Tip Top Treats at The Village Tea Room

           

On a warm Wednesday evening, I was joined by my three best girlfriends for dinner at the Village Tea Room in our little college town of New Paltz, New York. We felt as though we were walking through an enchanted forest as we walked the pathway decorated with trestles wrapped in white lights. We were greeted by a smiling waitress behind a bakery counter at the front door, who quickly sat us in the upstairs dining room alongside an older, jolly couple sharing a bottle of wine.

The upstairs dining room had simple yet sweet décor. The wood paneling and dark wooden furniture reminded me of a restaurant I had once visited while in Scotland. My friend Liz, who has been to Ireland on several occasions, said The Village Tea Room, reminded her of a restaurant she once ate in during one of her many stays. We both felt very reminiscent of our European travels while at The Village Tea Room.

I felt like a little kid playing pretend sitting in this fancy venue with a menu full of items I couldn’t pronounce. We asked loads of questions when the waitress came to take our order and were given very descriptive and helpful answers. The way she answered every question with wide-eyes, we could tell she had a very respectable opinion of the food she would soon be serving us.    

When our food arrived, we were more than satisfied. My best friend Meredith and I each ordered the Potato Toussaint Tart with Salad (15) which was almost bigger than our heads. A generous portion of potatoes layered with creamy cheese in a flakey crust was the most delectable decision I think I have ever made. The small side salad that was placed on the same plate was lightly covered in vinaigrette dressing and fresh. Everyone at the table was raving. My friend Cait ordered the Apple Chutney Chicken Salad (16) which she recommended to me for our next visit to The Village Tea Room. Liz, a vegetarian, ordered the Quinoa Salad (4) and the Roasted Sweet Potato Salad (4). She was very pleased with the amount of vegetarian and vegan items on the menu and was very satisfied with her meal.

            We decided to splurge and each ordered a desert. Liz and I ordered a slice of The Honey Bee Cake (6), which was just about the cutest and tastiest desert I have ever stumbled upon. The vanilla cake was coated in honey butter cream and speckled with apricot preserves to resemble a bee hive. There were even two small chocolate truffles with almond wings to resemble little bees! I felt as though Ms. Honey from Matilda would eat this cottage on the front porch of her little cottage. Meredith and Cait ordered a slice of The Salted Caramel Cake; a chocolate cake drenched in caramel. Meredith let me steal a bite of her piece, which delightfully tickled my taste buds.

I would recommend this restaurant to students looking to impress their visiting parents. This restaurant was a bit too expensive for a poor college student like me, but I wouldn’t mind being treated by my mom to another delicious meal. I would also really like to revisit The Village Tea Room for afternoon tea outside while wearing a pretty sundress with my girls. My overall experience was incredibly enjoyable and I would love to return some time with my mom’s credit card in hand.

The Village Tea Room Restaurant & Bake Shop
10 Plattekill Ave
New Paltz, NY 12561
845.255.3434

http://www.thevillagetearoom.com/

My Hero: My New Favorite Hero

One would say that the town of New Paltz is not known for all of their fine eating establishments. But, being a SUNY New Paltz student, I can assure you that there are plenty of great places to go and eat. There are countless pizza places, a number of diners, several Chinese restaurants, and, of course, there are the fabulous bars. I thought that I had gone to eat at every worthy place of dining in New Paltz, but, alas, I was wrong. I heard some great things about the little submarine shop on Main Street, so I decided I would take my two friends, and my reviewing talents to My Hero.

One of the first things I noticed upon entering My Hero was how they decorated the place to make it look like we would be eating in Brooklyn in the 20’s. Pictures of famous New Yorkers like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Muhammed Ali, and the Brooklyn Dodgers were all aligned across the walls. Another thing that captured my eye were the decorative flowers and lights on each table. It really brightened up my eating environment and put me in a pleasant mood. Also, the comfortable booth-seats made my stay better as well, because, lets be honest, who likes rock hard booth seats? 

Okay, lets move on to the food part of this food review. Do you ever go to a restaurant and and have trouble deciding between 10 different things because the menu is just so gargantuan? What I like about My Hero’s menu is that it is only 2 sides! They offer different styles of their fresh pizza ($1.99 a slice), a wide variety of heroes, and an assortment of calzones so it should not be too difficult to make your decision.While skimming through the menu, one thing that caught my eye was the Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana Hero ($8.89), so that is what I ordered. My friends who accompanied me ordered the Sausage and Peppers Parmigiana Hero ($8.19) and a Calzone with Ricotta and White cheese ($6.19).

