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As we head towards one of the biggest holidays of the year (Thanksgiving, duh), I thought what better time to write about the last holiday we just had! How fitting is it to make my October post about Halloween?! I've chosen to feature the amazingly spooky and fabulous Haunted Mansion Disney Dinner hosted by The Rose Table. It just so happens to be the 50th Anniversary of The Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, so she did a THM themed dinner party just in time for Halloween.
Home of The Rose Table
* These are private dinner parties for her friends/family.
* No, she doesn't take reservations.
If you follow my Instagram, you've probably seen me attend several of The Rose Table's Disney Dinners. These are always SO fun and SO creative. I absolutely loved the menu, decor, and presentation of the Haunted Mansion dinner. It was one of my favorite tablescapes. How easy and cheap is it to get a bag of spiderweb from the craft store? But it made one of the coolest table runners I've seen to date. The color scheme is on point and she even projected skeletons dancing on her wall.
The food fit the theme so well... as usual. Starting with the Foolish Mortal Cocktail (Midori, elderflower liquor, pineapple juice, dry ice).
Dry ice cocktails are always super cool. The smoke and bubbling lasted all the way through the appetizer course! This is my favorite cocktail I've ever had at any of her Disney Dinners. I mean... I don't really drink... mostly because I'm probably allergic to alcohol as it makes my face red plus all the other horrible side effects, but I also don't really like the taste of alcohol. This, however, was delicious, and just so much fun. The green was so vibrant and the dry ice kept it super cold for a really long time. What a fantastic drink for a party and I would have one again in a heartbeat!
For the appetizer, we had Ghost & Coffin Hand Pies (filled with brie and cherry jam) on top of Spinach & Blackberry Salad (with pumpkin seeds and balsamic vinaigrette).
This salad is great. It's so light but full of textures... tartness of the berries, crunch from the pumpkin seeds and paired beautifully with the buttery hand pies. And can we just go "D'awwwww" at the cute little ghost? It's adorable.
Graveyard Pasta (bucatini pasta, alfredo sauce colored black, topped with toasted panko bread crumbs) Toasted slices of bread as the tombstones.
Her alfredo sauce is so versatile. I'm not sure if I've had it 2 or 3 times now but every time it's so easily infused into the dinner theme and gave a different vibe. For her Captain Marvel dinner she had dyed it a brilliant blue, but for the Haunted Mansion it's gotta be spookier! What's more ghoulish than black? You can do this with squid ink pasta too, if you're fancy. But black food coloring is more accessible. This might look scary to you, but trust me, it's delicious. Just be careful slurping it, as the black will literally go everywhere. Haha.
Minnie Mouse Ear Cakes (chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, topped with a black fondant bow, edible flowers, and purple sprinkles).
The dessert was super iconic. Everyone in Disneyland wears Mickey or Minnie ears. She use the Haunted Mansion colors to make it on theme. I loved the shade of the purple. And look closely... how cool is the rose pattern on the bow?
Such a fun dinner. I've never done anything like this and it definitely put me in the mood for Halloween. Usually this is a holiday I kind of skip over... I was very impressed with how she transformed her dining room. I think she said this was the cheapest dinner she's ever decorated for! If you want the recipes and watch the full episode of the Disney Dinner, check out therosetable.com!
I'm so honored to be friends with such a talented individual and have gotten to be a part of all these wildly creative experiences. Here's to many more! Also... check out the attendees at the dinner. We definitely had some fun with the theme and lighting. And thanks to Jacob for the amazing photo editing! (He's wearing the Mickey ears.)
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For half of August I was in Vancouver and Alaska (7 day cruise). Naturally I ate a lot of food on the trip. So here's my Top 10 dishes of the trip! Not ranked in order.
Vancouver is a food mecca. It's a great place for Asian food because the Asian population is very large. We literally ate Asian food every day there... haha. Had to get my fill.
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) - Dinesty Dumpling House
1719 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C8
This place was recommended by my cousin that lives in Vancouver. We just happened to be in the area so decided to go. I love XLB but Dallas doesn't really have great ones. There are a couple places that people swear by in Dallas, but I don't think they're that good. Gasp! Haha. I grew up in Taiwan so I know what good XLB tastes like. Dinesty wasn't the best, but it was pretty dang good. The restaurant was really hot though, and service was subpar. Oh well. At least we enjoyed the meal.
