deliciously ella

I've been following Ella Mills (@DeliciouslyElla) for a while now, and was super excited when she opened The MaE Deli (now called Deliciously Ella) along with her husband, Matthew. Now with multiple locations around London, the delis offer natural, seasonal, and delicious food. While I (luckily) don't have any allergies or need to avoid any specific ingredients, all the food at The MaE Deli is free from wheat, dairy, additives, and refined sugar, making it the perfect, healthy spot for breakfast or lunch for just about anyone. On a recent trip to London, I visited twice, and loved all the fresh, colorful options to choose from. I created my own "MaE Bowl", with miso broccolini salad, sweet potato with coriander tahini, cauliflower & broad bean falafel, and grilled vegetables with sorrel pesto, all topped with avocado pesto dip! Talk about a mouthful, but this is my favorite kind of lunch. Veggie-based, full of flavor, and super healthy and satisfying!

You know me- I rarely pass on the sweets, and this occasion was no different. The fudgy brownie tastes sinful and indulgent, but is far from it. I love when a dessert still tastes rich and decadent, but isn't full of a bunch of processed crap! Win-win! And how pretty is the hot pink frosting on that red velvet cupcake?! You can now also buy Ella's energy balls in various stores around London (like Whole Foods!). These bite-sized treats, made from nuts and fruits, are great, quick sources of energy and protein, and delicious to boot! I like keeping a few in my bag for whenever I start to get hangry. Here's hoping a NYC location opens soon! 

forage

Forage is a great spot to pick up some healthy, yet tasty ready-made food in the Silver Lake neighborhood of LA. I pop in whenever I'm nearby, whether it's for a market plate with various seasonal salads and a protein, or a house-baked sweet treat! Everything is prepared simply and consistently, and it's hard to go wrong with any of the vibrant, freshly made offerings. My husband and I stopped in for lunch, and he chose the organic free range roasted chicken with the Moroccan couscous (with beets, pickled red cabbage, almonds, golden raisins & garlic ginger dressing) and kale & arugula salad (with feta, breadcrumbs, shallots & lemon garlic vinaigrette). I went for the plate of three sides: fennel citrus salad (with arugula, celery, orange, lemon & citrus vinaigrette), roasted winter squash (with dandelion, pepitas & brown butter vinaigrette), and kale & arugula salad, as well as a bowl of chickpea soup. Never one to pass on dessert, we decided to go all in with a slice of chocolate coconut cream cake and a Mexican hot chocolate cookie. Yum- such a satisfying meal!

PS- There's a great assortment of sweets offered every day! Just check out some of the delicious (and beautiful!) offerings from when I was there, below. Apple-cranberry crisp with Speculoos crumb, Meyer lemon-glazed olive oil cake, banana cake with chocolate chunks, Mexican hot chocolate cookie, banana cream pie tart, gluten-free brownie, chocolate peanut butter malt cake, Meyer lemon sugar cookie, chocolate coconut cream cake, chocolate chip cookie, and more!

juniper & ivy

 
 

I haven't spent a ton of time in San Diego (to my dismay), but on a recent trip to the west coast, I got the opportunity to dine with good friends at Juniper & Ivy. Chef Richard Blais, best known for winning Top Chef All-Stars, whips up "refined American food with left coast edge", bringing his super fresh and creative approach to the kitchen. Just reading over the menu, you'll notice inspiration from several different global cuisines, including Asian, Italian, and Moroccan, to name a few. The four of us shared everything, and we were continually impressed with the balance and depth of flavors, dish after dish. The BBQ carrots were cooked perfectly, and I loved the jalapeño chimichurri underneath! While I'm typically not one to order pasta, this corn carbonara (with housemade coriander bucatini pasta!) was one of the best I've ever had. The runny duck egg was such a nice accompaniment. The Moroccan flavor profile of the lamb shank, with its harissa eggplant, black garlic hummus, and date jus, was totally up my alley. Dessert is always a highlight for me, and the two we ordered were so unique and tasty. I loved their take on an "almond joy" candy bar, with a light pavlova shell surrounding coconut sorbet, soft chocolate, and marcona almonds. The blueberry sorbet, served with corn semifreddo, semolina cake, and crunchy lovage meringue, was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Scroll through the slideshow to see more details about our delicious and satisfying meal. I'm dying to return the next time I'm in San Diego, as there were several other enticing menu items as well! 

the boathouse

Oh, The Boathouse, where do I even begin? We had several meals at the various locations around Sydney, and each one was somehow better than the last! First off, the atmosphere at each Boathouse location is super-cool: think laid-back beach vibes serving bright and fresh fare all day long. We went for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout our trip, and it's safe to say that Australia offers some of my favorite food ever. Just look at all the colors here! Everything was at peak ripeness and so full of flavor (thanks to it being summer), that even the simplest dishes were perfect. One of the most noteworthy dishes was this huge seafood platter, below, that we ate on our last night in Oz. Fresh fish prepared in various ways and served with several different accompaniments (omg that bread!), this was truly memorable. Here's to hoping The Boathouse Group opens up a restaurant stateside soon!

cold seafood platter // sydney rock oysters, tuna cracker, trout pate, smoked trout, QLD tiger prawns, kingfish ceviche, served with Boathouse salad + sourdough

qui

 

Ausin, Texas has become quite the foodie paradise. There is a ton of absolutely amazing food to enjoy, and Qui is at the top of many lists. Last time I was in town, my mom and I managed to get a last minute reservation at Top Chef winner Paul Qui's acclaimed restaurant. She ordered the tasting menu and I ordered the vegetarian tasting menu, so that we could taste everything. I loved the influence of various Asian flavors in all the dishes. Everything was impressive, and I cannot wait to return with my husband!