We all were very excited to start eating because we had saved up such a huge appetite for this joyous occasion. It was not long until we saw our waitress walking over toward us with our grand meals. And boy, were they grand! We could not believe our eyes when we saw how big all of our meals were. My friend Ryan, who ordered the calzone, explained his calzone was, “large and in charge!” And let me tell you about the heroes...wow! I’ve never encountered a sandwich as  big as the one that was staring at me from my plate. 

After rubbing our eyes to make sure we weren’t imagining our submarines being that big, we were finally ready to devour our food. I looked at my hero and said to myself, “You’re going down!” I took one bite and my mouth went straight to heaven. This was the best and most filling submarine sandwiches I have ever consumed. Connor, my other friend who seemed to enjoy his sausage and peppers hero, said, “It’s so big, I can barely fit it in my mouth!” 

After about 15 minutes of silence, because we were all focused on polishing off our dinner plates, we were done. We were all greatly satisfied with our meals and had to sit for a little bit just so our bodies could digest our large intake of awesome food. 

I highly recommend My Hero to pretty much anybody who is looking for a delicious, Italian style meal. The food is very tastey and you definitely get your money’s worth. It is also located in a very convenient area not too far from campus and right in the middle of town! And, since it is right across from Trailways Bus Station, you can grab a snack before or after a bus trip in the lovely town of New Paltz. Another thing that separates My Hero from many other New Paltz eateries is the outdoor seating. There are several tables with umbrellas located right outside so you can enjoy a slice of pizza outdoors for when it is nice out. I know for a fact I will be going back to My Hero to have some more of their delicious food. The last thing Ryan said before we left was, “My Hero Pizzeria Submarine Shoppe is my hero!”

Pudgy Pizza at the Paltz!

New Paltz. It’s 10:17 pm. A house party on N. Chestnut Street just ended. We see a group of college freshmen leaving the party.

Marie: “That party was really fun.”

Jimmy: “Yeah it was. But why do all of these parties always end so early?”

Joe: “I don’t know, but where do we go now?”

This is the typical freshman Friday night. Where will the kids go next? …That’s right, you’ve guessed it! Fat Bob’s.

The freshmen walk to Fat Bob’s on Main Street, most likely their last stop of the night. 

I have been to Fat Bob’s countless amounts of times to satiate my pizza cravings; I visit the pizza shop at least once a week.  I’ll be honest: At first, I did not enjoy the pizza. As I kept going back, the slices began to taste better each time.  Fat Bob’s is a popular spot for college students, who provide them with most of their business.  It is open all day, but the pizza shop gets extremely busy at night; Fat Bob’s has a reputation for filling the stomachs of students who are in search of after-party munchies.  By combining late hours, cheap pizza, and tired/hungry/intoxicated students, Fat Bob’s is spot-on.

Employees.  The employees at Fat Bob’s are quite interactive with their customers.  I respect them for the patience and friendliness they have towards the large amounts of young and rowdy customers.  As a frequent customer, I can brag that one of the employees even remembers what my favorite slice is, which is the BBQ chicken pizza, of course! 

BBQ Chicken Pizza: Perfection on a Plate

Food.  Fat Bob’s is most famous for the unique pizza selection.  I like how Fat Bob’s has such a variety of toppings on the pizzas: from mac and cheese, to chicken bacon ranch, to barbeque chicken—this place is the hungry man’s dream.  And man, those slices are HUGE!  I have seen people order almost every type of pizza from Fat Bob’s and I’ve never seen a slice wasted, so the pizza is definitely yummy, in any variety.  As you already know, my go-to slice is the BBQ chicken pizza.  Chopped and cooked to an impeccable consistency, the chicken is first tossed into BBQ sauce and then melted into the cheese on a large, Fat Bob’s slice.  I absolutely love when the slice is cooked enough to provide a nice crunch, but at the same time maintains its soft toppings and cheese, which are perfectly blended on top.  This pizza has become an equivalent of pizza-heaven on earth. 

Prices.  Although more expensive than the average pizzeria, for such a huge slice, the price is definitely worth it.  Fat Bob’s also hikes up the price of pizza at night. A normal $2.50 slice of barbeque chicken pizza becomes $3.00 in the wee hours.  I respect that they do this; I find it to be a clever tactic since the nighttime is their busiest time of operation. 

