Jordan "ShakenCandy" B.'s Profile

Cornelia's was always a favorite of mine. They've really upped the ante with the latest changes, though. The one thing that didn't change though is the exceptional quality of food. Last night I went and tried their nightly special which was a brisket that had been slow-cooked for 24 hours and came with real mashed potatoes and a horseradish sauce. It was perfectly cooked and flavored and I wish it were a regular item on the menu. The service, the food, the wines, the atmosphere - these are all reasons why you should also make this a regular spot for dining and drinking!

I think all gay men have a fantasy of what their bar would look like if they opened one. Eastern Block is nothing like what I have in my imagination, but I'll be damned if it isn't more fun than a jar of peanut butter and a spoon. To be perfectly clear, everything about the place seems random and just a little grungy. The drinks were strangely cheap for a Manhattan bar; and not in the slightest bit weak. If you find yourself anywhere near this bar it is an absolute must visit.

Oh, and it's "Goat Czech" for those commenting on the sign. I remember that from the sober part of my night.

Still scares me. I revisited this bar because my friend insists that I went on a bad night and that it usually isn't that weird. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it was even more weird! Think crowds of middle-aged men and one twenty-something in his underwear for every three of the aforementioned. I was tempted to call them go-go boys but they don't dance, and they aren't strippers because that is to say they had clothes on at some point. In any event, the beer was cheep and it was good fun so I'm upping the rating! If you have Nowhere else to go (teehee) then you might just have a randomly fun time at this strange little bar.

I stopped by Salute for the first time a couple weeks ago for dinner with a coworker. The atmosphere was very inviting and sitting outside was great. I had a few glasses of wine, of course, but the food is what really won me over. I had the "Grazie" sandwich - out of this world delicious. If you like turkey and cranberry I highly recommend it! For dessert I had the homemade cannolis (one regular and one fig.) Again, they were great. Second time around I tried the tiramisu for dessert and even though I generally don't like tiramisu I thought it was delicious.

The absolute best thing about Salute is that they play old Italian movies on Thursdays on the wall of the building next door. I brought a date and he raved about the food and the experience afterward. I won't go into the gory details but let's just say the date was a success :) Thank's Salute!

BYOB: I love Jai-Yen for a few simple reasons. The food is good, the food is cheap, and the food is fast. I'll often order my food by phone and by the time I get there it is ready for me (I don't live far away). My favorite is the fried rice with chicken though I've had some of their sushi and it was all pretty good.

Every once in a while we'll order in Hannah's Bretzel for lunch at work. That means every once in a while I am unbelievably excited just before the lunch hour. Yes, it's true, Hannah's is my favorite lunch spot during the work week.

I always order Sergio's Special. I love the combination of mango chutney and jalapeno. Mixing spicy and sweet is one sure-fire way to win me over and they've done it excellently with this sandwich. Top it off with pretzel bread and you can call it perfection. It's official, my heart has been won over. I don't know who Sergio is but thank you :)

WOW.

I bought a Groupon for Geja's a few months ago and it almost expired before I made it here but boy, am I glad I managed to squeeze it in. Geja's is an amazing little maze of a restaurant. Whilst mostly a date spot, I actually went with two friends, and it wasn't entirely awkward. In fact, I would recommend breaking the norm and bringing your friends along for the experience!

Everything about Geja's is wonderful. The atmosphere, the service, and most of all the food. Like I need an excuse to eat melted cheese or fry things in hot oil? Step out of my way, I've got my bib on already!

Geja's has a fairly extensive wine list but if you have trouble picking I recommend ordering one of the wine flights. They do a fairly good job of pairing your wines for your meal in this regard and I found that their selections were both appropriate and entirely YUM. Of course, you can always make your own selections, or, should you prefer, ask for assistance in ordering from the regular wine list.

Let's see how simple I can keep it this morning.

The food is pretty good. Not the best crepes I've ever had but certainly far far far from the worst. I really enjoyed the turkish coffee. Granted I've nothing to compare it to but I liked it! Waitress was nice. Overall a great spot to stop for a bite to eat the next time your in that neck of the woods!

Being a bit of a cupcake aficionado (see my tour of NY via cupcakeries) I find myself duly authorized to speak on the subject of amazing cupcakes. That being said, with my most recent trip to Phoebe's, I find the bakery to be henceforth known as Chicago's absolute best cupcake shop (and a close runner up for first globally.)

I have tried a handful of different flavors from Phoebe's and by-and-far my favorite is the Death by Chocolate. The cake was perfectly moist but it was the frosting that got me. The texture and flavor almost mimic that of brownie batter ~ one of my all time favorite treats. It sounds like it almost may be too much but trust me, the combination is perfect. I do highly recommend pairing it with some milk or coffee though!

As for the folks working there, Phoebe has hired an amazingly energetic, friendly, and fun staff. So yeah - if you haven't stopped in yet, take it from me, a trip to Phoebe's is a must. If you have been there, you probably aren't reading this right now because you obviously don't need my review to convince you into going back.

I've been going here to do my laundry on and off since I moved down the street from it. I've never had a problem getting a washer or dryer when I do my clothes myself. This past week I decided to try drop off service for the first time. I was very happy to be able to drop my things off in the morning at 8 and they were ready for me at 4pm the same day when I went to pick them up. The price was good and everything came back folded very nicely and in great, clean condition. Many thanks for the clean clothes so now I can enjoy the great weather this weekend instead of staying in and doing laundry!