Welcome back to Fall 2015 all faculty and city tech students! It feels good and exciting to be back at City Tech as this will be my last year at City Tech and of college. It’s exciting and scary at the same time.

Anyway, hope your summer was blast and you had a chance to eat a lot of yummy foods! I know I did. I had a list of places I wanted to try this summer and I was able to accomplish most of it as well as get to try foods I never tried before. I’d like to share with you the 10 best things I ever ate this summer –

1. Strawberry Refresher from Starbucks

I love almost all foods and drinks that are strawberry related, so when I heard Starbucks came out with a Strawberry Acai Refresher – I was ecstatic. I gave it a shot and fell head over heels with it. There’s a slight tartness to it, but you can definitely taste the strawberry-ness in it and it’s absolutely refreshing. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot.

2. Bisque Mussels from Mussels & More

During the summer, I ate at Mussels and More with my friends and boyfriend twice because it was just that good! One of the items we tried was the Bisque mussels (lobster, brandy, garlic, tomato, and cream) and it was truly the best mussels I’ve had so far. It was rich and savory. The mussels were cooked just right!

3. Linguine with White Clam Sauce from Mussels & More

Another item I’ve tried at Mussels & More is Linguine with white clam sauce in many restaurants, but none as good and savory as the one from Mussels & More. You can just taste the love and effort that was put into this dish.

4. Steamed lobster from Larchmont Yacht Club 

Over the summer, I attended my boyfriend’s company picnic at Larchmont and that’s where I had one of the best lobsters of my life! They were serving steamed lobsters with butter and I had two lobsters to myself and they were absolutely tender, moist, and with a little sweetness as well. So simple, yet so delicious!

5. Rice Cakes with Shredded Pork & Preserved Mustard from Nan Xiang Dumpling House

This is one of my favorite dishes that I love to order at most Shanghainese restaurants! Last month, my boyfriend and I had dinner at a Shanghainese restaurant in Flushing and that’s where I’ve had one of the best rice cakes with shredded pork and preserved mustard. The rice cakes weren’t soggy and cooked just right and the preserved mustard, weren’t preserved this time, in fact it was fresh and crunchy.

6. Roast Pork Taco from Tacos El Bronco

My friend introduced me to Tacos El Bronco and I tried the roast pork taco. It was hands down the best taco I’ve had so far. It was warm, vibrant, and delicious! The guacamole had a nice and rich creaminess to it and the taco wasn’t spicy at all. The roast pork was really tender and moist. Everything was on point!

7. Cookies n Creme Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of my weaknesses, but I forgot how much happiness an ice cream on a cone can bring to me. My manager treated my company to ice cream and Italian ices one afternoon and I got myself a cookies n creme ice cream and boy was I happy.

8. Roasted Corn & Jalapeno Crab Bisque from Hooked

I normally don’t order soups at restaurants, but I decided to order the roasted corn & jalapeno crab bisque from Hooked as many of my friends did to while we were in Ocean City, MD for Labor Day weekend. The bisque was surprisingly not spicy at all, despite jalapeno being in the name of the bisque. I really enjoyed the bisque. It was hearty, warm, creamy, and irresistibly delicious!

9. Affugazi Affogato from Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain 

I always wanted to go to Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain and I did go this summer not just once, but twice! The first time I went with my friends, I ordered the Affugazi Affogato which was absolutely delightful. It was like chocolate and espresso heaven! I really enjoyed the large scoop of vanilla ice cream encased in the hardened chocolate shell. The chocolate shell was difficult and almost impossible to break through. The two shots of espresso was good and powerful stuff!

10. Horchata from Las Margaritas

I’ve always been curious about horchata, so I gave it a shot at Las Margaritas when I was out with friends one night. Every Spanish/Mexican restaurant has their own way of making horchata I am sure, but the one from Las Margaritas was very refreshing and perfect for a summery day. The horchata I had a bit of cinnamon or maybe nutmeg in it and it was a nice touch to it.

I really enjoyed this summer and give myself a lot of credit for trying a lot of new foods, drinks, and restaurants. It’s been an exciting experience!