brunch Archives - Floradise

06/26/2018

Phoenix Eats: Farm and Craft

We squeezed in our first family brunch while visiting Phoenix this month and we weren’t disappointed in our choice of spot. We like to try new restaurants every time we visit our old neighborhood, which is constantly changing and becoming home to more hip eateries. This time we went to Farm & Craft, located in the space vacated by the Herb Box.

We chose the best seat in the house underneath this 100 percent accurate neon sign. I loved the decor inside Farm & Craft, especially the chairs!

Farm and Craft, Phoenix

We visited on a weekday, so we ordered at the hostess station. (Or you can order at the bar.) You also pour your own drink at the coffee/beverage station.

Victoria ordered the cheese pizza from the kids menu while I picked the salmon bowl with veggies and mac and cheese. Graham ate the protein blueberry pancakes (not pictured). I loved it all, especially the perfectly cooked salmon.

Farm and Craft, Phoenix

If it’s a nice non-summer day, consider the patio, which had palm-leaf print seating I was obsessed with. (Although there were misters to keep you cool.)

Connect With Farm & Craft:

Farm & Craft, Phoenix

Pure Sushi

04/02/2018

Cheers to Spring With Refreshing Welch’s Mocktails

My family is celebrating spring, even if Chicago weather hasn’t gotten the memo. We welcomed the new season and celebrated our upcoming new family member with a brunch paired with two delicious Welch’s mocktails over the weekend. (I made the drink family-friendly, but you can easily turn it into a cocktail by adding your favorite sparkling beverage or whatever alcoholic beverage you enjoy.) Check out my spring and summertime beverages of choice: a refreshing Grape Lemon Mocktail and a Passionfruit Mimosa Mocktail. Both are super simple to make!

Grape Lemon Mocktail ingredients:

Ice
Sparkling water in lemon flavor or lemon-flavor soda, if you prefer.
Juice of half a lemon
Welch’s Concord Grape refrigerated cocktail flavor
Mint for garnish

Mix all ingredients and then add the mint garnish. (You can extract the mint flavor more by muddling it before pouring the drink or by rubbing the leaves between your hands before using as garnish.)

Enjoy!

Find the Welch’s Concord Grape flavor here.

Passion Fruit Mimosa Mocktail ingredients:

Chopped strawberries
Orange slice
Lemon-flavor soda or sparkling water (or club soda)
Orange juice
Welch’s Passion Fruit refrigerated cocktail flavor

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Watch me make Welch’s mocktails:

Have you tried Welch’s juice cocktail flavors? What is your favorite spring- or summertime drink?

Connect with Welch’s:

Find Out Where to Buy Welch’s Refrigerated Cocktails

02/09/2018

Hawaii Eats: Restaurants on the Big Island

Probably my favorite thing to do on vacation is try local restaurants. I’m excited to share the delicious food we had at Hawaii restaurants! We try to mix it up between more casual dining and restaurants that a bit pricier. In Hawaii, we found that most places were more expensive than the mainland, which is to be expected. Here are most of my meals (with some of G’s also pictured), plus where the restaurants are on the Big Island of Hawaii. Note: Most of these are pescatarian rather than vegetarian because when in a place with good seafood, I tend to go for it. In my daily life I am mostly veggie, though.

Island Lava Java, Kailua-Kona

We stopped at Island Lava Java for breakfast and were not disappointed. I devoured every bite of this Waipio Stack Breakfast ($14), plus some of V’s chocolate pancakes. It contained two eggs, which I ordered over hard, wheat toast, fresh avocado, tomato, arugula and chipotle aioli. (It typically comes with bacon, but I don’t eat that.) Served with fresh fruit I paired it with a vanilla frappe. SO good.

Island Lava Java, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Basik Cafe, Kailua-Kona

Basik Cafe was mostly an acai bowl restaurant. I enjoyed the Islander ($11, small), which was acai, hemp milk, granola, banana, strawberries, goji berries, coco shavings and honey. Yum!

Basik Cafe, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Kona Coffee & Tea Company, Kailua-Kona

We visited Kona Coffee & Tea Co. twice to pick up a quick breakfast before doing other activities. The first time we all got bagels ($2.59) and yogurt and granola. The second time I ordered a spinach tart ($6.49), which was OK. I really liked the vanilla cold brew though!

Kona Coffee & Tea Company, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Volcano House, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

We were starving when we arrived at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so we decided to try one of the restaurants. Volcano House was the closest option. I ordered the fish and chips ($14) while G had Asian barbecue prawns ($16). They weren’t the best fish and chips I’ve had but they did the trick. This place is more about the view! You can see the crater from your table.

