A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try Senegalese food for the first time.

My favorite dish was this Lamb stew with Fonio, a protein-rich grain produced in Senegal and West Africa. Fonio is similar in appearance to quinoa but this grain is smaller in size, has a crunchier texture and a nuttier flavor. I recommend eating Fonio along with something liquidy like I did because Fonio can feel very dry in the mouth and be difficult to swallow when eaten by itself. I would definitely make Fonio at home (If I ever see it in the supermarket) because it easier and faster to cook than quinoa, have a similar nutrient content and cheaper.

Taiyaki is a Japanese snack that’s usually the shape of a fish. The most common filling is red bean paste but I decided to try custard. These are amazing when they’re fresh and you can get them fresh from Mitsuwa Marketplace, which is located in Edgewater, New Jersey. When I saw how they made it, I was so interested because it looked so easy for them. The custard is very sweet and the outside is fluffy, soft and warm. This snack was very delicious!

When we went on the trip to Jackson Heights we were able to try these amazing dumplings from a food truck. They were absolutely delicious.  I had dumplings before but these were by far the best so far. They had so much flavor, I was able to try the chicken one but they had many others to choose from. The prices were great too. That is perfect for a grab and go.I wouldn’t mind taking another trip to Jackson Heights to try the other types of dumplings they have.

I was able to try Ramen for the first time and no I am not talking about Ramen Noodles that we buy in the supermarket. I have always wanted to try Ramen and I was so happy when I finally got the chance too. When I first got my bowl of Ramen it smelled so good, as I mixed it I began to eat and it was so delicious the noodles were just right and the slice of pork in there was perfection. It wasn’t salty it was just right. I know this restaurant has different types of ramen there is also one that is spicy so the next time I go back I now know what to order. All the flavors in one bowl its too hard to pass up.

At LIC Flea and food  i tried  Scallion pan cakes stuffed with kimchi, pork belly and cucumber from Outer Borough. The Scallion Pancake  golden crunchy exterior that wrapped around the tender  pork belly, spicy pickled kimchi and the fresh crisp cucumber . It was quite filling  but  i was able to still look around the other food vendors  and try out the other food.

Right before our tour in Jackson Heights I visited a Indian restaurant called Samudra Vegetarian Restaurant.  When I searched through the menu I didn’t see anything that was vegan so I waited for the waiter to approach.  When he came over I explained to him that I noticed almost all the dishes contained butter was there any way that I could get things without dairy.  He explained that many vegans come in and that the Masala Dosa was a pretty typical Indian dish and they can make that for me without any dairy.  I thought ok I never heard of that so it would be interesting to try.  When it came to the table it was about a foot long and extremely thin.  The waiter told me to break it open in the middle and dip the contents into the sauces that came.  It included coconut sauce, a tomato sauce and one I was unsure but it had many Indian spices and was a little too spicy for me. Inside of the Dosa was Potato and peas.  It was very flavorful and very light.  After eating the entire meal you feel satisfying and not full.  I would definitely go here again to try other dishes.

On Sunday night, for Mother’s day I went to City Island with my family. My brother ordered baked clams. I really wanted to try them because they looked so good. The clams were served with a mixed sauce of tomatoes; onions, breadcrumbs and I believe scallions. Honestly, it was not the best thing I ever had. The tomato sauce was too much for the clams. The clam’s shell was falling apart and could taste the crunchiness of the shell sliding into my mouth. It was not the best but I could have been worse. Overall, my experience in City Island was fun and good experience trying something new.

On Mothers day I went to eat with my family to City Island, in the Bronx. I love seafood but usually when I go out there, I get the same thing all the time. This time I decided to try something new. I got myself some really good ravioli lobster. It was absolutely the best ravioli I ever had. The sauce was creamy, the lobster very chewy and delicate. The thick wheat filled me up really quick. But those eight pieces of ravioli were the best. I am definitely going to go back there, just for that. Lobster ravioli is my new favorite dish in City Island.

I recently went to Charlie Bird an Italian restaurant by Spring St. While the other courses were great, this Budino came out to be the most interesting for good and unfortunately not so good reasons. this Warm Chocolate Budino contained, Olive Oil Gelato & Caramelized Rice Krispies w/ a Dark chocolate mousse cake. the creamy texture of the gelato and the crunchiness of the rice krispies was a good combination, but while continuing eating the ice cold gelato the rice krispies after awhile felt like chewing on rocks because my teeth had become too sensitive to the cold. The warm mousse cake help balance the dish integrating all the flavors together. so despite my sensitivity to cold i enjoyed this dish very much.

Over this past weekend, I was invited to a commencement down in Richmond, Virginia. On the day of graduation, we went to this place for brunch. Since it was Mother’s Day, they had a special brunch menu. I decided to get shrimp & grits. I’ve never had grits but I heard it was really good. On the menu it was white-cheddar grits topped with bacon, shrimp and chives. My grits was so warm and soft and it melted in my mouth. The shrimp and bacon gave it the salty kick that went so well with the grits that they complimented each other. The white cheddar grits is something I would love to get again!