Brown Sugar Pearl Milk - Xing Fu Tang
2675 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5R5H4
We had bubble tea every day. I've always stayed away from the brown sugar (or tiger) boba because they just sound too sweet. However, this place was highly recommended by my cousin. We realized there was a new location like 15 min walk from our Airbnb so we went. They have a display of how they cook the boba in a wok... pretty freaking cool and looked yummy. Usually I just have a few sips from my husband's drink but this time I got my own because I wanted less sweet. I'm so glad I did. It was amazing. The tapioca pearls (boba) had the perfect texture and were infused with the brown sugar. It was sweeter than I'd normally take my drinks but it was so delicious I didn't care. Would 100% get it again. Please come to Dallas!
Pork Chop Rice and Beef Rolls - Typhoon BBT
175-11700 Cambie Road, Richmond, BC V6X 1L5
We found this place just yelping what is close to our airport hotel the night before we flew out. We didn't have a car so it had to be walkable. Came across this little shopping center that had several food options. Decided on this one because yelp said they had giant bubble teas. Plus we haven't really had much Taiwanese food on this trip (it was mostly Cantonese), and a pork chop rice sounded pretty good. We weren't very hungry so got 1 dish and 1 app to share. I really wish I had more stomach room because we both agreed that this was the best meal we had in Vancouver. Haha. It was by far the cheapest too. It doesn't take much to satisfy us. The dishes brought back memories. Pork chop rice is one of my favorite dishes of all time.
Holland America Volendam:
Cruises are all about eating... And in 7 days, we consumed A LOT of food. The Dining Room definitely had better food than anywhere else on the ship. We had dinner there every night.
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding - Ledo Market (buffet). This was at the lunch buffet the first day and I never saw it again. Bummer. It was definitely the best version of bread pudding they put out that week.
Beef Short Rib Stroganoff - The Dining Room dinner. Pasta was cooked al dente. The short rib was fork tender. Yum!
Banana Bread French Toast - The Dining Room breakfast. This was my husband's favorite. We dined at the dining room for breakfast a few times so he can get this.
Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake - The Dining Room lunch. They do their chocolate desserts well. Rich ganache, decadent, sinful. I'd say most of their chocolate desserts were pretty delicious.
Pork Chop with Parsnip Puree - The Dining Room dinner. This was a featured special one night. So glad we got it. One of the best dishes on the entire cruise. The pork chop was cooked perfectly which is not easy to do.
Pacific Cod Fish & Chips - Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Ketchikan.
420 Water St., Ketchikan, AK 99901
I have to say I was quite disappointed with the food in Alaska when we docked. But finally in Ketchikan, we went to this little shack for some fish and chips. Too bad they were out of Clam Chowder. Just a tip... if you want clam chowder when the ship docks, get it early... apparently it sells out fast. Alava's was the 3rd location we went and they were out too. However, we decided to stay for the fish and chips and it was awesome. The best I've ever had. Even the fries were perfect. Everything was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside. Highly recommend!
Wiener Style Schnitzel - The Dining Room dinner. I liked that the dining room offered different types of specials every night. I very much enjoyed this dish. I think it was the last dinner of the cruise.
Overall it was a pretty good food trip. We certainly did not go hungry. Although... the one night where everyone wanted food on the ship around 9PM, everything was closed/in transition. We had docked earlier that day so it would make sense to have the buffet open when everyone returned to the ship, but the late night buffet didn't open until 10:30PM. Kinda weird.
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If you haven't noticed that I'm obsessed with City Hall Bistro, then you haven't been paying attention. haha. So when I got invited to the January Blog and Brunch, I responded pretty much instantly, and then counted down the days! So excited!
City Hall Bistro - Brunch
1321 Commerce St.
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 651-3686
www.cityhallbistro.com
Price: $$-$$$
Love the space. Duh. :P But a tip for foodies who wanna take photos... request tables in the back, where the windows are. Instant lighting! You're welcome.
We had a big group that day... 20 people or so? Biggest Blog and Brunch I've been to. And you know what that means?! MORE food! :P We had a feast that was to die for. Keep scrolling for all the pics. Also... follow @blogandbrunchdfw on Instagram! :)
Breakfast Bread (muffin, daily bread, croissant, pain au chocolate) $5~ I didn't know where to start first!
