Saturday, October 25, 2008

Runs in the Family

Friday, October 24th, approximately 10:00 pm.

(Phone rings)

Neha: Hello?

Priya: (In a very serious tone.) There is a national emergency.

Neha: What happened? (Something could have happened...after all, we are in the midst of election season...)

Priya: Ruby Foo's reduced the size of their chocolate cake!! It used to serve 4-6 people, and now the waiter says it will serve 2-3. I disagree, I could eat that whole thing by myself! It's a disgrace.

See? Some things just run in the family.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Great Wall of Chocolate!

So, today is Priya's birthday. (Happy Birthday Priya!) In honor of her birthday, I figured I'd share my all-time favorite chocolate dessert. I'm usually not one to brag about chain restaurants, but I must admit, P.F. Chang's is one of my all-time favorites. Aside from the fantastic tofu lettuce wraps and the spicy chicken, they have...wait for it...the Great Wall of Chocolate. Since I don't have a picture that will do it justice, I found one on flickr here.

Yes, that's right. Six layers of rich chocolate cake and not-overly-sweet chocolate frosting. To accompany this piece of heaven-on-a-plate they provide you with raspberry sauce and fresh berries. What you do not see in the photo is the best part--the entire back (all six layers) is covered in mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Amazing. In all fairness, since it is Priya's birthday, I will reveal that she actually prefers "Ruby's Famous Chocolate Cake" at Ruby Foo's, which is a combination of chocolate cake and chocolate mousse. We've already discussed how I feel about that combination, so she's just...well...wrong.

Happy Birthday again--love you! :-)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

New Dining Options at JFK!

Yes, I understand the irony in my loving food, yet raving about what to eat at an airport. That being said, this truly is food that I am super excited about!

JetBlue will begin operating in its new home- JFK's Terminal 5-- on October 22nd. (It used to be October 1st--the date was pushed back since some of the restaurants were not ready.) I've been in the terminal a bunch of times for testing and the Crewmember parties, but I think I'm most excited about the dining options. I figured I'd share the super cool restaurants that will be part of the terminal, most past security, so you'll have to be flying to be able to enjoy them. (Or, you'll have to take me with you.) :-)

I pulled some of the descriptions directly from our press releases. The overall framework is to have the terminal restaurants reflect New York City--high quality ethnic tastes, from landmark NYC restaurants.


Sit-down Restaurants:


5iveSteak: "A relaxed approach to the classic American steakhouse."

Aeronuova: (by Mark Ladner of Del Posto) "Traditional Italian cuisine with a modern translation." We met some of the chefs, and they had thick italian accents. That's always a good sign at an italian restaurant.

Deep Blue: (by Michael Schulson, previously of Buddakan) An updated version of the current sushi spot in Terminal 6.

Piquillo: (by Alexandra Raij, previously of Tia Pol) The first tapas restaurant in a US airport.

New York Sports Grill: A traditional sports bar with 48 beers on tap.

Revolucion: (by Roberto Santibanez, previously of Rosa Mexicano) A Mexican joint--we sampled their guacamole during one of the Crewmember parties--unreal. They make fresh tortilla chips in house--it's amazing.

The Loft: "A large restaurant and bar featuring traditional American fare, evoking the style of large lofts in the Meatpacking District."


Food "Hall" Restaurants (Food court style)


Boar's Head: Same as Terminal 6-- sandwiches, wraps and paninis.

Cheeburger Cheeburger: Also from Terminal 6-- burgers and floats.

Fresco Pasta: "A lively pasta and wine bar."

Lucy's Asian Kitchen: A made-to-order Asian spot.

Pommes Frites: Yes, you read that correctly. The famous NYC french fry place will have a location in the Terminal 5 Food Hall.

Roma Pizza: Serves New York-style pizza.

Scattered around the terminal will also be Dunkin Donuts (obviously), Jamba Juice, and the Aunt Butchie's Bakery spot that is currently in Terminal 6, as well as a few other places. However, I cannot wait for Revolucion and Pommes Frites to open!

On a side note, there are also some super cool tables where you can order your meal on a computer screen, slide your credit card, and someone will bring you your meal. That way, you can keep working on your laptop, reading your book, or whatever you happen to be doing, and the food will come to you!



If you have any questions, just ask! (There will be tons of shopping in the terminal as well--a Borders Bookstore, Lacoste, Muji to Go, and a bunch of others...) I'm psyched!