Cherry Chia Cereal

Cherry Chia Cereal

This cereal is super easy to make. The chia has a slightly nutty consistency to it. If Grape-Nuts and oatmeal had a baby, it might taste a little something like this. Well, this probably tastes better. But you get the idea.

Depending on the color of your chia seeds, your cereal may look be a different color, but the taste should be similar.

Ingredients

•  1/4 cup of raw chia seeds 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon of coconut butter. I used Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter 
• A handful of dried cherries
• other fruit & nuts as desired 
• raw honey as desired
• spices (sea salt, cinnamon) to taste 

Mix the chia seeds with the water and the coconut butter. Allow to sit for approximately 5minutes, stirring once or twice. Mix in the extras and enjoy! It's as simple as that. 

Cantina Los Caballitos, Philadelphia PA

Cantina Los Caballitos

If you've ever walked along East Passyunk Ave, in the heart of hipster village, it is hard to miss the Cantina. Set on the northeast corner of Passyunk and Morris, just past where 12th street intertwines, it is the bright orange building with wooden doors that look like they came off the set of Man of La Mancha.  On nice days, there is usually a handful of people seated outside. For a recent brunch, the weather was just cool enough that my brunchmate and I decided to dine indoors.

The place was hopping, but someone quickly brought over some chips and salsa for us to munch on while reviewing the menu. It was a little difficult to concentrate on food decisions though, let alone a conversation, because of the music. If I can call it that.



The noise level was loud enough that you might expect that the band, with full blow-amps, had a stage set up at the end of the room. And the pounding hardcore album selection was most likely quite painful for anyone suffering a Sunday morning hangover.  Quite out of character for us, we asked the hostesses if it would be possible to turn the music down. She nicely replied, "I'm sorry. I already asked them for someone else, and was told 'no'."  I can only image whoever "they" might be. Clearly not someone who cared about the comfort of those dining. Perhaps "they" is an angry, jaded, line-cook stuck back in the hot kitchen. Upset because he had to get up at an unnatural hour to slave over a hot stove for "the man," and jilted by the cute hostess, his one bit of power and revenge left in the world is to refuse to let anyone touch the stereo until his album played out. "It's only fair man, it's my turn to pick..."

Chips and Salsas

Every time a song ended, my brunchmate & I breathed a sigh of relief. At last, we could actually hear the other side of the conversation! Only to be quickly crushed with disappointment when the silence did not last. Silence is not the right word. The conversational volume was already about as loud as your average early-morning commuter plane. But the decibel level of the sounds coming out of their speaker system were almost deafening. We honestly should have left. But for some reason we did not. Perhaps it was because the chips and salsa were quite tasty. Or perhaps it was because our braincells had shut down.



But enough about the atmosphere and onto the food. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros ($8),  two eggs served sunny side up on top of crispy corn-flour tortillas and black beans. Served on the side, there were crunchy breakfast potatoes and delicious, thinly-sliced, fried onions. I'm usually not one for eggs with beans, but they went together better than I could have imagined.

Huevos Rancheros

Raspberry Mimosa

On special was a raspberry mimosa. Very pretty to look at, it did not taste very much like raspberry or orange juice; in true Cantina fashion, it was mostly just alcohol.







My brunch-mate ordered the Breakfast Burrito ($9). The "perfect hang-over food," (for after drinking a couple of the mimosas) it is filled with eggs, jack cheese, rice, beans, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo.  Almost as large as a baseball glove, it too was served with a side of breakfast potatoes.

Breakfast Burrito

While the Cantina is still a top contender for happy-hour, dinner, and late-night gatherings,  I would pass on it for brunch. Unless, that is, it is nice enough weather to dine outside.

UPDATE (May7):  Received a nice note today from someone at Cantina apologizing for our recent obnoxiously loud dining experience. With such responsive feedback, one can only hope that it will now be safe for your ears to brunch there after all!

If you go:

• 1651 East Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 
• Phone: (215) 755-3550
• They accept credit cards.
• Cantina Los Caballitos

Sabrina's Café @ Powelton, Philadelphia PA

Outside Sabrina's Cafe @ Powelton

 Sabrina's Cafe is known for their incredible brunch specials, generous portion sizes, and long lines. Sabrina's at Powelton may have long lines later in the day (or perhaps this location is still new enough to avoid the wait?), but thankfully our brunching party of eight was seated as soon as we all arrived on a recent Sunday morning!




Sabrina's @ Powelton has a distantly collegiate vibe. From the mahogany walls, Brontësque winding staircase in the front hall, and the large windows on the one hand, to the long "caf" tables and benches and the very un-brunch loud music on the other. 

