Posted January 15th, 2009 by Meg
I am hesitant to post about how much I love my Made By Hank handmade bag because I know these bags (and anything else Katie Henry makes) sell out immediately after she posts them (if not before!). But, it really is one of my favorite things in the world. So here is one of several pieces I have in my Made By Hank collection. I highly suggest checking out her bags on her website and then ultimately buying one (for me :P) on etsy if you can. Also, Katie Henry is from Philadelphia. And she owns an adorable pug! 
Posted August 30th, 2008 by Meg
Landis Store Hotel is one of my favorite restaurants in Pennsylvania. No lie! I have been going there with my family since I was a child. It is always a delightful treat to visit when I am in town. The restaurant is located in the hills of Berks County and is not the easiest place to find, but that just makes it all the more special. The history of the restaurant is interesting. It started as a hotel in 1800. In 1853, it added a general store and post office. Then in 1952, it was purchased by the Henshaws who kept it as a general store and bar until 1970 in which it was then turned into a restaurant. In 1975, the Henshaw’s daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Gary Henshaw bought the restaurant and remain the current owners. The executive chef, Marilyn Flannery, has worked there ever since I can remember, and makes the most amazing dishes. And this most recent trip was no exception!
I started with the Caesar Salad. This is one of my favorite salads. It is flawless; the lettuce is crisp, the Parmesan is fresh, and the dressing is homemade. It does not include anchovies, but that is okay. It is a big salad, but that just reassures you that you are getting enough vegetables in your diet. For my main course, I ordered the Saute Flounder with Shrimp, Garlic, and Wine. In retrospect, I feel guilty about ordering the flounder because they are an overfished species. I do not recall the last time I ate flounder though, so I’m not too terrible (I hope).
The tomatoes were in season and tasted fresh and juicy. The garlic wine sauce was subtle and did not dominate over the taste of the flounder or the shrimp. The meal was delightful and every bite was better than the next. Every main course includes your choice of two vegetables. I chose the zucchini with almond and mint, and the corn fritters. I would never have thought of combining zucchini with almond and mint, but each taste worked well with one another. I would even make it at home. A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and then deep fried. I don’t know how popular they are in Los Angeles, but to me they seem more common on the East coast, at least in Pennsylvania (think apple fritters!). They taste like creamy summer fresh corn little pancakes. Like most things fried, you can’t go wrong.
Dessert was the best part! My Dad and I ordered 3 different desserts because we are crazy. We ordered: Strawberry Ice Cream, Chocolate Cheesecake, and a Chocolate Mousse Torte. Yes, so much chocolate! The strawberry ice cream was homemade and tasted less creamy than it did fruity. This refreshing and lighter taste went well in between the rich chocolate bites of the cheesecake and torte. Neither my Dad nor I could pin point which chocolate dessert was better because they were both amazing! I recommend to anyone that visits to at least try one dessert, if not three. You are probably thinking I’m a little piggy, and granted I do have my moments, but I can assure you that these desserts were not finished during one sitting because they were so wonderfully rich. A lot of restaurants fail at being incredible at both main courses and desserts, but this is not the case here. They are always above and beyond.
Note: They are not open every night. I suggest calling ahead.
Landis Store Hotel
4 Baldy Hill Rd
Landis Store, PA 19512
(610) 845-2324
Posted August 28th, 2008 by Meg
Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe is a hidden gem in one of many boroughs of Eastern Pennsylvania. The people who work there and/or own the place are some of the most friendly people you will meet in the area; always a warm smile on their face and a full pot of coffee in their hand. I have been going there for at least six years now. The food is always filling and delightful, never once have I left disappointed. The prices are great too. The one downside is that they are closed Monday and Tuesday and accept only cash.
Usually, I order the yummy Southwestern Omelet, but on this visit I wanted to try something new. I ordered the Texas Eggs in a Hole: 2 eggs cooked in Texas Toast topped with jack cheese, salsa, and sour cream on top of their home fries. I did not know that “Texas Toast” is an actual type of bread and not just a gimmicky name. Texas toast is packaged bread that is pre-sliced at double the thickness. Contrary to the name, it has not been toasted. It is typically used for French toast or fondue. For this plate, it literally sat on top of the has browns, had 2 holes in it where the eggs were placed, and covered with the cheese, sour cream, and salsa. As you can see in the picture, they do not waste their holes, but instead put the circular pieces on top for decoration. The home fries are basically seasoned potato cubes sprinkled amongst a few other vegetables and salsa.