Atmosphere/Décor. Fat Bob’s looks like the average American pizzeria.  It is well-lit, the dining floor includes booths and tables, there are large windows to look through, and it has a cute little porch for people to stand, smoke and chat outside.  Behind the counter, there are numbers of thank-you cards and pictures from happy customers.  This is a technique to use that makes the customer think, “Wow. This place must be really good to make all of their customers so happy.”  All of those pictures and notes convince me that not only is the pizzeria successful, but it also has a reliable, happy community of customers.  Fat Bob’s also has electronic aspects added to its environment.  The pizza shop has provided a wide screen television for the customers to watch, usually playing a sports channel. I have also realized that Fat Bob’s has a trend going with the music choice: the employees at Fat Bob’s are always playing songs but popular artists among their customers. For example, songs by Kid Cudi, a moderately popular rapper among the college students, are often playing when I go to Fat Bob’s.  Putting all of these aspects together, I know that Fat Bob’s has the customer’s comfort in mind when handling its décor and atmosphere. 

What people think.  I interviewed a group of students at Fat Bobs last Friday. Here were the extensive and detailed reviews I got from the brilliant students, who obviously had a great night on the town.  They agreed to have their names held back for privacy (and reputation) purposes.

-Good a** pizza, bro. – Female, Class of 2015

-Two thumbs up. –Male, Class of 2015

-It’s obviously delicious. –Female, Class of 2015 

The Aftermath of another night at Fat Bob's.

As you visit Fat Bob’s more often, you develop a relationship with the place—you start to like it a little more every time.  I give Fat Bob’s props for the job well done.  They have definitely established themselves in the little town of New Paltz, specifically on the SUNY New Paltz campus.  I will continue to make my frequent trips to Fat Bob’s; I’m not sure if I’ll ever get tired of that barbeque chicken pizza!

Mouth-Watering Moxie Goodness

A few days a week, I groggily wake up during the wee hours of the morning, hop on my bike, and ride to town to get to work before 7AM – a real feat for the typical weary college student. And every morning, in my sleep walking (or, should I say sleep riding) state, I pass Moxie Cupcake, longingly wishing to stop for a simple, delicious cupcake. Come to think of it, the thought comes to my mind every single time I pass the shop, seemingly beckoning me to come closer; and yet, I ride past it time and time again.

So one beautiful Saturday afternoon, I finally decided to give into the temptation, dragging my nocturnal roommate out of hibernation and into the shining sun to try out these hyped-up cupcakes once and for all.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Moxie Cupcake, let me tell you – you’re absolutely missing out! It’s located right on Main Street, tucked in the back corner of a little hole-in-the wall strip – a real “hidden gem.”

Moxie Cupcake’s reputation precedes itself – ever since I came to SUNY New Paltz, I’ve heard countless people rave about these local cupcakes. The shop touts their use of strictly local dairy, eggs, produce, and fruits, that they never use trans fats, added preservatives, or stabilizers, and that everything is made right from scratch! Cool, huh?

The shop itself is quite charming. The pinks and browns that paint the walls make it very obvious that the shop is run and owned by two female bakers. A cozy patio sits next to the main shop, and makes for a perfect location to sit and enjoy a Moxie treat on a picturesque afternoon.

My mouth started watering as soon as the baking aromas hit me, immediately titillating my taste buds. I’m not the best chef, per say, but I do love to bake. There’s just something about making sweets and desserts for myself, family, or friends  (and eating the ingredients while I’m at it!) that I find simply irresistible. There were countless flavors to choose from, including The Moxie (chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, vanilla bean buttercream and a candy Moxie flower), Vanilla Sky (vanilla cake, vanilla bean filling, vanilla bean buttercream, pearl sprinkles), Cherry Darling (chocolate cake, tart cherry filling, vanilla bean buttercream, organic chocolate shavings, chocolate cherry), and Annie Get Your Gun (red velvet cake, chocolate ganache, cream cheese frosting, chocolate shavings)… as well as SO many more… 

The Moxie 

Cherry Darling

…but my roommate and I both had our eyes set on the Salt Away My Sugar cupcake.

The main attraction: Salt Away My Sugar

For anyone who is a true caramel fanatic like myself, this is THE cupcake for you. The Salt Away My Sugar is made up of a chocolate cake iced with a chocolate butter cream frosting. Upon taking a bite, freshly made caramel ganache oozes out from the inside, which is absolutely and perfectly compatible with the flavor of the chocolate cupcake itself. More caramel is artfully drizzled on top, and the cupcake is finished with a sprinkle of fleur de sel, commonly known as sea salt.

