How many restaurants are in New York City? Too many to bother counting. But in the midst of the crowded streets and hot dog stands, stands a dark, tinted-windowed restaurant that is worth remembering. Located in Times Square on 49th Street is Ruby Foo’s. The unusual name isn’t what makes this restaurant so memorable (though it is a contributing factor) but it is the combination and wide variety of its menu. The word, “Foo’s” indicates that the restaurant is Chinese, yet the menu has dishes ranging from Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Mai Thai, Pad Thai, and a bunch of other rhyming menu categories. This menu really carries the definition of Asian Fusion, with items like Edamame (soy beans), Miso Soup, which are Japanese, and Wonton and Dim Sum dumplings, which are Chinese. Not to mention a great variety of sushi, and grilled dishes. What else happens to make this place so successful? Other than the variety and good food, it’s the location. Ruby Foo’s is on 1626 Broadway at 49th Street, NY. For theatre enthusiasts, Ruby Foo’s is the perfect pre-show/post-show eatery, because its right next to the theatres, and it also happens to be why I happen to know the place. Since I was around 5, I had an interest in Broadway plays, and my father would take me to Ruby Foo’s to have lunch before the shows. The dim lights and tradition Asian decorations really help set the mood. Celadon pots, dragon paintings and Buddha statues are a common sight throughout the restaurant. If you’re ever in the city, whether to see a musical, or what ever reason, try and check out Ruby Foo’s. Be sure to make a reservation, though, or you may be waiting a while.

James MacDonald April 29, 2012
Blog Food What is food?

Is food there just to make us have something to run off, just some energy for us to burn so we can get rhough life. Or ss food just for the taste, for the pure pleasure of delicious flavors. Or is food art work, a blank slate to design your own master piece, for your self or for other people. Or is it a bonding experience, a time where you and family, or significant other’s can just sit down, over a nice hot meal and just talk. Well food to me is all of that, food on its own should be its own subject in school, there just so much to learn from it. First off for are own well begging, with out food, or energy we would be nothing, we would have nothing to drive us, however you can give urself a little to much energy, and that would result in your gaining some weight. I think it is important to teach kids whats healthy for you and whats not. You can eat healthy and still eat almost ervything you love and then some. Food also is a way for me to try new things, new flavors, new textures, new experiences. I remember the first time I had fondue, something pretty simple, just a bunch of cheese, heated up with probably some milk, or cream. However I remember having it, it amazed me. I have no idea why, it might be the fact that its pretty hands on and I was quite young then so I found that very cool. Another thing I think I liked about it was the choices you had, like they had breads, meats, vegetables to dip in. They had other kind of fondues also, they had one with oil in it and that was for flash cooking meats or vegetables, that was fun but my parents didn’t want me manning that my self since I was little, and it was a pot of boiling oil. They also had the tradional chocolate one for desert. But me im a more savory kind of person, don’t get me wrong I love sweets but if it was between a nice steak, or a chocolate cake, it hands down pick the steak. Food for me is really a lifestyle, a lot of things I do revolve around the world of food, it it from thinking what my moms going to make for dinner, or if its me sitting down and watching a food program on television. I just cant get enough of it.

I’m not sure if this is what you had in mind by food relative, but have you ever been to Trader Joe’s? It is a cultural treasure that should be available to everyone because due to Newtown’s unfortunate placement it is not easily accessible to our residents unless they wish to drive an hour away to see what it has to offer. Trader Joe’s is basically a food market, but what makes it stand out from all the others like Big Y, Stop & Shop, and Shoprite is that is has food products that no other shops will have. Some of the things that I’ve sampled from this store are dried hibiscus flowers, and key lime cheesecake. Now I know that you probably don’t see key lime cheesecake as a novelty, but this one was an exception that could still rise above any modern cheesecake today…key lime or otherwise. I will go so far as to say that this cheesecake is paramount to a god among men. It is unearthly, however sadly it must no longer be in stock because after 6 years of searching it has yet to be seen again. It seems this creamy and tart taste of this cheesecake was too good to last. Hibiscus flowers are a type of flower that I believe originates from Asia. To some I’m sure that the thought of eating dried plants isn’t very appetizing, but those who can appreciate the taste of some of the earth’s flora should definitely try out these flowers. It’s not the stem, but the leaves of the flower you are eating which are sun dried and then become a deep kind of maroon or purple hybrid color. Once dried these flowers become a crisp and rubbery skin that has a citrusy flavor that I just can’t get enough of. Trader Joe’s prides itself on having different and interesting food dishes or combinations, foreign or common and I love the establishment for that. I’m sure that to some it is just another convenience store and I wish that they wouldn’t fail to appreciate the new options it offers to us common folk in the world of food and dinning. Each time I have been there it has been an interesting experience and there’s always something interesting to try. I just wish that the nearest one I know of wasn’t an hour away. Peter G.

