Mitzie Mee - Food & Travel Blog

NYC: Homemade Taqueria

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Homemade Taqueria - Nice Birria Tacos in New York - NYC Blog

Do you believe in manifesting stuff? I’m not sure that I do, but if I did, I think I manifested a nice taco shop, just when I needed it the most:) I had just arrived in New York City, and hungry and jet lagged, I was looking for a place to have lunch. As if by fate, Homemade Taqueria appeared before me, with a nice and colorful appearance and a promise of authentic Mexican flavors.

I had the birria tacos, and it turned out to be a good pick. The tacos were filled with juicy, tender shredded beef that had been slow-cooked to perfection. The meat was packed with flavor and paired beautifully with the warm tortillas. I haven’t had birria tacos since Ale @lemontwist_nyc took me to Chofi Taco in Union City so I was curious to see how the tacos at Homemade Taqueria compared to the ones we had at Chofi. I would say they were almost as good as the birria tacos at Chofi, but I like the consomé at Chofi slightly better.

This place felt like a mom-and-pop style hidden gem, so I was surprised to find out that it’s actually a part of a chain with branches throughout the city. After a long flight, I couldn’t have asked for a better lunch spot and you ever find yourself in New York City, hungry, and jet lagged, heading down to the nearest Homemade Taqueria wouldn’t be a bad choice.

You can see the different locations at the Homemade Taqueria website >>

April 6, 2023 0 comments

New Jersey: Nice date night restaurants near South Orange

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

When I’m visiting Tina, I somehow always happen to be there, just when Tina and J are having their weekly date night. I don’t want to disturb their kids-free couple time, but they always insist that I come along, so over the years, I have gained a pretty good knowledge of nice datenight spots within driving distance of South Orange, which is where Tina and J live.

In this guide, I have put together a guide of some of the nicest places I have been to, as a datenight crasher. These are all places with amazing food, great cocktails (important) and a nice, romantic vibe.

Common Lot

Common Lot serves up innovative, globally inspired food The menu changes with the season ensuring that you’re always treated to the freshest, locally sourced, produce. When we were there, I also found a lot of Nordic references in the food as well as in the stylish, but cozy, interior. The restaurant has the same vibe as many of the modern Nordic restaurants in Copenhagen, and maybe that’s why I like it so much. This is my favorite among the places on this list.

Common Lot, 27 Main St, Millburn, NJ

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen

Step back in time at Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, located in a beautifully restored historic mansion. The grandeur of the old building, combined with the restaurant’s contemporary design elements, creates a unique and charming setting. Jockey Hollow boasts several dining spaces, each with its distinct character, and the menu highlights locally sourced ingredients, with an emphasis on seafood and Italian-inspired flavors

The pasta dishes at Jockey Hollow are amazing and not to be missed. Unfortunately the Thai-style octopus isn’t on the menu anymore, but that dish was so good and that octopus so perfectly cooked, I wouldn’t hesitate ordering anything octopus from Jockey Hollow.

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, 110 South St, Morristown, NJ

Summit House

Set in a beautiful, vintage building, Summit House has you covered with its white-cloth dining experience and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant’s refined menu, showcasing modern American cuisine, uses locally sourced ingredients to create delicious, tasty, dishes.

Really classy place. I was super jetlagged when we were there and I wasn’t particularly hungry, so I just wanted the loaded fries, but we also shared a couple of meat dishes and salad, and they were delicious. While the other places on this list would be great for a girls’ night out too, Summit House felt more like a purebred date night spot, or somewhere you would go for family dinners.

Summit House, 395 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ

Faubourg

Faubourg brings a touch of France to Montclair with its French brasserie menu and elegant outdoor seating area, perfect for warm summer evenings. Always bustling with people, this is a fantastic spot to enjoy your meal while soaking up the vibrant atmosphere. As you savor the exquisite French cuisine, you’ll be surrounded by lush greenery and, later in the evening, twinkling fairy lights, creating a magical atmosphere. Definitely best during the summer season when you can sit outside.

The snail and chicken oysters is not on the menu, but seems to be a frequently recurring specials item. It’s a delicious dish with perfectly cooked snails and chicken oysters (the tender, circular pieces of meat at the back of the chicken thigh, near the backbone), served on a bed of spätzle.

Faubourg, 544 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ

April 3, 2023 0 comments

Las Vegas: Late dinner at Tao

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Tina was on another flight than me, so she didn’t arrive until late in the evening. To kick off our night out, Vegas-style, I had prepared a giant daiquiri from Fat Tuesday as a welcome drink for both of us. We both sipped on it while getting ready, but that drink is gigantic, and it seemed like it hardly went down at all! By the time we headed out to grab an Uber to Tao, we still had almost half of the drink left.

We had booked a table for late dinner at Tao, which is a true Vegas classic. The restaurant has a great party vibe, and on the menu, you’ll find a bunch of Asian-inspired small plate that are perfect for a night out. When we sat down, the kitchen was just about to close, so we quickly ordered the tuna tartare on crispy rice and a few other rolls. I had eaten at Best Friend earlier in the evening, and Tina wasn’t very hungry either, but last minute, we decided to also get the Lobster Wontons with Shiitake Ginger Broth. It turned out to be an amazing dish, and we immediately regretted that we only ordered one serving, but nothing to do about it, as the kitchen was closed. If you are dining at Tao, make sure to order the Lobster Wontons.

