She Ate Dat

Author: Zoe Carney

  • Lagos NYC: Devouring West African Flavors in the East Coast

    If you’re in the mood for immaculate vibes, you need to check out Lagos NYC in Manhattan. Before you go waltzing in you’ll need a reservation with your entire party on location but once you’re all there that’s where the fun begins. This restaurant and lounge has two floors. The live DJ is located on the second level but can be heard throughout the entire venue. During my visit a dance line started from the second floor, made its way down the stairs and back up again. Going back to the first floor, towards the back is a grass wall to capture a pic for Instagram. Those of you who like hookah can smoke while you eat. Those of us who aren’t a fan of having smoke blown all over our food should steer clear as there are no separate accommodations for either situation.

    Now the food itself is debatable. Don’t judge me but the first trip I went for brunch and got pancakes, scrambled eggs and mac n’ cheese. There’s not much to say about the pancakes and scrambled eggs but I was going back and forth on whether or not I liked the macaroni. I ended up giving the cheesy pasta to someone else. The second go around another member of my party had sent food back. Then there was the soup. Super spicy to the point she was coughing. I can only assume it tasted extremely good as she kept drinking it. There’s also the drinks but there is one in particular I want to highlight. The Fire On The Mountain. Literally coming in hot, the top of the drink is on fire.

    If all of these variables sounds like your speed then head down to the Lagos NYC at 7th Ave in Manhattan.

    Mac N' Cheese served in a small cask iron pot on a plate from Lagos NYC.

    Hungry for more?

  • Chicken Sausage Pasta with and Amazing Bolognese

    With the holidays slowly creeping up on us, we need a quick and easy recipe that’ll wow the crowd. This simple dish will save you time in the kitchen while leaving whoever is lucky enough to taste it satisfied.
    Eat more pasta here.

    Ingredients

    • 9 Ounces Italian Chicken Sausage Mix
    • 6 Ounces Spaghetti
    • 1 Zucchini
    • 1¾ Cup Crushed Tomatoes
    • 1 tsp Chicken Stock Concentrate
    • 1½ tbsp Sour Cream
    • 3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
    • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
    • Olive Oil
    • 1 tbsp Butter
    • 1 tsp Sugar
    • Kosher Salt
    • Black Pepper

    Instructions

    1. Set broiler to high and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cut Zucchini in half lengthwise then slice thinly into semi circles.
    2. Place zucchini slices on a baking sheet with olive oil, ½ tbsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Broil for 5-7 minutes until browned and softened.
    3. While zucchini broil, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken sausage and ½ tbsp Italian seasoning, breaking up the meat. Cook for 4-6 minutes until browned.
    4. In case you don’t know how to make spaghetti, add spaghetti to the pot of boiling water and cook for 9-11 minutes. Keep ½ cup of the water.
    5. Meanwhile in the pan with your sausage, stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock concentrate, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5-7 minutes and thicken.
    6. Finally, mix in sour cream and butter into sauce until melted and completely combined. Add your zucchini and spaghetti and voila.
      Note: If your pasta isn’t fully coated in sauce you can pour the leftover water in 1 tbsp at a time.
    7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and parmesan.

  • Sticky’s Finger Joint and their Extra Special Sauce

    Clucking for more chicken?

    Located all over Brooklyn, it’s not hard to find the chicken chain. Sticky’s Finger Joint has proclaimed itself as “The Home Of The Best Damn Chicken Fingers!” Now I’m not gonna knock Sticky’s chicken. The chicken fingers ain’t bad, but that’s not why I like going. The real stars (for me at least) are the sauces. What’s a chicken finger without something to dunk it in? I for one want to try all their sauces. I’m a little embarrassed to say it but it’s like filling a Pokédex for me. On their current menu they have 13 different sauces to try ranging from classic to global. As of writing this, they have 2 limited time sauces; Jerk BBQ and Taco Supreme.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_3dEsLIlw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

    Now while I haven’t tried their extensive menu, because they do sell more than just chicken fingers, I feel like it’s my duty to tell you everything they sell. Starting with their sandwiches.

    • They have the classic served with sticky’s sauce, purple slaw and pickles.
    • A spicy chicken served with Sticky’s sauce, Nashville numb sauce, cumin and pickles.
    • The honey BBQ consists of the sassy BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, honey and of course pickles.

    Next is their wraps, all of which have two chicken fingers within them (you just can’t get away from the chicken fingers).

    • The chicken caesar wrap is simple. Grilled and wrapped with coleslaw, and grated parmesan cheese
    • The chicken bacon crunch wrap has obviously chopped bacon, grilled greens, tomatoes, red onions, cheddar cheese and buttermilk baby ranch
    • Sticky chicken wrap consisting of buffalo balsamic maple, coleslaw, pickles, shredded carrots and cheddar cheese.

    Side note: I think the buffalo balsamic maple is an acquired taste

    There’s also the sides but I’m not gonna get into those.