“Sea salt?!”, you might wonder – does that strike you as odd? It did to us too, at first. My friend wrinkled her nose when she heard that, although that minor oddity obviously didn’t stop her from indulging in the delicious treat at once. The sea salt, surprisingly, complimented the caramel, and created a fun, sugar-like texture. The combination of salt and sweet was a perfect juxtaposition that made our mouths water and tingle with delight. Who knew?!

Simple, yet perfect.

My only gripe is in regards to the prices – they’re a just a tad too expensive, especially for a student on a college budget. Each cupcake is about $3.00, though the prices decrease a bit as you buy larger quantities at once. While this could not be a daily expenditure for most, it certainly makes for a nice way to treat yourself every once in a while! For what I paid, the cupcakes could be a bit larger as well. As they were undeniably scrumptious, they could definitely be larger in size.

In addition to their Main Street location, Moxie Cupcake just opened another shop in the Water Street Market. I’m excited to head down there soon to check out that location and to taste test many more of their alluring cupcake flavors! They have different daily specials for each day of the week, which are always posted on their Facebook page. I encourage you to do the same and check it out, cupcake lover or not! We all deserve to spoil ourselves & treat our sweet tooth every once in a while.

Bon appétit!

Awkward solo shot - but I had to flaunt my purchase!

Look at how cute it is!

Why just buy one? The more the merrier!

Check out Moxie's Website for directions, mouth-watering images, and more information!

Photo Credits for first six images: http://www.moxiecupcake.com/ 

A Chocolate Lover's Dream

What is better after a long day of classes than a leisurely walk into town to get some chocolate? Probably nothing if you were looking for a definitive answer. The weather may not be ideal, a little chilly and gloomy but, like many other things, chocolate can quickly fix the mood.

If you don’t know where the best place to get chocolate in New Paltz is then I am here, coming to your rescue. Krause’s Chocolates on Church Street in New Paltz across from Suruchi Indian Restaurant is a chocolate lover’s wet dream. 

Krause's Chocolates: Church Street, New Paltz

My boyfriend and I traipsed into town on a Monday afternoon, knowing that the shop was closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays oddly enough. I know that the chilly walk into town was going to be worth the potent flavors that awaited my taste buds inside the quaint brick building.

            Upon entering the shop my senses were overwhelmed, in a good way. The place is relatively new so the smell of carpentry, pungent scents of wood and art supplies crept into my nose, but on top of that the luscious smell of gooey, melty chocolate took center stage. The décor was simple and the people were friendly, very fitting in the town of New Paltz.

            I knew I was going into the store to buy my father a birthday present because, like me, he is a chocoholic. But could I really leave without something for myself? Hardly. So Greg (the aforementioned boyfriend) and I chose about 11 chocolates to fill up the half pound box (about $7.25 depending on weight) which was much harder than expected, considering there were a myriad of choices.

Inside of Krause's Chocolates; a myriad of choices

Of course we were somehow able to make the necessary choices and move on to the more exciting part of the experience, taste testing! The first thing that we noticed was that all of the chocolates looked so homey and rustic, they obviously didn’t contain any kind of preservatives or the traditional chemicals that are found in your typical Mars bar. Even the pickiest of eaters (Greg) would have been excited to delve into this cornucopia of treats.

We devised a system to go about testing each of these treats and because we couldn’t remember what each one contained it was a little bit mysterious and slightly daunting. It was decided that we would cut each in half and each take a taste of each.

And now I will do you the favor and save you the time of doing this taste test yourself (although I know I would want to take the challenge on for myself, the chocolate is just that good)!

A Tour For Your Taste Buds

The chocolate covered graham cracker: This was one of the most simple chocolates of the bunch, the layer of chocolate was a little on the thicker side but had a very smooth and milky texture.

The coconut cream: Definitely Greg’s second favorite; this chocolate is reminiscent of a classic Mounds bar, only homemade and a much more pungent coconut flavor.

The chocolate cream: To me, this chocolate was a little odd. I bit into it not remembering what exactly the flavor was supposed to be. Greg told me it was in fact chocolate cream but I could have sworn there was some other flavor in there, maybe almond? But regardless the chocolate was still delicious, just a bit confusing to my amateur taste. 

