Previously on Adam Riff™:
Alright, I have notes dating back to December that I need to unload.
But first: gold stars!
Chocolate Babka (Breads Bakery)
Chocolate Yumball (Three Tarts)
almond and chocolate cake mixed with dulce de leche and amaretto, then rolled in dark chocolate and chopped nuts
Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie (Levain Bakery)
Doug's Pecan Pie Sundae (Buttermilk Channel)
Jambalaya (Juniper)
Lamb Dumplings (Xi'an Famous Foods)
Rainbow Cookie Cupcake (Brooklyn Cupcake)
Turkey Mac (S'MAC)
juicy turkey, macaroni, and swiss cheese topped with herbed stuffing and served with a side of homemade gravy and cranberry jelly
Peanut Butter BBQ Ribs (Hudson Common)
boneless riblets, peanut butter texas toast, salt and vinegar potato chips
Bloody Mary Bacon Thrice-Cooked Fries (Hudson Common)
pickled okra, jalapeno, cheese curds, fried egg
French Toast Grilled Cheese (Hudson Common)
seven cheese blend, maple drizzle
Disappointing curiosities. The ribs were an open-faced McRib, and the fries were poutine sans gravy – an astringent poutine.
Brats and Beer Mac (Elbow Room)
esposito's sausage, bronx brewery ale, and caramelized onion
I wanted to try their Poutine Mac (short rib gravy, yukon french fries, and fresh cheese curds), but it wasn't available, so…Brats and Beer.
S'MAC's macs are better, in my opinion.
Deli Ramen (Dassara)
chicken broth served with diced celery, matzo balls, and mile end smoked meat
A niggardly bowl of ramen. I received like three slivers of Mile End's delicious smoked meat and [cough] insufficient noodles.
Tim Tam Tiramisu (The Thirsty Koala)
Instead of ladyfingers, this tiramisu uses Tim Tams, "Australia's favourite cookie."
Too much of my "Triple T" was cream for my liking, like 66%. To quote Oreo's Super Bowl ad: "The cookie's the best part."
I also would not have layered in caramel Tim Tams. Chewy tiramisu?
Soda Bread Cupcake (Robicelli's)
soda bread cake, clotted cream buttercream, drambuie-soaked golden raisins
Car Bomb Cupcake (Robicelli's)
chocolate guinness stout cake, jameson whiskey ganache, bailey's buttercream
Irish Coffee Cupcake (Robicelli's)
bailey's espresso cake and buttercream, crushed chocolate espresso beans
Brooklyn Brown Ale Cupcake (Robicelli's)
brooklyn brewery brown ale cake, ale and toffee buttercream, crushed chocolate espresso beans
A St. Patrick's Day-themed cupcake quartet. Alas, they didn't taste like anything. Flavours were muddled.
Rye Brownie Sundae (Runner and Stone)
rye whiskey ice cream, caramel sauce, caraway walnut sablage
Irish Whiskey Cake (Black Hound New York)
chocolate cake, irish whiskey buttercream, a hint of ground hazelnuts, bittersweet chocolate ganache, and almond marzipan shamrock
[Irish Whisky + Chocolate + Mint] Pie (Four and Twenty Blackbirds)
New York City pastry chefs do NOT skimp on whiskey.
The Beer Muncheez (Ample Hills Creamery)
sweet cream ice cream with apple lambic beer and cheddar cheese munchies [pretzels, chips, and puffs]
Its description did not compute in my head, but then I tasted it and realized, "Apples and cheddar. Of course." The apple beer ice cream was pleasantly refreshing.
Spam Fries (Maharlika)
beer-battered fresh-from-the-can spam, banana ketchup
I had to psych myself up to eat them, but ate them all. Just don't think about what you're eating.
Filipino Pride Chicken 'N' Ube Waffle (Maharlika)
flourless filipino-style fried chicken, ube purple yam waffle with anchovy bagoong butter and carmelized macapuno syrup
A more faithful variation than (Sweet Chick)'s General Tso's Chicken and Waffles, with waffles made of rice and broccoli.
If you can get a package of Tim Tams, try a tim tam slam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam#Tim_Tam_Slam
Biting off opposite corners of the tim tam, use it as a straw for a hot beverage. The chocolate will start to melt and the cookie soften. Then eat the tim tam.