After dinner, we went to the nightclub at Tao, which is right next door. If you’ve eaten at the restaurant, you don’t have to wait in line, which is a nice perk, and just like in New York, I think many people dine at Tao in Vegas to gain easier access to the nightclub.

Though in Vegas, I actually prefer the restaurant at Tao over the nightclub. Both places have the same party vibe, but at the restaurant, you can sit down and enjoy your well-crafted cocktails and talk with your friend, while at the nightclub, the music is loud, and you’ll have to stand up all night, unless you pay for a table.

Tao had a ladies’ night when we were there, so there were free drinks for the ladies – always a plus! Tina wanted to stay longer, but I convinced her to go to Hakkasan at MGM instead, and we stayed there until the early morning hours.

March 28, 2023 0 comments

Danish Food Classics: The Kaj-Kage (Kaj Cake)

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Let me introduce another real Danish classic: The Kaj-Kage (Kaj cake). Kaj is a green frog, and together with his best friend, the parrot Andrea, he used to host my favorite childhood TV show. Even though it’s been a long time since the TV show originally aired, it’s still widely popular, and the cake-version of Kaj has obtained eternal life at many bakeries, particularly in more rural parts of the country.

Kaj is usually filled with buttercream, with a hint of strawberry jam, and he is covered with a layer of green marzipan. Some bakeries make their own, alternative versions, and I’ve even seen a cupcake Kaj, but I prefer the original.

Back in the days, Andrea cakes were sold side by side Kaj cakes, but the cake version of the parrot never really took off, and today, you only rarely find Andrea cakes on the bakery shelves.

When we were kids, my sister and I sometimes got a Kaj cake on Sundays, and for some reason, we always ended up bashing each other’s Kaj cakes with our teaspoons. Please don’t ask me why. Kids do weird stuff..and grown-ups too, so through the years, it has become some kind of tradition. And whenever I have a Kaj cake today, he gets the same treatment. Poor Kaj..

March 27, 2023 0 comments

Methodical Coffee – Really good coffee in Greenville

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Methodical - Really good coffee in Greenville

I’ve really come to appreciate a good cup of coffee, so whenever I visit a new city, nice coffee shops are among the first things I Google. In Greenville, I quickly discovered Methodical Coffee, which is a specialty coffee roaster that also runs three cafés, and whenever I’m in town, I usually have my morning coffee at the branch located Downtown, right next to Aloft Hotel. This charming little café seems to be a favorite among local office workers and hotel guests, and it’s easy to see why – the coffee is truly exceptional and the cafe itself is beautiful.

Methodical also stocks Lumineux chocolate, which is a bean-to-bar chocolate brand that I sell at my online store. Chocolate and coffee is a match made in heaven, and Methodical and Lumineux have even collaborated on a mouthwatering, coffee-infused chocolate tablet, which is available in the cafe, along with some of the other Lumineux bestsellers. In addition to chocolate, the cafe also offers an assortment of pastries and baked goods, if you’re craving something sweet with your coffee, and last time I was there, I indulged in a scrumptious fresh berry tart that paired wonderfully with my coffee.

I know the term “hidden gem” is often thrown around rather loosely, especially on social media, but I can confidently say that for coffee lovers, Methodical Coffee is a genuine treasure, and in my opinion, there’s no better place to go for your morning coffee in Greenville.

Methodical Coffee, 101 N Main St, Greenville, SC

March 25, 2023 0 comments

Greenville: The Squawking Goat at Maple Street Biscuit Company

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

While I was waiting to check in at the hotel, I went for a walk down Main Street, looking for a place to have late breakfast. It was around noon, but I can eat breakfast all day, so when I saw Maple Street Biscuit Company, just off Main Street, I immediately decided to give it a shot.

Maple Street Biscuit Company is a chain restaurant known for, surprise, surprise, biscuits. They both serve biscuits with gravy and biscuit sandwiches, so how is a girl to choose?

I asked the staff, and they suggested The Squawking Goat, which is a biscuit sandwich with fried chicken and goat cheese. The goat cheese/chicken combo sounded delicious, so that’s what I ordered. It’s self service at Maple Street, but they don’t ask for your name with your order. Instead, they ask you to answer a question, which changes on a daily basis, and when I was there, the question was, who my favorite teacher was (favorite teacher, oh, that’s Hanne!).

While waiting for my food, a quick Google search revealed that apparently, The Squawking Goat is what everybody who visits Maple Street Biscuit Company, is raving about, so my expectations were sky high. Though I almost missed that my food was ready, both because my goldfish brain had forgotten that I answered the question, but also because of the American pronunciation of Hanne, which was a far cry from how Hanne is pronounced in Danish:)

The Squawking Goat consists of a flaky, freshly-baked biscuit, perfectly fried chicken and a fried goat cheese medallion drizzled in pepper jelly. This combination of flavors and textures was unlike any biscuit I had ever had before. The pepper jelly, in particular, was a standout – its sweet and spicy flavor added a unique twist to the dish. So delicious, but also quite filling and a bit messy to eat. Be prepared to get your hands dirty, but trust me, it’s well worth it.