I think that Mexican food is pretty good. This weekend I went to Mexicali Rose for dinner one night with some friends. It was my first time to that restaurant although I have heard about it a lot before and have heard that it is a very good restaurant. It was a small cramped little room but the whole thing was not bad. Everyone ordered a burrito except for me. I ordered a chicken fajita. I have to say that it was pretty good except for all the green peppers. I don’t really like peppers. Other than that, it was pretty good, and I don’t think that I have ever had a fajita before. There was also chicken, onions, rice, and beans in it. After Mexican food we went to Donkin Donuts where I got a free coffee from “shift manager Lori” because I was appearently annoying her too much. 

Andy R

Last night my mom and I tried to make our own pizza because it was too late to order in and we were just in the mood. Let me tell you, it was a nightmare. Now, neither of us are professional chef’s to say the least, but we can hold our own in the kitchen. However, with this experiment, what we put into the oven looked nowhere close to a pizza, more like a glob of red and yellow. Of course, we insisted on doing everything ourselves. We started off by making the dough. In the beginning it turned out fine however we added too much flower and it became string and simply fell apart. We didn’t have enough ingredients to make more, so we just used what we had made. Then, we forgot to buy mozzarella cheese, so instead we used what we had: cheddar and swiss. Now normally, both cheeses taste good however not on a pizza. To top it all off, we forgot to look up a recipe for pizza sauce and instead used a pasta meat sauce recipe. We also put huge circles of sausage onto the pizza. When we put the final product in the oven, it looked horrible. However, it looked even worse when we took the pizza out. Not only was the crust completely burnt, but it crumbled in your hands. The cheese had all but slid off and the rest of the pizza was simply meat and a little but of sauce. I was terrified to even put it into my mouth. But when all was said and done, the pizza didn’t taste as bad as I had expected. After picked around the burnt pieces it was edible. Next time however, we have both agreed to order out instead of try to make a pizza ourselves again. 
Rachel K

There is much more to this little pub than just being a bar. And the bar part wouldn't even matter to us for another 4 or 5 years anyway. This place might be on the top of my list of favorite restaurants. I say it beats the Inn at Newtown, especially the prices. I am never ever disappointed when i go there. Tonight I went and got an "American" Onion soup. which is just a different name for French onion soup. It was SO good. You get a good amount of gruyère cheese, and the onions are like butter. they literally fall apart in your mouth. We also got Pub fried calamari as an appetizer as well, which was also not disappointing at all. For my main meal i had the Linguini and clam sauce. The pasta was homemade from our local pasta shop, Villarina's. Topped on the pasta was give or take 10 medium sized steamed clams. I do have to say that the sauce was little too much buttery for my likings, but I really cannot complain. It was still so good. I HIGHLY recommend going. but if you do, make reservations just in case. it gets very packed, very quickly.

- natalie g.

            Last night my dad made a dish that he makes once in a while and it is probably one of my favorite dishes. Even though there are so many different recipes for it and people make it so many different ways, my dad’s chicken parmesan is by far my favorite that I have ever had. The chicken in always so juicy and instead of the sauce just being poured on top like I have had it in some recipes, the chicken is cooked in a sauce pan drowned in the sauce, with cheese melted on top. When it is done cooking, it is then put on top of a steaming pile of noodles.

            It probably isn’t the best recipe out there, but of the ones that I have tried, I like it the most. My grandpa also makes a really good one that has so many different spices in it that he doesn’t even need to make it with spaghetti. It is such a different taste to me. When I think of chicken parmesan, I don’t think of with all those different flavors in it. I just think of sauce, cheese and some garlic to add a little bit of extra flavor. But even though I miss the noodles, I really like that too.

Tennis, Field hockey, Football, Baseball, etc. all sports in high school have games, matches, meets, etc. but through all the training and hard work there is always one thing that I think almost everyone looks forward to: Pasta Parties. Pasta parties are typically hosted by one family and then three other families each bring something. For tennis and field hockey the other parents bring bread and salad, desert, and drinks. Pasta parties are an out of school way to get to known your teammates better and to have some time to relax. But they are technically for preparing for the competition usually held the next day which is why the meal is almost all carbs. At the tennis pasta parties we always have a great time! Depending on the host the parties can vary. Some parents are chefs and create the most delicouis and decident food. I once went to a party where the mother baked a Barefoot Contessa ziti with five cheeses, it was some of the best pasta I had ever had. While other parents make good food but at the end of the day it really isn't that much to brag about. All food tastes great of course but some is just better than others.