    Bacon Mac Fries
    Bacon Mac Fries
    Spicy Chicken Wrap
    Classic Chicken Sandwich from Sticky's Finger Joint
    Thai Fiesta Chicken
    Thai Fiesta
    Chicken Finger Combo

  • Loaded Pork Taquitos, Mouthwateringly Simple

    Pork Taquitos in a cast iron skillet cover in pico de gallo and sour cream

    Now when I was learning to cook I was extremely anxious of cooking meat because I didn’t want to potentially poison anyone. These loaded pork taquitos though are ridiculously easy to make for a noobie chef. When I say these loaded pork taquitos are loaded they were quite literally getting out of hand, I had meats and cheese falling everywhere when I was eating (or maybe I’m just a mess in general). If I wasn’t so lazy I would be making these on the daily.
    If you want other meats wrapped in a tortilla click here.

    Ingredients

    • 10 Ounces Ground Pork
    • 1 Yellow Onion
    • 2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • Tex-Mex Paste
    • 6 Tortillas
    • ½ Cup Mexican Cheese Blend
    • 3 tbsp Sour Cream
    • 1 tsp Hot Sauce (or more I’m not your mom)
    • 4 tbsp guacamole
    • 1 Lime
    • 1 Tomato
    • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper

    Instructions

    1. If you think you can prep fast enough, put a rack to the middle, preheat you’re oven to 425 degrees, and put foil lightly oiled on a baking sheet (I put mine in a cast iron skillet). Otherwise, mince your onion until you have 1 tbsp then thinly slice the rest. Dice tomato and zest lime, cutting it into quarters after.
    2. Mix garlic powder, cumin and chili powder to make a spice blend.
    3. Over medium-high heat, heat a large drizzle of oil in a pan and cook sliced onions for 3 minutes. Next add ground pork, breaking into pieces and cooking for 4-6 minutes until meat is browned and onion softens. Mix in spice blend, Tex-Mex paste, ⅓ cup water and simmer until thickened for about 2-3 minutes.
    4. Coat tortillas evenly on both with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fill tortillas with about ¼ cup of pork and 1 tbsp of cheese blend. Roll and tuck the tortillas tightly until shaped like a taquito and place seam down on the baking sheet.
    5. Put the taquitos in the oven to bake for 8-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
    6. In one bowl combine tomato, minced onions, half the lime zest and lime juice from half the lime and salt to taste. In another bowl combine guacamole, sour cream, the other half of the lime zest and lime juice then salt and pepper to taste.
    7. Top your taquitos with pico de gallo, guac mixture and hot sauce.

  • Flippers: The Most Superior Brunch Spot

    This one is for all of my early birds. Out in Soho, on Broadway there’s a store on the corner that you might miss if you’re not paying attention (or the line isn’t out the door). Flippers is a brunch spot that serves up delicious soufflé pancakes. This particular eatery is far from a walk in and is highly recommended to get a reservation first. If this warning isn’t heeded you can try your luck with the waitlist. From my experience it’s a gamble. The first day I went and found it by chance, the I never got a text saying there was a spot open. The second I lucked out and got a full party of four in.

    A brunch spread from Flippers in Soho. Caramel banana chocolate pancakes, strawberry pancakes,fresh fruit pancakes. Hashbrowns, bacon, and mimosas.

    Once you enter the restaurant is kinda small but that just makes it cozy. Depending on the size of your party seating can get a bit tight. While Flippers does sell other food, the main star is their pancakes. The pancakes themselves are very cute and yes they jiggle when you shake them. I ordered one mimosa. Let me tell you something, they are very generous with the champagne so if you’re going to brunch to drink, this is the place to be.

    You can find Flippers located in Soho, Manhattan. I recommend getting a reservation if you plan to make a day out of it.

    Flipping out for more?

  • Taiyaki: Eat The Most Amazing Ice Cream Out Of Fish-Cones

    Want more sweet treats?

    If you’re ever in Chinatown you have to check out Taiyaki. This little shop delivers soft serve ice cream in a warm delicious fish shaped cone. My classic go-to is the unicorn. It is a vanilla ice cream covered in rainbow sprinkles finished with fondant unicorn horn and ears all within a red bean taiyaki cone. Of course if you hate fun you can get the ice cream in a regular cup without anything added. They also have flavors for the vegans such as mango ice cream, chocolate and strawberry syrups and coconut flakes topping.

    Taiyaki shops aren’t just in Chinatown, you can find another out in Williamsburg.

    Green macha taiyaki ice cream.

