Changes at Well Fed on the Town
A few months back, we made a radical change at Well Fed. Instead of updating our 12+ individual sites on the network, all new content is going on our main site, www.wellfed.net. So if you love all things Sugar Savvy, fear not. You can still find updated, fresh content from our Well Fed on the Town folks on the main site. See you there!
Ramblings on Pizza Around the Country
If you are a regular reader of Sweetnicks, then you know that Well Fed’s owner, Cate O’Malley, is on the hunt for the best pizza in New Jersey. She and her kids have visited many hot spots, finding some great pies along the way. In thinking about her quest, I was struck with how pizza varies from city to city and region to region …
Growing up in New York, I took for granted that most pizza was of the ultra-thin crust variety, with a flavorful sauce and plenty of cheese. Sometimes it would come with pepperoni or some vegetable combination, but when you ordered pizza, you knew what you were getting. The one major variation was how greasy it was (and honestly, when I was younger I thought the greasier the better).
Sure, there was the Sicilian style pizza too, square and a little thicker. My favorite pies like that came from Aloy’s Pizza in Poughkeepsie, NY. The taste was simply unmatchable. But woe to the pizzeria that made a Sicilian style pizza too thick … It just didn’t jive.
Writer’s Wanted!!
Do you know where to find the best clam pie anywhere?
Are you the go-to person among your friends for grocery stores, restaurants and more?
Do you love to dish about your eating-out meals?
Do you have your finger on the pulse of your local bar scene?
Then come write for Well Fed On The Town!
We offer great perks and fabulous exposure. If you are interested in writing and getting noticed, then we might have a spot for you. We are looking for fresh voices who can talk about food and drink-related classes, restaurants, stores and more.
Interested? Email editor Sarah Caron at sarahATsarahscucinabella.com.
Chuck E. Cheese Plans New Location in Connecticut
A certain chipper mouse will be invading Danbury, Connecticut, soon with crawling tubes and arcade-style entertainment. That’s right, there is a Chuck E. Cheese slated to open in Danbury near the Danbury Fair Mall.
The Danbury News-Times reported that Allegiance Development Corp. has reached an agreement with Urstadt Biddle Properties to open a new location in the space formally occupied by Boston Billiards on Kenosia Avenue.
This will be the seventh location in Connecticut for the family amusement center and restaurant. In addition to games and activities for kids from walking age to adolescence, Chuck E. Cheese serves a basic menu with selections of pizza, beverages, salad, wings, breadsticks, fries, sandwiches and desserts.
The kid-friendly atmosphere makes it an ideal space for parties for young children and a great meeting spot for play groups. Child also earn prize tickets from playing different games that can be traded in for prizes when leaving.
The new kid-friendly dining experience is slated for opening in the fall.
Steak Extravaganza at Outback Steakhouse
I had the pleasure of attending a special steak tasting at Outback Steakhouse, celebrating their recent crowning by Zagat as 2009 Best Steak of National Service Restaurant Chains. Once I began tasting the steaks, it was easy to see why. Outback takes particular care in choosing the best ingredients and serving them in a way to emphasize their flavor. Although the restaurant chain values its relaxed atmosphere, making it comfortable for families or groups of teenagers alike, it is very clear that they take their food seriously.
Tim Gannon, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, and Dave Ellis, Vice President of Research and Development, guided a small group of bloggers through their steak menu. The amount of information they knew about each item, and the quality of ingredients used, had me quickly forgetting that they were talking about menu items for a national restaurant chain with over 950 restaurants around the world.
Unlike some restaurant chains that pre-package everything in an attempt to standardize menu items, Outback maintains the utmost quality by using fresh ingredients - never freezing meat - and preparing sauces and seasonings fresh at each restaurant. To insure that each item maintains the Outback flavor profile, a tasting of each sauce and ingredient is held prior to opening every day.