Food: Pasta is the main course, usually ziti, tortellini, spaghetti, lasagna, or plain noodles severed with tomato sauce or sometimes butter. Then the salads are either the typical iceberg lettuce with tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers, or there sometime more interesting like waldorf salad with apples, walnuts, goat cheese etc. Of course all this is served with drinks that include: soda, water, iced tea, lemonade, gatorade, and other juices. Finally the much anticipated desert. Depending on the team and size it has typically been anywhere from cakes to cookies, brownies, ice cream, pies, cupcakes, fruit, layer bars, etc. Overall the party is always a great time because your with friends and good food!

Class 8

Today, I went to Toro with my sisters and father. Recently, my father has been obsessed with Toro and how fantastic everything about it is. “The food is terrific, the service and food are excellent. You couldn’t ask for more,” – Alain. And he’s right. The food is presented wonderfully; the Toro chefs really know how to wow their customers with their presentations. Especially with their Crunchy Shrimp with Walnuts, they put the crunchy shrimp on top of broccoli with a creamy sweet sauce. It’s my favorite dish there, besides the vegetable fried rice. My experiences at Toro have been great, but today it was funnier and amazing. Our waiter knew origami; he was making a show out of it for all of us. He just kept folding this piece of paper making different animals and objects. He did it so fast, it was unbelievable! We were in awe. He was teaching us how much you have to put into learning origami; you have to know all the shapes and angles. It’s more difficult then it seems. When he was done with his first piece of paper, the creature was a dragon. Before we left, he gave us a task to make an origami rabbit. We failed miserably and asking him for help. In two minutes, he was done with a rabbit in his palm. You know those little swords they use for cocktails? Well, he pulled two out and put them on the rabbit. “Look, he is a samurai rabbit!” He had to be one of the best waiters I’ve ever had!

Erica S.

Unfortunately, I haven't really had many food experiences lately. I haven't gone out that much, besides yesterday, when my parents took me out for my birthday to Pub 189, on Federal Road. I just got a burger that I had asked for medium well, and I got it medium rare. The fries, however, were probably the best fries I have ever tasted, even better than McDonalds. Other than that, I continue to make the traditional Saturday and Sunday morning pancakes, and I help out when I can in the kitchen. Next week we are having a big party, so I am really excited to help cook for that, should be interesting! Other than that I don't have much to say, still eating chips ahoy cookies - my girlfriend gave me a whole bag yesterday!

Peachwave is a self-serve frozen yogurt joint that has about everyone in Newtown talking. Even when you first walk in, you already get absorbed into their relaxing atmosphere. The colors, lighting, and the never ending blasted music makes Peachwave the next new hang out for the students in middle school and the high school. But, let’s not get off topic of what is really important: the frozen yogurt! I have already heard several people describe the frozen yogurt as out of this world amazing. “It’s like I’ve died and gone to Heaven,” says a student from Newtown High.
I’ll give you a rundown on how Peachwave operates. Once, you walk through the front door there are two sized cups you can choose from: the small or the large. Next, there are going to be about 16 or so different flavors for you to select from. But there are a total of 50 flavors that come and go like the seasons. Since, it is a self-served place you decide when enough is enough. So, get a lot or get a little. It’s completely up to you! One last step you have to do before you weigh and pay, you’ve got a huge variety on what you want on top of your frozen yogurt. The toppings are a range of chocolates, fruits, candies, sprinkles, sauces, and whipped cream. There are numerous combinations you can create every time you go. Oh, and here’s the thing, they pay by the ounce so whatever you get is priced out in the end. There is no set price, you pay for what you get.
My all-time favorite combination is cupcake and pomegranate mixed together, with a few candy toppings to finish it off. Try it next time you go, don’t get upset if they don’t have the flavors. They tend to mix it up from time to time to see what the customers like. Basically, don’t be afraid to try the flavors, experiment a little bit, and make your own creations. Go wild in the land of Peachwave!

Erica S.

People always say that firefighters are good cooks. Being part of a fire department, I can tell you that this is actually pretty true. We have meeting twice a month, and following those meetings is always a very good dinner cooked by some member of the fire department. We have one guy, George, who used to, and still kind of does run a catering business. He cooks a lot of times, or at least helps out who is cooking, and always does a great job. I know this because of my own experience with him when me and some other younger guys decided to cook one night. We were just going to make some simple pasta with meat sauce and meatballs, but George helped us make it much better. First, he helped us transform our store bought tomato meat sauce into something a little more. He put it all in a large pot, and threw the meat balls in with it, adding some chicken and sausage to add to the flavor. He also added garlic which I have heard of doing before, but I have not heard of adding the meat. This all made the sauce taste much better and you could really tell when eating it. You could taste the strips of chicken that had spread throughout the sauce, as well as the garlic and other meats. This just shows how you can take a somewhat simple recipe and make it a lot better and flavorful. The meatballs were also a lot better after soaking in the sauce for a couple hours. We slowly cooked the sauce, heating up everything and letting it simmer. For the pasta, we threw some olive oil in the water just to give the pasta a little more flavor. You could defiantly taste a difference in the end and our meal was a big success.

