers and tapas. Although I don't always catch happy hour, the fact that they offer super cheap (and super yummy) sushi makes me want to hug someone.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

If you like to play it safe and you don't want to eat fish that may or may not poison you, Ra is still a good option to consider. Their menu offers a number of dishes, both cooked and raw, which makes it perfect for everyone.

So whether you're daring enough to try raw fish, or you decide to stick to cooked food, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: Chipotle

Throughout the years, Chipotle has quickly become one of my favorite places to go to with friends. Its cool and fun atmosphere and great burritos always keep me coming back for more. It has become one of my favorite places to dine and I don't think I will ever get sick of it.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

Part of the reason why I love Chipotle so much is because I've got my order down to a T. It's taken me about a year to perfect my burrito/burrito bowl and I've finally got it down to perfection. There are probably a hundred different ways to order a burrito, taco, or burrito bowl but here's my favorite combination of ingredients:

I start off by ordering a steak burrito with brown rice and grilled veggies. Then, I ask for mild AND hot sauce, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and corn. It's basically a steak burrito with almost everything. I find that the many different ingredients creates a wonderful mix of different tastes and textures, which is my absolute favorite thing about burritos.


Photo by: Maryem Abdulla
 

Overall, I would highly recommend Chipotle if you're craving a burrito that's bigger than your head. All the fresh ingredients and cruelty free meat selections are amazing, and the vibe of the Mexican grill is very inviting.

So whether you decide to indulge in a giant burrito, a delicious taco, or a bag of chips and guac, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: Thai Bowl

One of my favorite things about going to school in the city is the chance to eat at little restaurants every so often. My current favorite restaurant to grab a quick lunch at has been Thai Bowl. Its close proximity and cheap, delicious options makes the family owned business a great place to dine.

I was introduced to Thai Bowl last semester. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked it, considering it was really late and I was really hungry. And when it’s late and I’m hungry I can eat crayons and convince myself they taste good.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla
 

The one thing I really love about Thai Bowl is that they are great at making dishes specific to your liking. I’m not a very picky person, but I’m very specific about how I want certain meals made, and the chefs at Thai Bowl have always been happy to help.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

My favorite dishes to try at any Thai restaurant are noodle dishes. Something about the way they prepare them is always comforting to indulge in. And although I can always make myself Ramen Noodles and have both comfort and deliciousness in three minutes, I would much rather go out and buy a big bowl of yumminess (which says a lot, because I’m the laziest person in the whole world).

So if you decide to try a hearty dish, or just savor some bubble tea, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: Conte Di Savoia

Conte Di Savoia has been a family favorite for years. Growing up, every Sunday afternoon my parents would take my siblings and me to the little Italian deli to grab a quick lunch. Throughout the years, my family became good friends with the mom and pop shop owners, which makes it all the more enjoyable to visit.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

As the economy declined and small businesses started to go under, Conte Di Savoia remained alive and well. It's charming atmosphere and friendly workers is only one small aspect of their success. Along with the homey feel, their delicious sandwiches, salads, and seafood always leaves a customer coming back for more.

Although many small shops change as they grow, Conte Di Savoia maintained it's charm as the years went on. Despite the fact that they haven't expanded into a franchise business, the small shop still manages stick to their philosophy to provide the best possible products and outstanding service as they did in 1948 when it first opened. As a loyal customer, I definitely agree with their claims, as their food is the same amazing quality as it was 18 years ago when my family first discovered it.
Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

My usual order of turkey provolone has always been my favorite, however I decided to step out of my very narrow sandwich comfort zone and ordered a turkey pastrami. Although it is a little different from what I'm accustomed to, the fresh bread and savory ingredients complemented the meat nicely, and made it an overall tasty lunch.

Whether you decide to try their sandwiches, salads, or fine wines, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!