Volcano House, Hawaii

Volcano House, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Boat Landing Cantina, Waikoloa

While staying at the Hilton Waikola Village, we dined at Boat Landing Cantina, which was just underneath our tower. We also ordered some to-go on another night when we were too tired to actually dine there. I wasn’t disappointed with the nachos ($14) or the fish tacos ($19). The prices are high for what you get, but the resort is so large that it’s super inconvenient to leave to grab food, especially when you’re an exhausted pregnant person.

Boat Landing Cantina, Waikoloa, Hawaii

Cafe Pesto, Hilo

After working up an appetite on a helicopter tour, we explored downtown Hilo looking for a lunch option. We stumbled across Cafe Pesto. I loved every bite of the crab cakes ($16), which came with salad. V enjoyed her pasta with veggies and G had a pizza luau pizza ($14).

Cafe Pesto, Hilo, Hawaii

Kope Lani, Kailua-Kona

We couldn’t go without ice cream for dessert, especially on a warm Hawaii afternoon. I loved the Kona coffee flavored cone I had at Kope Lani!

Kope Lani ice cream, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Big Island Burritos, Waikoloa

On our last night we wanted something casual again, so we opted for takeout from Big Island Burritos. Shown below is a burrito bowl for G ($12) and more tacos for me ($12).

Big Island Burritos, Waikoloa

Waikoloa Coffee, Waikoloa

Breakfast came from Waikoloa Coffee a couple times because it was conveniently located under our hotel tower. It was pricey for what it was ($40 for two coffees, a juice and breakfast sandwiches), but it was tasty coffee.

Waikoloa Coffee, Hawaii

Do you see anything you’d like to try on this list? What are some of your favorite recent restaurant meals? Let me know in the comments!

07/28/2017

Chicago Eats: Midnight Mac and Cheeserie, XO Marshmallow and Hutch

It’s been a minute since I’ve shared some of the meals I’ve had recently in Chicago. I like to write these posts regularly for those of you who appreciate a good meal as much as I do. Whether you live in Chicago or you plan to visit, you might consider browsing these posts to see if you want to add any of these restaurants to your Chicago dining list.

Midnight Mac and Cheeserie, Rogers Park

This restaurant took the place of Growling Rabbit, one of my favorite places for a vegan breakfast in my neighborhood. (I’m not vegan but I like to eat like one sometimes.) By the way, Growling Rabbit has the best Chai in the area that I’ve tried. Anyway, Midnight Mac and Cheeserie caught my eye because they offer so many varieties of mac and cheese, and you can build your own, too. The portions are quite large for one person, even with a small. I liked the veggie option, and the lobster was delicious, though they both become too much after a while. After so many bites I just couldn’t keep going. Bring a large appetite! As the name implies, the restaurant stays open late. When it first opened they kept having to close early because they ran out of food, but I believe they make it to midnight or later now. At first you could only order the food (like I did), but now you can dine in as well.

XO Marshmallow, Rogers Park

XO is also a new business in my neighborhood, and it’s located right next door to Midnight Mac and Cheeserie. (It’s owned by someone in the same family, too.) It basically sells marshmallow desserts, such as gourmet marshmallows in a bunch of flavors. We tried a chocolate one, as well as a classic s’more. I also order the Chai-cago, an iced Chai with marshmallow whipped cream. My total was about $14 for the three. You can also get s’more tacos and doughnut s’mores and enjoy them in the cute, pink-themed cafe. It’s quite small, with only two tables and some other seating, but it’s adorable. Besides that you can shop for mugs, T-shirts, marshmallows (including champagne!) and other goods. The s’mores were just what you’d expect in a s’more. My only suggestion would be to not serve them in plastic containers if you are eating them in the cafe. I’ve only visited once so far and I plan to return to try the other desserts.

Hutch, Lakeview

It’s been a while since I dined here with Jessie, but I liked the fish tacos ($12.99) and that they came with black beans. The sriracha aioli was delicious. I also added avocado to mine, obviously. The restaurant was nearly empty when we went, and I wondered why. The decor was so quaint; it has multiple hutch pieces, given the name.

Pin this post!

03/01/2017

Chicago Eats: The Dawson and Tuco & Blondie

Brunch is my middle name. Among my talents is an ability to pick great brunch places. It’s a gift! I recently tried two Chicago eateries I hadn’t visited yet: The Dawson and Tuco & Blondie. I loved both for different reasons.

The Dawson, West Town

I caught up with friends recently at the Dawson on the most gorgeous 65-degree day. We sipped on Bellinis ($11) as we waited for a table on the patio, which has a fireplace and plenty of seating areas. I basked in the sunshine while trying out the smoked salmon ($16), a large, beautiful platter. It was the best breakfast I’ve had in a while. The restaurant would be a great place to hold private events!