Fresh Squeezed OJ

I ordered the Apple and Wisconsin Cheddar Omelette ($8.29) with a small fresh orange juice ($3.49). The omelet was delicious. The apples provided a satisfying crunch, with a surprisingly perfect dash of cinnamon that nicely balanced the cheddar's tangy sharpness. The side of fried potato with onions were perfectly crispy. 

Apple & Wisconsin Cheddar Omelette

Barking Chihuahua

One brunchmate ordered the  Barking Chihuahua ($8.99). A delicious breakfast burrito filled with eggs, black beans, red peppers & pepper jack cheese. The crispy tortillas that topped it added a satisfying crunch.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Another brunchmate tried the buttermilk pancakes ($6.59 for full stack, $4.99 for the short stack). Served with real maple syrup, these are traditional  & delicious.

The "White Hats" Egg White Omelet

 
Sabrina's specials change quiet often, and usually have a theme to them. This week the theme was Star Wars, with clever titles such as "Imperial Eggs Benedict," "The Long Walk Nachos," "Palpatine's Pumpkin Patty Cakes."  A brunchmate ordered The "White Hats" Egg White Omelet ($10.95), a unique combination of peas, onions, crimini mushrooms, and manchego cheese.  

Another Special That Looks Delicious-I forget which one it was.

Bagel with Lox Platter

One brunchmate tried the Bagel with Lox Platter ($9.99). Served with capers, fresh tomato, onion, calamata olives, and Sabrina's delicious cream cheese, the only thing lacking in this meal the bagel itself. Nothing wrong, per say, but it tasted store-bought and lacked the wonderful goodness of a New York bagel. 







A dish that is sure to please (though it may leave you in a bit of a carb coma), is Sabrina's renowned Stuffed Challah French Toast ($9.99). Thick, moist layers of fresh challah bread are filled with a tart farmer's cream cheese. Soaked in vanilla bean syrup and served with fresh bananas, it is hard to go wrong with this one.

Stuffed Challah French Toast

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The one big negative that I would give, is that the child's meal, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, was served well-after everyone else. The waiter apologized for the wait-- the chef had forgotten that the little one had requested it without tomatoes and apparently had to make it over, but at that point it might have made more sense for the waiter to ask the parents if the meal should have been sent back or if the tomatoes could have been picked off.  Leaving the youngest member of our party to wait for food was not very nice.  

Also, I believe that the sandwich was ordered off a special kid's menu. And if that's the case, it was proportionally quite large for your average young child. Despite that, when I asked for a review of the sandwich itself, this brunchmate's huge grin confirmed that the grilled cheese was thoroughly enjoyed.

This is one big kid's meal!

Drawbacks aside, Sabrina's newest location has a lot to offer with spacious tables and a large menu. There is surely something for everyone, even with a large group of brunchmates.



If you go:

• 34th & Powelton, Philadelphia, PA 19104
• Phone: (215) 222-1022
• They accept credit cards.
• Sabrina's Cafe

Community Food & Juice, New York NY

 On a recent visit to New York, I had the opportunity to brunch at Community. Quite popular even on a weekday, there was a bit of a wait. While the atmosphere was a bit of a hustle and bustle, and nothing amazingly incredible, the food was fresh and delicious.








 I tried the Truffled Quiche ($14). The house-made crust was flaky and buttery, the truffled wild mushrooms had an earthy yet delicate flavor that paired nicely with the leeks and cheese. Served with a side of greens, it was filling without being heavy.
  

I also ordered a hot chocolate, which was good quality but too milky-sweet for me.



 A brunchmate ordered the  Biscuit Sandwich ($14),  scrambled cage-free eggs, chicken-apple sausage and Cabot cheddar cheese served with tomato jam and carrot hash browns. It was good but could have used a side of greens to complement the biscuit.

Another brunchmate ordered this delicious looking meal. I cannot for the life of me remember what it was--I think it may have been a special. The heirloom carrots were a nice touch and there were no complaints.









If you go:

• 2893 Broadway  New York, NY 10025
• Phone: (212) 665-2800
• They accept credit cards.
• Community Food and Juice

Pasta Everyone Can Eat

Recently a brunchmate made the most delicious pasta for me. It was made entirely out of...wait for it...zucchini! ("zuculini")

At first I wasn't sure what to expect. Quiet honestly, I wasn't expecting to love it. But if you are hesitant as well, then clearly you haven't tasted it.