I wanted one of everything! But I had my eye on those chocolate croissants. Probably one of the best chocolate croissants I've ever had. Mainly because it was completely filled with chocolate. Most places have that sad little dab of chocolate in the middle. At City Hall Bistro, they're not stingy. The dark chocolate was awesome, and the croissants themselves were flaky and buttery.
Another favorite was the carrot (and maybe banana or zucchini?) bread. I normally get turned off by anything carrot, but the way they crisped the edges of each slice... it was bomb. Texture was so good. I won't be mad if I get my vegetables that way. :P
Cheese (fruit jam, honeycomb, raisin pecan toast) $12~ I skipped this one because I'm not one for cheese boards. Need more stomach room for all the other foods!
Papas Bravas (crispy potato, garlic aioli, smoked paprika) $5~ Freaking love these potatoes. They are packed with flavor. Highly recommend!
Greek Yogurt (pomegranate, blueberry, caramelized honey, basil, blueberry meringue crisp) $10~
This was surprisingly one of my favorites for the day. I NEVER order yogurt at restaurants because... why? haha. But this was SO good. I actually went back 2 weeks later and got it. By myself. I mean... it's healthy! The yogurt is swirled with vanilla bean. The best thing on there is the blueberry meringue crisp. Adds a light and crispy texture to the creamy yogurt. It's not too tart, not too sweet. Just perfect. Just a note: most of the stuff we got were for sharing so they were bigger portions. Like the yogurt, the actual portion is individual sized... see photo with spoon. It's still quite filling though, just not great for sharing.
Hazelnut Waffle (nutella, banana, pure maple syrup) $12~ Always a good choice. I've already had this before. It's a solid dish if you want sweet for breakfast.
Frittata (roasted mushroom, leek, arugula, cheddar, tomato chutney) $15~ Um. Probably one of the best frittatas I've ever tasted. I don't even know how they packed so many flavors into this little slice of egg.
Mushroom Tartine (tarragon mascarpone, pickled beech mushroom, mustard seed, soft poached egg) $13~ Prettiest dish you ever did see. They were topped with edible flowers, so it's literally a garden on a piece of bread. Check out the perfectly poached egg p0rn. :P
Shakshuka (farm egg, roasted pepper, spicy tomato, ciabatta toast) $16~ I think this is my first shakshuka. It's basically poached eggs in tomato sauce and spices. Not sure if it's "authentic" but it was quite delicious. I really liked the flavor of the spicy tomato sauce.
Creme Brulee Toast (kumquat, vanilla custard, mint) $14~ I was very excited about this dish as I love french toast. However, I think it was one of the weaker dishes. The presentation is clean and pretty, but I like a fluffier french toast. It was more compact and flat...
Cauliflower (golden raisin, smoked paprika aioli) $10~ I love their cauliflower dish. Especially when served on the wood board. The addition of the golden raisins elevates the dish imo. And just a tip... you can get this during their Happy Hour for $5. :)
What a fantastic spread. My favorites still tend to favor the sweet stuff. hehe. Thank you, City Hall Bistro and Blog and Brunch, for having me. I'm ready for their new menu items now. hehe. In case you didn't know.. they change up their menu items from time to time. So most of the dishes I've had the first time I went are already not available. T_T So you better make reservations soon, if you want to try any of these!
*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*
Quality of Food:
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Haywire opened at Legacy West in Plano just 2 weeks ago. Being part of the restaurant group that brought us Whiskey Cake, Sixty Vines, Ida Claire, and more... this place was definitely on my radar. My husband and I happened to be in Plano on the 2nd night of opening so I quickly snagged a reservation.
*Now open for Lunch and Dinner. Brunch will start Christmas weekend!*
Haywire - Legacy West
5901 Winthrop St. Suite 110
Plano, TX 75024
(972) 781-9473
http://haywirerestaurant.com/
Price (dinner): $$$+
Y'all... this place is amazing!! My husband was caught in traffic so I explored the place while waiting for him. THREE floors completely decked out in awesome decor. Definitely a very western/Texas theme, but each floor had its own vibe. Also, a bar on every floor! The rooftop is extra awesome, complete with a cabin-esque nook area to enjoy a game, and a full size Airstream! It's a fancy Airstream too, I would like to dine in there some time.
This place is huge! It's definitely going to be a popular spot when the weather is nice. So I was walking around just looking and taking pictures when I was greeted by the GM and the Director of Operations from Front Burner Restaurants. They just walked up and said hi! How nice! They informed me that they were having a complimentary wine tasting event and asked if I wanted some wine. I don't drink, but they guided me over there for some appetizers and cheese boards. Yay, free food! I sampled the Cornmeal Fried Texas Gulf Oyster and Fried Green Tomato (with Green Goddess dressing).