Below are a few of my favorite items from the tasting:
Roasted Filet with Port Wine Sauce
Easily my favorite steak of the night. The filet was tender and well-paired with the slightly sweet port wine sauce. The sauce is a demi-glace utilizing high-quality port wine and shiitake mushrooms. This item made it clear that classic french techniques, such as demi-glace, can be successfully utilized in preparing the sauces and other menu items in a large chain setting.
Ribs on the Road
Now that the weather is finally starting to get warm, grills are getting fired up on a regular basis, and with them, grilling and BBQ events abound. I mean, really, barbecue and summer just go hand in hand, so why not hit the road and celebrate it a bit? Here are some of the more popular BBQ events coming up around the country:
Tennessee Funfest, June 17-20, Lakeland, TN
BBQ Ribfest, June 18-21, Fort Wayne, IN
Mo Blues and Barbecue, June 19-20, Sedalia, MO
National Capital Barbecue Battle, June 27-28, Washington, DC
Pig Gig, August 6-9, Bay City, MI
North Star Blues & BBQ Festival, August 7-8, DeForest, WI
Capital City Ribfest, August 13-16, Lincoln, NE
Food Film Festival in NYC
If you love food and films, then you won’t want to miss the 3rd Annual NYC Food Film Festival! It began on Saturday, June 13th and runs until June 19th at the Astor Center, the Water Taxi Beaches of Long Island City and South Street Seaport.
What will you find there? A selection of food documentaries all focusing on one specific food, and those foods are being served up to those attending the festival (some even for FREE!). So if you are in the tri-state area, head into NYC and enjoy the films and food that goes with them.
For more information on the films being shown and locations please visit the NYC Food Film Festival website.
Photo courtesy of NYC Food Film Festival.
Atlanta, GA: Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill
Thanks to Twitter, I learned about a cool happening, a first of this kind for me. Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill , a new restaurant that opened June 5th at the Prado in Sandy Springs, Georgia, invited customers to come to the restaurant for a food tasting. It gave the restaurant an opportunity to run through their rituals & routines, the menu, etc. to see what worked and troubleshoot what needs to be tweaked. And, for the customers? We were able to try food…for free!
Never having been in the Prado, I was intrigued by its quiet seclusion even though the location is right off a major highway. A friend of mine and I, not knowing what to expect, entered Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill from the back parking deck. We were graciously greeted by Todd, ushered to the initial seating area, and happily enjoyed the entire evening. The first business in Georgia to get a loan from the SB administration as part of the Recovery Act, Marsha Hershkovitz (owner) has already proved the money went to good use. The interior is lovely, open, and easy to navigate, the staff confident and friendly, and the food? In a word? Exceptional!
Asheville, NC: Wasabi Japanese Restaurant
Sushi has been the rage for years, but I’ve always been a late adopter when it comes to new foods. Recently, I discovered the joys of well-prepared sushi and began exploring local restaurants around Asheville.
For a quick and delicious sushi lunch, Wasabi wins. Nestled among the storefronts in downtown Asheville, the restaurant boasts indoor and outdoor dining. Sit on the patio for prime people watching. The dining room offers plenty of seating, but arrive early as the restaurant is a favorite hangout for businessmen and brokers working in nearby offices.
Although I rarely venture beyond my beloved California roll and a side of edamame, the menu boasts a variety of sushi rolls and a daily special roll. The restaurant also serves up traditional hibachi fare and noodle dishes for lunch.
Wasabi Japanese Restaurant
19 Broadway St
Asheville, NC 28801
828-225-2551
Visiting The Nook, Atlanta
I love Atlanta and really wish I had bought my house inside the city. Fabulous finds like The Nook solidify my yearning.
A friend lives in the building directly behind the small neighborhood tavern, and it was extremely relaxing and pleasant joining him for drinks and appetizers right off of Piedmont Park. Now, there is opportunity to miss it when driving there because it is night on the one way Piedmont road immediately before getting to 14th street. But, go slow! Then quickly turn left into the parking lot.
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