Mar27

Recent Exploits in Photos

A reader recently suggested I try TaraThai again at the Short Pump Mall. I’ve never been a huge fan; now I remember why.

Tara Thai Short Pump

The food tasted fine. But it was served cold. And service was an issue. See them buzzing around the queen bee? That’s where they hang out the entire time! Getting someone to come to your table is a royal chore, and when I asked for a refill, I was was given an eye.

Sorry; wasn’t too impressed. Voted best, sure…

Stuffy's

Today I visited a Stuffy’s for lunch. Not the best idea. The sandwiches are hard to fold, and half the ingredients keep falling out. It was okay, but far too much bread, and not enough “dressing.”

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

Tonight I had a grand menu planned, sadly, two of the three dishes were lacking. My duck was a bit too dry (I don’t think it was my fault, entirely). The mashed potatoes turned out as soup. Yuck! Don’t ask.

But the dessert was a raving success. I attempted my own version of Zed’s Banana Chocolate Bread Pudding dessert. Yummo!

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

  • brioche or other eggy-bread; torn
  • half-half
  • vanilla paste (or freshly scraped vanilla beans)
  • dark chocolate shavings, nibs, or chunks
  • 2 bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • rum
  • sugar, powdered sugar

I wisked a few Tablespoons of sugar with the eggs; added vanilla; added half-half. Tore-up brioche, covered in custardy mixture. Splashed rum all over the lot; added and folded in sliced bananas and dark chocolate.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes; grease a baking pan with water.

Fill the pan with the mixture; it should be not dripping wet, but very moist.

Place the container in a water bath (bigger container with water) to insulate the baking dish. Bake from 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm. I garnished mine with powdered sugar.

To guild the lilly, as they say, a white chocolate custard sauce would have been awesome. Rave reviews from my 3 tasters.


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About Messy Cuisine

What is Messy Cuisine?

Several years ago, friends and I decided to produce our own cooking show. What might we call it? The Messy Chef was born, a moniker inspired by my own mother’s description of my abilities in the kitchen. “You might cook well, but you sure are messy.”

Messy Cuisine is a website dedicated to restaurant reviews and future online video productions of The Messy Chef. I hope to find ways to make the site more interactive for visitors.

How do I see all the restaurants you have reviewed?

Under the navigation section, choose Category > Restaurant Reviews and the page that is displayed will show all reviews in alphabetical order.

Is Messy Cuisine a business?

No, a pasttime and a passion.

Messy Cuisine Logo

Who designed the logo for Messy Cuisine? I did. It was produced using Adobe Illustrator. It’s adapted from the typeface PMN Caecilia.

Tell me more about the Restaurant Reviews…

Unlike the NY Times, or other well-established locations, the reviews I write may be based on one or more visits, but sometimes it is just one. Typically, I’ll cover the best and worst points. I usually mention what I had, and make comments too on the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The ratings I assign are not derived from some complex rubric, but are a genealized, overall reaction to my meal at the particular restaurant. I do not discriminate on price: cheap eats can earn a top rating, just the same as an expensive restaurant. I think price and formality, however, can affect your choice when dining, so I’ve begun to use a 3-tiered indicator for price to guide your choices.

About the Chef

Not a chef, really… a gourmet, or simply an enthusiast for good things in life. I have shared reviews of places I eat online for over 6 years. I typically go out a lot, due to convenience and a desire to try new things. At home, I gravitate towards Italian cuisine, but also French technique and simple dishes and dinners. My baking skills aren’t great, but I do love a good pie or croissant.

Show Models

Probably my favorite TV program for cooking is TV Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, for its style and content. We’re also inspired by NBC’s hit comedy show, The Office, and have attempted some take-offs on that filming style and charactature.

The Blog

The blog is powered by WordPress, the open source blog engine. I evaluted several content management systems (CMS) when beginning, but I was most familiar with this and its templating system.

Where else do you recommend I learn about good food online?

I really like a number of food blogs, which I link to up above in the main navigation area, a blogroll, so to speak. I also have included a link below to Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV.

WLTV