So good. I'm not a huge oyster fan but it was so good! And loved the fried green tomatoes. You must have the dressing! Btw... since I don't drink wine, the GM brought me a glass of water, himself! I felt so special!! :)
I was getting a little worried and feeling bad that we were so late for our reservation, however, they were so laid back and easy going. When my husband arrived, we even went and got him some free wine first before being seated. The main dining area is super cool. Dimly lit, and really nice decor. They have a sitting area with really cool chairs and a fireplace.
Our waiter, Oscar, came over to greet us. He was super nice! We noticed that it was Happy Hour and he helped to recommend some drinks. My husband got the Frozen Texas Tea (4 types of liquor; with sangria swirl) $5~ during HH.
This was a bigger glass than I expected. It was really yummy... did NOT feel like you were drinking that many different kinds of alcohol. But that's deadly right? My husband liked it so much he ordered a 2nd one, and that was one too many! He got quite tipsy towards the end of the meal. haha.
Happy Hour is M-F from 4-7PM. They have $5 apps and drinks. I highly recommend the Frozen Texas Tea. But have a DD! And... half priced wines every Sunday!
Mini Elk Tacos (spicy elk picadillo, caciotta cheese, grilled corn pico, cilantro crema, micro greens) $9.95~
We were also intrigued by the elk tacos from the HH menu, but they hadn't started food specials when we went. We got them anyways. So the meat is a elk and wagyu beef blend so it's not gamey at all. I was a little surprised it was a crispy taco... these days most people do soft corn tortillas (which I don't like). I liked the crispy taco shell. It was filled to the brim with meat. The toppings kept falling out. haha. A good problem to have. It was really good. I would've like some hot sauce but I just like spicy foods. hehe.
I asked Oscar about their cornbreads cuz a friend of mine had gone the day before and raved about them. I asked him because it's not on the menu... But yes, you can order them, and it's super cheap.
Buttery Cornbread. I think they're like $1~ each?
Can I get a dozen to go please! :P These were my favorite things of the night. They were perfection! Warm, fluffy, with slightly crispy edges. It was sweet yet had a slight heat to it. I wonder what kind of spice they used but it was very slight... you just get a hint of heat. Enough to make you wonder. Loved it. I can have this with my meal, or as dessert.
For the entrees, there were so many things we wanted. I ended up with the Mesquite Grilled Bone-in Pork Chop (warm farro and rainbow chard salad, smoked chili honey butter) $24.95~
Mainly because of the farro and chard salad... sounded yummy! Plus this was healthier than getting the mac and cheese. (Next time!) Really thick cut pork chop, perfectly tender. I ordered it medium and it was a little under. Since it's bone-in, it takes a little longer to cook through. I would suggest med-well for next time. Loved the flavors too. The farro salad was amazing and had this peppery-ness to it. I liked the bit of heat.
My husband went with the Double Cut Texas Wild Boar Chops (local oyster and shiitake mushrooms, butternut squash, cipollini onions, pan jus) $31.95~
The most tender boar everrr! We did notice that the veggies underneath did not include any of the mushrooms or onions so we brought it to Oscar's attention. He was able to get us a side dish of that. Ours just had brussels sprouts and butternut squash which also paired really well with the boar. I did wish the chops were bigger though. My husband inhaled his plate quickly.
We were pretty full. But I made sure to stop eating and take the rest of my entree to go because I wanted dessert. My husband regretted getting the 2nd drink because now he's way too full. haha. To our surprise, Oscar asked us if we wanted a slice of cake and it was going to be on the house. Well duh!! Bring it on! :P We chose the Chocolate Cake (with vanilla ice cream). Not sure how much the cake is since it was on the house! :)
It was a big slice of chocolate decadence. That ganache is amazing. We ended up taking more than half of the cake to go, but killed the ice cream. Tip: If you let the cake warm up a bit... it's even better!!
It was a fabulous dinner. Brian, the GM, came by and talked to us for a while. Another manager came by to greet us towards the end of the meal too. And Oscar was just a joy. We absolutely loved our experience and cannot wait to go back. We're already planning to visit again next week.. and bringing LOTS of friends. :D
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