This dish is so delicious that I ran out and bought a julienne shredder to be able to make it. Here is my own twist on the original:


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of chopped sweet onions
1 teaspoon of ghee
1 medium zucchini
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon (or to taste) sea salt


Julienne the zucchini while heating ghee & slightly caramelizing onions over medium heat. Add zucchini & shiitake slices. Add dash of salt or other spices to taste. Add splashes of water & also adjust heat to keep from sticking to the pan or burning. Serve as is, or grate cheese on top.

Serves one.

The Rocket Cat Cafe, Philadelphia PA

A fun, relaxed coffee-shop on Frankford Ave in the "Northportfishington" section of Philadelphia, The Rocket Cat Cafe offers more than just coffee and tea.



They have a wide mix of sandwiches and soups, including a number of gluten-free and vegan options. On a recent morning, I tried their sweet potato hummus with fresh avocado on a cinnamon raisin bagel.




I was a bit unsure of the flavor combination, but the cinnamon raisin worked perfectly with the slightly-sweet, slightly-spicy tones of the hummus.

They had chai hot apple cider listed on the menu, but unfortunately were out of apple cider. Being in a bit of an adventurous mood, I asked the barista if it might be possible to substitute hot chocolate instead. Thankfully she said it was because, wow, talk about delicious. Chai hot chocolate tastes slightly like a Mexican-style hot chocolate, with subtle notes of cinnamon and ginger, but is not as overwhelming. The flavors roll gently over the taste buds instead of full-on body slamming them.



One brunchmate tried the honey-beat cream cheese. The beat flavor was extremely minor, if it was even there are all, and mostly just lend a nice pink hue to the delicately sweet cream cheese.




Another brunchmate went with the egg & cheese sandwich. A simple breakfast classic done right.



The atmosphere in the cafe is calm and comfortable: many people are settled down with laptops plugged in, others seem to be enjoying deep conversations. In the corner there is an old computer, circa 1999, that looks available for computer-less customers to surf the web. There is a shelf of books with a possible game or two on it as well. The Rocket Cat Cafe offers good food & drinks along with some friendly neighborhood charm.


If you go:

• 2001 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA.
• Phone: (215) 739-4526
• They accept credit cards
• Open daily until 9PM
  
• Rocket Cat Cafe FB Page

Federal Donuts, Philadelphia PA

Serving donuts, coffee, chicken, and tee-shirts, Federal Donuts has landed. Despite being a new kid on the block, Federal Donuts is iconic South Philadelphia and feels like it could have been here for years. Down the block from the Mummers Museum, it's a great stop for tourists, old-school neighbors and new-school hipsters alike.





If you want to try the fancy donuts, there will be no sleeping in. While it depends on how many early-risers there are, most days the Fancy Donuts ($2 each or $20 for a dozen) are gone by 10 or 11am. Flavors change, but the combinations are always bizarrely delicious.






On a recent visit I tried Razzberry Balsamic, which oddly reminded me of sweet & sour chicken. It probably would have tasted even more like sweet & sour chicken had I had paired it with some of their actual chicken.





The S'mores was super sweet, with bits of marshmallow actually baked into the donuts and then topped with graham cracker and chocolate sauce.






The Grapefruit and Brown Sugar had a sublet hint of coffee flavor to it and, while not my taste, seemed extremely popular with only one left by the time I arrived.






Caramel Banana has a gentle caramel flavor. The bite-sized crunchy banana chips create an interesting mix of textures. The Halvah Pistachio combines two unlikely nutty flavors into an old-world/new-world donut explosion.



Surprisingly, my personal favorite was the Pina Colada. The sweetness of the coconut and the tartness of the pineapple create a perfect mix. While all of the Fancy Donuts are super sweet, the Pina Colada is more mature in flavor. The older sibling of S'mores and Razzberry Balsamic.




All the fuss is on the Fancy Donuts, but I found the true hero to be the hot donuts: moist, warm, melt in your mouth airy goodness. They come in three flavors: Indian Cinnamon, Appolonia Spice, and Vanilla Lavender. All three are reminiscence of home cooked meals, imagined holidays, and big bear hugs. In other words, total comfort junk food. Perfect for dunking in coffee.







If you go, get there early before they sell out. If you're going for chicken they start taking orders just before noon. Chicken is served either dry or glazed ($9 for 6 wings, $17 for 12). Flavors include Za'atar, Buttermilk Ranch, Chile-Garlic, Honey-Ginger, and Harissa.

Whether you're going for donuts, chicken, or both, unless it's a tee-shirt you want plan to arrive early.

If you go:

• 1219 South 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19147
• Phone: (267) 687-8258
• They accept credit cards.
• Open 7am-3pm weekdays, 7am-7pm weekends or until they sell out.
  
• Federal Donuts