Showing posts with label Jennifer Beatty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennifer Beatty. Show all posts

6 Restaurants to Try in Downtown Columbia

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Columbia is way more than just a college town; it's also full of delicious treats! See what downtown hotspots you must check out to satisfy any hunger pains.

Shakespeare’s Pizza

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Shakespeare’s is so close to campus, so there’s no reason not to stop by! Their pizza is really good, and freshmen get to try a slice for free as part of Fall Welcome. However, there is more to this local business than a school event. On weekdays, you can buy a slice of pizza for lunch. The red cloth napkins and hand-etched menu add to the friendly, unique atmosphere of Shakespeare’s. For a quick Shakespeare’s fix, watch the chefs hand-toss pizza at the corner of Ninth and Elm streets.

Sparky’s Ice Cream

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Sparky’s is just down the street from Kaldi’s Coffee. They are known for their weird flavors. They also have more familiar flavors if you don’t want Cicada ice cream. Don’t forget to take a picture by the statue of a bulldog.

Booches 

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Booches burgers are one of the best in America, according to USA Today. They ranked in the top 10 in 2000. They only take cash, so be prepared. Nothing on the menu is over $7.25. You can watch them make the burgers from the sidewalk outside.

Upper Crust Bakery

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For delicious pastries and sandwiches on fresh baked bread, look no further than Upper Crust. The bakery is open for breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. You can eat on the patio during the summer, if you want.

Hot Box Cookies

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Hot Box Cookies are warm, gooey and just a delivery order away. A single cookie is one dollar. However, if you want a specific flavor, it may be best to call ahead. Hot Box bakes its cookies in batches of 12, so if you just want one, you should check to see if they have it in-store. My personal favorite is the Red Velvet Cookie.

Kaldi’s Coffee

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Kaldi’s is the coffee shop of choice for many Columbia residents. They have unique flavors, like Aztec Hot Chocolate and Mayan Mocha. The downtown branch also serves lunch. However, for students who don’t want to go downtown, there are two mini-Kaldi’s on campus. One is at Ellis Library, and one is at the Reynolds Journalism Institute.

By: Jennifer Beatty

2 Easy Microwaveable Egg Recipes



Egg Sandwich
Start to finish: 2 minutes
Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Bagel
  • Optional toppings: tomatoes, spinach, cheese, hot sauce, etc.


Preparation:
1. In a small plastic bowl mix together the egg, salt and pepper. Microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stopping every 20 seconds or so. Make sure the egg is not runny.
2. Put the egg mixture and toppings between bagel halves. Enjoy!
For a fluffier egg mixture you can use two eggs, but you will need to microwave for about 30 more seconds.

Scrambled Eggs
Start to finish: 1 minute
Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
1. Mix together all ingredients in a plastic bowl. Microwave for 1 minute.

By: Jennifer Beatty 

How to Make Monkey Bread in your Microwave

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Monkey bread is a little like a cinnamon roll, but you get to tear it with your hands! I had several people stop by the kitchen to ask what the delicious smell was. It is almost like a cinnamon sugar scrub that you can eat. This version is filling and sweet, so it is perfect for sharing. It took a little trial and error, but this is the easiest way I’ve found to make monkey bread in the microwave.


MICROWAVE MONKEY BREAD
Start to finish: five minutes (cooking time: one minute and 20 seconds)
Servings: 4

Image: Jennifer Beatty

Ingredients:
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp of cinnamon
  • 8 tsp of sugar
  • 1 can of refrigerated or frozen pizza dough, room temperature

Directions:

1. Fill a plastic microwave-safe dish with water, so that the bottom of the dish is covered in about one centimeter (0.4 inches) of water. Add the vanilla extract, half the cinnamon and half the sugar. Stir.

2. Microwave uncovered for 10 seconds. Continue microwaving for 15 more seconds.

3. Break off a quarter-sized piece of the pizza dough and roll it into a small ball. Roll the ball in the water, which should be warm but not hot. Place the ball of dough in the plastic dish. Repeat for the rest of the dough.

4. Microwave uncovered for one minute and 20 seconds.

5. Pour out any excess water. You can save it if you want a glaze. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar on top of the bread. Let the bread rest for one-to-two minutes because it will be hot!

6. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from here.

By: Jennifer Beatty

The Hidden Gem of Sugared Sodas


Did you know that the U.S. is the only country that uses high fructose corn syrup in its soft drinks? Now from nutrition classes, I’ve learned that there’s not much difference between high fructose corn syrup and sugar. Their atomic structures are similar, and both are sweet. However, there’s a big taste difference when it comes to the real thing.

Two weeks ago I was in Haiti where I got to try American sodas with real sugar. It was amazing how different they were! Sugared sodas are crisper and still as sweet, yet the aftertaste let more of the carbonation shine instead of being really sweet afterwards. Naturally, I’ve been searching for more of the real sugar sodas.

I found some at a grocery store, tucked away in the soda/tea corner. There were several options, but I decided to get two bottles of “European Soda” from World Classics Trading Company. I walked out of the store with pink lemonade and blood orange flavors.

The pink lemonade was sweet and lemony. These sodas are very fizzy, so be careful when opening! In the end, the layer of bubbles on the top was my least favorite part of the pink lemonade soda. I probably should have refrigerated it before I actually drank it, oops!

The blood orange was my favorite. It tasted a little like lemons at the beginning. The sour would kick in and then fade into sweet. It almost tasted like grapefruit! In my opinion, blood orange could have won for just its vibrant pink hue.