    Coming back to this post for a special spooky update. Taiyaki dropped a limited time flavor for the fall. Can you guess what it was? Pumpkin spice latte, obviously. They got the recipe down pact. Sometimes, certain treats don’t quite taste like what they claim to be but they’ve managed to get it right. The limited time cone is swirled with pastel orange ice cream. The sprinkles even got a makeover. Shaped liked pumpkins, bats and little ghosties. Speaking of ghosts, they even add cute fondant ghosts to really sell the spooky season.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CyJ7kXIPbE6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

  • The Most Outstanding Chicken Spot To Stop In Williamsburg

    Hey guys we’re back with another New York eat. Sweet Chick is a nice little chicken spot with five locations in the state. During the warmer weather they do have outdoor seating, granted, it’s more of a remnant from the social distancing past. However, enjoying the outdoors with dividers provides a sense of personal space, allowing you to avoid feeling crowded by others outside your group. Best part is the waiters do come outside as well so you’re not completely sacrificing the restaurant experience. However, the only issue (this goes with any outdoor seating) was bugs, more specifically bees. Granted this only happened during one of my experiences in the warmer seasons a bee kept flying around the table. I think it may have sought a “boost” from fròse we ordered.

    Now from my experiences, I had the chicken and waffles. The chicken wasn’t overly crispy where it would scrape your mouth. The waffles were incredibly fluffy inside. The food is made how the southern high priestess intended. You also have to try their mac n’ cheese; It’s ooey gooey goodness topped with breadcrumbs for a little crunch. And if you like to have a drink in the morning don’t worry. Sweet Chick has a little something something for the 21 and up crowd too. I got a little taste of their fròse. Personally for me it was passable, but that’s coming from someone who likes weak drinks that taste like straight juice. If you’re ever in these parts of New York make sure you stop by a Sweet Chick to get your chicken fix. Another thing to remember, if you can’t go personally they also do delivery.

    You can discover Sweet Chick locations throughout various areas:

    • Union Square
    • Williamsburg
    • Lower East Side
    • Prospect Heights
    • Long Island City
    Chicken and waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar from Sweet Chick.
    Macaroni and cheese topped with breadcrumbs. Cheese fries topped with bacon in the background. From Sweet Chick.
    Chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato from Sweet Chick in Brooklyn.

    Clucking for more?

  • Asian Fusion Elevating Cuisine to New Heights: Sky Wise Lounge

    Are you going out to eat for the aesthetics? Look no further than Sky Wise lounge. This Asian fusion restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. For those of you who just have to take pictures of everything this is for you. The furnishing is trimmed in black and gold. This includes the plush chairs. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice a tree right in the center of the mix. To offset all the black, the densely packed petals are a bright pink. Finally, which I didn’t initially notice or get to experience, was a stage where they hold shows. Now Sky Wise is on the pricier end but hey, looking good has no limits.

    Starting with appetizers, I ordered rock shrimp which consists of lightly fried shrimp with spicy mayo sauce. It was light and crisp. If I’m remembering correctly my group shared a set of galaxy rolls. “Crabstick with cream cheese, avocado, topped with eel; duck liver, black tobiko, and gold leaf“. If this is what I had, I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Depending on what you get the drink presentation may leave you stunned. A member at our table ordered the Banshee. They serve the drink in a bird-shaped glass with a lollipop in it. Another (that we didn’t get) is the Sakura which true to its name has a little Sakura tree placed on top.

    If you want to get a taste of Asian fusion go down to Emmons Ave in Brooklyn.

    Yellow colored drink served in a small bird shaped glass with a lollipop inside. From the asian fusion lounge at Sky Wise.
    A pink drink served in a whiskey glass garnished with a tiny Sakura tree. From the asian fusion lounge at Sky Wise.
    Courtesy of Sky Wise Lounge
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyq-5MiJ-kX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Feeling parched?

  • One of the Best Japanese Barbecue in Manhattan

    Want a spot to eat with your friends without worrying about splitting the bill? Gyu-Kaku in Manhattan is the perfect place. This Japanese barbecue restaurant will have you stuffed and the drinks are nothing to shy away from. With a team of five I thought that the meal set we chose wouldn’t be enough for all of us, little did I know we would be fighting to finish everything we got. The meat just kept coming. In addition to the sides of rice, calamari and a hefty salad we were stuffed. You would be shocked to know the amount of bang you could get for your buck.

    They’ve set up everything for a successful grilling experience. There’s a little slip to tell you how to cook each cut of meat. The type of meat you’re cooking determines where you should place the meat on the grill. The immaculate vibes aside, we did experience some burnt meat due to inattentiveness. Nonetheless, the staff replaced the grill plates, making sure none of the burnt residue affected the flavor of the next cut of meat. At the end of everything is a small dessert of s’mores. You can get them for free when you gain points through the restaurants app. If you have a large group a cheat code is have one person sign up and then have each person sign up through the first person’s referral to rack up points while you’re there.

    You can find multiple Gyu-Kaku Japanese barbecue in:

    • Amsterdam
    • East Village
    • Flushing
    • Midtown
    • Times Square
    • White Plains
    Meat served on top of rice at a Japanese barbecue.

    Click here for more Asian cuisine