Tuco & Blondie, Lakeview

I came across this Mexican food restaurant while perusing the #InfatuationChi tag on Instagram. The food, drinks and decor looked amazing, so I suggested it to Jessie, who is quickly becoming a favorite brunch companion. I ordered the chilaquiles ($12) minus the chicken. It’s two overeasy eggs over tortillas in red sauce and avocado, corn, tomato. It’s also topped with sour cream. I paired that with black beans and rice. The rice wasn’t the best I’ve had, but I loved the beans. I also enjoyed the red sauce, though I wish I would have ordered the eggs overhard (just my preference). I also had a classic margarita because when in Rome … I also loved the decor. The walls next to the bar displayed framed cactus prints and a cactus adorned with holiday lights stood a few feet away from our table. We couldn’t resist a photo with the mural outside, either.

What restaurants have you been loving lately?

What I’ve Been Eating: Clarke’s, Taverna 750 and Growling Rabbit

Welcome to my second edition of what I’ve been eating in Chicago. The first post covered Happy Camper, Toast and Asahi Roll. This time I dined in the Chicago neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Lakeview. I recommend any of these options if you’re in town, though Taverna 750 was a bit pricey.

Clarke’s, Rogers Park

Clarke’s recently opened by Loyola University’s Lakeshore campus on Sheridan. I noticed its outdoor dining tables and flowers recently during a run and persuaded Graham to take me there when I was in a hangry mood. I had just finished running 14 miles, so I was ready to eat! We each ordered a burger. I got the Mexicana burger with a veggie patty that came with cole slaw, a pickle and fries. You also get sour cream, guacamole and salsa. The fries were not as crispy as I like. It might not blow you away but the food was just what I needed that day.

Taverna 750, Lakeview

I heard that Taverna 750 would be leaving its Lakeview location to move to another neighborhood so I wanted to visit the restaurant again while it’s still convenient. My friend and I shared lobster deviled eggs, black-bean empanadas and a pesto flatbread. We also each enjoyed a signature drink. I loved the Strawberry Fields cocktail in particular. Meals here can really add up.

Growling Rabbit, Rogers Park

I have been frequenting Growling Rabbit a lot recently because I often crave its iced Chai. I also recently went back for a full-on brunch. Service was a lot slower than usual because, as I heard the server say, they were short-staffed. I did enjoy the food, however. I ordered the vegan burrito: spicy tofu, sweet potatoes, guacamole, spinach, salsa and black beans. It is incredible, and quite large!
I also ordered potatoes on the side, because you can never have too much potatoes. My friend ordered the vegan skillet, which doesn’t actually come in a skillet but looks amazing!

As you can see, I’ve been eating some delicious food in Chicago this month. I would expect nothing less from this city. Share your recent culinary experiences with me in the comments!

08/19/2016

What I’ve Been Eating: Asahi Roll, Toast, Happy Camper

I’ve been having some tasty meals in Chicago lately, y’all. If you live in Chicago or plan to visit soon, let me know if you try any of these and what you ate. I loved all three of these restaurants, and they are all located in different neighborhoods of the city.

Asahi Roll, Rogers Park

This is our favorite sushi place. It’s not much to look at: It’s a small space and you can miss it easily from the street, but who cares? The sushi is amazing. We eat at this restaurant once a week (almost) and we’ve tried most of the specialty rolls now. Our favorites are the Avocado Torch, Wonderful Roll, Loyola Roll, Arizona Summer and the May Flower. We still have many more rolls to try, but if you start off with the Avocado Torch (Spicy tuna, masago, tempura crunch, scallions, topped with torched avocado and tempura crunch with eel sauce and wasabi mayo) you can’t go wrong. The ramen isn’t bad either.

Toast, Lincoln Park

I had brunch at Toast recently and I loved that they have a mimosa flight. My favorite mimosa was the Pomegranate. I ordered a Tijuana scramble (jalapeños, onion, tomato, Chihuahua cheese and cilantro) but later wished I had added soyrizo like my friends did. It was filling and tasty but perhaps I was missing some more protein. Of course, the meal comes with toast. There was a bit of a wait to eat here. The decor is adorable. There’s also a location in Bucktown.

Happy Camper, Old Town

I loved, loved, loved the Green Eggs and Pie pizza (pesto, cracked eggs, potatoes, salsa, buttermilk ranch). It normally comes with ham but I ordered mine without. My friends really loved the French toast, which is topped with ice cream and comes with a generous portion. Another friend ordered the pulled pork hash, which she loved. Order the Trailer Park Queen drink with your brunch. You’ll love it. My friend ordered the Hangover Coffee, another great drink. I am not a Bloody Mary person but I saw one with a pizza slice on it, so there you go.

Happer Camper, Trailer Park Queen, Hangover Coffee

06/29/2016

Phoenix Eats: Reyes de la Torta, Flower Child, Stock & Stable

Besides seeing my friends and family, the best part about being back in Phoenix for a few days was eating at places I love. I wasn’t able to visit all of my favorites, but I did have some excellent meals last weekend.