I also tried some of the other sodas they had for sale. Jones Soda is good; it’s sweeter than the World Classics and is not as carbonated. My favorite Jones Soda flavor is the blue raspberry, but the green apple is also yummy! For the more adventurous drinker, there is DRY Soda. They have flavors like rhubarb, juniper berry and vanilla bean. I considered buying a lavender flavored soda, but it came in a pack of four, and I didn’t want to waste any of it.

I think this variety of natural and ethnic sodas helps introduce people to the fun of world cuisines. Who knows? Perhaps a trip to Paris is only an Edith Piaf song and a pink lemonade away.

By: Jennifer Beatty | Image: Source

Restaurant Review: Ernie's Café and Steakhouse


For breakfast, Columbia has some great options fairly close to campus. When I told my friend Audrey, who has lived in Columbia for most of her life, I was going to write about the best places to have breakfast, she said, “Oh, you’re going to Ernie’s?”

Columbia residents have voted Ernie’s Café and Steakhouse best breakfast for several years. One of the waiters, Nathan Fuch, is even in a documentary about Columbia service workers. You can watch it here.

The restaurant has one door to enter and one to exit. Inside, there is a long white counter with red bar stools and some tables. The restaurant looks and feels very much like a 1950s or 1960s diner. The kitchen is open and located just to the right of the bar, so I watched the cooks make my French toast. There’s so much cute décor. From the pictures of Audrey Hepburn on the booths to a Specials menu that says, “You. You are special.” Ernie’s made me smile.

Ernie’s serves breakfast the entire time it is open. However, it does close early -- at 2 p.m. I had the special, which includes hash-browns, your choice of French toast or pancakes, your choice of breakfast meat (don’t worry vegetarians, they have meatless sausage!) and your choice of eggs. I also had a glass of orange juice. I’m not entirely sure if it was fresh squeezed or not, but it was good. The eggs were great and did not need any seasoning. The hash-browns actually tasted like potatoes and not just French fries. The French toast was good and came with a warm dish of maple syrup. It was good with and without the syrup. I was very full afterwards—Ernie’s is a good place to get a lot of food.

I can see why Ernie’s won. However, if you have a little extra cash on Sunday, I also recommend Sophia’s brunch. The portions are large, and the Monkey Bread is incredible. There’s a wide variety of unique plates, such as Bacon Pancakes, that you can’t get anywhere else in CoMo.

This review is a part of Jennifer's weekly column where she dines and reviews some of CoMo's favorite restaurants.

By: Jennifer Beatty | Image: Source

Columbia Restaurant Review: The Rome

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Perhaps my expectations were too high, but The Rome at 114 S. Ninth St. was entirely adequate. I decided to try this local Italian restaurant because it is a short walk from campus, and I wanted to support a local business.

Second-generation Italians Dan Colace and Cory Hodapp opened The Rome to make affordable Italian cuisine with fresh ingredients, according to the restaurant’s website. They succeeded -- many of the entrees are less expensive than Olive Garden. The most expensive item on the menu is an appetizer called the Rome Platter at $19.95. Veal and steak entrees cost more than the chicken and vegetarian ones. However, you could possibly have a meal cost under $10, if you chose a sandwich, Stromboli, pizza or calzone.

The wide variety of options made it difficult for me to choose one dish.The menu includes pizza, sandwiches (including calzones and strombolis) and 33 pasta entrees. The waitress suggested the Baked Penne Salsicce, Penne Pesto and Homemade Baked Five Cheese Macaroni. I decided to have the Salsicce with Bruschetta for an appetizer. My date had the Baked Eggplant Parmagiana, and we shared the Devil’s Tower Cheesecake for dessert. After you order, you get a basket of bread, and I had time to examine the rest of the restaurant.

Image: Jennifer Beatty

The inside of The Rome is spacious, with high ceilings, large tables and a wall devoted to sports posters and memorabilia. The table width actually made it hard to share the dessert, as I had to lean across the table to reach and eat it. I saw several large groups, and I think that would be the best way to experience The Rome. The atmosphere was not cozy enough for a date, yet it wasn’t formal either. I loved the way the bar looked, though. It had a brick wall and a metal sign that said “The Rome.” It looked like an ideal Italian kitchen, and I wish the rest of the restaurant looked that way.

The noise level was a little loud. I talked in a normal voice for most of the dinner, and none of the other diners seemed bothered. I could hear some of what people on the other side of the restaurant said. However, it wasn’t too annoying.

The food was, like the waitress said, “good.” I think it was fine, but it could have been better. The menu described the Baked Penne Salsicce as “Penne tossed in a Creamy Tomato Alfredo with Scallions and a Sweet Homemade Crumbled Sausage Baked with Fresh Mozzarella.” My date described it as “a gourmet version of Easy Mac.” I liked the sausage. It was a little spicy and flavorful, but the sauce was too bland. I added some pepper but still wished there had been some tomatoes or grated Parmesan cheese to spice it up. My date liked the Eggplant Parmagiana but thought the breading wasn’t quite crispy enough. I think the highlight of the night was the pesto on the Bruschetta. It tasted homemade and was very fresh.The cheesecake was more cake-y than creamy, but the chocolate and walnut topping was very good. I ended up just eating that by itself.

The Rome is good Italian food for a college student who doesn’t have much cash or a car. However, you do get what you pay for. The food doesn’t stand out, and there are better Italian restaurants, like Olive Garden, a short drive away.

This review is a part of Jennifer's weekly column where she dines and reviews some of CoMo's favorite restaurants.

By: Jennifer Beatty
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