"Special Water", Special Times

May I Offer You A Drink To Start With?

This blog is dedicated to my Din-HER Club girlies. The past few weeks have been a little difficult and rough for me, but my girlies always know how to turn my frown into Chuck E Cheese smile.  The past few weekends with them has been amazing and super spontaneous. I love them because we just go with the flow, don't partake in drama and make the best out of everything and anything.

I can't help but laugh because this subtitle alone draws up a memory of me sneaking in and spiking everyone's drink with the special water at our last Din-HER Club outing.

 Bon Appetit!

Appetizer

Last weekend we all decided that we needed to get out, leave the kids and boyfriends/hubbies home and just have a good time. We decided we were all going to wear dresses or as I would say " mission big butts in skirts", have dinner and dance the night away.  All of us in our own way are very much homebodies and don't club or party often, so this was absolutely like going to the prom for many of us.

  

      The Official Din-HER Club Divas

 

Shawniel...excuse me, I mean "Chaneeeeel" (her alias) picked the restaurant this time.  She selected a sushi buffet place in Hamden, CT called Sushi Palace.  Now, for those that know me, know I dislike buffets (except for Shoney's down south).  Call me prissy or boogie, but I just don't like everyone picking over the food or  lil' Billy or Emma coughing over the meat station while trying to reach for a chicken finger (yuck). Although, I was skeptical and attempted to change the location several times, I sucked it up and ended up just going with the flow.

Sushi Palace

Cuisine: Japanese

1473 Dixwell Ave.,Hamden, CT

                                                             

Price:$$($20 all you can eat)

Since I attended undergrad out there, I was familiar with the area and knew there was going to be trouble finding parking.  The place has a very small parking lot and is in front of a busy street, so some of us had to park elsewhere.  We walked in and to my surprise it was a little cute restaurant WITH NO BUFFET STATIONS! Our reservation was for 7:30pm, but our table wasn't ready (like the reviews on Yelp indicated), which was a good thing for our Din-HER Club member Coco, who is ALWAYS LATE...I swear she'd miss her future child's birth if her vagina...... you get the point!   Anyway, we finally sat down and our server handed us these sheets of paper that listed the menu items on them and next to each item you had to select your desired quantity. 

For example:

__1_ Godzilla Roll            __2__ Miso Soup         __2__ Spring Rolls        __3__ Pink Lady Rolls

 I was elated because I was dreading fighting, pushing and knocking down someones six year old trying to get to the spring rolls. Our friend Esther must have ordered two of everything on the menu. It was so funny because we swear we saw the sushi chef give us a dirty look once our server handed him our order slip.

I packed some special water (rum & vodka) I had left over from a BBQ I hosted (ghetto, I know) and our cranberry juices went from a maroon red to a blush pink color. Our appetizers came out and we were a little confused at first because instead of them giving us our own individual orders on single plates, they served everything family style on a large plates, so we had figure out who's was who. I had the flavorful seafood undon soup, while all the other ladies had miso soup, the ginger and crab salad, calamari and spring rolls. Next to Jamaican and Soul food, my third favorite cuisine is Japanese, so I was actually very surprised and delighted at how yummy, fresh and authentic the food was. 

  Crab Salad, Ginger Salad & Miso Soup

   

 Sushi, spring rolls and chicken teriyaki

Once our large plates of sushi came, all we saw and heard were chopsticks clicking and lips smacking. The sushi was pretty, colorful and so good! Our fellow Din-HER Jen who hates to try anything new, ordered boring chicken teriyaki, BUT as always I forced her to try a piece of sushi. Mind you, she sort of cheated because she only tried a sweet potato roll and not the raw pieces, but you would have sworn she was eating a live octopus by the way we all had to coach and convince this sushi virgin into eating the sweet potato roll. 

Look at Jen's face at the bottom.... Epic!

After the many laughs and talks of B12 (insider) and other nonsense we discussed, we headed to a little spot downtown Bridgeport called Metric Grill & Bar. Metric specializes in awesome Haitian cuisine (which I will feature another day), but after dining hours are over they turn their main dining area into a dance party. 

Before we went in, Terri and I practiced this new line dance/step called the Co-Sign  so we could show off our new moves on the dance floor....and that we DID!  Because as soon as the DJ played it, we were the only two on the dance floor that actually knew the dance.lol  (Look it up and practice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAp4gyipmAE&feature=related). 
Between DJ Juan Coon keeping the crowd rocking, dancing in 4 + inch heels, running into old boyfriends, pouring more special water etc., we had a great time! We always have fun together, but we really had a great time that night....just the girls!

Overall, I would give Sushi Palace a rating of 4 out 5. 

You can't beat the price for the quality all you can eat sushi and although I think the waitstaff was talking about us in Japanese, they were very attentive and quick.

Entree

This weekend me and a few friends were suppose to go to Philly for the Jill Scott concert, but we ended up canceling last minute.  I am glad we did because there was no way we were waking up at 6am for that three hour drive after our late yet fun night the day before.  Instead, we made last minute plans with our fellow Din-HER foodie (Takeia aka Munchkin) to go to Brooklyn for one of the Celebrate Brooklyn concert event's.  I was happy because it was only a hour drive and I would get to stop by my FAVORITE DESSERT PLACE......CAKE MAN RAVEN for his famous and well known red velvet cake.  I'm not a red velvet fan, but Cake Man Raven's and PF Chang's red velvet, I will make disappear in 4 seconds flat!

     Red Velvet Heaven                              
  The crew posing in front of Cake Man Raven Bakery

                                                                       
Takiea aka Munchkin wanted us all to try her favorite place in BK called Brooklyn Moon. As you all know, I'm always up for trying a new restaurant, so I took pics and jotted down my experience in my iPhone during our visit. The day was beautiful, Brooklyn was beautiful and filled with colorful people and our group was  perfect and filled with great conversation and laughs over a late lunch.  The inside of this place reminded me a bit of RIU Resort and many of the islands resorts, with the open lobby and beach feel. It was simple yet pretty, with the large hitchcock wall mirrors and 50's style chandeliers.

Since it was hot outside and we still had to make our way to the concert ,we were all in agreement that we wanted something slightly filling, but not too heavy and luckily that's exactly what Brooklyn Moon offered.  Everyone had some of everything , but my favorites were the Spicy Fries, Jerk Wings (thanks Rich), Mussels and Apple Salad.

Brooklyn Moon Cafe

Cuisine: Caribbean/American Fusion

745 Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Price: $$ ($10-$15)

(718) 855-7149

 

   Inside of Blue Moon                    Takiea and her Din-HIM (Jay)

  

  

Apple Chicken Salad, Curry Mussels, Spicy Fries, Jerk Wings & BBQ Chicken & Corn     

 
 Overall, I would give Brooklyn Moon a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

For quick bite or brunch with the girls, this is your spot!

After Brooklyn Moon we stopped by our friends Kennis' Art Gallery for a quick second. His art work and continuous line pieces were a beautiful sight to see! My favorite is the bottom right one.

 

                                                        Out & About in BK                   

Dessert

We attended the Celebrate Brooklyn concert and all laid out on our blankets, but once the crowd started to fill in and since Takiea and I had a mutual contact running the event, we took advantage of our VIP passes and enjoyed the show from our gated seats.  After the concert we had a late dinner at my favorite place Ripe. Takiea had been dying to try it since my blog write up/review on it and she was thoroughly pleased and happy.  Then we all said goodnight and went our separate ways, but one person took home a hearty slice of fudge chocolate cake(insider).