Every so often one comes across a diner that is perfect in terms of food, environment, staff, and general mood. You are greeted with enthusiastic waiters and waitresses, your service is quick and the food tastes amazing. When one finds a diner such as this, they should definitely take notice and recommend this generally pleasant establishment, which is exactly what I am doing.
I didn’t just stumble upon City Limits Diner in White Plains, New York. It was in fact the first restaurant I ever went to when I was a baby with my family, and to this day it’s without a doubt the one restaurant I have visited the most. So I guess you could say my family and I were regulars, when we lived in New York. Why did we keep coming back? “Where do you want to go to dinner?” my parents would ask. “Silly Minutes!!” my brother and I would say when we were two years old, being unable to pronounce “City Limits”.
It wasn’t just because of my brother and I that we always went there. We all loved it because of the food. Not once were we not satisfied with what we ordered. They are well known for their delicious silver dollar pancakes for breakfast, their elaborate list of appetizers ranging from salads to fried fish, and their impressive selections for meat eaters, such as steaks and burgers and any kind. Their flexible hours made it easy to plan our evenings, with excellent choices for breakfast lunch and dinner. We eventually became so familiar to the employees we were greeted as friends, rather that customers. There is always a dimly lit blue or beige lantern at every table, creating a calm and pleasant atmosphere that was great for family occasions, business, or just seeing friends.
City Limits is a great environment for kids, has friendly employees, fantastic meal selections, and impressive decorations throughout the diner. If anyone was to be in the area, City Limits, or “Silly Minutes” Diner is definitely a choice you won’t regret making.

Annemarie L.

This past weekend, I visited The Tavern, a restaurant in Monroe. Mr. Neumeyer had been talking about it a few months ago, and he said it was a safe place to go eat. I suggested it to my parents, and they decided to take me. Overall, I thought the food was decent; it was a standard menu, nothing interesting or "eye popping". The service, however, was very, very good. I ordered a grilled cheese platter for an appetizer, and then ordered a grilled pork chop from the speacials menu that night. Both dishes were decent, nothing separating them from any other restaurant. My mom ordered a bacon burger, and I had half of that and it was really good.

I am excited because I only have one more week to go until I can eat chips ahoy cookies again! Easter is almost here!

Stephen C

As I flipped through past blog entries for some inspiration I came across Natalie's entry. I thought that’s brilliant. Recently in our layer bar unit I was searching for recipes when I stumbled across this one. Although I haven't had the chance to make this, I found it so interesting that it was a none bake threat. It's something more than general pudding or store bought ice cream; it shows that you put effort into the dessert even if it took hardly any time at all. This would be an easy and impressive dessert for anyone to make that’s essentially dummy proof. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut-Butter No Bake Cookies

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
Waxed paper

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.

Recipe by: Helen Ostrosky
Foodnetwork.com

On my recent trip to Hawaii, I encountered an entirely new world of food, that has yet to be discovered by many American people (probably for the better). These certain Hawaiian delicacies are a legend among the people who live their due to their unique flavor and overall disposition.
One of these products is Spam, the most popular and well known of all Hawaiian foods, if you can even call them that. Spam is a canned processed meat product that contains some remnants of ham and other types of everyday meat. However, this mush of a “food” tastes nothing like meat. When you first look at it, it resembles a jelly mold in the way that it slightly jiggles and moves with the can that it is packaged in. If the appearance doesn’t scare you away, the taste surely will. It is somewhere between the taste of bologna, and a salty, fatty, liquidly, and meaty lump that you can carve away with a spoon and pop into your mouth. Now, if Spam doesn’t turn you off of the typical Hawaiian cuisine, Vienna sausages surely will.
Vienna sausages are another form of mixed meat with chicken, pork, or beef. This meat is ground into a pasty substance, that is then filled into a long casing and cut into short segments. If this is not gross enough, these sausages are then placed in liquids or mustard “sauces” and canned for long periods of time in which they sit on shelves and then consumed by Hawaiians who are insane enough to put this atrocity into their gullets.
Now, I’m in no way criticizing all Hawaiian food, but just like every other culture they have specific foods in which it is grotesque to anyone other than those native to the place.
Rachel K.