I did not think eggs were going to be enough protein for me, so I took a chance and ordered Scrapple with Apple Butter. Scrapple is best known in Pennsylvania, Delaware, South Jersey, and Maryland. If you don’t know what scrapple is, then prepared to be disgusted because it does not sound as great as it tastes. Scrapple is a conglomeration of pork scraps and trimmings (think hog offal; head, heart, and liver) that are combined with cornmeal and flour to make a mush that is then formed into a loaf like shape and fried. The meat is finely minced and so ground up that it does not take much effort to chew in your mouth. The taste differs depending on what seasonings are added and omitted, but there is no doubt that it is distinct and acquired. People in Pennsylvania generally enjoy it with apple butter, a concentrated form of apple sauce that is more of preserve in texture and shelf life. I found the scrapple with apple butter to be delicious and fulfilling. However, I do not think I could eat it everyday or live off of it. My
brother and I also shared a piece of the best cornbread found in the East coast. Every bite is accompanied by a wonderful corn and buttery sweet taste that will leave you wanting more. In fact, before I had it at Shorty’s, I did not enjoy cornbread at all and still am always hesitant to eat it at different locations. So if you know a place with great cornbread in Los Angeles, let me know!
Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe
1494 N Charlotte St
Pottstown, PA 19464
Get Directions(610) 970-5111
Posted August 17th, 2008 by Meg
One of the perks of living on the west side of Los Angeles is that we have the best burgers in the city: Father’s Office and The Counter. Any foodie will agree that these establishments make some amazing burgers. Unfortunately, FO is not open for lunch during the weekdays. Fortunately, The Counter is! And this is where my boyfriend and I went for lunch on Friday. We arrived there at around 11:45am, a little earlier than the lunch rush (which is anywhere between 12-1:30 in Santa Monica, the worst time to arrive being at 1pm), because parking is not always ample, and it sucks to be there when it is crowded and you have to wait to be seated. As usual, it was a great and filling lunch (we had to take most of it home because there was so much food!
The way The Counter works is you can either sit at the counter and be
waited on by the bartender/person behind the counter or you can order at the register and sit down and be seated (they might have implemented table service, but I’m not sure). I prefer to sit at the counter. The menu encourages you to make your own burger, but they also have a set menu that includes signature burgers, of which I have never tried. It is not strictly red meat, you can also order turkey, chicken, or a veggie burger. Also, anything can be put on a salad. On the create-your-own, four toppings of your choice are included (if you want to add more you get charged a little extra). Also you can choose one cheese, one dressing/condiment and the type of bun you want for your burger: white, wheat, or English muffin. For side snacks they have french fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and fried dill pickles!
This is an ideal restaurant for my boyfriend and I because we have very different palates. He is very simple in his tastes and does not like to try anything new. His order is consistently a turkey burger on a white bun with barbecue sauce on the side. No lettuce, no tomato, no cheese, nothing! My order is constantly changing. On this specific day, I ordered the vegetable burger. These are not pathetic boca/soy-esque burgers, but instead made from scratch with rice, beans, vegetables, and even some cranberries for sweetness. I ordered mine with onion, roasted chilies, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and a Tillamook cheddar (Oregonian cheese, not the Dog Artist). I also chose the spicy sour cream as my side condiment. It is was
delightful.
For review purposes (heh, right) I had to order the fried dill pickle chips, and the fifty-fifty fries (regular and sweet potato). The fries are addictive and filling, so I advise moderation because they come out before the burgers and are easy to fill up on fast. The sweet potato fries come with an almost chipotle sour cream (different than the spicy sour cream that I ordered with my burger). It works well with both fries, but definitely pairs best with the sweet potato fries.
I find the fried dill pickle chips to be a clever idea. You can fry just about anything, and you can pickle just about anything, so combining fried and pickled just seems to make sense. At first bite, I was surprised to find that the integrity of the pickle’s crunch is not compromised during the frying process, making them delightfully special. I do not always enjoy or desire pickles, but I will admit that they are little buttons of happiness. They are paired with a sweet and sour sauce, which works well with the pickled taste of brine, vinegar, and dill.
Note: The only other veggie burger in Los Angeles that I’ve tried and compares to The Counter is the vegetable burger offered at Houston’s restaurant.
The Counter
2901 Ocean Park Blvd # 102
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 399-8383