Here’s what I ate at three great local Phoenix restaurants:

Reyes de la Torta: It’s a no-frills mom-and-pop Mexican food location. Most (if not all) the servers speak Spanish and often music or television is playing in Spanish. The food comes in large portions and it’s simply delicious. It’s not about the decor, it’s about the food here.

I ordered the veggie torta, which mainly composed of cheese plus lettuce, beans, jalapeno and tomato. I also had rice on the side. I thought the torta would have more beans than it did, so next time I would add some as a side.

The Del Rey torta.

Flower Child: The Late Riser (cage-free eggs, beans, quinoa, roasted chile,salsa, avocado,corn, Greek yogurt and queso blanco) is delicious and guilt-free. I wished I could order a free refill! Also, if you show up for breakfast, which ends at 11, you can have free refills of the cold brew. This restaurant is adorable and I love the details like yoga mat parking, an infused water station outside and wall art.

Stock & Stable: This new restaurant opened in my old Phoenix neighborhood. Its dishes focus on meat (hence the name) but I found several pescatarian-friendly options. The squid ink cavatelli is tasty, but it kind of looked like bugs. You will see when you order it. Just don’t look at it; eat it!

The potted crab (a dip) is amazing. Do yourself a favor and order one (or two) and be sure to get extra bread.

We ordered the Eastern Promises and Black Hatchet drinks from their cocktail menu as well. I liked both, but I preferred the Black Hatchet.

This would be a great place to eat on a patio when the weather is nice.

Eastern Promises and Black Hatchet

If you try any of these places let me know what you think! What are your favorite places to eat?

06/07/2016

Brunch at Cafe Ba-Ba Reeba, Chicago

Choosing where to brunch is an extremely difficult decision. Chicago has countless options, and there’s pressure (I put on myself) not to pick the wrong spot. Luckily my friends and I made the right choice this weekend by going to Cafe Ba-Ba Reeba in Lincoln Park.

The tapas (small plates) are meant to be shared, so order a bunch of everything and try it all!

What we ordered:

Waffles with marcona almond nutella: Amazing.
Two orders of spicy potatoes with aioli sauce: I could not get enough. I pretty much ate one order by myself.
Brussels sprout salad: Looked like cole slaw to me, but was great.
Eggs Benedict: I may not be an eggs benedict person, so I don’t know.
Calamari: Good, but seemed like aioli would be a better sauce for it. In fact, that’s what I used.
Goat cheese baked in tomato sauce with toasted bread: Yum.
Deviled egg: Also yum, but tiny.

Chicken and ham croquetas: Didn’t try them. Comes with ham that I didn’t eat.
Beef empanadas: Didn’t try them.

I didn’t try all of the items, but my friends seemed to like everything. We also loved the blackberry-raspberry sangria (We ordered two pitchers.). I was so full that it felt like I had a bowling ball in my stomach afterward, but I was happy. I should also mention that the waiter was nice enough to bring us dessert without us asking. It was a caramelized banana, butterscotch custard and a marcona almond caramel bar.

Would I go back to Cafe Ba-Ba Reeba? Absolutely. You’ll probably see me there again this summer.

06/03/2016

That Summer Feeling

Chicago summer has arrived, and it already feels like it’s moving too quickly. Last summer was a blur. It was our first summer in Chicago after moving here that spring, and we crammed as much as we could into that short but glorious season. I didn’t get to do everything I wanted, so this summer I’ll be working on my Chicago summer bucket list before the clock runs out. Wish me luck!

These are some of the changes I see in myself in the summer:

I’m more of a planner. In reality I always plan, but it’s on overdrive in the summer. I have filled every weekend in June in my planner, for example, with things I want to do.

I have a short attention span. It’s becomes more difficult to focus on my responsibilities. There’s too much to see, do and eat. This is why I need a planner.

I take my workouts outdoors. Actually, I want to be outdoors in general. I am already looking at various outside yoga classes in Chicago. I have been running outside, but I relied on the treadmill a lot during the cold days this year. It will be more about the running in the sunshine this summer. I also am dying to go camping and hiking.

I have so much more energy. I want to do everything. I just love the longer days, except the part about waking up earlier because the sun creeps in through the windows. Try as I might, I can’t fall back asleep when that happens. But hey, more time to do things!

I want to sit on patios. I haven’t done much brunching in Chicago, but that needs to change. I also can’t wait to fully get my new apartment in order so I can set up an outdoor workspace on nicer days.

I don’t want to wear makeup. It’s going to melt off anyway. I still wear makeup, I just keep it even more minimalist than usual.

Do you notice a change in you during the summer? What do you have planned this season?