Drink vodka on the ice in the ice at a new Orlando bar

by Jamie Rhein on

We’ve written about hotels made of ice–this one in Quebec, another in Sweden, and one in Finland. We’ve also written about ice bars. There is one in Montreal, for example. At least there was in 2006 when former Gadling blogger Neil wrote that particular post.

As of October 1, there’s another place to get cold for a cold one. Icebar Orlando opened as one more option for adults looking for an adventure. In this AP article, Mark Wangrin provides an overview about what patrons can expect.

To help ward against the cold, visitors are provided with an insulated cape and gloves. Also, don’t expect to linger. The 27-degree temperature means that one or two drinks, and you’re out of there. There’s a 45-minute time limit on visits.

With the $35 cover charge that includes the cost of a drink, a trip to Icebar Orlando is not one of the cheaper things to do in the Sunshine State. Double the cost of admission and you’re in Disney World for a day. The Icebar is quieter though.

If you want to spend some more time here, you can hang out in the Chill Lounge where temperatures are regular and there isn’t an extra charge.

New Haven Diary: The best coffee hangout you’ve never heard of

by Jerry Guo on

There’s watching the leaves fall on the green, wolfing down a slice at Pepe’s, and now, drinking coffee? Yes, it just might be worth a daytrip to stop in New Haven for some joe, especially if you find yourself riding Amtrak between Boston and New York and you’re feeling sleepy. I recently visited a West-Coast-hip all-organic / all-fair-trade coffee shop, one of a handful in the Northeast, and the coffee here is possibly worth the pilgrimage.

But first, if coffee isn’t your thing, see my series from March on what to do, see, stay, and eat in New Haven.

Now then.

Apart from his duties at Bare Beans Coffee in Fair Haven as owner, barista and floor sweeper, Mark Orintas holds a part-time job as a perfume salesman. His keen nose for fragrances bestows a sommelier’s touch to what may otherwise seem like a rather pedestrian drink. He’s fond, for instance, of describing his signature concoction – a blend from Sumatra, Peru, Bolivia, and Guatemlala – as having “oaky aftertones” with “floral notes.”

“This place is for organically minded people who like the finer coffees and teas,” Mr. Orintas said. As one of the state’s few organic and fair-trade cafes, Bare Beans, open only on weekday mornings, exudes an understated West Coast hipness. There is no flashy sign, the brick walls stand exposed, and patrons must satisfy themselves with two simple tables and a few more bean chairs.

But when it comes to coffee, the selections are eclectic and often as hard-to-find as the establishment itself: Mexico El Triunfo Biosphere, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Dominican Republic Barahona, among others.

Organic teas from SerendipiTea, which include Darjeeling Green and Mango Magnus, and biscotti (lemon-cranberry, pistachio, coconut macadamia), scones and muffins, at $1.95 each, are also available. A 12-ounce cup of any tea or coffee (equivalent of “tall”) is $1.65; 16 ounces (“grande”) is $1.95. One-pound bags of any beans, which are roasted fresh to order in the back, sell for $12 to $14.

And don’t even think about that quad-shot latte with extra foam. Bare Beans caters to the purist at heart, where even synthetic sugar is banned in favor of agave, a succulent nectar from Mexico.

Mr. Orintas hopes to offer light lunch fare soon, but for now he’s sticking to monthly cuppings (like wine tastings, but with coffee) that are free to the public. One recent cupping attracted a dozen enthusiasts, who were reluctant to leave. “I like good coffee and good people,” said Garrett DiFazio, 36. “Here, there’s both.”

Bare Beans Coffee, 14 East Grand Avenue, New Haven; (203) 260-1118 or www.barebeanscoffee.com (online orders). Open Monday to Friday, 6:30 . to 10 a.m.

Vahrehvah.com: A superb resource for Indian cooking

by Abha Malpani on

Finding this Indian cooking website has changed my world. I can cook basic Indian food, thanks to my mum, but when it comes to anything a little complicated, I get a lazy — especially because (from experience) — after a hours of work, the end result has not been worth the effort. I would also blame the disaster dish on me living in Spain: “All the spices are not available and what are available just don’t taste the same.” It’s all rubbish. What I needed was a good guide and I think this is it!

A bad translation of “vah reh vah” in English would be “that’s just awesome”, but it’s enough to give you the gist. The website has recipes of over 230 Indian dishes, but the best part is that many of the Indian recipes have a video guide to go with them.

The “Vah chef” Sanjay Thumma is a great host. Very Indian. But great. His passion and talent for cooking is evident in the videos. For example, in his video that teaches you how to prepare Hydrabadi Biryani (one my favorite Indian dishes), he gets a little emotional in the end; when he tastes what he made, I’m pretty sure that his eyes welled-up with joy!

Another element key in making this website a super hit: Since it is targeted towards non-resident Indians, he often mentions in his recipes ingredient replacements should you not be able to find something specific in your country. You can also help yourself on this front by checking out the site’s Cook’s Thesaurus.

You can also access Sanjay Thumma’s video channel on YouTube. He is quite a personality, you will enjoy watching him. He has won a gold medal for his recipes in the All-India Chefs competition for culinary arts, and all the video work is his own production done in his digital studio, that by the way, has just gone HD!

