It's 2016 and a new year and Lisa's Best Of is back!!!! This year, I plan to not only talk about food and wine but about all things new and up and coming. I will continue to talk about food and wine but also bars, fashion/beauty, diet/exercise and of course 2 Local Girls (my dessert catering business) events!
To start off the new year, we begin at the Smiling Banana Leaf. This is a quaint little BYOB Thai restaurant. There may be at most, ten tables, which provides a quiet, intimate setting. The service was good and the food was delicious. I ordered the Cashew Chicken with a side of vegetables while my sister ordered the Yellow Curry. Even though she ordered it at a level 3 (spice level), we had to switch meals, it was a bit too spicy for her!
Both meals had very good flavor; however, the Cashew Chicken was lacking in actual cashews yet overall had lots of flavor and was a pretty large portion. Then there was the Yellow Curry. It was delicious; it was the best I had by far. Yes, that's right, it was better than the curry I usually order from Nicky's Thai. Only at a level 3, it could've been a little spicier for me but regardless, the curry flavor was prominent and the vegetables were cooked perfectly.
Even thought this restaurant isn't located on a main street, it is definitely worth the trip. It's a hidden gem! Try it today and don't forget to take a nice bottle of wine or beer of choice!
Showing posts with label East Liberty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label East Liberty. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2016
Monday, November 26, 2012
Vanilla Pastry Studio
Hi All,
Recently my best friend had her birthday! Although, I usually make cakes and cupcakes for friends and family for their birthdays, I decided that with all the other things that needed to be done for her party that I would defer the baking.
I first had these cupcakes at my friend's wedding. Hands down...the best Red Velvet Cupcakes in the city. I've had Dozen and The Priory, but there is no comparison when it comes to the Red Velvet. I typically do not even consider Red Velvet when I order a cupcake but since they were at a wedding, I had to do my due diligence and try them all. Out of all the cupcakes at the wedding, the Red Velvet cupcake was the only one I ate in its entirety...well 3 of them! Ever since, there have been a few occasions when I've even craved it! So, it was a no-brainer on where to go for her birthday. Plus, she really likes the chocolate-peanut butter.
The icing itself is just so light and creamy and is the perfect accompaniment to soft, moist cakes. There are a lot of flavors so you can't really go wrong with your flavor choice; however, like I said, I stick with the Red Velvet. It's not too sweet and the cake is fluffy and the icing...it has the perfect amount of vanilla and is so creamy and delicious; you can tell they are made fresh! If you can find one better to rival it, I will check it out and crown a winner!
As for the atmosphere, you can sit inside, which is decorated in pink! You can see the baker's making new batches and the aroma is to die for. You can place an order by the dozen, a mini dozen or by the cupcake. There are many options and are fairly priced. My suggestion if you want to try a few flavors and not break the bank...go for the mini dozen! For $12, you can try up to 12 flavors, some flavors are excluded, but you can get an understanding of your favorite flavor. Check out Vanilla, located in East Liberty on Penn Circle and let me know what you think!
Recently my best friend had her birthday! Although, I usually make cakes and cupcakes for friends and family for their birthdays, I decided that with all the other things that needed to be done for her party that I would defer the baking.
I first had these cupcakes at my friend's wedding. Hands down...the best Red Velvet Cupcakes in the city. I've had Dozen and The Priory, but there is no comparison when it comes to the Red Velvet. I typically do not even consider Red Velvet when I order a cupcake but since they were at a wedding, I had to do my due diligence and try them all. Out of all the cupcakes at the wedding, the Red Velvet cupcake was the only one I ate in its entirety...well 3 of them! Ever since, there have been a few occasions when I've even craved it! So, it was a no-brainer on where to go for her birthday. Plus, she really likes the chocolate-peanut butter.
The icing itself is just so light and creamy and is the perfect accompaniment to soft, moist cakes. There are a lot of flavors so you can't really go wrong with your flavor choice; however, like I said, I stick with the Red Velvet. It's not too sweet and the cake is fluffy and the icing...it has the perfect amount of vanilla and is so creamy and delicious; you can tell they are made fresh! If you can find one better to rival it, I will check it out and crown a winner!
As for the atmosphere, you can sit inside, which is decorated in pink! You can see the baker's making new batches and the aroma is to die for. You can place an order by the dozen, a mini dozen or by the cupcake. There are many options and are fairly priced. My suggestion if you want to try a few flavors and not break the bank...go for the mini dozen! For $12, you can try up to 12 flavors, some flavors are excluded, but you can get an understanding of your favorite flavor. Check out Vanilla, located in East Liberty on Penn Circle and let me know what you think!
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