burgers for brunch

For brunch yesterday, my godfather took Den and I to Tyler's, aka the packed joint with the best sliders in Palm Springs. I really tend to dislike waiting for about an hour for food...which we were told Saturday, so we decided to wake up early Sunday and come back and have burgers for brunch around 11:30. I know that sounds about odd, but I think when it's 99 degrees and Memorial Day Weekend, anything goes. Plus adding avocado to my sliders and washing it all down with iced tea made it all the more summery and acceptable...right? Let's just go with it... 

xx

Plow

avocado toast with a poached egg on Acme sourdough 

lemon ricotta pancake + pure maple syrup

smoked salmon toast with capers 

dungeness crab scramble with the best crispy potatoes 

Plow is one of my favorite spots in the city, and I might even go as far as saying, the best brunch in San Francisco. I've never been disappointed with anything on their menu and am obsessed with the interior of their space, so it was a no brainer that my mom and I dined here for our first meal back in the states! The only downside is going on a weekend because you'll be waiting for a table for years and on a Saturday or Sunday morning, that's the last thing I want to be doing. Go during the week (closed Mondays) and mosey through your cups of coffee and lemon ricotta pancakes instead of being rushed.

xx

p.s. thought this list was very accurate upon my arrival home 

Mr. Buckley's

As one of our last meals together in London, Kels, Regan, and I ventured out to Mr. Buckely's for brunch on Hackeny Road. I'd heard they do a killer brunch and thought we should try it out before we left, so I made a reservation for 3 at 11:45. We had the restaurant to ourselves…literally, the place was empty.

Rather than being discouraged, we couldn't stop laughing until it got around time to order.

Kels and I opted for two "Bloody Madisons", a take on the traditional Bloody Mary, but with bacon infused bourbon. I didn't love it as much as I thought I would, but still wanted to give it a shot.

Regan decided to try the crepes with smoked bacon, salted caramel & walnuts.

I tried the French toast with berries & crème fraîche

And Kels went for more of a classic breakfast: two perfectly poached eggs on a bed of zucchini with bacon & avocado.

Since the food was delicious, we concluded the empty house was due to the fact that we were there on a Friday morning, when most folks are at work. I'd love to see how busy this place must be on a Saturday on Sunday morning with loads of hungover peeps pouring in for some good eats.

xx

I Love You California

this post is merely to celebrate my Northern California roots since I'm off to London in a week!

Enjoy!

xx

Tuna, rice, and everything nice

After a delicious dinner at Nori last week, Jaclyn and I were inspired to learn how to make sushi. We share a mutual obsession with sushi, and it's safe to say I could have it at least twice a week. Nori has three restaurants in Chicago and at the one closest to us, a good portion of their menu is half off on Mondays! 

So the girls and I decided to sign up for a cooking class at Now We're Cookin' in Evanston to learn how to make one of our favorite things! The space at Now We're Cookin' is amazing and the fabulous hostesses were an absolute pleasure, as always. We Started with some delicious cups of miso soup. Yum!

Natalie & Sophie

Snacks & prep work

mangoooo!

patting down the rice is key for regular rolls and inside out rolls! (warning: inside out rolls are tricky at first, as are regular rolls, just practice and have fun with it! Make sure to keep a bowl of water near by to dip your fingers in before handling the sticky rice)

tuna, cucumber, avocado, and tons of wasabi

adding sesame seeds

time to roll!

finished product!

Jac & I

messy hands from sticky rice, but proud of our creations!

xx