Other than Indian food, there are recipes for other cuisines; however they don’t have video content. A must visit if you want to cook some good Indian food.

Undiscovered New York: Who’s Got the Best Slice?

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Pizza. Is there any food more symbolic of New York? Sure, Chicago’s got some pretty awesome deep dish at places like Pizzeria Uno and in California you can easily find a pie with toppings like goat cheese and duck sausage. But no pizza seems to have as great a hold on the American food consciousness as the New York style pie. Say what you will about your own local specialty, but there’s something about that thin, crispy New York crust, the flavorful sauce, some milky mozzarella and a few fresh basil leaves that always gets my mouth watering like nothing else.

Yet in a city as big as New York, finding the best pizza spot is a source of controversy. Ask a hundred New Yorkers where they go to get a great New York slice, and you’re likely to get hundred different answers. Strong opinions are offered. Questions arise. Which Ray’s is really the original Ray’s Pizza? Does Brooklyn have better slices than Manhattan? Is it the New York tap water that makes it so good? Is Grimaldi’s worth the wait?

There’s enough uncertainty out there that visitors might find themselves paralyzed with indecision. Want to know where to find some of the best pizza spots in New York? Click on through below to get our take on New York’s top five spots.
Number 5: Joe’s Pizza
Love it or hate it, but famous Joe’s is a New York pizza institution. Though New Yorkers have long flocked to Joe’s for the no-nonsense slices, the restaurant gained its first taste of national prominence for a cameo in Spiderman 2. Movie star status aside, pretty much everybody from Zagat to New York Magazine agrees this is one of the best spots in NYC for a slice. Personally? While we find the slices to be quite good, we think Joe’s can be inconsistent.

Number 4: Grimaldi’s
Warning – if you want to visit Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, be prepared to wait. Tourists and locals alike have long made the pilgrimage to this holy site of Brooklyn pizza, and I have to admit, the pizza is outstanding. Grimaldi’s fresh ingredients, meticulous attention to detail and “what’s the hurry?” attitude all demonstrate their relentless pursuit of pizza perfection. What really distinguishes Grimaldi’s for some of the other entries on our list is that they don’t do slices – hence the wait. But perhaps that’s just part of the charm? So grab a few friends or bring the crossword puzzle, and you will be rewarded with a first class Brooklyn pie.

Number 3: Di Fara
The brave traveler who makes it all the way out to Di Fara in a remote strip of Brooklyn soon learns why it was worth it – Di Fara owner Domenico De Marco takes his pizza very seriously. If Grimaldi’s is like the luxury store of pizzerias, then Di Fara would be its one-of-a-kind artisan. De Marco’s pizza’s are hand-crafted circles of pure deliciousness, assembled by their master with utmost care. Once you taste the Di Fara pizza’s freshly grown basil (grown in the store), hand-dusted Parmesan and light crispy crust, you’ll understand why you came.

Number 2: Sal & Carmine’s
Although New York guidebooks frequently rave about Joe’s Pizza and Grimaldi’s, there are plenty of lesser known pizzerias which are equally good. In fact if you’re looking for one of New York’s best-kept pizza secrets, head to Sal & Carmine’s unassuming pizzeria around 101st Street on New York’s Upper West Side. Like most quality pizza spots, the atmosphere is nothing to look at – the narrow space is decorated with not much more than a bare brick wall and a few press clippings. You will also be served by two very grumpy old men. But make no mistake, what Sal & Carmine’s lacks in atmosphere, they more than make up in their unique pizza. We are particularly fond of the cheese, which has a uniquely sharp yet subtle “garlicky” flavor, along with that quintessential New York-style crispy crust.

Number 1: Joe & Pat’s
Our number one pizza spot, Joe & Pat’s, is not an easy pizzeria to get to – it’s located in Staten Island. In fact, I wouldn’t even recommend trying to take the subway to get there. But it doesn’t get any better than this when it comes to New York pizza. We can still taste that first bite: crust crispy but not crunchy, the sauce tangy and flavorful, the mozzarella like cheesy ambrosia. Are there easier New York slices to find? Sure. But this one is worth the trip if you’re a die-hard pizza junkie.

So did we mention your favorite New York slice? Think you’re a New York pizza know-it-all? Give us a “piece” of your mind on New York pizza in the comments – and don’t be afraid to be “saucy” about it.

A Slice of Japan in New Jersey: Mitsuwa Market

by Mike Barish on

Everything about Japan is unique. The people, the culture, the media and the food are all reflections of the how incredibly fascinating the entire country truly is. Having visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka back in May, I have been jonesing for an authentic Japanese experience ever since I returned home. Sure, I can find great ramen joints and sushi counters in New York City but no place can make me feel like I have somehow teleported myself to the Pacific Rim. I was getting the shakes. I needed a fix. I was losing all hope. Until I went to Mitsuwa.