The chocolate raspberry: This chocolate was very flavorful and contained much more raspberry flavor than I was expecting (but lots of pretty pink dust), and too much for Greg’s liking. Continually the strong flavors amazed me because apparently I am not well versed in gourmet chocolates.

The orange cream: This was another super flavorful chocolate and quite messy having radioactive orange color oozing out of the dark chocolate coating, but still quite delicious (not that I really found one particularly gross).

The chocolate mocha: This chocolate tasted like I had been given a cup of coffee straight from Starbucks, I really enjoyed how strong the coffee flavor was and any avid coffee drinker or even barista would definitely agree.

The chocolate and peanut butter: This is simple and relatable, just think classy Reeses.

The chocolate marshmallow: I bet if you combined this chocolate with the graham cracker chocolate and sit in front of a fire you’ve got yourself the making of some delectable s’mores, bringing it back to our childhood.

The buttercream chocolate: This is one chocolate that confused me personally. I’m not entirely sure what buttercream flavor is supposed to be and I’m still not. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy the taste; I just couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. If you try it and figure it out, let me know!

The caramel: Another chocolate Greg won’t touch but for anyone who enjoys the simple things then this is it, classic chocolate and caramel.

The cookie dough: Greg’s all-time favorite of the night. Eating the cookie dough is everyone’s favorite part of making cookies and now here’s the opportunity to eat it covered in chocolate, there is nothing better than that.

If you like chocolates and are looking for either a gift or just something to satiate that sweet tooth and the child within Krause’s is the place to go. From gummies to truffles to chocolate covered potato chips they offer it all. Along with a pleasant and helpful staff this quaint, local stop should be on every foodies list.

Who Doesn't Love Home-Made Beer?

            Gotcha. Just kidding, they wouldn't serve it to me because I'm not twenty-one yet, but in two years I think we should all definitely go and check it out. Check what out, you ask? Check out The Guilded Otter. Yes, I know it's at the bottom of that damn hill on Main Street past Water Street Market, but I promise you the food is to die for. OR you can take the easy way out like I did and have older friends/suite mates with cars drive your butt there. So you really have no excuse to not go there unless you hate really good food.

            You walk in and see these giant cauldrons (yes I know they aren't really cauldrons) of different beer that's being made right in front of your eyes. The entire places has a rustic yet homey feel to it and your eyes are overwhelmed by how cool the place is. Everyone around you is enjoying the place as much as you do, including the servers. After we sat down at our table I finally opened the menu, and let me tell you, the food on the menu made my mouth water.

            I am probably every restaurateurs least favorite person to dine with because I take forever to pick an item on the menu. But this time I didn't. I looked at the personal pizzas that they offered, and there was my dinner. The Pizza Rustica, aka the greatest pizza I've ever heard of, was going to be my dinner. My own personal pizza topped with Garlic Oil Pesto Basil, Kalmata Olives, Feta Cheese, Artichokes, Roma Tomatoes and Caramelized Onions. I'm getting really hungry just thinking about it. The pizza was amazing, not too oily to make you feel gross and it wasn't too hot to the point that it was impossible to eat. It was perfection. I fell in love with it from the first bite.

            I wasn't the only one pleased with my food. My suite mates and I were silent after we got our food because we were all enjoying it too much. But the food wasn't all that I was pleased with. The service wasn't only friendly, but fast as well. It only took about ten minutes for our table of seven hungry girls to receive one of the greatest meals ever consumed in New Paltz. I can't wait to go back again and eat my favorite pizza.

            The price is the only thing I haven't talked about. While the place is huge and so are the portions, money is the most important thing to a college student. Most students end up bringing their families here or save this place for a nice atmosphere. It's understandable why. My pizza was around nine dollars. I didn't mind paying that for the best pizza that I've ever had, but most people were in an uproar when I told them what I paid. Most of my suitemates also didn't mind paying about ten dollars a head for dinner. Eating at the dining hall all the time made me forget that money exists in this world and now I understand how it feels to be a broke college student.

            Even though they made be a little pricey, the food at The Guilded Otter is worth every penny ( and every step). I think that they strategically placed it at the bottom of the hill so we can all get a nice workout when we leave with our stomachs full.  If you haven't made the adventure to go here yet, I definitely suggest it. As the weather warms up and you're out in town more, walk down that hill and go get some amazing food from an amazing place or bring your family when they come to visit. I promise you won't be let down. This is a place that everyone should experience at least once while they're in New Paltz, maybe after a nice hike up to the Lemon Squeeze anyone? You only live once.