Located in Edgewater, NJ (just across the Hudson River from Manhattan), Mitsuwa is a big ol’ slice of Japan in the land of diners, strip malls and other bastions of generic American suburbia. It’s a supermarket, a food court and the center of a Japanese shopping complex that will satisfy so many of your Japanese cravings. I had been eager to visit Mitsuwa for some time now, and this weekend provided the perfect opportunity to make the trip from Manhattan to [shudder] New Jersey.

Acting as my guides for my pseudo-Japanese jaunt were my friend Matt, his Japanese girlfriend Nodoka and her sister Asami. With their help, no product would be beyond my comprehension. But, perhaps harder than understanding Japanese marketing gimmicks, I had to get myself to Edgewater, NJ.

Luckily for all of us New Yorkers, Mitsuwa runs shuttle buses from the Port Authority Bus Terminal directly to Mitsuwa for $3 each way ($2 for children). During the week, buses leave Gate 51 of the Port Authority Bus Terminal once an hour and return hourly from Mitsuwa. On weekends, buses leave from Manhattan and Mitsuwa every half-hour. You can find detailed instructions for taking the shuttle bus along with schedules and helpful photographs on Mitsuwa’s shuttle bus information page. The ride takes about 20 minutes and you spend most of the time in the Lincoln Tunnel. A word to the wise: It’s a mini-bus and they don’t allow people to stand. Arrive 15 minutes early to ensure you get a seat rather than having to wait for the next bus.

Once you arrive, you’ll notice that Mitsuwa is more than just a supermarket. You will immediately find yourself in the food court. And I’m not talking about Manchu Wok and Cinnabon. You’ll have your choice of ramen, tempura, katsudon and so much more. Lining the walls are display cases filled with lacquered prepared foods that provide visual evidence of the artistry of the food that awaits you. The sight of those shiny, preserved culinary specimens transported me to Japan (in my mind, at least). My guides directed me right to Santoka, a Hokkaido-based ramen restaurant with outposts throughout Japan.

The salty broth and tender pork were everything you hope to find in a quality bowl of ramen. And looking around, there’s absolutely nothing that would remind you that you are in New Jersey. The whole experience would be disorienting if your mind wasn’t so focused on how damn good the noodles are. Once you’ve satisfied your need for instant gratification, it’s time to get shopping. Here’s where it pays to have some Japanese speakers with you.

All of the signage on Mitsuwa is in English and Japanese, but almost all of the products are Japanese imports. As such, most have Japanese labels with no indication in English of what the item is, does or why you should own it. You’ll find Japanese juices, teas, beers, frozen foods, produce, meats, fish, household goods and appliances. And most of the items are very reasonably priced. Still, you will encounter the occasional specialty item that has been marked up. I was in the market for my favorite Japanese beer, Yebisu, and was disappointed to find that it was $18 for a six-pack. Hardly seemed worth it. I was, thankfully, cheered up by the discovery that a 750ml bottle of Suntory Whiskey was less than $40.

I grabbed some homemade karaage (fried chicken), some fish snacks (literally tiny dehydrated fish that I last enjoyed at a sumo tournament in Tokyo), a few bottles of Pocari Sweat (my hangover cure of choice), frozen ramen, miso soup mixes and a peanut butter spread in a tube. At least that’s what Nodoka told me it is. Time will tell on that one. Truth be told, I could have spent several hundred dollars in Mitsuwa if I didn’t exert some self-control. And it’s not because I’m drawn to gimmicks or novelty items (except for peanut butter in a tube). It’s because you can’t find these products in most places and they’re delicious.

A few things worth noting: Come hungry. Between the food court and the staff walking around with free samples, you’ll be full before you reach the register. As I meandered the aisles, I was offered samples of Wagyu beef, miso soup and grilled salmon. If you intend to buy a rice cooker or any other appliances, do not make the trip on a Sunday. Bergen County (NJ) has odd Blue Laws that prohibit the sale of appliances on Sundays. Something about Jesus not wanting us to enjoy onigiri on “his day.” If you are a fan of seafood, visit the fish mongers in the back of the market. The fish is fresh, the knives are sharp and the staff is incredibly gifted.

When you’re done in Mitsuwa, check out some of the other shops in the complex. There’s a bookstore where you can stock up on all of the manga that your heart desires, a ceramic shop with beautiful housewares and a shop that sells everything from Hello Kitty backpacks to Hello Kitty bento boxes. Then hop on the bus that’s waiting for you right outside the door of Mitsuwa, pay your $3 and say goodbye to Japan…er, New Jersey.

All in all, I spent more than two hours eating, shopping, browsing and relishing my “return” to Japan. Everything from the lighting to the pop music made me feel like I had taken a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun. But my passport was safely tucked away in my apartment and the Port Authority Bus Terminal will never be mistaken for Shinjuku Station.

Get to Mitsuwa ASAP. They have several locations in California and one outpost in Chicago, all of which you can find here.

Now, I’m sure some of you are doubting my accounts of the authenticity of Mitsuwa. For those of you still questioning whether anything in the States could successfully recreate the look and feel of a Japanese shopping experience, well, take a look below and guess where this photo was taken.

Yep, New Jersey. Crazy, huh?
(And you can see all of the photos from my trip to Mitsuwa here.)